Perran-Ar-Worthal Community Primary School

Perran-ar-Worthal Community Primary School Inspection report

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111863 Unique Reference Number Cornwall Local Authority 289079 Inspection number 14 March 2007 Inspection date Derek Watts 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 117 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Vacant Position Chair Robert Robinson Headteacher 30 September 2002 Date of previous school inspection School Hill School address Perranwell Station Truro TR3 7LA

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01872 863004 Telephone number 01872 863004 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 14 March 2007 Inspection date 289079 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

Peran-ar-Worthal Community Primary is a smaller than average primary school. Most pupils are from a White British background. There are no pupils who speak English as an additional language. The proportions of pupils with learning difficulties and those eligible for free school meals are below average. Children's attainment on entry to Reception is just above national expectations for their age. The school has recently benefited from significant improvements to its accommodation and outdoor facilities. The building works were completed in January 2007.

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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: Perran-ar-Worthal Community Primary School, 14 March 2007

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Grade: 2

Perran-ar-Worthal Community Primary is a good school. Pupils achieve well and their personal development is outstanding. Good leadership and management contribute to the school's overall effectiveness. The headteacher provides clear direction for the school's work and leadership responsibilities and decision making are effectively shared among the staff. Self-evaluation is good and this ensures that the school has an accurate view of its performance. Effective action is taken to bring about improvements. Most parents are happy with the quality of education provided and give the school good support. Parents are particularly pleased with the school's atmosphere, the quality of teaching, the range of additional activities and the new facilities. Good pastoral care and support contribute significantly to pupils' personal development. A positive school climate and very good relationships lead to outstanding pupil behaviour. Pupils

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Grade: 2

enjoy school and this is reflected by their above average levels of attendance. They show an exceptionally good understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles and how to keep safe. Children in Reception get off to a good start because of the good teaching and the interesting range of activities provided. They make good progress in all areas of learning. Standards are above average in Year 2, but in the 2006 national tests, pupils did not achieve as well in mathematics as they did in reading and writing. Steps are being taken to rectify this. By Year 6, standards are consistently well above average in mathematics and science. Progress in writing in Year 6 has not always been consistently good but the school has recognised this and is starting to implement strategies to bring about improvements. However, the planning for this lacks precise indicators for the school to measure its success in raising achievement.

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Grade: 2

Good teaching and learning and a good curriculum enable pupils to make good overall progress throughout the school. Teaching usually provides good levels of challenge so pupils are motivated and make good gains in their learning. However, although systems to check on pupils' progress are satisfactory, information gained is not always used consistently well by teachers to set individual learning targets. Pupils do not always know what they need to do to improve in English and mathematics and are not sufficiently involved in reviewing their own progress. There are also inconsistencies in the marking of pupils' work and often comments to tell pupils what they need to do to improve are lacking. The curriculum is enriched with a good range of popular activities with music and sport opportunities being real strengths. Pupils at Perran-ar-Worthal are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that the development planning for mathematics in Years 1 and 2 and writing in Year 6 contains clear indicators to measure the success in raising pupils' achievement. • Use marking and target setting more effectively to guide pupils' learning and involve them more in reviewing their progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' throughout the school make good progress overall and achieve well. Those in Reception make good gains in all areas of learning. Standards in 2006 in national tests were above average in Year 2. They were better in writing and reading than in mathematics because too few pupils 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Perran-ar-Worthal Community Primary School, 14 March 2007 reached the higher than expected Level 3 standard. Early indications are that, this year, higher attainers are doing better because of action taken by the school. In Year 6, standards are consistently well above average in mathematics and science and pupils make very good progress in these subjects. Good opportunities for investigative and problem solving work contribute to this impressive progress. Standards and progress in English, particularly in writing, while always above average, have not been as consistent. This issue is being tackled by increasing

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Grade: 2

opportunities for writing in different styles and for different purposes. Topics are being chosen carefully so they appeal to both boys and girls. Pupils with learning difficulties made good progress because their needs are carefully assessed and effective support is provided. Pupils are well prepared for their future economic well-being because by the time they leave they possess competent skills in literacy, mathematics and science. In addition to this, their personal and social skills are very well developed.

