Ormsgill Nursery and Primary School

Inspection Report Ormsgill Primary School

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131761 Unique Reference Number Cumbria LEA 282253 Inspection number 14 July 2006 to 17 July 2006 Inspection dates Mr Dave Byrne Reporting inspector

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

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Mill Bank School address Primary Type of school Barrow-in-Furness Community School category Cumbria LA14 4AR 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01229 894654 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01229 894654 Fax number 233 Number on roll Mrs Tina Macur Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Elisabeth Fenwick Headteacher 1 January 2001 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282253 14 July 2006 - 3 to 11 17 July 2006 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

The school serves an area with significantly high deprivation. The attainment on entry is well below average. Over half of its pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is well above the national average. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well above average; in Key Stage 2 the figure is around 40%. The proportion of children with statements of special educational need is almost three times the national average. Although the school population overall is relatively stable, there is a lot of movement of pupils in and out of Key Stage 2 with a significant minority leaving and returning many times. The school has recently gained the Artsmark (silver) award.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Ormsgill Primary School, 14 July 2006 to 17 July 2006

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school which gives satisfactory value for money. This judgement fits its own self-evaluation. The school is much valued by the community and parents rate its provision very highly. Throughout the school, pupils are well behaved, caring and thoughtful. They are proud to belong to Ormsgill. Certificates, educational visits and the judicial use of praise reward pupils’ hard work and make them feel good about themselves. This gives them confidence and enjoyment of school. When children start in Nursery, their academic abilities are very low with particular weaknesses in speaking and their limited range of vocabulary. Despite steady progress in the Foundation Stage, children do not do well enough to reach the standards expected for their age by the start of Year 1. The pupils’ disadvantage in speaking skills and breadth of vocabulary reduces achievement in most subjects across the school and pulls down their

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Grade: 3

performance in the national tests. Despite this, academic progress is satisfactory. At the end of Years 2 and 6, standards are below average overall in English, mathematics and science, but pupils do well in art and design. With the exception of 2005, standards in Year 6 have been steadily rising in recent years. This is particularly the case in reading, although in speaking, writing and mathematics, standards need to improve further. The day-to-day running of the school is managed very efficiently, with a good contribution by an effective administrative team. The headteacher and her senior staff have established a strong ethos of care and secured calmness across the school. As a result of outstanding management of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, they make good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. The more able pupils, however, are not always given enough support which slows their

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Grade: 3

progress. Although teaching and learning have some good features, for example, in the teachers’ management of pupils’ behaviour, they are satisfactory overall. There are weaknesses in the way teachers use marking to inform pupils about how to improve their work. This also slows down pupils’ progress. Governance is effective and works closely with staff and parents. The school has made satisfactory improvement since the last inspection and has the capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the overall quality of teaching so that the needs of all pupils, especially the more able, are effectively met. • Improve pupils’ spoken vocabulary and raise standards in writing and mathematics. • Improve the quality of marking.

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory. From a well below average starting point, pupils make satisfactory progress. In the Foundation Stage, whilst some children reach the standards expected by the start of Year 1, a large majority do not. In the 2005 national assessments, standards in Year 2 were below average overall with average standards 2 Inspection Report: Ormsgill Primary School, 14 July 2006 to 17 July 2006 in reading. However, the quality of pupils’ work and assessment information shows that, standards are improving but pupils still do not attain as well as they should. In Key Stage 2, standards have steadily improved since 2002, although there was a dip in 2005. In 2006, almost all pupils reached their targets for English, mathematics and science and standards in art and design are at nationally expected levels. The upward trend in standards has been restored but pupils do not attain standards that are high enough. Progress in reading is rapidly improving but it is slow in writing.

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Grade: 3

Progress is improving in mathematics as a result of sharper subject management which has led to improvements in the curriculum and teaching. In most subjects, pupils’ performance is adversely affected by weaknesses in the richness of their spoken vocabulary. Exceptionally good management of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities results in these pupils making good progress. However, the progress made by the more able pupils is not good enough because work is not matched accurately to their needs.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. Attendance is broadly average and pupils enthuse about how much they enjoy school. The effective contribution of all staff helps to develop pupils’ positive views of themselves. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils’ behave well, treat each other with care and respect and say that they feel safe from bullying. Older pupils help younger ones and this caring support also extends to the wider community as seen in fundraising activities. The opportunities for pupils to contribute to the life of the school have a positive impact and contribute greatly to raising the self-esteem of individuals. School council membership and responsibilities taken on by pupils across the school make a significant contribution to the process of raising pupils’ self-esteem. Pupils are actively involved in several community projects and the school is an important contributor to

