Vange Primary School and Nursery

Inspection Report Vange Primary School and Nursery

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114811 Unique Reference Number ESSEX LEA LEA 282952 Inspection number 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005 Inspection dates Mr. Andrew Harrett LI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 which gives Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools the authority to cause any school to be inspected. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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London Road School address Primary Type of school SS16 4QA Community School category 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01268552160 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01268581840 Fax number 133 Number on roll Mrs.Elizabeth Chidgey Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Miss. Emma Bloomfield Headteacher 10 November 2003 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282952 8 November 2005 - 3 to 11 9 November 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 of Her Majesty's Inspectors of schools and an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a small community primary school with 133 pupils on roll, including 31 in the nursery. There is a broadly equal number of boys and girls. The proportion of the pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is 34%, which is above average. English is the first language of all the pupils, 10% of whom are from minority ethnic groups, which is broadly average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is 20%, which is above average. Pupil mobility is high and the school is situated in an area of high social deprivation. When Vange Primary School and Nursery was inspected in November 2003, it was judged to require special measures.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Vange Primary School and Nursery, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005

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Grade: 3

In accordance with section 13 (4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector(HMCI) is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures. Inspection evidence supports the school's view that its overall effectiveness is satisfactory. It monitors its provision thoroughly and takes effective steps to improve the impact of its work. The headteacher provides good leadership. She has built a stable team who have improved the quality of education so that it is satisfactory in all major respects. The behaviour and attitudes of the pupils are good and the school has forged good links with the wider community. All children are valued and able to make progress, whatever their backgrounds or starting points. The quality of the curriculum in the Foundation Stage is good and the teaching and progress made by the pupils are satisfactory. Standards in literacy and numeracy are below average across

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Grade: 3

the school and not enough attention is paid to improving these skills in subjects other than English and mathematics. Insufficient use is made of information and communication technology (ICT) across the curriculum. Assessment and target setting are satisfactory, but the pupils are not as involved as they might be in the process. The school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection and has the capacity to improve. It provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Improve the teaching of literacy and numeracy by attending to these basic skills in all subjects across the curriculum. - Increase the use of ICT in all subjects. - Use assessment information to inform lesson planning, improve the pupils' understanding of how to raise their standards and to involve them in setting challenging targets.

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Grade: 3

Standards of attainment are below average throughout the school, but the pupils make satisfactory progress. They enter the school with standards that are well below average. They make satisfactory progress during the Foundation Stage but standards remain low, particularly in literacy and numeracy. In the national curriculum tests in 2004 and in 2005, the standards attained by pupils in Year 2 were below average in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils in Year 6 attained standards in the national curriculum tests in 2004 that were broadly average in English and below average in mathematics and science. Their progress in English was exceptionally good and it was satisfactory in the other two subjects. Although standards declined in 2005, the pupils made satisfactory progress, particularly those who had been at the school since Year 2. All groups of pupils make satisfactory progress, including those with moderate and severe

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Grade: 3

learning difficulties. Although boys attain lower standards than girls throughout the school, both boys and girls make satisfactory progress. 2 Inspection Report: Vange Primary School and Nursery, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005

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Grade: 3

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are keen learners who take an active role in lessons and work well with one another on shared tasks. Attendance is satisfactory. Behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. The children know what is expected of them and were involved in drawing up the school rules. They think that they are treated fairly and appreciate the way in which their efforts and achievements are acknowledged and celebrated. The children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory overall. The children reflect on their own lives and show respect for the views and beliefs of others. They have a good knowledge of the difference between right and wrong. Although their cultural development is satisfactory, there are insufficient opportunities for the children to develop an appreciation and understanding of other cultures. The children have a sound understanding of the need to maintain

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Grade: 3

a healthy and safe lifestyle. They appreciate the need for taking regular exercise and after-school sports clubs are popular and well attended. Good links with local businesses have enhanced the children's knowledge of the world of work. The pupils contribute to the local community through charity work and by collaborating with local organisations such as Vange Community Housing for whom they have designed posters. Although the pupils make satisfactory progress in basic skills throughout the school, their low standards are a hindrance to their future development.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. In the lessons where it is consistently satisfactory or better, the pace is brisk and purposeful and activities are suitably challenging. The pupils have a clear understanding of the purpose of the lessons. A range of suitable questioning techniques require the pupils to extend and justify their answers. Teaching assistants have clear roles and work effectively with targeted groups of the pupils to improve their rate of progress. However, the quality of learning is hindered by the pupils' low standards in basic skills, particularly in speaking and listening and writing, throughout the school. Recent initiatives have improved the pupils' understanding of their achievement and of what they should do to improve their work, but this is not fully secure in every year group. The use of imaginative displays in classrooms to track pupils' progress is very good, improving

