Hundon Community Primary School

Inspection Report Hundon Community Primary School

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124538 Unique Reference Number SUFFOLK LEA LEA 281745 Inspection number 14 June 2006 to 15 June 2006 Inspection dates Ms. Ruth Frith AI Reporting inspector

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

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North Street School address Primary Type of school CO10 8EE Community School category 4 to 9 Age range of pupils 01440 786217 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01440 786217 Fax number 60 Number on roll Mrs.Libby Stone Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs. Anna Berridge Headteacher 26 June 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281745 14 June 2006 - 4 to 9 15 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 much smaller than average size first school situated in the village of Hundon. Most pupils come from Hundon and the surrounding rural area but others come from neighbouring villages or the local town of Haverhill. The socio-economic backgrounds of pupils are mostly favourable. Children's attainment on entry to school is generally average to above average but in some years, particularly when there is a very small intake of pupils, it can be lower than this. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties is below average. Children are from White British backgrounds. At the start of the current academic year all class teachers were new to the school, including the headteacher.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Hundon Community Primary School, 14 June 2006 to 15 June 2006

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Grade: 2

Hundon Community Primary is a good school. Pupils do well in this friendly and supportive environment and become happy, confident learners. Leadership and management are good. The enthusiasm and commitment of the new headteacher, together with support from staff and governors, indicate that the school has a good capacity to improve further. Staff and governors have a clear understanding of the school's strengths and identify appropriate priorities for improvement. The good self-evaluation procedures have helped the school to reflect on how well it is doing and its judgements match closely with the inspection's findings. Improvement since the previous inspection has been good. The school provides good value for money. In the past, the rate of learning was not always consistent but the headteacher has recently introduced a new tracking system which records pupils' progress. This has helped teachers to identify and successfully address issues, such as the levelling out

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Grade: 2

of pupils' progress in Year 3. It has also helped them to raise standards in Reception. Here, quality and standards are good overall but limitations in the resources and outside accommodation hinder teaching and learning. Typically, pupils make good progress and achieve well. Teaching and learning are good and the curriculum is stimulating. This helps to maintain pupils' interest, their excellent behaviour and attitudes. A very small minority of more capable pupils are not achieving as well as they could in writing because of insufficient challenge and expectation. The setting of targets to guide pupils' learning is not yet fully developed in English and mathematics so pupils are not always sure how they can improve their work. Staff care for their pupils well and seek to involve them in the development of the school. Pupils really enjoy school and this is reflected in their high attendance rate.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Improve the use of data to set appropriately challenging targets in English and mathematics and ensure that pupils are aware of what they need to do next to improve. - Ensure consistent good challenge for the most capable pupils, particularly in writing, so that they achieve as well as they can. - Develop the outside area for the Reception children so that they receive more opportunities for learning across all curriculum areas.

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Grade: 2

Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Children in Reception are keen to learn and the current class have progressed particularly well with their reading and writing. By the time they enter Year 1 they are likely to reach at least the goals set nationally for all areas of learning and, in many cases, achieve beyond this. Results of the 2005 national assessments for Year 2 pupils showed an improvement from the previous year in reading, writing and particularly so in mathematics. Pupils made good progress and achieved high standards. Although the percentage gaining a level higher than that 2 Inspection Report: Hundon Community Primary School, 14 June 2006 to 15 June 2006 expected for their age was above average in all subjects, it was less marked in writing. Similarly, pupils in Year 4 achieved well and attained above average standards with a particularly good performance in mathematics. Pupils with learning difficulties achieve

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Grade: 2

well because their needs are quickly identified and effective support is given. Typically, all pupils meet or exceed their targets but in some cases targets are not sufficiently challenging, especially for the more capable pupils in English.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding. There is a particularly strong, caring ethos in the school which, together with good support from families, governors and the local community, creates an environment where children feel very happy and do well. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of pupils' development are outstanding. Pupils develop a very keen spiritual awareness through studying art, religious education and poetry. Their poetry clearly shows how they are encouraged to think about themselves and others, for example, when writing about happiness and anger. Pupils' cultural understanding is also very well developed as they discover ways of life and beliefs different from their own. Pupils learn what is expected of them through their very positive day-to-day interactions with staff who are consistent in their expectations. This results in pupils who behave exceptionally well

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Grade: 1

and develop very good relationships. Pupils thoroughly enjoy school and develop exceptionally good attitudes to learning. This helps to form a strong foundation for their future development. They arrive in the morning very keen to start the day and attendance is high. Pupils are encouraged to keep themselves safe and happy and develop good personal safety awareness. They follow the school routines very well and act sensibly and safely when at work and play. They have a good understanding of how to adopt a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise and eating a range of good food. This is supported in school through the provision of freshly cooked meals. Pupils know their views are valued and the school council works well to ensure that they have a say in improving the school. Pupils' personal development is supported well through the school's good links with the community. Pupils have plenty of opportunities to take part in a range of local activities and perform in front of various

