Maryport CofE Primary School

Maryport CofE Junior School Inspection report

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112274 Unique Reference Number Cumbria Local Authority 289230 Inspection number 20 °21 March 2007 Inspection dates Arthur Allison 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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Junior Type of school Voluntary controlled School category 7 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 232 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Alan Hayton Chair Mrs Sharon Allgood Headteacher 1 October 2001 Date of previous school inspection Camp Road School address Maryport Cumbria CA15 6JN

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01900 812299 Telephone number 01900 817242 Fax number

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7 °11 Age group 20 °21 March 2007 Inspection dates 289230 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

This is an average sized junior school serving a mainly urban area with higher levels of social deprivation than in most areas. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage and none is in the early stages of learning English. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is higher than in most schools. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is similar to most schools. Forty per cent of the teaching staff, including the headteacher, are recent appointments following the retirement of several senior members of staff. Attainment on entry to Year 3 is broadly average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Maryport CofE Junior School, 20 °21 March 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory and improving school with a number of good features. It offers a good curriculum and successfully promotes the personal development of all pupils. It provides satisfactory value for money. The majority of parents have every confidence in the school. One parent wrote ‘I feel that the school works closely with you and is very supportive of your child’s individual needs’. Teaching is satisfactory and enables pupils to achieve satisfactorily by the time they leave the school. In a significant proportion of lessons, the teaching is good and pupils make good progress, but this is not a consistent feature across the school. The assessment procedures are insufficiently developed to enable teachers to identify precisely the needs of individual pupils. As a result, some pupils are not always sufficiently challenged. The curriculum makes a good contribution to pupils’ enjoyment and achievement. It meets all requirements and is enriched

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Grade: 3

well by visits, visitors and, notably, specialist teaching in music, as well as through links with other schools. The school provides a good level of pastoral care for all pupils; academic guidance and support, although satisfactory, do not help pupils sufficiently to become independent learners. The provision for healthy exercise is good. Pupils make satisfactory progress in Years 3 to 6 to reach standards that are broadly average by they time they leave. In 2006, the test results were below average in English to the surprise of the school. Standards in writing are lower than those in reading, but actions being taken by the school are working well and increasing the rate of pupils’ progress in lessons. Pupils’ personal development is good. Pupils are polite and well behaved; they enjoy coming to school because they know that teachers want to help them to do well. They know how to stay safe and are well aware of the need for a balanced diet and exercise for a healthy lifestyle.

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Grade: 3

Pupils make a good contribution to the school and its wider community, notably through the school council and the school choir. Older pupils confidently take on responsibilities as buddies which promotes their personal development well. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The school’s self-evaluation is very clear about what it should do in the drive to raise standards, particularly in writing. The headteacher has given the subject leaders more responsibility for improving the curriculum and teaching and learning in their subjects. Given the strong leadership of the headteacher, the sharp focus on raising standards in the school’s development plan and the number of lessons seen in which pupils made good progress, the school has satisfactory capacity for further improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in writing. • Improve assessment procedures to better inform teachers’ planning so that the needs of individual pupils are met more precisely in lessons and they receive clear academic guidance.

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Grade: 3

Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds achieve satisfactorily. When pupils join the school in Year 3, assessments show that their attainment is average. Pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the school to reach standards that are broadly average at the end of Key Stage 2. The school’s results in the national tests for 11-year-olds are average over time. In 2006, the 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Maryport CofE Junior School, 20 °21 March 2007 results were broadly average in mathematics and science, but dipped to below average in English. There was a higher proportion of pupils, mainly boys, with learning difficulties in this year group. Nevertheless, the results surprised teachers because they were lower than the school’s assessments which historically had been accurate. Standards in writing were lower than those in reading. Boys did not do as well as girls in any subject. The school has taken swift

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Grade: 3

action to raise standards in writing and improve the performance of the boys and, in lessons, progress in writing is improving. The school did not meet its very challenging targets. This year targets are again very challenging but the school expects it will be very close to the Level 5 targets. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and looked after pupils make similar progress to other pupils because their learning and pastoral needs are identified and supported effectively from an early stage.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development is good as is their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They show courtesy and respect for others and share in stimulating activities outside lessons. Good relationships, leading to mutual trust and confidence, reflect the school’s Christian ethos. Pupils concentrate in lessons; they like school and behave well. Attendance is above average. Pupils explain why a healthy lifestyle such as regular exercise and a balanced diet is important. Pupils play together safely; they have a clear idea of what is right and wrong. Through the work of the school council, pupils share ideas about preparing to be good citizens. Older pupils readily undertake tasks that contribute to the smooth running of the school, for example acting as ‘buddies’ at playtime. They make good contributions to school and take pride in their community. Links with local schools are good and make transition stages very effective.

