Flushing School

Inspection Report Flushing CofE VC Primary School

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111988 Unique Reference Number Cornwall Local Authority 289132 Inspection number 16 October 2006 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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Coventry Road School address Primary Type of school Flushing Voluntary controlled School category Falmouth TR11 5TX 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01326 374498 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01326 374498 Fax number 57 Number on roll (school) Anne Embery Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mark French Headteacher 28 February 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 289132 16 October 2006 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

Flushing is much smaller than most primary schools. Most of the pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is above average. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is also above average. Children enter the Reception class with expected levels of knowledge and skills. A higher than average proportion of pupils join the school after Year 2. The current headteacher took up the post in September 2006. Prior to this, the school had an acting headteacher for a year.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Flushing CofE VC Primary School, 16 October 2006

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Grade: 3

The overall effectiveness of Flushing CE Primary is satisfactory. Pupils make satisfactory progress in their academic development and their personal development is good. The new headteacher has a good overview of the school's performance and is providing clear direction for needed improvement. He has already taken effective steps to tackle some past underachievement in Years 5 and 6 by raising expectations and providing good teaching. As one parent commented, 'I feel that the headteacher has made a great start and look forward to the future with him leading the school.' Leadership and management are satisfactory. Satisfactory teaching and a sound curriculum contribute to pupils' satisfactory achievement. Children in Reception settle into school quickly. They make saisfactisfactory gains in all areas of learning and attain expected standards. Pupils continue to make satifactory progress in Years 1 and 2 and standards are generally

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Grade: 3

average in reading, writing and mathematics. Standards can fluctuate in Year 6 because of the small numbers in a year group and the number of pupils who join the school after Year 2. Year 6 tests results for 2006 show below average standards in English, mathematics and science. Assessments indicate that these pupils did not make enough progress in Years 5 and 6 due to weaknesses in provision. This underachievement has been checked as pupils are now receiving good teaching. Standards in the current Year 6 are closer to average. Pupils make good progress when work is well matched to their ability and needs, and lessons maintain a good pace. This does not happen in all classes because assessment is not always used effectively to plan the next stages of pupils' learning. Where work is not well matched to pupils' needs, pupils are not suitably challenged and their learning slows. A good range of additional clubs enriches the

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Grade: 3

curriculum and enhances pupils' enjoyment. Art and design is a strong feature of the school and there are high quality displays of pupils' work. Good pastoral care and guidance contribute to pupils' good personal development. Pupils enjoy school and show positive attitudes to learning. Attendance is below average but improving. Most pupils behave well but there are a few pupils in Years 1 and 2 who exhibit less positive behaviour. Pupils show a good understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle and keeping safe. They are adequately prepared for the next stage of learning. Parents are generally positive about the school but a few have expressed concern about the behaviour of a few pupils. These concerns are justified.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise achievement by improving the quality of teaching and learning, and ensuring that expectations are high and lessons maintain a good pace. • Strengthen the use of assessment in order to match work more effectively to pupils' ability and needs. 2 Inspection Report: Flushing CofE VC Primary School, 16 October 2006