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Grade: 3

the pupils' self-esteem and sense of achievement. The school analyses assessment information about the pupils accurately and well, but the use of data to inform lesson planning is inconsistent. Although marking is satisfactory overall with some good practice in particular year groups, it is inconsistent in quality. 3 Inspection Report: Vange Primary School and Nursery, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005

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Grade: 3

The curriculum in the nursery and reception classes is good. Teachers provide a good range of practical activities that capture the children's attention and motivate them in their learning. There is a good balance between activities that the children choose themselves and those that are directed and led by an adult. The curriculum for children in the infant and junior classes is satisfactory. Statutory requirements are met, and arrangements for teaching literacy and numeracy as separate subjects are sound. However, opportunities to develop these basic skills across the curriculum are not always sufficiently exploited and provision for ICT across the curriculum is currently underdeveloped. The school provides a satisfactory range of after-school activities and visits to places of local interest. Visitors from the local community are warmly welcomed and appreciated by the pupils. Good links have been established with outside

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Grade: 3

agencies which enhance the curriculum, including arts organisations and local businesses. The annual residential weekend for older junior children is very popular and does much to enhance the children's personal and social skills.

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Grade: 3

The school knows the children and their families well and provides a caring, safe and secure learning environment. Matters of health and safety are regularly monitored by the headteacher and governing body, and identified risks are quickly addressed. The arrangements for child protection are satisfactory and appropriate training takes place regularly. The learning mentor provides a very good link between home and school and is well known to the children and their parents. She provides good, sensitive and unobtrusive support for children who have difficulties. The children are confident that they can approach any adult in school with worries or concerns. The support for children with special educational needs is satisfactory. Children have recently become involved in setting their own targets for improvement and this has given them a sense of ownership and involvement.

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Grade: 3

The quality of leadership and management is satisfactory. The headteacher's leadership and management are good and have had a positive impact on the quality of teaching, the morale and effectiveness of the staff, and the reputation of the school in the community. Responsibilities throughout the school are sensibly delegated to appropriate staff who provide the headteacher with satisfactory support. The school has an accurate understanding of its strengths and weaknesses and strategic planning is based on thorough and effective monitoring and evaluation. The school takes effective steps to seek the views of parents and pupils, which are appropriately included in its planning. The governing body provides the school with satisfactory challenge and support. It fulfils its statutory responsibilities and its meetings are focused on improving provision 4 Inspection Report: Vange Primary School and Nursery, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005

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Grade: 3

and standards. The chair of the governing body has a sound understanding of the quality of the school's provision and has worked successfully with the headteacher to create good relationships with parents and the wider community. The school has made satisfactory progress since its last inspection and has demonstrated the capacity to improve. 5 Inspection Report: Vange Primary School and Nursery, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 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: Vange Primary School and Nursery, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 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 3 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 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 4 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 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 3 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 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 3 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 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 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

Thank you being so friendly and welcoming when we visited your school. Your willingness to tell us your views helped us a lot. I am very pleased to tell you that your school is now satisfactory and it is no longer in special measures. Everyone at the school has worked really hard to achieve this and you have been successful. Congratulations! These are the things that we found were particularly strong at the school: - you behave very well and show a real interest in your work - your teachers are working together well to improve your education - the school has good links with the local community - the teachers listen carefully to your views about how to improve the school - the school makes sure that you all have a good chance to learn by giving extra help to anyone who needs it We have asked the school to concentrate on improving a few things: - many of you need help to make sure that you improve your English and mathematics.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We have asked the teachers to make sure that they help you to do this in every subject - you need to use computers more than you do in all your subjects - the teachers need to make sure that you have a good understanding of what you have achieved and how to improve your work further Thank you once again for helping us during the inspection.

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