Grange CofE Primary School

Grange C of E Primary School Inspection report

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112280 Unique Reference Number Cumbria Local Authority 289234 Inspection number 19 April 2007 Inspection date Kathleen McArthur 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 Voluntary controlled School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 152 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Judith Mitchell Chair Mr Colin Milner Headteacher 1 October 2002 Date of previous school inspection Fell Drive School address Grange-over-Sands Cumbria LA11 7JF

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01539 532392 Telephone number 01539 536038 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 19 April 2007 Inspection date 289234 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

The school is smaller than most primary schools and is the only one serving the town. When the children start school, their attainment is broadly above that which is typical for their age. The proportion eligible for free school meals is below average, as is that of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Almost all of the pupils are of White British heritage; only a very small number speak English as an additional language.

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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: Grange C of E Primary School, 19 April 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school, with outstanding features in pupils’ personal and social development and the way they are cared for, supported and guided. The inspection confirmed the school’s view of how effective it is, and it gives good value for money. The great majority of parents are very happy with the school and all the academic and enrichment opportunities offered to their children. The headteacher, supported by an enthusiastic and effective team of staff and governors, has provided outstanding leadership in creating a caring ethos, firmly rooted in Christian values. Every pupil is welcomed and valued. They clearly love their school, are very happy there and show great enthusiasm in all activities. Their behaviour is excellent and they are polite, friendly and very considerate towards others, because as one said, ‘everyone likes each other’. Pupils say they feel safe and well cared for. They eagerly accept opportunities to contribute to the

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Grade: 2

life of the school and the wider community. Good academic and social skills ensure that pupils are well prepared for their economic future and life as responsible citizens. The outstanding range of enrichment activities offered by the school includes many visits, a highlight of these being the recent trip to Japan for a group of older pupils. Good teaching and a good curriculum ensures that pupils achieve well and attain standards that are above average. Pupils are very articulate and have good oral skills. They show very good attitudes to learning because, as one pupil said, ‘We do a variety of work, so we like all our lessons’. Teachers plan lessons well to make learning meaningful and enjoyable. Children progress well in the stimulating environment of the Foundation Stage due to good provision. Good progress continues through Key Stage 1 where standards have consistently been above average and are improving. In Key Stage 2, the pattern of progress and standards varied a little

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Grade: 2

in 2005 and 2006. Standards were above average in mathematics and science in 2006 but dipped in English and the school did not meet the challenging target it set for itself. This was largely due to a dip in writing standards, particularly for boys. Rigorous actions, put in place by the leadership team, to reverse this decline have had a positive impact but many pupils, particularly boys, still find it challenging to organise their thoughts on paper. The work of the current Year 6 pupils and assessment information show standards in English have risen and pupils are on track to meet their targets this year. Many parents commented on the high levels of care shown towards their children and the school has excellent assessment systems that track and monitor pupils’ progress rigorously. Those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and the small number who speak English in addition to their home language, are well supported so they progress well in relation to their

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Grade: 2

capabilities. The single issue from the previous inspection has been fully overcome. The strong commitment of staff and the leadership and management team shows that the school has good capacity for further improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve achievement in writing, particularly among boys. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange C of E Primary School, 19 April 2007

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ achievement is good and they make good progress through the school. Children get off to a good start in the Foundation Stage and enjoy learning as a result of good teaching and well-planned activities. They progress rapidly to meet, and in many cases, exceed the expected goals for their age in all areas of learning. At the end of Key Stage 1, standards are consistently above average in reading, writing and mathematics and are improving. Standards in English, mathematics and science at Key Stage 2 are above average. They were above average overall in the national tests in 2006, but there was a marked dip in English. Performance was affected by a higher than usual proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and by some unavoidable staffing disruptions. Speaking and listening skills are very strong with pupils responding well to the many opportunities promoted by the headteacher for them to discuss and express their

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Grade: 2

ideas. Pupils use a good range of vocabulary but many, particularly boys, still find it harder to organise their thoughts on paper. The headteacher, ably supported by the staff, has acted swiftly and successfully to remedy this situation by: • thorough analysis to identify weaker aspects in writing and rigorous progress tracking • ‘real’ writing activities; for example, producing a booklet to raise funds for the trip to Japan • booster classes and resources that appeal to boys.

