Old Fletton Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 5 Jul 2007

Old Fletton Primary School Inspection report

p.1

110683 Unique Reference Number CITY OF PETERBOROUGH LA Local Authority 288740 Inspection number 4 °5 July 2007 Inspection dates Linda Killman HMI Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Primary Type of school Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 277 School

p.1

The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Norma Wildman Chair Mrs Cath Hainsworth Headteacher 11 February 2002 Date of previous school inspection London Road School address Old Fletton Peterborough PE2 9DR

p.1

01733 554457 Telephone number 01733 352917 Fax number

p.1

3-11 Age group 4 °5 July 2007 Inspection dates 288740 Inspection number .

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and two Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

This is an average-sized school in the established area of Old Fletton on the outskirts of Peterborough. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. The attainment of pupils on entry broadly matches national expectations. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is above average. The school has Investors in People status and has achieved the Quality Mark for basic skills in literacy, language and numeracy.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Old Fletton Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007

p.3

Grade: 4

In accordance with Section 13(3) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing less well than in all circumstances it could be reasonably expected to perform. The school is therefore given a Notice to Improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to the standards of attainment reached by most pupils and the progress that they make from the end of Reception. The pupils receive a good start to their education in the Foundation Stage but this is not built on successfully at Key Stage 1. At the end of Year 2, attainment is low. It has improved by Year 6 but standards are still below average. They are also below what they could be, given the pupils' capabilities when they start school. Too many pupils, especially the more able, make slow progress in their lessons, leading to inadequate achievement. Leadership and management

p.4

Grade: 4

are satisfactory overall. The headteacher has identified correctly what needs to be done, drawn up an agenda for improvement, and made an adequate start in bringing about change, but the work has been too slow in making a rapid and substantial impact on standards and achievement. Self-evaluation is currently over-generous because it is insufficiently searching and rigorous. The teaching is variable but inadequate overall. There is some effective practice, but also pockets where significant improvement is required. Despite recent initiatives, the work is not sufficiently matched to pupils' learning needs, especially those with potentially high attainment. The pupils' personal development is satisfactory. They feel safe and secure, show positive attitudes towards learning, behave well and say that they enjoy school. Most parents support this view although some have reservations about their child's rate of progress. The school is

p.4

Grade: 4

vigilant and responsive to pupils' social and emotional needs. It provides good care and support which contribute to the pupils' good behaviour and satisfactory attendance. However, there is less emphasis on clear guidance directing pupils to improvement in their learning. The curriculum is satisfactory. Pupils spend adequate time on all subjects and enjoy a broad range of enrichment activities. A range of improvements is required to secure higher standards and achievement; in particular, a greater focus is required on how much progress pupils make in lessons and over time. Recent improvements in standards have demonstrated that the school has sufficient capacity to improve further but monitoring has not been sharp enough to promote consistent development across the school.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in English (particularly in writing) and mathematics as a matter of urgency especially in Key Stage 1. ■ Accelerate pupils' progress in learning with higher expectations for achievement and greater challenge in lessons, especially for the more able. ■ Raise the quality of teaching to a consistently good standard through rigorous and accurate monitoring and evaluation.

p.4

Grade: 4

Pupils' achievement is inadequate. Most pupils start school with the skills expected for three-year-olds. Interesting activities capture their interest and provide the right level of 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Old Fletton Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007 challenge, generating a strong desire to learn. As a result, most pupils make satisfactory or better progress, working confidently at appropriate levels for their age at the end of the Reception year. This secure start is not maintained in Years 1 and 2 because pupils make insufficient progress from Reception. The exceptionally low standards attained by Year 2 pupils in reading, writing and mathematics in 2006 have not been significantly improved this year and remain inadequate in all subjects. Regular teaching of letter sounds (phonics) has improved the number of words that pupils can recognise and pupils' reading skills in Key Stage 1. However, the gap between

p.4

Grade: 4

what the pupils in Key Stage 1 are currently achieving and what they are expected to achieve for their age is too wide. Since 2005, national test results for pupils in Year 6 show an improving picture with pupils making satisfactory progress. Despite this welcome improvement, standards remain below the national average in all subjects. Accelerated progress in Years 5 and 6 cannot compensate for the low standards achieved by pupils earlier on. By the end of Key Stage 2, too few pupils reach the higher Level 5 as they are insufficiently challenged in lessons and expectations for them are too low. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are supported satisfactorily and make adequate progress. Generally, standards have remained below average for too long.

p.5

Grade: 3

Pupils' personal development and well-being are satisfactory overall. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is also satisfactory. This contributes to pupils' understanding of feelings and builds strong relationships. Pupils show kindness, care and consideration towards others and work well together. They adopt healthy lifestyle choices shown by their work towards the Healthy Schools Award. Pupils' behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. This, together with their improving attendance, reflects their enjoyment of all aspects of school life. Pupils feel safe at school and are not fearful of bullying or other forms of discrimination. Systems for ensuring their health and safety are in place but insufficient rigour is applied. The school council represents pupils' views and undertakes a range of responsibilities, which helps the school to run smoothly. Pupils are polite, courteous and welcoming to visitors. They participate

p.5

Grade: 3

willingly in many events within and outside school which enable them to contribute to the school and the local community. Pupils learn skills that will benefit them in the future, particularly in team work. However, their inadequate progress in literacy and numeracy means they are not prepared well enough for the next step in their education.

