Spaldwick Community Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 7 Mar 2007

Inspection Report Spaldwick Community Primary School

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110690 Unique Reference Number CAMBRIDGESHIRE Local Authority 288742 Inspection number 6 °7 March 2007 Inspection dates Kathleen Yates 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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Royston Avenue School address Primary Type of school Spaldwick Community School category Huntingdon PE28 0TH 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01480 890371 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01480 896696 Fax number 186 Number on roll (school) Mr John Mellish Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Val Cameron Headteacher 10 February 2003 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 288742 6 °7 March 2007 4°11 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

This is a smaller than average school where almost all pupils are of White British origin and speak English as their first language. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is lower than average while the proportion identified as having learning difficulties is average. Pupils come from a range of backgrounds within the six neighbouring villages. A slightly higher proportion than that found nationally either leaves before finishing Year 6 or joins after the first admission for Reception children. Attainment on entry to the Reception class is similar to national expectations. This year, for the first time in the school's history, classes consist of dedicated age groups. The school has gained a number of achievement awards and many of its good features and innovative approaches are shared with other schools.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Spaldwick Community Primary School, 6 °7 March 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. It has a number of outstanding features. These judgements support the school's own view of its effectiveness. Liaison with other schools and providers is very good and excellent use is made of the school's award winning website to promote communication. Parents' responses and pupils' views are also very positive. The school provides its pupils with a good standard of education, giving good value for money. Children do well in Reception and most achieve the expected levels in all areas of learning. This good progress continues, so that by the end of Year 2, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected level and the higher level 3 in all subjects is above the national average. By the end of Year 6, standards are well above average. Cohorts are fairly small and there are variations year on year, but overall achievement is good throughout. Pupils with learning difficulties also make good progress. In both Year 2

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Grade: 2

and Year 6, pupils did less well in writing than in other areas and the school recognises this is an area for further improvement, particularly for boys. Teaching and learning are consistently good and teaching assistants make a significant contribution to pupils' good progress. The curriculum is outstanding. It is designed exceedingly well to meet the pupils' needs, and it is enhanced by an unusually wide range of enrichment activities. As a result, pupils enjoy school very much, taking great pleasure in all that it provides. Provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent and pervades all that the school offers them. Personal development is outstanding and pupils behave extremely well, taking responsibility for their own behaviour and playing very cooperatively together. Because the curriculum provides many opportunities to learn about the world, pupils are especially well

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Grade: 2

informed about their own and other cultures. Attendance is satisfactory and has improved due to the tireless efforts of the headteacher and governors. Pupils are developing an extremely good range of skills that will help them to become good citizens, such as teamwork and a very good understanding of a healthy lifestyle. Care for the pupils is excellent. All health and safety requirements are met and the pupils are looked after very well. The school has clear systems for checking that they are making as much progress as they could, for making arrangements to extend the gifted and talented and to support those who need additional help to meet their challenging targets. All the areas of the school work so well because the headteacher and the deputy headteacher provide outstanding leadership and management. They have rigorous systems for ensuring they know which areas need to be improved and for planning to bring about change. Subject leaders analyse test results methodically

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Grade: 2

but are not yet involved in checking regularly on the quality of teaching and learning. Governance is satisfactory overall. The governing body provides good support. All in the school have a determination to achieve and maintain high standards and have made good strides since the previous inspection. There is good capacity for further improvement. 2 Inspection Report: Spaldwick Community Primary School, 6 °7 March 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that all pupils, especially the boys, make the same progress in writing as they do in other subjects. • Ensure that subject leaders check regularly on the quality of teaching and learning in their areas.

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Grade: 2

Achievement by all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and the few who do not have English as their first language, is good. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well and reach the expected levels in all areas of learning. The results of the national tests in 2006 in Year 2 were higher than the national average. Pupils did best in mathematics where boys outperformed girls. In writing girls did better than boys. In 2005 a higher proportion of pupils had achieved the higher Level 3. By Year 6, in 2006, most pupils exceeded their targets and attained results which were well above those achieved nationally. Girls outperformed boys significantly. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher level 5 is an improvement on 2005 results, particularly in English, although no boys attained the higher level in writing. Throughout the school achievement at the higher levels is lowest in writing.

