Hayton CofE Primary School

Inspection Report Hayton CofE Primary School

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112402 Unique Reference Number Cumbria Local Authority 289272 Inspection number 25 January 2007 Inspection date David Earley 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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Hayton School address Primary Type of school Brampton, Cumbria Foundation School category CA8 9HR 3 °11 Age range of pupils 01228 670491 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01228 670081 Fax number 174 Number on roll (school) Mr Chris Roberts Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Susan Lingard Headteacher 1 November 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 289272 25 January 2007 3 °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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average primary school serving a largely rural area near Carlisle. The proportion of pupils who claim free school meals is below average. Most pupils are White British and there are no pupils who learn English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is below average. Attainment on entry to the Foundation Stage is as expected for children of this age. The school has recently appointed an acting headteacher whose previous roles have included acting deputy headteacher and membership of the senior management team.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Hayton CofE Primary School, 25 January 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with some outstanding features, which provides good value for money. This is because there is good leadership and a shared determination to remedy any weaknesses and raise standards. Children enter the Foundation stage with standards which are typical for their age. They make good progress and by the end of the Foundation Stage standards are above expectations. Good teaching and progress continue so that by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 pupils generally achieve well and standards are significantly above the national average. In the 2006 national tests for 11 year olds, standards in mathematics and science were significantly above average. Although standards in English were above average, not all pupils made the progress expected given their well above average standards when they were seven. This was as a result of weaknesses in teaching, particularly in teachers’ subject knowledge. The school is addressing these weaknesses

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Grade: 2

and the rate of pupils’ progress is improving. Personal development is outstanding. Pupils settle into the Foundation Stage quickly and make a good start. The school aims to develop the whole child and in this, it is very successful. Pupils are extremely well prepared for the world of work. They are confident and have high self-esteem. Pupils understand the importance of healthy lifestyles and say that they enjoy coming to school because they feel safe and it has, ‘a warm and cosy atmosphere’. There are many opportunities for pupils to accept responsibility and contribute to the local and wider communities. Attendance is good and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. The excellent curriculum is rich and stimulating. Pupils experience a wide range of learning activities in and out of the classroom. The good focus on literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) is strengthened by many very

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Grade: 2

well planned opportunities for pupils to extend their skills in other subjects. Teaching and learning are good. Lessons are typically lively and interesting so that pupils are eager to learn. Assessment is used effectively to ensure that tasks are well suited to different abilities. Marking, however, does not consistently inform pupils what they need to do in order to improve. This is particularly the case in English and is another reason why standards are not higher. Care, guidance and support are good, with outstanding provision to promote pupils’ well-being. This is a very caring school with close links to parents and a strong community ethos. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is good so that they make good progress. There are effective systems for assessing and tracking progress. The use of these to provide individual targets for improvement is new and is beginning to help to raise standards.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. There is a shared commitment amongst staff, well supported by governors, to raise standards and improve provision. Staff work well as a team and share their expertise. The school’s performance is thoroughly evaluated and leads to clear planning for improvement. 2 Inspection Report: Hayton CofE Primary School, 25 January 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in English. • Improve the quality of marking.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good and standards are significantly above the national average. From their entry into school, children make good progress so that by the end of the Foundation Stage standards are above those expected. In the 2006 national assessments at the end of Year 2, standards were significantly above average although fewer pupils than nationally reached the higher Level 3 in writing. Inspection evidence and school data indicate that progress and achievement are good in the current Year 2 and high standards are being maintained. Pupils are making better progress towards the higher Level 3 in writing because the school has implemented successful strategies to raise standards. In the 2006 national tests at the end of Year 6, standards in mathematics and science were significantly above the national average. In English they were above average. Inspection evidence and information from the school indicate that pupils are continuing

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Grade: 2

to reach high standards in mathematics and science because they achieve well and make good progress. In English, achievement is satisfactory and improving. Standards in English are rising because teaching is improving. This is leading to better progress. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make good progress because provision is good. There is no difference in the achievement and standards of boys and girls.

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Grade: 1

The school modestly grades personal development as good. The findings of the inspection are that it is outstanding. The school is an integral part of the local community and pupils understand their responsibilities for the local and global environment. The school provides a very safe and calm atmosphere where all are respected and valued. This helps pupils to develop confidence, high self esteem and to achieve well. A parent commented that her child, ‘loves attending school and I feel that she has received an excellent all round education.’ Spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is outstanding and clearly reflects the strong Christian ethos of the school. The school ensures that pupils have an excellent understanding of the cultural diversity of society. Most pupils behave very well and get on well with each other because relationships are excellent. The Healthy Schools Award and Sports Active Mark are witness to their awareness of healthy