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Grade: 3

Across the school, pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Standards and test results fluctuate in Year 6 because of small year groups where one pupil's results form a high proportion of the whole year group's. The school's assessments and national data show that pupils' progress from Year 2 to Year 6 has been satisfactory from 2003 to 2005. However, pupils in last year's Year 6 did not make enough progress and no pupils attained the higher Level 5 in mathematics and science in the national tests. This underachievement in the Years 5 and 6 class has been halted by providing good teaching. Pupils' work shows that standards in the current Year 6 are closer to average. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make satisfactory progress. Targets in pupils' individual education plans are not reviewed regularly enough but there are plans to address this.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is good. Most behave well in and around the school. Most pupils feel safe and enjoy coming to school, and although attendance overall is below average, the recent steps taken by the school to improve it are beginning to have a positive impact. Pupils' regularly reflect on their own lives and the lives of others. They show a good understanding of healthy lifestyles and take regular exercise. The school council has been instrumental in developing healthy snacks at break times. Older pupils regularly help younger ones by looking after them at lunch time. Pupils make a positive contribution to the community collecting and distributing harvest goods to senior citizens, and supporting charities such as 'jeans for genes'. Pupils are acquiring appropriate skills for their future well-being.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Explanations and instructions by teachers are clear and informative and are used well to promote learning. As one pupil remarked, 'Teachers explain things well.' Teaching and learning are good in Years 5 and 6. Here, expectations of pupils' learning are high and the lessons maintain a brisk pace. Pupils make good progress when challenged by interesting tasks, but this does not happen in all lessons. When tasks are not matched well to pupils' abilities, the pace of learning slows. Teachers manage pupils well and behaviour is generally good. However, learning time is sometimes lost when members of staff deal with the challenging behaviour of a few pupils in Years 1 and 2. When this happens, the lesson loses pace. The marking of pupils' work is usually effective in helping pupils to improve. 3 Inspection Report: Flushing CofE VC Primary School, 16 October 2006

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum which enables pupils to achieve satisfactorily. However, the curriculum is not always fully effective in meeting the needs of different groups. For example, the targets and provision for pupils with learning difficulties are not always sufficiently reviewed on a regular basis. The school is improving opportunities to extend the more able in mathematics and science. Art and design is a strength of the curriculum with impressive displays of pupils' work. There is good enrichment with many clubs, visits and some residential experience to widen pupils' horizons. A pupil commented, 'Trips are good fun and you learn a lot from them.'

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Grade: 3

Care, support and guidance for pupils' personal development are good. Pupils are safe at school. They are secure in the knowledge that there is always someone to talk to, and they know that staff value their opinions. Procedures for health and safety and child protection are good. The family groupings at lunch time help younger pupils to feel particularly secure and they enjoy the help that older ones provide for them. Pupils' academic guidance is satisfactory, but inconsistencies in the use of assessment mean tasks are not always well matched to pupils' different abilities and needs.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management have successfully promoted pupils' good personal development. The new headteacher is providing clear direction in raising achievement and improving the quality of teaching and learning. The headteacher has effectively reviewed the school's performance. The underachievement in Years 5 and 6 was quickly identified and effective action has been taken to address this. Teaching and learning have been effectively monitored and evaluated by the headteacher and an external consultant. The school has clear plans to raise achievement, improve teaching and learning and extend special educational needs provision. There are also plans to extend the role of other staff so they are more involved in monitoring and development. Governance is satisfactory and improving. Governors are supportive and better informed about the school's strengths and development needs. They are beginning to provide

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Grade: 3

needed challenge in order to hold the school to account for pupils' achievement and the quality of educational provision. The school's track record of improvement has been satisfactory but there have been some good improvements recently. 4 Inspection Report: Flushing CofE VC Primary School, 16 October 2006 .

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 5 Inspection Report: Flushing CofE VC Primary School, 16 October 2006

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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? 3 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 2 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. 6 Inspection Report: Flushing CofE VC Primary School, 16 October 2006

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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? 7 Inspection Report: Flushing CofE VC Primary School, 16 October 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you so much for welcoming your inspectors into your school and showing us your work. We enjoyed our visit and would like to tell you what we found out. We think that Flushing is a satisfactory school which is beginning to make improvements. These things are good: • Most of you enjoy school. • Teaching and learning are good in Years 5 and 6. • You have a good range of clubs and activities which you enjoy. • Behaviour is usually good, but a few pupils can sometimes let you down. • Displays of your artwork are particularly good. • Staff make sure that you are well cared for, helped and safe. • Your new headteacher has made some good changes. These things could be improved: • You would make more progress if teaching was good in all classes. • Sometimes, your teachers need to use your assessments better to plan work that is neither too easy nor too difficult for you. Finally, thank you once again for all your help. We wish you all the best for the future.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

With kind regards Derek Watts Lead Inspector 8 Inspection Report: Flushing CofE VC Primary School, 16 October 2006

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