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Grade: 1

Pupils are enthusiastic about school and this is reflected by their good attendance and their participation in school activities. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, with moral and social development being particularly strong. Pupils' behaviour is exceptional and they have very good relationships with staff and amongst themselves. Pupils adopt healthy lifestyles and possess excellent understanding of the importance of healthy diets and taking regular exercise. They thrive on responsibility and are keen to help others. Pupils make positive contributions to the local community through participation in local events such as the Winter Festival in Truro and the Truro Carnival. School musicians perform in the local hospital. Pupils show care and respect for the environment and participate well in local recycling projects.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good with outstanding practice evident. Throughout the school, teachers share learning intentions with the class so pupils are clear about what they are expected to learn. Interactive whiteboards and other information and communication technology (ICT) devices are used well to illustrate main learning points in an attractive and visual way. Skilful questioning by teachers challenges pupils' thinking and checks their understanding. Activities and tasks are well tailored to pupils' different abilities and needs. As a result, pupils enjoy the challenge of the work and are productive and make good progress. More challenging work is now being provided to ensure that higher attainers are being stretched in mathematics in Years 1 and 2. At times, teachers do not make best use of the information they have on pupils' progress to set individual learning targets. Teachers work closely with teaching assistants who

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Grade: 2

give good quality support to those who need it. There are inconsistencies in the marking of pupils' work. Whilst praise is often given for good work, teachers do not always provide comments to help pupils understand what they need to do to improve.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum contributes well to pupils' achievement and exceptionally well to their personal development. The curriculum has been less successful in promoting good achievement in writing 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Perran-ar-Worthal Community Primary School, 14 March 2007 for the older pupils. However, this is being tackled by providing a wider range of opportunities for pupils to write for different purposes. ICT provision has improved recently and is now good. Pupils and staff use this effectively to support teaching and learning. Additions to the normally expected timetable are proving to be enjoyable for pupils and increasing their interest in learning. Provison for music is good. There are good opportunities for instrumental tuition and for pupils to perform. The teaching of French adds an interesting dimension to their cultural development. There is good emphasis on promoting healthy lifestyles

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Grade: 2

and personal safety. A wide range of sports activities are offered mainly through the Penryn Partnership. Recent and significant improvement to the accommodation has increased opportunities for drama, ICT and sport. The Foundation Stage curriculum is good overall, although outdoor equipment and outdoor learning opportunities are less well developed.

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Grade: 2

Good pastoral care and support have a major influence on pupils' personal development. Adults know the pupils well and have established very good relationships with them. As one parent wrote, 'The staff are very supportive and approachable'. Procedures to ensure pupils' protection and safety are effective and ensure that pupils are safe and secure at school. The systems for assessing and tracking pupils' attainment and progress are satisfactory. Assessment information is generally used well to plan teaching activities but teachers are not always using the data consistently well to set challenging individual learning targets in English and mathematics. As a result, not all pupils are clear about what they are working towards in order to improve their writing and mathematics. Opportunities are also missed to fully involve pupils in reviewing their progress.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are effectively promoting good pupil achievement and outstanding personal development. The headteacher, with his staff, has created a positive school climate. As one parent rightly commented, 'The atmosphere is calm, controlled and conducive to learning'. School self-evaluation is accurate and as a result, the school has a clear overview of its strengths and areas in need of development. However, the school has been less effective in finding ways of hearing the views of parents. While most parents are positive about the school, a few parents do not believe that the school seeks their views. The need to raise achievement in mathematics in Years 1 and 2 and writing in Year 6 is recognised and effective action is being taken to tackle these issues. However, this planning lacks precise measures to enable the school to judge its success in raising pupils' achievement. Governance is good. The governors are committed, supportive and have a clear understanding

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Grade: 2

of the school's performance. The school has maintained the high standards and good provision identified at the last inspection and improvements to the accommodation, ICT, music and sport demonstrate a good capacity to improve further. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Perran-ar-Worthal Community Primary School, 14 March 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: Perran-ar-Worthal Community Primary School, 14 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? 1 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 1 The behaviour of learners 2 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 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?

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: Perran-ar-Worthal Community Primary School, 14 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Perran-ar-Worthal Community Primary School, 14 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you so much for welcoming us into your school and showing us your work. We enjoyed our visit and would like to tell you what we found out. Perran-ar-Worthal is a good school. These things are strengths of the school • You clearly enjoy school and this is shown by your good attendance and your keen participation in school activities. • Those of you in Reception get off to a good start. • Teaching is good, which is why you learn so much. • You are making good progress and standards by Year 6 are well above average. • Your behaviour is outstanding and you get on very well with others. • The school offers a good range of additional activities particularly in music and sport. • The staff know you well and you receive good care and support from them. • The school is well run by your headteacher and other senior staff. There are a few things the school has been asked to improve • Staff and governors should check the success of the improvements being made.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• Clear learning targets for English and mathematics and more detailed marking could help you to review your own progress. Finally, thank you once again for all your help. We wish you all the best for the future. With kind regards Derek Watts Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Perran-ar-Worthal Community Primary School, 14 March 2007

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