Fatfield Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 15 Jun 2007

Fatfield Primary School Inspection report

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108810 Unique Reference Number Sunderland Local Authority 288195 Inspection number 14 °15 June 2007 Inspection dates Ann Wallis Reporting inspector

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

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Primary Type of school Community School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 234 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Elizabeth Scribbins Chair Mrs Teresa Quinn Headteacher 1 January 2003 Date of previous school inspection Southcroft School address Fatfield Washington Tyne and Wear NE38 8RB

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0191 2193710 Telephone number 0191 2193713 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 14 °15 June 2007 Inspection dates 288195 Inspection number .

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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

Fatfield is an average sized primary school with a 30 place nursery. It serves an area with a broad socio-economic mix taking children from the village of Fatfield and the surrounding area. The proportion of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. The vast majority of children are of White British heritage and there are very few who do not have English as a first language. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. The school has Investors in People status and Artsmark and Healthy School awards.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Fatfield Primary School, 14 °15 June 2007

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Grade: 3

Fatfield Primary is a satisfactory and improving school. Inspectors disagree with the school’s judgement that its overall effectiveness is good but do feel that it has good features. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage (Nursery and Recption), the curriculum and the personal care that pupils receive are all strengths of the school. The enjoyment, safety, health and well-being of every pupil are central to the school’s work. Most pupils say they feel safe and enjoy school. They particularly like the after school activities and also enjoy working with visitors to the school. For example, older pupils were keen to demonstrate their circus skills and younger pupils were using African drums with great enthusiasm. Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. Pupils enjoy taking responsibility and contribute well to the community. Most attend school regularly and behaviour in lessons and around the school is satisfactory.

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Grade: 3

Although there are variations from year-to-year, children start school in the Nursery with skills typical for children of their age. They leave Year 6 with standards which are average and their achievement is satisfactory. Although test results improved in 2006, pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics, given their higher starting points, remained satisfactory. Pupils make satisfactory progress as a result of satisfactory teaching and learning overall. Although there are examples of good teaching not all lessons are sufficiently fast paced and challenging to allow pupils to make better than satisfactory progress. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Pupils’ progress is carefully tracked so that timely extra help can be given when needed. Recent initiatives to ensure that pupils’ work is marked consistently and clear targets are set, are beginning to bring about improvements in the academic

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Grade: 3

guidance given to children. However, pupils do not always know how well they are doing or how to improve their work. The school has addressed satisfactorily the areas for improvement from the previous inspection. It has satisfactory capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise achievement in English and mathematics. • Raise the proportion of good teaching and learning by increasing the pace and challenge of lessons especially in Key Stage 2. • Explain more precisely to pupils what they need to do to improve their work. A small proportion of schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

As year groups are quite small, standards fluctuate from year to year but are broadly average. The achievement of all groups of pupils is satisfactory. On entry to the Nursery, children’s skills are least strong in mathematical and literacy development. Children achieve well in the Foundation Stage because teaching is good and the curriculum is well matched to their needs. In most years, most children attain the expected early learning goals and are ready to begin the National Curriculum by the time they leave the Reception class. Pupils make satisfactory progress in Years 1 and 2 to reach average standards in reading, writing and mathematics. They continue to make satisfactory progress as they move through Key Stage 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Fatfield Primary School, 14 °15 June 2007 2 to reach average standards when they leave Year 6. Test results in 2006, in Year 2 and Year 6, were a marked improvement on those of the previous year and met the school’s targets. This

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Grade: 3

reflected the greater capabilities and higher starting points of the pupils concerned and the school’s recent efforts to track pupils’ progress and intervene in their learning more effectively. Good curriculum provision was also a significant factor in helping raise standards. School tracking data, work seen in lessons and in pupils’ books confirms that standards are currently average and achievement is satisfactory. There is little difference between the achievement of boys and girls. All groups of pupils, including those with English as an additional language achieve equally. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve as well as their peers because they receive constructive individual support from teachers and teaching assistants.