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Grade: 2

Success in local singing festivals increases pupils’ pride in their personal achievement. They are sure that teachers respond to their needs and ambitions. Through their work, especially in English and mathematics, pupils are prepared satisfactorily for future schooling and the world of work.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory and there are examples of good practice across the school. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of all subjects. Teaching assistants are used effectively to support the work of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and looked after pupils. Most work is well-planned and matched to previous learning of the different groups, but assessment is not yet sharp enough to identify the exact needs of individuals. This means that some pupils are not always sufficiently challenged. Older pupils are given opportunities to engage in personal research and take responsibility for their own learning. To raise standards in creative writing, most teachers plan writing opportunities in other subjects. Teachers also encourage pupils to use a more extensive vocabulary to make their writing interesting to the reader as shown in a good lesson with lower attaining pupils in

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Grade: 3

Year 6. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Maryport CofE Junior School, 20 °21 March 2007 Teachers ensure that pupils understand what they will be expected to know or be able to do by the end of the lesson. Careful questioning during and at the end of lessons helps teachers and pupils know what they have learned. Work is marked carefully. Written comments praise pupils’ efforts and often inform them what they have achieved, but instances where teachers point out the next step for improving work are too few. This means that pupils are often not sufficiently clear about what they need to do to improve.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. It is securely founded on personal and social education to promote good attitudes to learning and meets the pupils’ different needs. Interesting work to enable pupils to extend skills in writing in English is established across the school. For example, pupils in a Year 5 class who were writing a recount, drew on their experience of a geography field trip to the River Calder so they made good progress in that lesson. Links between subjects help pupils to understand why shared skills are so important. Pupils have regular teaching in information and communication technology and use established skills to reinforce learning in other subjects. Music, taught by a visiting specialist, is a strong feature of the curriculum. This provision makes a strong contribution to pupils’ personal development because it helps to boost their confidence and self-esteem. The opportunities for independent research are as yet

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Grade: 2

largely underdeveloped. Most pupils are not given sufficient opportunities to manage their own time and work. An interesting and varied range of activities enhance and enrich the curriculum, especially in sport, creative activities, choral work and instrumental music. The extensive grounds support many rich learning experiences for scientific study and pupils’ awareness and interest in the environment. Residential and other visits and specialist visitors extend pupils’ learning opportunities very well. Strong links with other schools enhance learning opportunities, for example the programme at the secondary school for identified boys in Year 6 to help raise their achievement.

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory. Pastoral care is good. Pupils from different schools settle quickly into the new routines. Teachers work well with parents and other agencies to the benefit of the pupils. Adults are committed to promoting safe practices. The school has gained the Healthy Schools accreditation as well as the Active Mark. Children report that previous bullying issues have been resolved. Any instances of unacceptable behaviour that do arise are dealt with quickly and effectively. Child protection is secure and risk assessments are carried out rigorously. Procedures for assessing and monitoring the attainment of individual pupils enable teachers to identify pupils who need additional support. However, assessment is not yet sufficiently sharp and detailed to plan precisely for the needs of individual pupils and so help to drive up standards. Pupils enjoy learning through practical work but, in some classes, teachers do not

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Grade: 3

guide pupils to think independently or make enough investigations and discoveries for themselves. Across the school pupils, are starting to understand the newly established group targets for mathematics and English. Children with learning, behavioural or emotional difficulties have good care and support and are helped to work to the best of their capabilities. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Maryport CofE Junior School, 20 °21 March 2007

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher, with the full support of the acting deputy headteacher, provides good leadership through her drive and vision. She is very strongly committed to raising standards because every child matters. She is perceptive about what needs to be done to achieve this whilst managing a school with a predicted falling roll. Other staff share this commitment. Teachers and teaching assistants are deployed well to the benefit of the pupils, for example the arrangements to boost the progress, self-esteem and confidence of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities in Year 6. Strategies to improve the effectiveness of subject leaders in the management of their areas of responsibility are in place, but have not yet had time to lead to improved provision and higher standards. Through its self-evaluation, the school has an accurate view of how well it is doing and is taking

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Grade: 3

carefully considered action to raise standards. The school has made satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection and has responded well to advice and support from the local authority. All issues identified at the previous inspection have been successfully addressed, notably standards of handwriting and the quality of presentation of pupils’ work. The resources for information and communication technology are better. Interactive whiteboards are used effectively to enhance learning. The views of parents and pupils are valued and acted on appropriately, such as pupils’ and parents’ requests for fruit at break times, a choice including a vegetarian option at lunchtime and individual water bottles in classes. The governors fulfil their responsibilities satisfactorily and are more confident about supporting yet challenging the school’s management. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Maryport CofE Junior School, 20 °21 March 2007

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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: Maryport CofE Junior School, 20 °21 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? 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 2 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Maryport CofE Junior School, 20 °21 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Maryport CofE Junior School, 20 °21 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Maryport CofE Junior School Camp Road Maryport Cumbria CA15 6JN 22 March 2007 Dear Children We enjoyed our visit to your school. We enjoyed talking to you and were impressed by your friendliness, politeness and your confidence especially when the school council were explaining what they did, what they enjoyed and the improvements they would like to see. We realise why you are proud of your school and enjoy coming because: • you are keen to answer questions in lessons and behave well • you are proud to take on responsibilities such as being members of your school council and being buddies • you appreciate the help you get from your headteacher and other staff to help you to make satisfactory progress • you enjoy the learning opportunities, particularly when teachers use interactive whiteboards to make learning interesting and when you go on visits or have visiting teachers such as the music teacher to inspire you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• the school knows what needs to be done to help you to do better. As a result of what we saw and what you said to us, we have asked the school to become better by: • helping you to reach higher standards in your writing • ensuring that teachers have a better understanding of what you can do to plan work that consistently challenges you. Yours sincerely Mr Allison and Mrs Evans The inspection team 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Maryport CofE Junior School, 20 °21 March 2007

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