Nayland Primary School

Inspection Report Nayland Primary School

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124543 Unique Reference Number SUFFOLK LEA LEA 281747 Inspection number 26 September 2005 to 27 September 2005 Inspection dates Ms. Margaret Goodchild LI Reporting inspector

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

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Bear Street School address Primary Type of school CO6 4HY Community School category 5 to 10 Age range of pupils 01206262348 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01206262348 Fax number 111 Number on roll Mr.G White Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs. Raegan Delaney Headteacher 25 January 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281747 26 September 2005 - 5 to 10 27 September 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 an additional inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a small rural primary school that takes most of its pupils from Nayland and the neighbouring village. A minority of pupils come from further afield, including the outskirts of Colchester. The school's intake has changed somewhat since the last inspection, with a few more children joining the school who have social, emotional or learning needs. Pupils' attainment on entry to the school is now only slightly above average, although there is a wide ability spread. Almost all of the pupils are of white British descent. English is the mother tongue for almost all pupils. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below that in most schools. Three looked after children attend the school. A small percentage of pupils have special educational needs. Most of these are supported by the school with no additional outside help.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Nayland Primary School, 26 September 2005 to 27 September 2005

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Grade: 1

Senior managers and parents see this as a good school with some excellent features. Inspection findings show that it is an exceptionally good school. The school has made very good progress since its last inspection and is very well placed to improve further. It provides very good value for money. Pupils achieve very well overall and in most year groups their achievement is exceptional. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes make outstanding progress, and teaching in the Reception class is inspirational. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 make very good progress in response to very good - and some excellent - teaching. In 2004, standards in National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1 were exceptionally high, with a further improvement in standards in reading and mathematics in 2005. Most pupils make good progress in Years 3 and 4 as a result of good teaching. Boys and girls reach high standards in reading, but a few pupils -

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Grade: 1

mostly boys - do less well in writing and mathematics. The school is working to remedy this and standards are rising year on year. Pupils make exceptionally good progress in their personal development. The school provides a high level of care and pupils learn in a secure and orderly, yet lively, environment. The curriculum meets their academic and personal needs extremely well, with a strong emphasis on enjoyment as well as achievement. As a result, pupils love school and develop a belief in their ability as learners. Leadership and management are very good. The school is led exceptionally well by a dynamic headteacher with high expectations for the school. It runs very well from day to day and the school evaluates its own performance well. It is not yet as rigorous as it could be in tracking the progress of individual pupils, especially in Years 3 and 4.

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What the school should do to improve further

-Make sure that the outstanding achievement up to the end of Year 2 is continued in Years 3 and 4 in writing and mathematics, especially for boys.

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Grade: 1

When children join the school, their attainment is a bit better than that in most other schools. They make outstanding progress in the Foundation Stage and very good progress in Key Stage 1. As a result, pupils meet challenging targets and reach very high standards at the end of the Reception year and in Years 1 and 2. The 2004 results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1 were exceptionally high and especially so in reading and writing; results were above average in mathematics. All pupils gained Level 2 in reading, writing and mathematics in 2004 and a high proportion of pupils reached Level 3. The school has sustained very high results since the last inspection, and test results in 2005 rose further in reading and mathematics. Most pupils make good progress in Years 3 and 4. Progress is very good for girls and boys in reading, where standards are high. Girls do better than boys in writing and much

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Grade: 1

better in mathematics. Although overall standards in writing and mathematics are 2 Inspection Report: Nayland Primary School, 26 September 2005 to 27 September 2005 above those found in most schools, not all pupils make progress as fast in these years as they do in the rest of the school. This is particularly true of a small number of boys and, being a small school, the performance of individual pupils has a strong effect on overall standards. The school's efforts to raise achievement in Years 3 and 4 are leading to improvement year on year. The proportion of pupils already working at the level expected at the end of Year 6 rose significantly in 2005 but there is scope to raise achievement still further. Art is a clear strength of the school. Colourful displays of pupils' artwork show that art is taught very effectively in a way that fosters pupils' creativity as well as developing their skills.

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Grade: 1

The school supports pupils' personal development and well-being exceptionally well. Children get off to a wonderful start in the Nursery and Reception classes. Pupils of all ages enjoy school very much and work and play happily together. They say that Nayland Primary is 'the best school that you could have,' and those who have experience of other schools say that this school is 'much better than my old one'. Behaviour is very good overall. Incidents of bad behaviour or bullying are rare and are managed well. Attendance has improved and is now above average. The school provides well for pupils' spiritual and cultural development and extremely well for their moral and social development. Pupils feel safe and are learning about how to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Enjoyment is a key feature of learning at Nayland Primary and pupils are very enthusiastic. They contribute to the life of the school in a variety of meaningful ways

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Grade: 1

and benefit from strong links with the local community. Links with local businesses support the basic skills that pupils gain: both help to promote their economic well-being.

