Chidham Parochial Primary School

Inspection Report Chidham Parochial Primary School

p.1

125976 Unique Reference Number West Sussex LEA 282034 Inspection number 4 May 2006 to 4 May 2006 Inspection dates Alison Cartlidge AI Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Chidham Lane School address Primary Type of school Chidham Community School category West Sussex PO18 8TH 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01243 572380 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01243 576029 Fax number 90 Number on roll Mrs C Holmes Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs L Aplin Headteacher 13 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282034 4 May 2006 - 4 to 11 4 May 2006 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 two Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

This is a small school with all but one class having more than one age group. Most pupils are of White British heritage, with a few pupils having English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is broadly average and the uptake of free school meals is below average. Year groups are small and attainment on entry to the school varies from well below average to above average. It is above average in the Reception class this year.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Chidham Parochial Primary School, 4 May 2006 to 4 May 2006

p.3

Grade: 2

This is a good school where pupils develop into well educated and mature individuals. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher is enthusiastic, has a clear vision for the school and a good understanding of its comparative strengths and weaknesses. However, the roles of subject leaders are not fully effective. Pupils’ academic standards in Year 2 and Year 6 are different from year to year but are currently above average. Achievement is good from pupils’ differing starting points, although more able pupils do not always make enough progress in their written science work. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and by the end of the Reception Year, most children are achieving and several are working beyond the expected goals for learning, especially in reading and personal, social and emotional development. Teaching is good throughout the school and pupils’ differing needs are met well in

p.4

Grade: 2

most lessons. The school has a good curriculum and a very good range of additional activities contributes well to the pupils’ good attitudes and behaviour. The attendance of some pupils is unsatisfactory. Pupils receive good care and support. The school’s evaluation of its effectiveness and the positive views of parents and carers are supported by inspection evidence. The school has developed well since the last inspection and has the capacity to improve further. The school provides good value for money.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

•Provide more challenging work in science for more able pupils and give them further opportunities to explain what they have found out. •Develop the role of subject leaders so that they have a better understanding of provision and standards throughout the school and how they can be improved. •Increase pupils’ attendance, by continuing to discourage parents from taking their children on term-time holidays.

p.4

Grade: 2

Pupils’ achievement is good and standards are above average. Reception children make good progress and by the end of the year most are working at or beyond the expected goals for learning. The children in the current Reception Year have a particularly good knowledge of letter sounds and as a result are learning to read well. Their social skills are especially well developed. Standards in Year 2 and Year 6 vary from year to year, although most pupils make better than expected gains in their learning given their differing starting points. In 2005, national test results at the end of Year 2 were below average, but these pupils were well below average when they started at the school. This year, standards in English and mathematics are above average in Year 2. In Year 6, the national test results in 2005 were above average. Standards in the current Year 6 are similar, with improvements in the standards of more able pupils in

p.4

Grade: 2

2 Inspection Report: Chidham Parochial Primary School, 4 May 2006 to 4 May 2006 mathematics, who are particularly quick at mental arithmetic. In Years 1 to 6, more able pupils achieve well in English and mathematics. However, they do not consistently make enough progress in science because their written work is not always more advanced than that of other pupils. The achievement of pupils with learning difficulties or with English as an additional language is good because they receive good support in class and in small groups. The school’s challenging targets for pupils at the end of Year 6 were exceeded in 2005.

p.4

Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good and this is an important factor in their good achievement. Pupils behave very sensibly and have coped remarkably well with the loss of playground space due to building works. Pupils have good attitudes towards learning, although there are occasions when some pupils are slow to get started when working independently. Pupils enjoy school and report that ‘everyone’s friendly’. However, attendance is unsatisfactory, largely because of the high number of term time holidays taken by some families. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Their moral and social development is particularly strong. Pupils are keen to help each other and they are good at taking responsibility through activities such as the school council. There are good opportunities for pupils to contribute positively to the community. For example, older pupils have prepared a brochure to celebrate the centenary of a local railway

p.5

Grade: 2

station. Pupils show a good concern for the needs of others through visits to and fund raising for a local homeless shelter. Pupils report that when children are unkind to each other the school deals with upsets successfully. Pupils explain clearly why it is important to eat healthily. They have a good awareness of the importance of staying safe. Pupils’ good basic skills and their high levels of confidence prepare them well for the next stage of their education and eventually for the world of work.

p.5

Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Reception children make especially good progress in developing personal and social skills because the teacher encourages and expects them to become independent. Letter sounds are taught very effectively and there is a consistently good pace to learning. Throughout the school, teachers’ good relationships with their classes are reflected in the good concentration and behaviour of pupils. Teachers have good expectations and help pupils to improve skills quickly. They make good use of interactive whiteboards to explain new concepts and to hold pupils’ attention. For example, in Years 3 and 4, the teacher played sounds and showed images as stimuli for pupils’ imaginative writing. 3 Inspection Report: Chidham Parochial Primary School, 4 May 2006 to 4 May 2006 Teachers assess pupils’ learning thoroughly. This information is used well in English and mathematics to ensure that work builds consistently on what pupils already know.

