Lavant CofE Primary School

Inspection Report Lavant CofE Primary School

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125986 Unique Reference Number West Sussex LEA 282037 Inspection number 12 October 2005 to 12 October 2005 Inspection dates Sheila Browning RISP Reporting inspector

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

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West Stoke Road School address Primary Type of school Lavant Voluntary controlled School category Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0BW 4 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01243 527382 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01243 527382 Fax number 67 Number on roll Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Christine Ann Smith Headteacher 27 March 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282037 12 October 2005 - 4 to 11 12 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 two additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

Lavant Church of England Primary is a village school near Chichester. It is much smaller than most primary schools. Most pupils are from White British families but several minority ethnic groups are also represented in small numbers. Nearly a quarter of the pupils have special educational needs, but in some year groups, the proportion is higher. Of these, most have moderate learning difficulties. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is average. Attainment on entry is broadly average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Lavant CofE Primary School, 12 October 2005 to 12 October 2005

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Grade: 2

This is an effective school in which children are valued and their views really matter. The leadership and management shown by the headteacher are outstanding. Christian values underpin this calm and purposeful school. Pupils make good progress. Children make a good start in the Reception class and make good progress in most areas of learning. However, the outdoor accommodation and role-play areas limit creative activities and need updating. By the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils do very well compared with their starting points in Reception. As one parent stated, ‘The school has been great in meeting my child’s needs both educationally and with any other additional needs’. Teaching is good. Consequently, pupils really enjoy learning, have very good relationships and attitudes, and behave very well. Attendance is above that nationally. The curriculum is outstanding. Every opportunity is taken to enrich learning experiences.

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Grade: 2

The provision for pupils’ personal development, their care and guidance is exceptionally strong. Inspectors, pupils and parents agree with the schools own evaluation of its effectiveness as good. Improvement since the last inspection is good. The school has been extremely successful at raising standards. The school has a good capacity to make further improvement and gives good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Develop the outdoor learning environment in the Foundation Stage and role-play areas.

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Grade: 2

Children start in Reception with broadly average attainment. Annual variations occur because of each year group is small. They make good progress in all areas of learning and reach the expected levels by the time they start Year 1. Pupils make good progress in Years 1 and 2 and reach standards above the level expected. Since the last inspection standards have risen. The school has worked hard to ensure that all pupils’ learning needs are met and they achieve well in writing and mathematics and even better in reading. As pupils move through Years 3 to 6 they continue to make good progress. The results in national tests in 2005 were particularly good and represent a significant improvement on previous years. Pupils made exceptional progress in science and good progress in English, where the difference between writing and reading narrowed. The exceptional progress made in mathematics in 2004 was maintained. The current Year 6 are making

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Grade: 2

better-than-average progress. The school identifies and targets the individual needs of pupils well. Because of this, more able pupils, those vulnerable and those with special learning difficulties make at least good progress and some make very good progress because they receive such very good support. 2 Inspection Report: Lavant CofE Primary School, 12 October 2005 to 12 October 2005 Grade: 2

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development is good. They have very good attitudes to school and behave very well. Attendance is good. Parents are unanimous in their belief that their children really enjoy what they do at school and pupils confirm this. They say that they especially enjoy lessons in writing, reading and drama. Pupils demonstrate good skills in drama and often work together to learn new skills. Helping them to work together is a good example of the positive ways in which the school is equipping its pupils for the future. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Pupils are offered many experiences. These include developing a sense of wonder in assemblies and enjoyment in music, art and other creative activities. The stunning school grounds are also used sensibly to give pupils a sense of the wonders of the natural world. Pupils reflect on how their behaviour can affect others and how they can help other children

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Grade: 2

who may be feeling lonely. This is a school where pupils care about others in an exemplary way. Pupils are involved in all aspects of school life. For example, they decided that it would be a good idea to have ‘buddies’ wearing sashes at playtimes for other pupils to spot if they were feeling lonely. Their understanding of healthy living is good. Even Year 1 pupils understand the importance of exercise in keeping healthy. Grade: 2

