Beaupre Community Primary School

Beaupre Community Primary School Inspection report

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110643 Unique Reference Number CAMBRIDGESHIRE Local Authority 288729 Inspection number 11 °12 June 2007 Inspection dates Roderick Passant 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 144 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr E Skelton Chair Mrs L Johnson Headteacher 24 June 2002 Date of previous school inspection Church Drove School address Outwell Wisbech PE14 8RH

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01945 772439 Telephone number 01945 773004 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 11 °12 June 2007 Inspection dates 288729 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

Beaupre Community Primary School is smaller than average. The local authority is Cambridgeshire but the school is situated in Norfolk. There is an uneven number of girls and boys in some year groups and the numbers of pupils joining the school vary each year. Skill levels on entry to the Reception class represents the full range of ability but are generally below that typically found in this age group. There is significant year-on-year variation in the skills that children have when they start school. Whilst the number of pupils with statements detailing their educational needs is above average, the overall percentage of pupils who are on the school register for special needs is below the national average. The number of children from ethnic minority groups, learning English as an additional language or who are from Traveller communities is low. The number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is also low, but pupils come from

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Description of the school

a far wider range of social and economic backgrounds than these figures might imply. The number of pupils joining or leaving the school at various points in the school year has increased significantly since the last inspection.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Beaupre Community Primary School, 11 °12 June 2007

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Grade: 2

Beaupre is a good school and provides good value for money. Pupils achieve well and make good progress academically and in their personal development. The school has improved significantly since the last inspection because of the good quality of leadership and management. Standards have improved and the curriculum is good. Standards by the end of Year 6 in 2006 were above average, and standards in 2007 are likely to be similarly high. However, the way pupils present their work is often weak and they do not have enough opportunities to share their ideas and explain their thinking. The youngest children achieve well because they receive good teaching. Care, guidance and support are also good and compensate for some variability in teaching. Teaching is satisfactory. Ensuring consistently good teaching remains a development priority for the school. Members of the senior leadership team have a very good idea of individual

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Grade: 2

teachers' strengths and provide effective support to develop their skills. All members of the school staff work hard on behalf of the pupils. Older pupils recognise this and appreciate the help they receive. Some pupils are over-reliant on adult support. Not enough is done to promote pupils' independent learning skills and they do not take sufficient responsibility for their own learning. Pupils who are vulnerable or have additional learning needs make good progress. This is because a particular strength of the school is the concern for and knowledge of individuals, underpinned by the very good information about all pupils' progress. The use made of this information to organise additional help enables individuals who are not making good progress to catch up. Teachers are accountable for the progress pupils make and build effectively on their previous learning. The turnover of teachers in recent years has been a concern for some parents and,

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Grade: 2

recognising this, the school reduces potential instability by developing the role of the learning support assistants, investing in their training and taking great care over their appointment. The result is that learning support assistants have considerable expertise and play a very important part in ensuring pupils' progress. Year 6 pupils enjoy school. They are mature and perceptive. They feel that they are listened to and have a say in how the school is run through the school council. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils feel safe, know how to look after themselves and understand the importance of healthy eating and exercise. Their contribution to the school community is satisfactory. Because pupils have effective basic skills - in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) - and are adept socially, they have a good foundation for their future economic well-being. Year 6 pupils much appreciated their recent

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Grade: 2

'careers convention'. Some parents express concerns about bullying. Pupils report that there is some bullying, but are confident that the school takes prompt and effective action to stop it. Behaviour is satisfactory and most pupils behave well. However, at times, a small number of pupils still present difficult and challenging behaviour. Leadership and management are good. This is shown by the improvement since the last inspection. The headteacher leads the school well. She has established a caring, safe and supportive school in which pupils achieve well. She has determinedly maintained this in the face of on-going staff changes. Governance is satisfactory.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Develop consistently good standards in teaching in all lessons across the school. • Foster pupils' independent learning skills. 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Beaupre Community Primary School, 11 °12 June 2007 • Improve the standard of presentation of pupils' work. • Extend the opportunities for pupils to share their ideas and explain their thinking.

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Grade: 2

Skill levels on entry to the Reception class are generally low but there is no clear pattern and significant year-on-year variation. Children progress well and by the end of the Reception year, standards are close to those expected for their age. Standards in Year 2 in 2006 were broadly average, although pupils did well in writing. Current Year 2 pupils are attaining average standards and have made good progress. Overall attainment at the end of Year 6 shows an upward trend, although there was a dip in 2005, when there was a very small group with a high percentage of pupils with additional learning needs. In 2006, standards in English and mathematics were above average and they were significantly above average in science. All pupils made good progress. The current Year 6 is an able group who are working well and are on target to attain high standards. Pupils' presentation of their work across the school is generally weak. The

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Grade: 2

careful tracking of progress and precise review of individual pupil performance data are very important factors in pupils' overall good achievement.