p.5

Grade: 2

However, in science pupils often complete the same piece of work whatever their ability, which slows the pace of learning, especially for more able pupils. Teaching assistants give sensitive support to pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities, but are not always used effectively at the start of lessons.

p.6

Grade: 2

The curriculum is good overall, including for those pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and for those for whom English is an additional language. It is broad and balanced and there is a good focus on developing pupils’ basic skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT). However, in science, more able pupils in particular do not have enough opportunity to think scientifically and to explain their observations after doing investigative work. The school has partly addressed this through a special ‘science week’ but recognises that more needs to be done to make learning in science more purposeful. The curriculum is greatly enhanced by the opportunity for all pupils to learn French. In the Reception class, there is a good mix between teacher-led and child-initiated activities, with a well organised outdoor area supporting learning effectively. The school successfully promotes healthy and safe lifestyles by encouraging pupils to

p.6

Grade: 2

drink water and eat fruit. Over the last year, there has been a successful emphasis on staying safe around the school site during the building work. The school provides a good range of additional activities to support learning. There are a very wide range of visits and visitors, including a residential visit for older pupils. These bring subjects such as history and geography alive and contribute significantly to pupils’ academic and personal development. Many pupils take part in after-school clubs such as outdoor and adventurous activities, gardening and art, and these help to make school fun.

p.6

Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. This is a happy school with a welcoming atmosphere where high priority is given to safeguarding pupils’ well-being. Pupils are supervised well, including at the start of the day. This was an area of concern expressed by some parents prior to the inspection. Adults show a genuine concern for pupils’ safety and learning, and child protection procedures are thorough. Pupils say that they feel safe and secure and they know what to do if they have a worry. Attendance is monitored thoroughly and the school is careful about checking up immediately on the reasons for absences. However, not enough is done to discourage term-time holidays. Members of staff have a good understanding of pupils’ individual academic needs, and this information is used well to set targets in English, although not in other 4 Inspection Report: Chidham Parochial Primary School, 4 May 2006 to 4 May 2006

p.6

Grade: 2

subjects. Pupils say that they find these targets helpful, and would like to have them in mathematics and science to help them improve their work. Pupils who may need extra help are identified early and individual education plans for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are detailed and include clear and realistic targets.

p.7

Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher has a thorough knowledge of the school through careful monitoring of teaching and learning. All pupils and members of staff are valued and respected as individuals and supported well in their personal and academic development. Areas for improvement are correctly identified and suitable plans are made to bring about the necessary changes. For example, recent work on developing pupils’ writing has been successful in raising standards in this aspect of English and the school has identified correctly the need to improve provision for science. The headteacher has managed the transition from three to four classes well and maintained the calm running of the school during extensive building work. Other teachers are committed and hard working and are being prepared well to take on further responsibilities. The school acknowledges that subject leader roles are

p.7

Grade: 2

currently underdeveloped, which is partly due to recent changes in staffing. School self-evaluation is good. The headteacher has an accurate understanding of school effectiveness and how it can be improved. Test results at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are analysed and the progress of individuals is monitored carefully. However, insufficient use is made of assessment information to analyse trends in the progress of different groups of pupils. Governors are supportive of the school and carry out their duties well. Although many members are new, they are developing their roles in holding the school to account for its actions well. Parents and pupils are given good opportunities to share their views and to contribute to the school’s self-evaluation process. For example, following feedback from parents, the school changed arrangements for the collection of pupils at the end of the day. The school has made good progress since its last inspection and

p.7

Grade: 2

is well placed to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Chidham Parochial Primary School, 4 May 2006 to 4 May 2006 .

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: Chidham Parochial Primary School, 4 May 2006 to 4 May 2006

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 4 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 3 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

Thank you for welcoming the inspectors to your school and for showing us your work. You were very polite and friendly. What we liked most about your school •Members of staff help you to learn well and to behave sensibly. •Your teachers are kind and caring and look after you well. •The headteacher, members of staff and governors are working hard to make the school even better. •Your parents and carers are very pleased that you enjoy coming to this school. What we have asked your school to do now •Provide you with more challenging science work, particularly those of you who are more able, and give you more opportunities to explain what you have found out. •Make sure that your teachers have more opportunities to find out how well you are learning in the subjects they manage. •Improve attendance by discouraging your parents from taking you on holiday during school time. We thoroughly enjoyed listening to you and watching you learn. We wish you all well for the

p.11