Otley Primary School

124602 Unique Reference Number SUFFOLK LEA LEA 281763 Inspection number 17 October 2005 to 18 October 2005 Inspection dates Mr. David Speakman LI Reporting inspector

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

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Chapel Road School address Primary Type of school IP6 9NT Community School category 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01473890302 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01473 890 953 Fax number 49 Number on roll Mr.Gavin Grant Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr. Peter Coleby Headteacher 6 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281763 17 October 2005 - 4 to 11 18 October 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average sized primary school. Most of the pupils are of a white British background with small numbers from minority ethnic backgrounds. The proportion of pupils entitled to claim a free school meal is below average and there is a below average proportion of pupils with special educational needs. Pupils are taught in mixed-age classes. There is a wide spread of ability, both on entry and across the school.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Otley Primary School, 17 October 2005 to 18 October 2005

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Grade: 2

The inspection outcomes confirm the school's view that this is a good school. It provides a good quality of education and gives good value for money. Good teaching enables all pupils to achieve well and, by the end of Year 6, standards are above average. Teachers use detailed assessment information well in planning, but marking does not always sufficiently inform pupils about how they might improve the quality of their work. Behaviour is outstanding and pupils have excellent attitudes towards learning. The curriculum is well organised to meet the learning needs of pupils at all levels of ability and pupils of different ages in the mixed-age classes. The school recognises complications in meeting the wide range of learning needs in each class and is reorganising the curriculum for children in reception, Years 1 and 2 to a topic-based approach. Quality of provision and standards for children in the Foundation Stage are

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Grade: 2

good. The school is well led and managed through a team approach. All staff work well together to support the headteacher in providing a good quality education and good levels of care for pupils. School self-evaluation focuses mainly on pupils' achievement and is effective in enabling them to achieve well. It is firmly based on teachers' very good knowledge of each individual pupil. The school is aware of the need to monitor teaching and its impact on learning more rigorously in order to make further improvements. School self-evaluation is satisfactory overall. The school has responded well to issues raised at the time of the previous inspection and has effectively addressed other issues identified since. Because of the commitment to providing a good quality education and the very good knowledge of pupils, the school has a good capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Develop systems to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and its impact on learning and implement these alongside the school's effective assessment procedures to further improve the school's self-evaluation process - Ensure that marking of pupils' work informs them more of how they might best improve - Complete the development of the Foundation Stage / Key Stage 1 curriculum into a topic-based approach and consider the benefits of extending this approach into Key Stage 2

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Grade: 2

Pupils start school with standards that cover a very wide range, but attainment on entry to the school is average overall. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress. The number of pupils in each year group is small, so standards vary from year to year but are generally above the national average by the end of Year 6. Teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 in 2005 showed above average standards in reading and writing and average in mathematics. Test results at the end of Year 6 were average in English, mathematics and science. There were serious concerns about the behaviour of a majority of boys in this group. The school dealt 2 Inspection Report: Otley Primary School, 17 October 2005 to 18 October 2005 with the situation effectively and did well to achieve average results. The school has set challenging targets for the end of Year 6 in 2006 and even more challenging targets

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Grade: 2

for the current Year 5 in 2007. Inspection evidence and assessment data show that these groups of pupils are well placed to achieve their challenging targets. Inspection evidence confirms the above average standards indicated by the school targets. Current standards in both Years 2 and 6 are above those nationally expected for pupils of this age in English and mathematics. Pupils with special educational needs are identified and supported at an early stage. These pupils achieve well.

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Grade: 1

Pupil's personal development is outstanding. Their enjoyment in being in school is reflected in their excellent behaviour in class and around school. They say they recall no incidents of bullying. The school council is newly formed, but already members show great pride in their contribution to school life. Attendance levels are good. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils place a high value on their relationships with their teachers and friends and they say this is one of the aspects of school life that is important to them and adds to their enjoyment of school. Opportunities for pupils of all ages to mix, both in class and at break times, help them develop a deep understanding of others' feelings and this contributes very successfully to the quality of life in school. Spiritual development is good with pupils showing real appreciation in their own achievement and in that of other pupils. Pupils are thoughtful

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Grade: 1

and considerate to others and follow the excellent examples set for them by all adults in the school. Lunch and break times are very pleasant occasions, when pupils play well together and enjoy themselves. Pupils have a very good understanding of healthy lifestyles. They know the importance of healthy eating and keeping fit. Although there are limited opportunities to take part in sports activities, pupils are active at lunch and break times.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching is good in all classes and enables pupils to achieve well. Lesson planning is good. Teachers have a very good knowledge of pupils' achievement and they know each individual very well. They use this knowledge to ensure that each pupil is challenged in their work. Pupils say that because they are in small classes they get lots of help. Teaching assistants contribute effectively to this support. Although teachers know their pupils well and help them to make progress, the quality of marking is variable and does not sufficiently tell pupils how they might best improve their work. Teachers organise their teaching well to cope with the wide range of demands of pupils of different ages and abilities. This helps pupils feel confident in their approach to learning. Behaviour management and relationships between teachers and pupils are very good. Through a positive approach to managing pupils' behaviour and giving