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Grade: 2

Personal development is good and the work carried out by the school is reflected in the maturity of Year 6 pupils. Pupils respect each other and get along well. For example, pupils with additional needs are integrated very well into the life of the school and not made to feel different. The school takes its responsibility to teach about the diverse nature of Britain very seriously and consequently racist incidents are very rare. There has been good improvement in cultural development since the last inspection. Attendance is broadly in line with the national average. The school has good procedures in place to promote attendance and analyses the possible impact of poor attendance on pupils' progress.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Learning is good for pupils who have learning difficulties and disabilities, and those who have been identified as needing additional support to boost their progress, because of the effective care, guidance and support given. Teaching in the Reception class is good. There is a good balance of interesting activities. Children play purposefully and become independent learners, making good progress in new skills. Teaching and learning is more variable across the rest of the school. Examples of good teaching are seen and lessons are never less than satisfactory. Lesson planning for literacy and numeracy is thorough and takes into account the mixed ages and abilities within the class. Pupils' work indicates that some teachers do not always extend pupils' skills as well as they could. Teachers use good questioning to help to consolidate learning, but there are insufficient opportunities

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Grade: 3

for pupils to share their ideas and to explain their thinking. Teachers mark pupils' work regularly and most give relevant comments to help them to improve their work, particularly in writing and mathematics. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Beaupre Community Primary School, 11 °12 June 2007

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is broad, balanced and meets statutory requirements. Improvement since the last inspection is good. The curriculum in the Reception class is good because there is a good range of structured play activities that make learning fun. Pupils' ICT skills are extended well in most subjects and there is a strong emphasis on the development of their literacy and numeracy skills. There are effective systems for supporting those pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, although sometimes the targets on pupils' individual education plans are not specific enough. The school gives great attention to pupils' personal development. It has developed a good programme for personal, social, health and citizenship lessons, which is adapted to meet pupils' current needs. Special projects are tailored to create enthusiasm in learning. For example, a group of pupils produced a DVD of 'The Legend of Beaupre School'

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Grade: 2

whilst learning about myths and legends. Club activities, French, theme days, visits and visitors are used well to enrich the curriculum and stimulate pupils' enjoyment in learning new things.

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Grade: 2

The school pays careful attention to health and safety issues and safeguarding pupils. Child protection arrangements are rigorous. Pupils are known as individuals and have trusting relationships with staff. They say they have someone they could turn to if they had a problem. The school works effectively with a number of external agencies, including the local authority behavioural support team. Skilled teaching assistants make a significant contribution to pupils' learning, particularly for those pupils who lack confidence to complete tasks independently and those who have learning difficulties and disabilities. The system for monitoring progress is very good and pupils have sensible literacy and numeracy targets to help them to improve their work. Most of the older pupils are aware of what they need to do to reach a more challenging level in their work and some are beginning to evaluate its quality. Others are

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Grade: 2

over-reliant on adult help to remind them what they need to do next to improve, rather than using the targets to take control of their own learning.

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Grade: 2

Members of the senior leadership team, although relatively new in post, work well together and demonstrate a good capacity to improve the school further. The school's own evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses is accurate, but cautious in some judgements. The headteacher leads and manages the school well. She has clear ideas on what needs to happen to improve the school. She has built a strong team because she respects and values people's contributions and works off their strengths. She cares a great deal about the children, knows them well and wants the best for them. She has developed a professional culture in which training and support to all staff is given a high priority and which sets the expectations for new staff. Despite significant recent change in its membership, governance is satisfactory, although still relatively inexperienced. The chair of governors liaises well with the headteacher.

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Grade: 2

6 of 10 Inspection Report: Beaupre Community Primary School, 11 °12 June 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Beaupre Community Primary School, 11 °12 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 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 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

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 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 3 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?

2 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Beaupre Community Primary School, 11 °12 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Beaupre Community Primary School, 11 °12 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

12 June 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Beaupre Community Primary School, Church Drove, Outwell, Wisbech PE14 8RH I am writing to say how much my colleague and I enjoyed being in your school and seeing you at work. Thank you all for your help in the inspection and making our stay so enjoyable. Our particular thanks to Year 6 who impressed us by their maturity. You are lucky to go to a good school. We think that the school is led well by Mrs Johnson and her team. You said that you have confidence in her and listened to her, and this was good to hear. You make good progress in your work and develop good attitudes to learning and towards each other. This is because, as you pointed out, all adults care about you, help you and work hard on your behalf. Teachers keep a careful watch on how well you are doing and arrange for extra help if you need it. Most of you behave well but some pupils find this difficult. You told

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

us that you feel safe in school and that if you had a problem you could talk to an adult in the school. You said that sometimes children were unkind to one another but you also said that teachers stopped it happening as soon as they knew about it. You told us about many of the exciting things that you do and Year 6 pupils particularly said how much they enjoyed school. When we asked you what you would change about the school, you said that you wanted to make the playground more exciting. I know that a group of pupils are working with a member of staff to find ways of bringing this about. We think that the following things will help to improve your work. • Many of the lessons you have are interesting and make you work hard and the school should try to ensure that all lessons are like this. • Some of you rely on adults to help you too much and that you could do more to help yourselves improve your work by using your targets more.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• You could take greater care about the way you present your work. • There should be more times in lessons when you can talk about your work and explain your thinking to your teacher and each other. I am sure that with your help Beaupre will go from strength to strength. May I wish you all well in your future school careers. Yours sincerely R Passant (Lead Inspector) 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Beaupre Community Primary School, 11 °12 June 2007

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