Kersey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Inspection Report Kersey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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124705 Unique Reference Number SUFFOLK LEA LEA 281785 Inspection number 1 March 2006 to 1 March 2006 Inspection dates Mr. Colin Henderson LI Reporting inspector

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

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Cherry Hill School address Primary Type of school IP7 6EG Voluntary controlled School category 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01473 823397 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01473 823397 Fax number 56 Number on roll Mrs.Frances Moore Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs. Chris Lawson Headteacher 1 November 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281785 1 March 2006 - 4 to 11 1 March 2006 Inspection Report: Kersey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 1 March 2006 to 1 March 2006

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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 school that mainly serves its local village community, although almost one in five children comes from outside the immediate area. Attainment on entry to the Reception class is broadly average. Some pupils join the school in Key Stage 2 and have, therefore, not received all their education at Kersey. All pupils speak English as their first language. The number of pupils with additional learning needs is just above average. The school has had a high level of staff change in the last two years.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Kersey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 1 March 2006 to 1 March 2006

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school that serves its community very well and gives excellent value for money. It is valued highly by pupils and parents alike, as reflected in a parent's comment that 'my children are thriving in this excellent school'. The outstanding leadership of the headteacher has been hugely influential in improving the school over the last two years. Very good procedures help the school to know how well it is doing and plan for its further development, although the inspection showed that teaching is even better than the school's own evaluation. The headteacher has created a very effective staff team and, leading by example, has improved teaching to a consistently high quality. This has raised pupils' attainment to well above average standards and is a key factor in helping children to achieve very well both in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 to 6. The caring Christian ethos of the school ensures that all children

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Grade: 1

are valued and respected. Their behaviour is outstanding and they are keen to succeed. They clearly enjoy the good range of learning activities, although some limitations in accommodation restrict their physical education skills. Staff know their pupils very well and provide outstanding care and guidance to help them to achieve as well as they can. The increasingly effective use of individual pupil targets and very good marking help pupils know how they can improve their work. The school benefits from a supportive and influential governing body. Given the outstanding leadership, a strong staff team and the very good improvement since the last inspection, it is well placed to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

- further refine the process that helps pupils to know what they need to do to improve their work - explore the opportunities for pupils to extend their physical education skills when they are unable to use the outdoor facilities.

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Grade: 1

Pupils make excellent progress throughout the school. Outstanding teaching and a well-planned curriculum help the Reception children to achieve excellently in all areas of learning. Most attain above expected levels by the time they enter Year 1. This very good progress continues from Years 1 to 6 as a result of high quality teaching, careful tracking and pupils' very enthusiastic attitudes to work. Year 2 pupils attain well above average standards, which reflect the greatly improved results of the 2005 national tests, especially in reading and writing. This is built on very successfully in Years 3 to 6. Although there is some variation from year to year due to the very small numbers of pupils in each year group and some pupil mobility in Key Stage 2, Year 6 pupils generally attain standards that are well above average overall. These are particularly high in reading. The school identified some weaknesses in extending pupils' writing

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Grade: 1

skills. A broader range of teaching styles, very effective subject leadership and improved planning have improved pupils' written work to a consistently very good level. Pupils 2 Inspection Report: Kersey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 1 March 2006 to 1 March 2006 who find learning hard are supported very well and make excellent progress. Those with special gifts and talents are challenged well to extend their skills, for example in mathematics. The school achieved its challenging targets in the 2005 Year 6 tests in English and mathematics. With effective tracking and outstanding support to individual pupils, the school is currently on course to achieve its challenging targets for 2006. Improvements in resources and more confident teaching have improved pupils' information and communication technology (ICT) skills significantly.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development and well-being are promoted outstandingly well by a caring Christian ethos that is reflected clearly in every aspect of school life. Relationships are very good as pupils are effectively taught to value and respect each other. Their enjoyment of school is shown clearly in their very enthusiastic approach to learning and their good attendance. Pupils' behaviour is outstanding because they are keen to please and have very good relationships with all the staff and one another. Older pupils take on responsibilities willingly, for example, acting as prefects to help the school's daily routine. The school's involvement in the Healthy Schools programme helps pupils to have a good understanding of safe and healthy lifestyles. They are involved in a good range of sports. The school council gives them an effective voice in helping to improve the school. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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Grade: 1

is outstanding. The school makes very good use of assemblies and class discussions to encourage pupils to reflect upon their feelings and values and their contributions to the school and wider communities. Children have high level of involvement with regard to hosting older residents for tea and entertainment, communion services and sharing in charitable functions. On a monthly basis they run a cake stall and handle money which helps them develop their economic understanding. Links with local schools and businesses also extend pupils' basic skills, their economic awareness and their cultural development, for example, by linking with schools in Kenya.

