Stanton Community Primary School

Inspection Report Stanton Community Primary School

p.1

124547 Unique Reference Number SUFFOLK LEA LEA 281748 Inspection number 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005 Inspection dates Mr. John Messer LI Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Bury Lane School address Primary Type of school IP31 2DE Community School category 3 to 9 Age range of pupils 01359250225 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01359 252243 Fax number 144 Number on roll Mrs.Barbara Smithson Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs. Sally Pert Headteacher 11 October 1999 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281748 8 November 2005 - 3 to 9 9 November 2005 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by an Additional Inspector.

p.3

Description of the school

This first school has a nursery and five other classes. Attainment on entry is broadly average. A quarter of pupils have learning difficulties, which is above average. Many of these difficulties are associated with social, emotional or behavioural problems. Most pupils are from white British backgrounds and a few are from minority ethnic backgrounds. Most come from within the village but a fifth come from further afield. A fifth come from British or United States forces families. The number on roll has been falling steadily due to a decline in the school age population locally and because of cut backs in forces' personnel. In several year groups, a high proportion of pupils enter or leave the school at other than the usual times.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Stanton Community Primary School, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005

p.3

Grade: 2

Inspection findings confirm the school's judgement that this is a good school. The school is emerging from a difficult period. It has had to reduce the number of classes from seven to five. Long-term staff illness has interrupted the continuity of pupils' learning. Children in the Foundation Stage make good progress and most are likely to attain the learning goals that they are expected to reach by the end of reception. Most pupils in Years 1 to 4 make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics, but boys do not make enough progress in writing. Reading is particularly strong. Teamwork is good and teaching assistants make a very good contribution to the quality of teaching and learning. The quality of teaching is excellent in the nursery and is good in the other age groups. Most pupils attain standards that are above average in reading, writing and mathematics. This is usually reflected in national test results. Following

p.4

Grade: 2

national guidance, the school has begun work on introducing a more exciting curriculum. The school manages its finances well and provides good value for money. There have been many improvements since the last inspection. The school is looking forward to a more settled period and has good capacity to improve further.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

- Introduce activities that encourage boys to attain higher standards of writing. - Develop a curriculum that includes more stimulating activities that excite pupils and motivate them to produce work of the highest quality.

p.4

Grade: 2

Children enter the school with average attainment and by the time they leave in Year 4 their standards are above average, which represents good progress. They start well in the nursery and reception classes. By the end of the reception year most will have attained the early learning goals that children are expected to attain and the faster learners will have exceeded them. Most pupils continue to make good progress in Years 1 and 2 and standards are above average in reading, writing and mathematics. This was reflected in the exceptionally high national test results in 2004, although results dipped in 2005 because of the high proportion of pupils with learning difficulties. Most pupils make good progress in Years 3 and 4 and standards are above average by the time pupils leave at the end of Year 4. The school's analysis of pupils' performance shows that boys do not make as much progress as girls in writing and that the standards

p.4

Grade: 2

that boys attain are too low. Teachers now set challenging targets for all groups and this helps pupils to understand what they must do to reach the next stages in their learning. Pupils work hard and most meet their targets. They have positive attitudes to learning and are keen to succeed. 2 Inspection Report: Stanton Community Primary School, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005

p.4

Grade: 2

Pupils like coming to school and attendance is good. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Most pupils behave well. They are sensitive to the needs of others. The school council reports that a few pupils play too roughly. They say that the school takes bullying seriously and deals well with rare instances of poor behaviour. Pupils are confident and are extremely polite and considerate. This is largely because all staff treat them sensibly and with respect, setting a good example. They feel that they are treated fairly and are safe. Pupils are happy to share concerns with adults. They contribute well to the community, raising sums of money for charities locally and further afield. The school describes itself as a 'listening school' and pupils know their views are taken seriously. The school council wanted more interesting playground equipment and pupils are now happy with the good range of equipment

p.5

Grade: 2

available at playtimes. They have a good understanding of a balanced diet and know about exercising to stay healthy. Most pupils develop good basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics and are increasingly confident in using computers. They are developing a good basis for eventually taking their place in the world of work.

p.5

Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teaching in the nursery is excellent. Here the teacher and the nursery nurses work closely together to provide an exciting learning environment. They maintain high expectations of children's ability to develop independence. They grasp every opportunity to extend their pupils' vocabulary and knowledge and understanding of the world. Across the school, teachers plan work carefully so that work is matched to pupils' varying stages of development. This helps to make sure that all pupils can complete their work and enjoy success. Teachers have good relationships with pupils. Teaching assistants are well trained. They are skilled at supporting groups of pupils with learning difficulties and groups of faster learners, especially in English. There is a strong emphasis on teaching basic skills, particularly reading. All staff work together well to form a strong team dedicated to raising

p.5

Grade: 2

standards and helping all pupils to make as much progress as possible. They are enthusiastic about the newly installed electronic whiteboards and already use them well to present material imaginatively and stimulate interest. They are keen to develop the curriculum so that activities are even more exciting and relevant for learners.