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Grade: 2

3 Inspection Report: Otley Primary School, 17 October 2005 to 18 October 2005 awards when deserved, teachers have effectively created a calm and encouraging learning environment, which in turn supports pupils' extremely positive attitudes to school and learning. Teachers focus not only on developing core skills, such as reading, writing and numeracy, but also on developing independent work habits and research skills. To this end pupils are provided with many effective opportunities to work collaboratively and in teams.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. It is carefully planned so that the learning needs of pupils in mixed-age classes are fully met and they are able to develop skills, knowledge and understanding within a structure which builds securely on previous learning. Provision for pupils' personal, social and health education is good. The opportunities to raise pupils' awareness of drugs and sex and relationships education are built into curriculum planning in Year 5 or 6. Reception children are taught with pupils in Years 1 and 2 and the teacher carefully plans the curriculum so that the requirements of the Foundation Stage curriculum and those for Key Stage 1 are met. This curriculum is currently being reorganised into a topic approach, which meets the curriculum requirements of both phases more effectively. The school feels it would be a positive move to extend this arrangement into Years 3 to 6. The enrichment of the curriculum

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Grade: 3

is satisfactory. Visitors to school and trips such as that to France support the curriculum well. However, parents and pupils say they would like more opportunities for extra-curricular activities, particularly linked to sports.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a very secure and caring environment in which pupils learn and grow in a very calm atmosphere. The provision for health, safety and well-being is good. Regular opportunities to exercise at break times, using the new playground equipment, and attention to healthy eating add significantly to the attention the school gives to pupils' well-being. Pupils feel safe in school and they like the friendliness they experience, especially from teachers and other adults. Older pupils are given lots of opportunity to look after younger ones, both in class and at break times. Pupils are confident that there is always an adult to listen if they have problems. Child protection procedures are fully in place. Pupils who have special educational needs are looked after well in school and through links with outside agencies. The school's rigorous tracking of individual pupils' academic achievement helps teachers to get to know

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Grade: 2

each pupil individually and to give pupils good guidance on the next steps in learning. However, advice on how pupils could improve is not always evident in the marking of pupils' work. 4 Inspection Report: Otley Primary School, 17 October 2005 to 18 October 2005

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. There is a small staff and each teacher carries important responsibilities. The headteacher teaches for much of the week so a united team approach effectively supports their commitment to providing a good quality education. School self-evaluation focuses mainly on judging its effectiveness through monitoring the pupils' personal and academic achievement. This is thorough and informative in identifying priorities for improvement relating to pupils' achievement. The headteacher is aware that there is a need to develop procedures to monitor teaching and to further improve aspects of monitoring pupils' performance, for example through book scrutiny. Running this system alongside the school's already established good assessment procedures has the capacity to provide a very secure school self-evaluation process. Initial developments have already been explored with the local

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Grade: 2

education authority. The governing body is very supportive of the work of the school and there is a good relationship between the governors and the school. They visit when they are able and the headteacher keeps them fully aware of what is happening. Recent initiatives have been effective in meeting the issues raised in the previous inspection and in identifying areas for future development that are highly appropriate to pupils in school. The close teamwork of the headteacher and staff, and their commitment to the pupils' well-being, effectively supported by the governing body, means that the school has a good capacity for further improvement. 5 Inspection Report: Otley Primary School, 17 October 2005 to 18 October 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: Otley Primary School, 17 October 2005 to 18 October 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 2 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 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 2 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 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 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 2 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

I was pleased to meet you when I came in to inspect your school and I enjoyed the two days I spent with you. Thank you very much for making me feel welcome, talking to me and helping me find out about you and how good your school is. You have a good school. The headteacher, teachers and all other adults working in Otley Primary do their very best to give you a good quality education. They look after you very well and I noticed that you also look after each other. Your teachers know each of you very well and use this information to help all of you, whatever the level you are working at, to make good progress. Your excellent behaviour and the very calm atmosphere in class help you to learn effectively. You had good things to say about your school, teachers and friends and it is obvious that you enjoy being there. There are some things that could be improved and I am asking your headteacher, the governors and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

teachers to think about making the curriculum more interesting by reorganising it into topics, to mark work more helpfully so that you know better what to do next and to check teaching carefully to give a clearer idea of how the school is improving. I hope you all do well in the future.

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