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Grade: 2

community harmony. Parents are proud of the school but the progress of a significant minority of pupils is held back because learning at home is not always supported effectively. Pupils’ preparation for their future economic well-being is satisfactory.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory with some good features. Throughout the school, pupils’ behaviour is managed effectively and pupils work quietly and hard during lessons. There is a tendency, however, for teachers to target the average and lower attaining pupils at the exclusion of meeting the needs of the more able. The needs of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are very well met. The contribution of teaching assistants is vital in this very good provision. In the Foundation Stage, teaching matches the needs of children, but the development 3 Inspection Report: Ormsgill Primary School, 14 July 2006 to 17 July 2006 of children’s very poor speaking skills and limited vocabulary is not given enough attention. This remains a weakness in the teaching in Years 1 to 6 and holds back pupils’ progress. Assessment is used satisfactorily to guide what teachers expect pupils

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Grade: 3

to learn. The use of targets for groups is established in most classes. Where it is, it contributes to improvements in standards. Marking, however, whilst done regularly, is not used enough to inform pupils how they can improve in their work. Throughout the school, pupils benefit from the efforts of staff in creating a vibrant, stimulating environment through high-quality displays of pupils’ work.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum satisfactorily meets the needs of the vast majority of pupils. It contributes very well to the development of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and is a key factor in pupils’ good personal development. The curriculum is, however, less effective in ensuring pupils’ academic progress and the needs of the more able in particular. Curriculum provision is being reviewed in order to develop pupils’ creativity fully and to make learning more relevant to pupils’ lives. Subject planning is being adjusted to enable the development of the skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT in all subjects, but the planned development of speaking skills and vocabulary remains weak. Good links with the Creative Partnership enable pupils to participate in imaginative activities, for example, mask making, drumming and dancing. Personal, social and health education and citizenship is good. It ensures that pupils have access

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Grade: 3

to good quality information, for example, related to healthy living and drugs misuse.

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory with strengths in support for pupils’ personal development. Parents are accurate in their view that the school is very caring. Procedures for maintaining pupils’ health and safety and child protection are effective and ensure that the school is safe and secure. The learning mentors are particularly effective in supporting vulnerable pupils. They work closely with the staff who have responsibility for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities in using effectively the support of outside agencies in education, health and community policing. The support for pupils’ academic development is satisfactory. Although group target-setting is established, systems to check on individual achievement are not used in every class and are not yet linked closely enough to raising the achievement of the individual. This results in a lack of challenge for more able pupils in particular.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The headteacher, with the support of an effective deputy headteacher, has created a strong ethos of care within the school but more needs to be done to improve academic standards. In recognition of 4 Inspection Report: Ormsgill Primary School, 14 July 2006 to 17 July 2006 this, recent reorganisations have seen the headteacher alter the role of key staff in the management of the provision of individual subjects. As a result, adjustments have been made to the monitoring of teaching and learning, curriculum planning, and the use of assessment. These changes have improved standards in reading and mathematics. Although the management of the provision for learning difficulties and/or disabilities is outstanding, the provision for the more able is not effective enough. Good systems exist for identifying targets for school improvement. As a result, the school’s

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Grade: 3

self-evaluation is accurate. Since the last inspection, improvement has been satisfactory with higher standards in reading, improvements in behaviour and an increasingly creative curriculum, but progress has been slow in raising overall academic standards. The governing body is supportive of the school and makes sure that the school meets statutory requirements. The school has the capacity to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Ormsgill Primary School, 14 July 2006 to 17 July 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: Ormsgill Primary School, 14 July 2006 to 17 July 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 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 3 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 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 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 3 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 3 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 3 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 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 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 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

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 Ofsted helpline 08456 404045 To the children of: Ormsgill Primary School Mill Bank Barrow-in-Furness Cumbria LA14 4AR 18 July 2006 Dear Children We really enjoyed our two days in your school. You all seem to be happy and enjoy lessons. We liked the way you work quietly, move around school considerately and show care to others. You told us that you feel safe in school and that your teachers sort out any misbehaviour very quickly. Many of you talked with great enthusiasm about the wide range of extra-curricular activities you can attend, such as drumming and mask making, and that must help to make school fun. You are fortunate to go to a school with such good buildings and grounds. The playgrounds and the outdoor play facilities for the young ones in Nursery and Reception are really good. Your teachers are very caring and do a very good job helping those of you who find some

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

aspects of your work difficult. We feel though, that you could do better in some aspects of your work. We have asked the school to help those of you who find work easy to work at higher levels. We feel that you are doing fairly well in reading and are good at art, but there is room to improve in writing and mathematics and you could also do better in speaking. Many of you know your targets for improving reading, writing and mathematics, but there is more to be done to make the marking of your work more helpful in guiding you about how to get better. We wish you all the very best for your future. If you continue to think of others as much as you do, and do your best to be a good friend to others, you should continue to be happy and enjoy life. Yours sincerely David Byrne and Gordon Alston (your school inspectors)

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