p.5

Grade: 2

The curriculum is well planned and covers all the subjects that it should. There is a suitable range of activities outside lessons such as sports, choir, French and computers. Pupils enjoy 'Golden Time' each week as a reward for good behaviour. The school is 3 Inspection Report: Stanton Community Primary School, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005 sensitive to the needs of pupils and tailors provision to meet particular needs. For example, the school identified that there is a significant number of pupils who have difficulties with social, emotional and behavioural adjustment. Consequently it introduced 'nurture groups' designed to enable pupils to express their feelings and receive guidance about working and playing together. It has also re-written its policy on personal, social and health education so that provision matches pupils' needs more closely. As part of its strategy to improve standards in writing, especially for boys, it

p.5

Grade: 2

invited a group of story-tellers and an author into school to stimulate greater enthusiasm for writing. There are appropriate opportunities to extend pupils' experiences through visits and visitors. Provision for health education, including drugs awareness, is built into the curriculum well. The school is currently reviewing its curriculum to make it more exciting, enriching and relevant for pupils.

p.6

Grade: 2

The school is a safe place in which pupils feel happy and secure. They say that they would know where to turn for help if a problem arose. The school pays close attention to health and safety issues and carries out careful checks on equipment and premises. Child protection arrangements are in place and are clearly understood by all staff. Teachers and support staff are sensitive to the needs of individuals and work hard to help all groups to make good progress. Under the direction of teachers, teaching assistants play a key role in supporting pupils with learning difficulties and are successful in helping them to make good progress. Individual plans, designed to meet particular needs, are drawn up and these include clear targets that are shared with pupils. The progress of these pupils is carefully monitored, and parents are invited to review the progress their children are making. Groups of faster learners are encouraged

p.6

Grade: 2

to do their very best and some are taken out of class for special support to help them to make as much progress as possible. The school works successfully with other agencies to make sure that pupils get all the help they need. The overwhelming majority of parents who returned questionnaires said that they welcomed the good care, guidance and support that their children receive.

p.6

Grade: 2

The headteacher gives strong and sensitive leadership. Since she joined the school three years ago she has had to deal with a range of difficulties. The falling roll led to a fall in income and a reduction in the number of classes and teachers. The absence of teachers due to long-term sickness caused staffing difficulties. The strength of the school's leadership and management, especially the strong sense of teamwork among staff, helped the school to manage these difficulties well, with a minimum of interruption to pupils' learning. The school analyses its performance well and accurately identifies areas for improvement. The headteacher and her deputy have worked closely with staff and governors to create a three year strategic plan to focus energy and resources on raising standards. Staff report that her leadership is inspirational. They 4 Inspection Report: Stanton Community Primary School, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005

p.6

Grade: 2

work closely in teams to consider how best to develop the curriculum. There is a strong and shared commitment to further improve the quality of provision for all the pupils. The drive and enthusiasm of staff, and the improvements that have been made, demonstrate that the school has a good capacity to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Stanton Community Primary School, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005 .

p.7

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Stanton Community Primary School, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005

p.8

Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.9

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

p.9

Achievement and standards

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

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.9

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.

p.9

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

I enjoyed visiting your school. Thank you for being so friendly and helpful. This is what I thought about your school. Stanton Primary School is a good school because all the adults work hard as a team to help you to learn. You learn to read well and you are good at mathematics. Most of you write well but the boys do not do as well as they should in writing. You are becoming good at finding information from the internet and at using computers to write stories. You are sensitive to the needs of others and help your friends if they are upset or worried about anything. Most of the time you work and play happily together and you show mature understanding for the very few children who show off or are a little rough. You understand how to stay safe and healthy. Your headteacher is a good leader and she works closely with all the adults to organise the school well. All staff listen to your opinions and take great care of you. The school spends

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

its money sensibly so that there are enough adults to help you and there is all the equipment that you need in lessons, like paper, pencils and books. The new electronic whiteboards are brilliant and teachers are excited about how they can be used to make teaching and learning more interesting. The main things that the school needs to do to make things even better is to find ways to help the boys to improve their writing. Also the teachers are thinking hard about how they can make lessons even more interesting and make your learning really exciting. Best wishes for the future.

p.11