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Grade: 1

lifestyles. The school council has a voice in the running of the school and this is complemented by ‘thinking days’, when pupils throughout the school consider ways of improving life in school and reach decisions democratically. Pupils say that they 3 Inspection Report: Hayton CofE Primary School, 25 January 2007 feel safe and enjoy school because teachers make work interesting and this is reflected in their good attendance. Pupils respond well to the many opportunities for taking responsibility, for example, when organising fundraising events for charities. Pupils’ very good basic skills, the development of collaborative skills and team spirit prepare them very well for their future economic well being.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good and this leads to good progress overall. Typically teachers use their good subject knowledge to give clear explanations and ask challenging questions. They use assessment to ensure that tasks are well suited to different abilities. Lessons are conducted at a brisk pace and are usually lively and interesting so that pupils are eager to do well. For example, in a drama lesson in Year 6, pupils improved their speaking and listening skills. Their skills in improvisation developed well because the teacher used humour and related tasks to their own experiences. However, on some occasions the pace is too brisk and pupils do not have sufficient time to reflect and consolidate their learning. Relationships are very good; therefore, pupils are confident to answer questions, become involved in discussions and work well collaboratively in order to extend learning. Teachers have high

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Grade: 2

expectations. They encourage pupils to aim high; for example, in Year 2 work on adjectives and connectives was extended so that pupils reached a level higher than expected for pupils this age. Work is marked regularly but teachers do not always give sufficiently clear advice on how learning might be improved.

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is excellent. It is very well balanced and enriched by a wide range of visitors and visits out of school. It is a significant factor in pupils’ good progress and outstanding personal development. When artists in residence, falconers and experts on electrical circuits visit school, pupils’ experience is broadened and their understanding deepened. In a similar way, when pupils go on residential visits and visit local places of interest their learning is enriched. This is enhanced by a wide range of extra-curricular activities, the school’s strong instrumental music tradition and the teaching of French and Spanish. Themed days, such as a water and art project, and participation in the international mathematical challenges add to pupils’ enjoyment of learning. The curriculum is thoroughly and imaginatively planned with an emphasis on literacy, numeracy and ICT. Skills are extended in other subjects and are effectively

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Grade: 1

linked together to give purpose and relevance to tasks. The school’s business links and links with other schools and agencies contribute well to pupils’ academic and personal development. 4 Inspection Report: Hayton CofE Primary School, 25 January 2007

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. Personal care and guidance are excellent. This is a very caring school where every child really matters. The very high level of support for all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities, contributes significantly to their achievement and personal development. This is extended by very strong community links and links with parents as part of the school’s very strong family ethos. Procedures for child protection and risk assessments are effective and the school carefully follows government recommendations for safeguarding children. There are comprehensive systems for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress. The school has recently begun to use these to set individual targets for improvement and this is beginning to raise standards.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The acting headteacher has a good knowledge of the school and a clear vision for the way ahead. The effective systems that are in place to ensure that there is continuity have enabled the school to maintain its drive to raise standards during a period of transition. The acting headteacher is very well supported by staff and governors, who share the determination to raise standards and improve provision. Staff work well together as a team to ensure that all pupils are included in what the school has to offer. They set challenging targets, which lead to good achievement and excellent personal development. The school evaluates its performance thoroughly in order to make improvements. For example, an analysis of assessment data indicated weaknesses in writing, which are being successfully addressed. The school development plan is based upon rigorous self-evaluation and

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Grade: 2

is shared by governors and staff. Subject leaders have a good understanding of standards and provision in their subjects. Their skills in checking teaching and learning have been improved as a result of further training. Governors know the school well and play an important role in helping to shape its direction as well as holding it to account for its performance. Issues from the previous inspection have been successfully addressed and the budget is managed efficiently in order to underpin improvements. Strong leadership, thorough appraisal of performance and shared determination to improve give the school good capacity to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Hayton CofE Primary School, 25 January 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: Hayton CofE Primary School, 25 January 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 2 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?

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. 7 Inspection Report: Hayton CofE Primary School, 25 January 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: Hayton CofE Primary School, 25 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Hayton CE Primary School Hayton Brampton Cumbria CA8 9HR 26 January 2007 Dear Pupils I really enjoyed coming to your school. It was good to talk to you and learn how much you enjoy coming to school, feel safe there and how well cared for you are. I was very pleased to hear how the school council helps to improve things in school and about how you all think about ways of making your school a better place in your ‘thinking days’. I was very impressed that you all know about eating healthily and about the importance of exercise to keep you fit. It was also good to hear about how you care for the environment and learn about the different traditions and cultures of people who live in our country. These are some of the things that your school does well: • you generally behave well and get on well with each other, and people like the ‘buddies’ are very helpful to others • teachers try to make lessons lively and interesting so that you want to learn

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• the school makes sure that you have lots of exciting things to do - the clubs, trips and visitors help you with your learning • the school takes really good care of you and checks on how well you are doing. These are some of the things I have asked the school to improve: • to help you to reach even higher standards in English • to make sure when they mark your work that they make it clear to you what you need to do in order to improve. You can help with this by always trying hard to follow their advice. Thank you again for your warm welcome, kindness and courtesy. Yours sincerely David Earley Lead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Hayton CofE Primary School, 25 January 2007

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