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Grade: 1

This aspect is outstanding because the school works very successfully to ensure pupils develop into effective learners and become valuable members of society. They demonstrate excellent attitudes towards school and clearly enjoy being there. Pupils are extremely polite and make visitors very welcome, acting as excellent ambassadors for their school. As they get older, they are given good levels of responsibility and independence, which they willingly accept and carry out. This is particularly reflected in the amount of charity work which is initiated as well as organised by the pupils. The school works extremely hard to encourage full attendance and this is broadly average. Behaviour is outstanding and has a very positive impact on learning. Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to lead healthy lives, and they take part in a good range of physical activities. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

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Grade: 1

excellent and pupils have many opportunities to take part in an outstanding range of artistic and musical activities. The pupils who are part of the school council have a good understanding of how they can help the school improve and many of their suggestions have been implemented. The wide variety and high level of skills which learners develop makes a very strong contribution to their future lives. 3 Inspection Report: Spaldwick Community Primary School, 6 °7 March 2007

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good. Teachers have built very effective relationships with their pupils and as a result, pupils are well-behaved and attentive in lessons. Teachers assess and record pupils' progress in some detail and use this when setting appropriately challenging targets. The lessons are well planned and resourced and teachers make very effective use of information and communication technology (ICT) to interest and inspire pupils. The pupils' learning is good because the work is usually at the right level and based on their prior learning. At times the pace of lessons is too slow and teachers' explanations of new work not always very clear. Parents' views about the amount of homework provided are mixed but the design and technology projects offer very good opportunities for pupils to use the skills taught in school to produce some very high quality work. Teaching assistants are highly skilled and very effective in supporting

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is particularly well planned so that pupils are able to make connections between subjects by applying their knowledge, skills and understanding in one area to their work in another. The focus on systematically developing pupils' skills is a particularly strong feature of the school's work and can be seen in all classes. In the Reception class children settle quickly and develop exceptionally good attitudes to learning because staff promote their social skills alongside early reading, writing and number work. ICT is used effectively wherever possible in the school. The curriculum is enriched with an excellent range of subjects which enhance pupils' musical, dancing, ICT and sporting skills as well as their knowledge of other languages. The school is able to do this because it makes the very best use of the skills of teaching assistants and other visiting specialists. As a result of the imaginative and interesting activities

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Grade: 1

they deliver, pupils gain a very good appreciation of the wider world.

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Grade: 1

This is a very caring school and this is reflected in the pupils' confidence in the adults' support for them and the trust they have in the staff. Pupils say they feel very safe in school and the staff work hard to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with learning difficulties. The school meets all the requirements for ensuring pupils are safe. There are excellent assessment arrangements which are used well to analyse individual progress and to enable teachers to provide any necessary extra support where it is required. These procedures enable teachers to provide appropriate guidance to help pupils academically as well as personally and to set sufficiently challenging targets. Transition arrangements for the move to secondary school are carefully thought 4 Inspection Report: Spaldwick Community Primary School, 6 °7 March 2007 out and very effective. The school successfully supports pupils who are new to the

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Grade: 2

The headteacher and the deputy headteacher together provide exceptional leadership and management. They have a very clear vision of the educational direction for the school and are committed to the maintenance of high standards and good achievement. They lead a dedicated and happy team of teachers and support staff. Subject leaders analyse pupils' test results carefully but are not yet involved in checking regularly on the quality of teaching and learning to know precisely where improvement is needed. Governance is satisfactory. Many governors have been recruited recently and are keen to carry out their duties diligently. The budget is administered cautiously and is strongly focused on maintaining the seventh teaching classroom which has allowed the school to enjoy single age groups. The school works very closely with parents and outside agencies who are rightly very positive about what the school provides. All these factors

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Grade: 2

help the pupils to achieve well and to attain high standards. 5 Inspection Report: Spaldwick Community Primary School, 6 °7 March 2007 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Spaldwick Community Primary School, 6 °7 March 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?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 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?

1 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. 7 Inspection Report: Spaldwick Community Primary School, 6 °7 March 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? 8 Inspection Report: Spaldwick Community Primary School, 6 °7 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

8 March 2007 Dear Pupils Spaldwick Community Primary School, Royston Avenue, Spaldwick, Huntingdon, PE28 0TH Thank you very much for the way in which you made us feel so welcome in your school. We really enjoyed talking to you, because you are so interesting and polite. We want to tell you what we found out about your school while we were there. This is what we liked about your school. • Your behaviour is excellent and you get on with each other and the staff very well. • You do really well especially in mathematics, science and reading. • Your teachers and teaching assistants work hard to make your lessons interesting, you enjoy the activities they provide and try to do your best. • You take part in an excellent range of extra activities where you achieve success. • Both you and your parents are very happy with this school. • The school takes very good care of you. This is what we have asked the school to do now.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• We have asked your teachers to make sure that all of you do as well in writing as you do in other lessons. • We have also asked the teachers in charge of subjects to make regular checks on how well you are being taught to see if your learning could be even better. With our very best wishes for your future at Spaldwick Primary School Mrs Yates and Mr Timms (Inspectors) 9 Inspection Report: Spaldwick Community Primary School, 6 °7 March 2007

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