p.5

Grade: 4

Teaching is inadequate overall. Wide variations in the quality of teaching were seen during the inspection, ranging from inadequate to good. It is too inconsistent to secure adequate progress for all pupils. Some teaching is enthusiastic and the pupils are motivated to learn, but too often it misses the mark because the work lacks challenge. As a result, most pupils, especially the more able, do not learn as much as they can in lessons. There are some positive features on which to build. Most teachers are intent on using approaches that pupils will find interesting and that engage them effectively in learning and this contributes 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Old Fletton Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007 to their enjoyment of school. However, in some cases there is so much emphasis on the teacher's input that insufficient time is left for pupils to work productively to complete their own work to a high enough standard. Teachers' knowledge of subjects is secure and they work effectively

p.5

Grade: 4

with teaching assistants to support pupils with learning difficulties and those whose first language is not English enabling these pupils to make satisfactory progress. The planning of pupils' work varies widely in quality across the school. Often the activities that teachers plan are not sharply focused on clear learning intentions resulting in pupils being unsure about what they are expected to learn. Pupils are regularly assessed and their progress is checked but not all teachers are using this information effectively to plan for the next steps in learning. Consequently, pupils' work is not always matched closely enough to their capabilities.

p.6

Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory and has developed steadily since the school's last inspection particularly in the school's provision for information and communication technology (ICT). Pupils in the Foundation Stage enjoy opportunities to energetically develop their own ideas through play as well as taking part in stimulating adult-led activities. The curriculum in the remainder of the school is being developed to make learning opportunities as engaging as possible so that pupils become active learners. While much of this is evident in lessons it is not embedded sufficiently to improve the quality of learning significantly and raise standards. Good provision is being developed around pupils' healthy lifestyles in sports in particular. A number of school clubs including the choir, dance, drama and sports provide a good range of additional activities that enrich pupils' learning experiences. Furthermore, the many opportunities for

p.6

Grade: 3

pupils to visit places of interest and take part in residential trips add to the enrichment of the curriculum and pupils' enjoyment.

p.6

Grade: 3

The quality of care, guidance and support provided for pupils is satisfactory. Pupils are sensitively nurtured and well looked after because the school is attentive to their well-being. The teaching assistants are successful in helping pupils with learning and behavioural difficulties to progress satisfactorily. All staff are committed to providing a supportive and encouraging environment, in which pupils feel safe and secure. This is recognised and welcomed by parents. Child protection procedures are robust and the school complies fully with current requirements for safeguarding children. The guidance and support that pupils receive to improve learning is not as effective. Some pupils are not sure what they have to do to improve their work or how to judge if they have been successful. Not all teachers let pupils know what they are expected to achieve in a lesson or how to measure their success. The quality of teachers' marking is inconsistent with few

p.6

Grade: 3

providing helpful comments to signpost improvement.

p.6

Grade: 3

The headteacher provides satisfactory leadership. The drive to improve standards has gradually intensified with heightened recognition that pupils are underachieving. Well-chosen initiatives, 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Old Fletton Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007 supported by the local authority, have been introduced to raise standards in reading, writing and mathematics and some are beginning to have an impact, particularly in reading. However, the pace of improvement in raising standards has been slow since the school's last inspection because the rigour of monitoring and evaluation is uneven. The school has a reasonable picture of where it needs to focus its efforts. Self-evaluation procedures identify the school's strengths and weaknesses but are insufficiently probing, resulting in some over-generous judgements. The middle managers and subject leaders have an adequate understanding of what actions are needed to raise standards but as yet their roles

p.6

Grade: 3

are underdeveloped. Most subject leaders focus on the coverage in their subjects rather than how well pupils are achieving. Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities and are starting to hold the school to account confidently and with greater challenge. Most of the actions taken by the school to raise standards are fit for purpose and are beginning to have an impact on raising standards. The school has the capacity to make the necessary improvements. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Old Fletton Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007 .

p.7

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: Old Fletton Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007

p.8

Inspection judgements

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

p.9

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 4 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

p.9

Achievement and standards

4 How well do learners achieve? 4 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

p.9

learners?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 3 How well learners enjoy their education 3 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

p.9

and interests of learners?

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

p.9

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: Old Fletton Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007

p.9

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? Yes Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Old Fletton Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

6 July 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Old Fletton Primary School, Peterborough, PE2 9DR You may remember that we recently visited your school on the day when you all met the teachers that you will be with in September. You made us feel very welcome and were polite and helpful. We would like to tell you what we liked most about your school.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You all behave well in lessons and outside in the playground.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You really like your teachers and say that you enjoy school because lessons are lively.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You all know how to keep yourselves fit and healthy (we liked the energetic dancing you do in the playground before school starts). ■ In the Foundation Stage you play happily and learn more and more because you have lots of exciting activities to choose from. We also found things that need to be improved so that you all learn as much as you can before you leave. To help the school to do this, we have asked the staff to:

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ make sure that more of you reach the level that is expected for your age especially in English and mathematics ■ expect more work from you in lessons and make sure that you are not finding the work too easy ■ regularly check to see that you are learning as much as you can and that new ways of working are making a difference. Inspectors will be coming back from time to time to check that these things are getting better. We hope that you will continue to enjoy your lessons but also that you learn a lot at the same time. Have a good and safe summer break. Yours sincerely Linda Killman HMI 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Old Fletton Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007

p.11