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Grade: 1

From the very outset, children discover that learning is fun because teaching is outstanding in the Foundation Stage, with inspirational teaching in the Reception class. Planning is extremely thorough in the Nursery and Reception, and activities are packed with learning opportunities that excite the children. Teaching is very good overall and sometimes excellent in Years 1 and 2. By involving pupils as active learners, teachers capture pupils' attention and create in them a belief in their own ability to learn. Teachers have high expectations for pupils and use varied methods to sustain their interest. Teaching is good overall in Years 3 and 4. Teachers plan lessons well and have warm relationships with their classes. However, they do not always give different groups of pupils work that is matched closely enough to what they can already do. Throughout the school, teachers make good use of the interactive whiteboards

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Grade: 1

that are in every classroom. They provide very good opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills. Teaching assistants make a very good contribution 3 Inspection Report: Nayland Primary School, 26 September 2005 to 27 September 2005 to pupils' progress, and teamwork between staff is strong. Teachers regularly inform pupils about what they are meant to learn and help them know what to do to improve.

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Grade: 1

An exciting range of learning opportunities ensures that pupils have outstanding opportunities to develop academically and personally. They are taught in single year groups and benefit a great deal from the small number of pupils in each class. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage is exceptional. Involvement in the Forest Schools project makes a magical contribution to children's development. The school is well ahead of most schools nationally in providing pupils with opportunities to learn a foreign language from an early age. Children in the Reception class and in Years 1 and 2 have begun to learn French. Throughout the school, a wide range of educational visits and other additional activities enrich pupils' learning. For a school of its size, a good range of clubs is available within and beyond the school day. The school has strong links with other educational establishments, which contribute positively to

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Grade: 1

The school provides a high level of care and support for pupils. Staff are all committed to ensuring that pupils learn and grow in a safe and supportive environment. The school has strong partnerships with parents and outside agencies to ensure that pupils' needs are met. Pupils with special educational needs receive effective support, which enables them to achieve generally as well as their peers. Systems for protecting children at risk are very good and pupils have trusting relationships with adults as well as caring for one another.

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Grade: 1

Leadership is outstanding and the headteacher has been chosen by the local education authority to provide advice to some other local primary schools. The headteacher is an energetic leader who motivates staff so that all feel valued and supported in fulfilling their potential. Morale is very high and all members of staff, including the support staff, are actively involved in decision-making and contribute a substantial amount to pupils' achievement. Very good improvement since the last inspection, together with a high level of commitment by all staff, mean that the school is very well placed to improve further. The headteacher and assistant headteacher work extremely well together in leading the school and creating a lively learning environment where expectations are high. Senior managers are outward looking and eager to get involved with any new initiatives that have something important to offer the pupils. Leadership

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Grade: 1

of the Foundation Stage is outstanding. The school is managed well and runs very smoothly from day to day. Senior managers have good systems for checking the school's 4 Inspection Report: Nayland Primary School, 26 September 2005 to 27 September 2005 effectiveness and have identified accurately where there is scope for further improvement. As a result, raising standards in writing and mathematics in Years 3 and 4 are school improvement plan priorities. However, the regular tracking of the progress of individual pupils, groups and classes , and the action that follows on from it , has not yet been rigorous or precise enough to ensure that pupils in Years 3 and 4 make progress at the same rapid rate as they do lower down the school. The school takes parents' views into account and listens to its pupils. The governing body is very supportive to the school and governors are kept very well informed by reports from

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Grade: 1

the headteacher. Some governors who have taken on particular responsibilities visit the school to check on its work. Not all governors do this, generally because of work commitments. The school has rightly identified the need to involve governors more closely in checking the school's overall effectiveness. Very good improvement has been made in information and communication technology since the last inspection and the school is now much better resourced , with one computer to every four pupils , than most other schools. The spacious accommodation, including a recent extension to the Foundation Stage, and the expansive school grounds support pupils' achievement very well. 5 Inspection Report: Nayland Primary School, 26 September 2005 to 27 September 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: Nayland Primary School, 26 September 2005 to 27 September 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 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA NA 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 1 How well do learners achieve? NA 1 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 1 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 1 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 2 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 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 1 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 1 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 1 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 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 1 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 enjoyed my visit to your school and would like to thank you for welcoming me. It was a pleasure to talk to you and to watch you working and playing together. It was interesting meeting a group of children from different classes, and they told me a lot about what it's like to be a pupil at your school. They told me that Nayland Primary is 'the best school that you could have'. This letter is to tell you about some of the important things that I saw in your school. You are very lucky to go to such a good school because it is extremely good. The headteacher, teachers and other adults make sure that learning is exciting and help you to do as well as you can. That's why so many of you really love school and find learning fun. You are doing very well with your work and get on very well together. In the Duckling and Cygnet classes and in Robin and Woodpecker, you learn new things very quickly and do much better than children do in

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

most other schools. When you get into Kingfisher and Owl classes, you still do well and very well in your reading. Not all children in the oldest classes have done quite so well in writing and mathematics in the past as they did in the younger classes. Your teachers are keen to make the school even better for you. You need to help them to get you all up to very high levels in writing and mathematics, as well as in reading, by the time you leave at the end of Year 4. Your headteacher and the other adults will need to check very carefully to make sure that you are getting all the help you need and that you are doing as well as you could. Keep working hard and enjoy the rest of your time at Nayland Primary.

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