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Grade: 1

Teaching and learning are outstanding throughout the school. Lessons are lively and interesting as teachers use interactive whiteboards and other resources very effectively to promote an enjoyment of learning. This is clearly reflected in such comments by pupils that 'lessons are often good fun'. Teachers plan carefully to ensure that they meet the needs of different groups of pupils. Key literacy, numeracy and ICT skills are taught very successfully and there are excellent opportunities for pupils to extend these skills in other subjects. Teachers use assessment information very well to guide their teaching and to check that pupils are on track to achieve the standards of which they are capable. They ensure that pupils know what they are trying to achieve in each lesson and use end-of-lesson feedback activities to check on how successful pupils 3 Inspection Report: Kersey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 1 March 2006 to 1 March 2006

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Grade: 1

have been. The very good teamwork between teachers and support staff help pupils to be included fully and achieve well, especially those who find learning difficult and more able pupils.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good throughout the school. Reception children make strong progress because learning activities closely match their needs and interests. Adults strike a successful balance between activities which are led by the teacher and helping children to choose activities for themselves to ensure that they achieve in all areas of learning. The curriculum is varied and planned in detail to meet pupils' different learning needs, especially those who find learning difficult. The good opportunities for more able pupils and those with particular gifts and talents extend their skills successfully. Pupils enjoy participating in the many additional activities that the school organises, for example, the sporting activities offered by Ipswich Town football club and musical and dance activities. A good range of trips, visits and visitors extends pupils' learning well. The lack of suitable indoor accommodation limits aspects of physical education

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Grade: 1

Teachers and support staff know the pupils very well and provide outstanding care and support that are valued highly by parents and pupils. There are very secure systems for ensuring pupils' safety, for example, in child protection and the vetting of all adults who work in the school. Pupils say that they feel safe and happy in school and that there are very few incidents of bullying or harassment. Teaching and support staff work very successfully together to ensure that pupils receive the support that they need, particularly those who find learning hard. Very good marking and the increasingly effective use of personal targets , including those for literacy and numeracy, are helping pupils to receive good guidance to improve the standard of their work.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding and are key factors in raising standards and providing a high quality education. The headteacher has used the opportunities for staff change to establish a very effective partnership with a strong staff team and an active and influential governing body. She provides outstanding leadership and a very clear, purposeful sense of direction that has raised standards significantly. Her leadership is valued highly by staff, parents and pupils. She leads by example in her teaching and provides excellent support and guidance to her staff. It is reflected clearly in the very good progress made in the two years she has been in post, after a difficult time when the school had no permanent headteacher. The school has very good systems for checking how well it is doing, including seeking and acting upon the views of 4 Inspection Report: Kersey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 1 March 2006 to 1 March 2006

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Grade: 1

parents and pupils. Although each member of staff has a number of subject responsibilities, they have a clear understanding of how well their subjects are doing. Areas for improvement are discussed fully by all staff and rigorously addressed. Funds are used very efficiently to improve resources and raise standards, for example, in ICT. The school has improved its site and accommodation, although it would like to further improve the indoor facilities. Outstanding leadership, a strong staff team, effective governors' support and very good parental support and involvement have resulted in very significant improvement and put the school in a very good position to continue to flourish 5 Inspection Report: Kersey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 1 March 2006 to 1 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: Kersey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 1 March 2006 to 1 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 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 1 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 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 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 1 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

Thank you for being so friendly and making me feel welcome when I visited your school recently. I enjoyed talking to you, looking at your work and watching you learn. What I liked most about your school: - your teachers and other adults care about you as individuals, make sure that you are safe and listen to your opinions about school; - you get on well together and are kind to each other. I like the way older pupils help the school to run smoothly each day and are friendly to the younger ones; - you get to school on time and your behaviour is excellent. This means that teachers can get on with the job of helping you learn; - all the adults put a lot of effort into helping you do well and try to make your lessons interesting; - you enjoy your work and try hard to do what your teachers ask. I think you learn very well; - the school puts on extra activities to help you have fun, like the clubs and trips out of school - I know you enjoy these

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

very much; - Mrs Lawson, the teachers and governors who run your school are doing an outstanding job and they want to make your school even better; and - your parents think it is a very good school, and I agree. What I have asked the school to do now: - continue to help you to know what you need to do next to improve your work; and - improve the opportunities for you to extend your physical education skills when the weather is unsuitable for using the outdoor areas. I hope that you continue to be happy at school and carry on working hard.

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