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Grade: 2

All of the parents who returned a questionnaire stated, ‘Teaching and learning are good’; inspectors agree. Learners make good progress because of the emphasis on achievement and because teachers know their pupils well. They ensure pupils understand what lessons are about and involve them in their own learning. As one pupil stated ‘We enjoy the work it is explained well and it is fun!’ Teachers have high expectations and teaching is consistently good. In the Reception class children are particularly well supported by the classroom teaching assistants. The support given to vulnerable pupils and those with learning difficulties is very good. More able pupils are challenged well; as one Year 6 pupil stated, ‘At first the work in mathematics was easy but it is now much more difficult, we really enjoy the challenge’. The school is sharply focused on meeting the full range of pupils’ learning needs. Each

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Grade: 2

pupil is tracked individually and, if they do not make the progress expected, teaching methods are re-evaluated and improved. Careful lesson planning and target-setting 3 Inspection Report: Lavant CofE Primary School, 12 October 2005 to 12 October 2005 successfully challenges pupils to do their best. Accurate and constructive marking helps pupils know what they need to do to improve their work. Grade: 2

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Grade: 1

The curriculum in the Reception class is suitably planned using national guidance. The children are in a classroom with Year 1 and 2 pupils so not all of the room is arranged to meet their particular needs and this limits creative opportunities. For the youngest children there is a good balance of independent activities and occasions when adults work with the children. The school provides an outstanding range of activities and enrichment experiences that meet the needs of all pupils well. They are developing skills that will stand them in good stead for work and life in the community. Booster classes in English and mathematics are outstanding examples of how activities are tailored to meet individual needs. Gifted pupils are challenged well, with many extra opportunities, such as attending weekend classes at local colleges, for those with talents The school is working towards attaining an Artsmark award to give the pupils an even

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Grade: 1

wider, more exciting and creative curriculum. There is a rich range of experiences on offer, including working with artists, musicians and regular drama lessons. Opportunities to play sport and work on musical projects are also good. Grade: 1

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Grade: 1

The care, guidance and support for pupils are outstanding. There is a welcoming atmosphere and adults successfully provide a safe, secure environment. Child protection procedures are very thorough. Staff and governors make regular risk assessments. Supervision before school, at playtimes and during lunch is particularly good. A senior manager is always near at hand if problems arise. Pupils with special educational needs have very good support. The school’s assessment and target-setting procedures provide the school with first-rate guidance on how to ensure pupils make progress. Parents are very positive about the way in which the school helps children to settle when they start school. Grade: 1

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Grade: 2

The leadership and management shown by the headteacher are outstanding, and she maintains a robust and sustained lead. Key members of staff give good support. There are very effective systems to sustain the improved attendance, achievement and pupils’ 4 Inspection Report: Lavant CofE Primary School, 12 October 2005 to 12 October 2005 behaviour. Pupils, parents and members of the community are fully included in the life of the school and play an active part in a range of activities. All staff are committed to, and involved in, moving the school forward. The provision in the reception class has improved recently, with a big emphasis now given to planning more appropriately for the children who are in a class with Years 1 and 2 pupils. However, the outdoor accommodation and role-play areas limit creative activities and need updating. The school’s improvement and its capacity to improve further are good. All issues from

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Grade: 2

the last inspection have been addressed and the improved standards in English, mathematics and science are exceptional. The school’s self-evaluation is finely tuned. Governors play an important and supportive role and hold the school to account. They are well led by their relatively new chair. Parents are asked for their views and they are highly satisfied with the school. Grade: 2 5 Inspection Report: Lavant CofE Primary School, 12 October 2005 to 12 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: Lavant CofE Primary School, 12 October 2005 to 12 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 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 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 2 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 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 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

Lavant C of E School West Stoke Road Lavant Chichester West Sussex PO18 0BW 12th October 2005 Dear Children, Thank you for helping us when we visited your school. We enjoyed talking with you and looking at your work. We are pleased that you enjoy school and we think that you are working hard. These are the things that we are most pleased about: you have an outstanding headteacher standards have improved a great deal in the last year: well done! your behaviour is very good and you are polite and helpful to one another and visitors you like your teachers and headteacher because they make learning fun and interesting you really enjoy your work and always try to do your best. When working you listen carefully all the adults look after you and make sure that you feel happy and safe and get extra support when you find things difficult. There is one thing that we think your school could do even better. make the outside play area for the Reception children more exciting with a variety of big toys

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and other resources and to make the inside role-play area (like the optician’s surgery) more fun. Maybe you can help your headteacher to think how to improve these areas. Yours sincerely, Sheila Browning Lead Inspector

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