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Grade: 1

audiences. Pupils develop skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) that contribute positively to their future economic well-being.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good and ensures that pupils progress well throughout the school. Staff are particularly effective at creating an atmosphere where pupils become confident learners and want to do well. Pupils are encouraged to become independent as well as work well with others. This was seen in Years 3 and 4 when 3 Inspection Report: Hundon Community Primary School, 14 June 2006 to 15 June 2006 pupils worked together to make Rangoli patterns. Because there is a caring atmosphere and particularly good relationships, pupils feel able to ask for support when needed. High expectations result in excellent behaviour and attitudes and these form a good basis for pupils' learning. Close collaboration between teachers and the teaching assistants results in pupils' needs being met well. Improvements in assessment and planning now usually ensure that work is well matched to pupils' capabilities in these

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Grade: 2

mixed age classes. Those with learning difficulties are well supported and, more often than not, more capable pupils are appropriately challenged. However, challenge is not always sufficiently high for those who can write well and this leads to minor errors in punctuation, spelling and handwriting. Also, the marking of pupils' work is not always sufficiently focused to ensure that pupils are clear about what they should do next to improve. Staff use technology well to support pupils' learning and maintain their interest. Financial contributions from the parents' association have been used to purchase some interactive whiteboards, the use of which is proving to be very effective.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. Pupils enjoy what they are doing in lessons because activities are interesting. For example, in Years 1 and 2, a group of pupils maintained particularly good levels of concentration when creating stories using laptop computers. ICT is used effectively wherever possible. The youngest children in Reception also take part in a good range of activities and they, too, are keen to use the technology of the interactive whiteboard to practise writing. However, although the Reception curriculum is good overall, it is restricted by the lack of resources and the accommodation for outside play. Throughout the school, the good use of cross-curricular activities ensures that pupils have opportunities to consolidate their learning as well as develop good levels of knowledge and understanding. Recent improvements have been made to the music curriculum and French is taught to pupils in Years 1 to 4. The curriculum is enriched

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Grade: 2

with a good range of educational visits and knowledgeable visitors. These help pupils gain a very good appreciation of the wider world and develop specific skills, for example, when they take part in a residential visit. There is a satisfactory range of extra-curricular activities for a school of this size.

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Grade: 2

The quality of care, guidance and support is good overall. Child protection procedures are well-established and fully understood by staff. Pupils feel safe and know who to turn to if they have a problem. They are confident that their comments would be taken seriously and difficulties resolved. Assessments of physical risk are undertaken and any areas of concern are acted upon. The vast majority of parents and their children are pleased with what the school offers and find staff approachable. They, too, feel that their contributions are welcomed. Pupils with learning difficulties are provided with good support so that they make similar progress to others. Staff use effective assessment procedures to assess how well pupils are learning and whether they need 4 Inspection Report: Hundon Community Primary School, 14 June 2006 to 15 June 2006 additional support. This is helping to provide more information so that staff can more

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Grade: 2

easily track pupils' progress over time. However, target-setting is not yet fully developed so some pupils do not clearly know what steps they need to take to improve their learning still further in English and mathematics.

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Grade: 2

The school is well led and managed. The newly appointed headteacher has a clear vision for the future of the school based on improving provision and raising standards. She has been particularly effective at building the staff team so that they, too, share her vision. She has also quickly gained the confidence of staff, governors and parents. Staff morale is high and it is clear that children, staff, parents and governors enjoy being part of the school community. Staff successfully take on an appropriate variety of management responsibilities in this very small school. This results in good care for pupils, a stimulating curriculum and good academic progress. There are effective systems for checking how well the school is doing and identifying what it could do better. The results of these accurately match the findings of the inspection. The views of all members of the school community are taken into consideration. Governance is

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Grade: 2

good. Governors have a clear understanding of the school's effectiveness and are fully involved in school development. They show good commitment and support through working in school and through the work done in committees. Financial management and planning are effective and ensure that school developments are adequately financed. The school has dealt with the issues from the previous inspection effectively and because of the good work of the headteacher, staff and governors this year, the school's capacity for further improvement is good. 5 Inspection Report: Hundon Community Primary School, 14 June 2006 to 15 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: Hundon Community Primary School, 14 June 2006 to 15 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 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 1 The behaviour of learners NA 1 The attendance of learners NA 1 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

I am writing to say how much I enjoyed visiting Hundon Community Primary. Thank you for making me feel so welcome and for talking about your school and the work you have done. - You do well in school when compared with children of a similar age, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics. - You obviously enjoy school very much and are keen to do good work. - Your attendance is very good. - All the staff work well together as a team to make sure that you learn a lot. They enjoy teaching you and the teaching is good. - You behave very well indeed and I saw you being kind to each other. You work and play together very well. - The activities and range of work you do are good and this helps you to enjoy your lessons. You particularly like going on school visits and having visitors in to help you learn new things. - Staff look after you well and you feel safe in school. - Your parents feel that Hundon Community

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Primary is a good school. They say you enjoy school and make good progress. - Mrs Berridge manages the school well and has been especially good in leading all the new staff so that the school has improved and you receive a good education. We have agreed with the headteacher and governors that your school will be even better if you all try to improve standards in writing, particularly those of you who find writing quite easy. Staff will try to develop the outside area for those in Reception so that more learning can take place outdoors. They will also continue to develop the way they check your progress over time and use this information to plan what you should learn next in English and mathematics. Thank you once again and good luck in the future.

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