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Grade: 3

Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. This is because their spiritual development is strong; for example, in their personal and social education lessons, pupils reflect well on a wide range of issues. Also, they know a lot about their local culture and have a good and growing understanding of other traditions. For most their moral and social development is good. Behaviour is satisfactory; most pupils understand that they need to behave well in order to learn but a few require constant reminders about what is expected of them. Most pupils show courtesy and respect for others. They enjoy school and are enthusiastic about the interesting range of activities provided for them. Attendance is satisfactory but some families choose to take children on holiday during term time and this can have a negative impact on their children’s learning. All pupils know that

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Grade: 3

a healthy lifestyle such as regular exercise and a good, balanced diet is important. Pupils play together safely and most have a clear idea of what is right and wrong. Through the school council and its procedures, pupils are developing as good citizens. They make good contributions to the school and community. The satisfactory development of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology skills means that pupils are soundly placed for their ongoing education and eventually the world of work.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall and lead to pupils’ satisfactory achievement. In some lessons teaching is good. Strong features of teaching are good lesson planning, good subject knowledge and good use of praise and encouragement. The best lessons are lively, resources and activities are varied and pupils really enjoy learning. Pupils are increasingly being encouraged to assess their own and others’ work. In some lessons, particularly at Key Stage 2, where the pace of work is slow and activities are not sufficiently challenging, pupils lose concentration and drift off task so their rate of learning slows down. In most lessons, relationships are good and any instances of poor behaviour are managed effectively so that they do not inhibit learning. Classroom assistants provide pupils with constructive individual support so they achieve as well as their peers. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Fatfield Primary School, 14 °15 June 2007

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Grade: 3

Assessment of pupils’ work is satisfactory. However, the school’s recent monitoring of pupils’ work has shown that there are inconsistencies in the quality of marking and target setting. Consequently, pupils are not always sure how well they are doing or how to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

Curriculum provision, including that for the Foundation Stage, is good and meets pupils’ needs well. Lessons are planned carefully with practical links across subjects. This has contributed effectively to the rise in standards in 2006 and the continuing improvement. Pupils use established skills in information and communication technology (ICT) to enhance their work. An interesting and varied range of activities enrich the curriculum, especially in sport, creative activities and music. The attractive grounds support learning experiences for scientific study and pupils’ awareness and interest in the environment. Residential visits and specialist visitors to the school extend pupils’ learning opportunities very well. Out of school clubs provide pupils with many good opportunities to widen the range and scope of their social and academic experiences.

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Grade: 3

This aspect of the school’s work is satisfactory overall. Provision for pupils’ pastoral care is good. All staff are committed to pupils’ welfare and to helping them develop into confident and responsible young people. Child protection procedures are in place and risk assessments are carried out rigorously. The school works well with other agencies to ensure that pupils with learning, behavioural or emotional difficulties have good care and support. In the Foundation Stage, children are assessed effectively on entry and settle in well. Academic guidance for pupils is satisfactory. Teachers do not always use information gathered to explain precisely to pupils exactly what they need to do to improve their work. New systems to track the progress of individuals and groups are beginning to help teachers to identify difficulties early so they can provide the support needed to boost pupils’ learning.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The experienced headteacher ensures that the school runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis and that all staff are firmly focused on helping pupils achieve their potential. She is ably supported by senior managers who are leading the drive to improve pupils’ achievement in literacy and numeracy. The tracking of pupils’ progress and monitoring of their work and how it is assessed is becoming more rigorous and leading to a more consistent approach to marking and target setting. Senior leaders have a satisfactory understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and a suitable agenda for improvement. Governance is satisfactory. Governors are supportive of the school and keen to become even more informed about its work. The school has good links with outside agencies and other schools, which supports pupils’ learning well and allows them to make a smooth transition to secondary school. However, a

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Grade: 3

few parents expressed concern that their links with the school were not strong and they did 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Fatfield Primary School, 14 °15 June 2007 not always feel their views were listened to. Finances are well managed and resources deployed appropriately. The school provides satisfactory value for money. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Fatfield Primary School, 14 °15 June 2007 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Fatfield Primary School, 14 °15 June 2007

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Fatfield Primary School, 14 °15 June 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Fatfield Primary School, 14 °15 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

16 June 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Fatfield Primary School, Washington, NE38 8RB Thank you for the warm welcome and for the way you helped me find out about all the things you do at school. I enjoyed visiting your school and found it to be satisfactory and getting better. These are some of the things we found out about your school. • You are well cared for in school. • You make satisfactory progress in your work and reach average standards in tests. • You enjoy trips and after school clubs and activities. • Teaching and your learning are at least satisfactory and in some lessons they are good. This is what we have asked your school to do now. • Help you to achieve even better in English and mathematics. • Make lessons more challenging and exciting. • Explain more precisely to you what you need to do to improve your work. You can help your school improve even more by working with your teachers to do the very best

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you can. Yours sincerely Mrs A Wallis Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Fatfield Primary School, 14 °15 June 2007

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