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Grade: 1

Pupils are happy at school, enjoy their lessons and their attendance is above average. Behaviour is excellent and pupils show high levels of consideration for others. For example, they are glad that there is plenty of space outside so everyone can play and, ‘the little ones don’t get hurt’. They have a very good understanding of how to be healthy and enthusiastically enter into the wide range of physical activities. Pupils feel very safe in school. They say bullying is not a problem, know they can approach all the adults for help and believe their concerns are taken seriously. The staff show genuine respect for pupils, which helps them mature rapidly into sensible members of the school and wider community. School councillors take their responsibilities very seriously and are expected to account for their decisions by giving feedback to other pupils. Good academic, social and information and communication technology (ICT)

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Grade: 1

skills prepare pupils well for their economic future. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Pupils reflect quietly on moral and social issues during assemblies, are very appreciative of the beauties of the locality and carry out recycling and environmental work. The excellent range of extra-curricular activities provides varied opportunities to experience their own and other cultures, including a visit to a Hindu Temple in Bradford, links with a school in Lancaster and active links with Japan, which culminated in the recent visit.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good so pupils progress well. The local authority has recognised two members of staff as leading teachers and they share their skills with other schools. In the Foundation Stage, children are provided with a good range of opportunities for 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange C of E Primary School, 19 April 2007 learning that include help to develop their early skills in writing. Typically, lessons are well organised and resourced. Staff make good use of ‘talking partners’ to help pupils use their very good vocabulary to organise their thoughts and explain their reasoning. Lessons are planned well, taking account of assessment of pupils’ prior learning. Classrooms are bright and attractive. Well informed teaching assistants provide skilled support, particularly for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is broad, balanced and suitably adapted to meet the needs of all pupils. Children in the Foundation Stage enjoy well planned and resourced practical learning activities, but not enough use is made of the very attractive outdoor area each day. In Key Stages 1 and 2, literacy, numeracy, science and ICT receive appropriate emphasis. All other subjects of the National Curriculum are fully covered. Some are linked to make learning more meaningful for the pupils; for example, pupils write instructions for cleaning teeth and have created a mathematics trail in the extensive grounds. Well established links with local schools extend physical education activities and provide opportunities to learn French or Spanish and other special activities for pupils who are gifted and talented. Parents and pupils are very appreciative of the outstanding range of enrichment activities. One parent commented that these had helped her daughters to ‘develop other interests and broaden

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Grade: 2

their horizons’. Residential experiences promote social and cultural development very effectively, and visits and visitors extend and support many subjects. The many after-school clubs are very popular, including the new writing club for boys.

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Grade: 1

Outstanding provision for care, support and guidance ensure that pupils love their school, form high quality relationships, work hard and achieve well. Procedures for safeguarding pupils fully meet all current government requirements. The school works closely with all external support agencies so pupils, particularly those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, receive good support. Several parents commented on the quality of care and welcoming induction procedures that enable their children to settle into school quickly. Well established links with the high schools ensure that older pupils transfer confidently to the next stage of their education. Very thorough assessment systems give teachers a very clear picture of pupils’ progress. The information is used well in planning lessons that are adapted to the needs of pupils of all abilities. All pupils know their targets and work hard to achieve them. Older pupils have

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Grade: 1

opportunities to evaluate their own work, and that of others, against success criteria, so they become more involved and responsible learners. Pupils say their work is always marked, with useful comments that show them what they must do to improve.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The outstanding leadership of the headteacher is the driving force behind the inclusive Christian ethos that welcomes and values all pupils. He has established a strong leadership team, all committed to provide high quality experiences in all 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange C of E Primary School, 19 April 2007 aspects of school life so all pupils become caring and responsible and attain good academic standards. Good provision for equal opportunities is shown in the sensitive way all pupils are included in all activities. Managers carry out their responsibilities well and have good knowledge of their subjects. The school’s own evaluation of its performance is accurate and provides a secure basis for tackling identified shortcomings in the pupils’ achievement and for setting objectives for teachers’ performance. Actions to improve writing among the boys in particular

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Grade: 2

are working well, and the school’s English plan identifies the need for further action to consolidate improvements at Key Stage 2. Governance is good and the governing body is knowledgeably led. Governors undertake training to build their knowledge and confidence to hold the school to account. The budget is managed shrewdly to maintain staffing levels and ensure that the school is well resourced for all subjects. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange C of E Primary School, 19 April 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. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange C of E Primary School, 19 April 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 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 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange C of E Primary School, 19 April 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: Grange C of E Primary School, 19 April 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

20 April 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Grange C of E Primary School, Cumbria LA11 7JF Thank you for welcoming me to your school. It was good to meet you all. Your politeness and friendliness made sure I had a very enjoyable day. I appreciated all the help you gave me, enjoyed hearing about your work and all the exciting things you do. Not many children can say they have been to Japan on a school trip; what a marvellous experience! I found that your school is a good school. The outstanding features are your personal development, the care, guidance and support you receive and all the extra activities that enrich the curriculum. This is because the headteacher leads the school extremely well. The headteacher, the staff and governors work hard to ensure that you are all valued and happy. I was very pleased that you all get on so well together. You have good teachers so you make good progress in your learning. I know you and your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

parents agree that the staff look after you extremely well. As a result, you enjoy school, behave exceptionally well and work hard in lessons. Standards by the end of Year 6 are generally above average although they are not quite as high in English as in mathematics and science. I have asked the school to work with you to make sure you do as well in English as the other subjects, especially in your writing. You can help them by continuing to work hard and enjoying everything you do at school. I wish you well for the future. Yours sincerely Mrs Kathleen McArthur Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange C of E Primary School, 19 April 2007

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