Long Lane Church of England Primary School

Inspection Report Long Lane Church of England Primary School

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112846 Unique Reference Number DERBYSHIRE Local Authority 289436 Inspection number 12 September 2006 Inspection date Mrs. Joyce Cox 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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Long Lane School address Primary Type of school Dalbury Lees, Dalbury Lees Voluntary controlled School category Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 5BJ 4 °11 Age range of pupils

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01332824339 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01332 824339 Fax number 27 Number on roll (school) Mrs. Suzanne Goodall Headteacher The local authority Appropriate authority 21 May 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 289436 12 September 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a very small primary school situated in Long Lane near Ashbourne. It serves small surrounding villages and outlying farms in South Derbyshire. Very few pupils are eligible for free school meals. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. An above average proportion of pupils have learning difficulties or disabilities. Pupils are taught in two mixed aged classes. When Reception children start in the infant class their abilities are generally slightly below the levels expected for their age.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Long Lane Church of England Primary School, 12 September 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with outstanding features. Good teaching ensures that all pupils, and in particular those with learning difficulties, achieve well. Reception children get a good start due in part to considerably improved accommodation. Most children attain the expected levels on entry to Year 1. The small number of Reception children joining the infant class each year settle quickly and happily and make good progress due to high calibre teaching and support. Lively teaching in the infant class, where learning is made fun, with excellent use of computer technology, results in pupils making good progress and attaining average standards at the end of Year 2. Good teaching and achievement continue in the junior class, where highly skilful planning makes sure that pupils of different ages and abilities receive challenging and interesting work. As a result, Year 6 pupils attain at least average standards and are effectively prepared

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Grade: 2

for their future working lives. Staff keep meticulous records of how well pupils are doing but it is not easy to track pupils' progress quickly without looking through several files. In addition, staff do not involve pupils sufficiently in evaluating for themselves how well they are doing. Parents correctly believe that their children are getting a good education. One writes, 'As parents we cannot imagine that schools get much better than this.' There is a happy, purposeful and calm ethos based strongly on Christian values. Pupils' personal development is outstanding. They flourish and do well in lessons and grow into confident and active learners who enjoy the nourishing school meals and the good variety of sports available. Pupils are exceptionally well cared for because staff know pupils and their families very well and go the extra mile to ensure that all personal and learning needs are met. Pupils know this, feel very safe

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Grade: 2

and thrive, saying that their views are always listened to and acted upon if possible. Older pupils are very involved in all aspects of school life and happily move furniture for assemblies and lunch, support younger children at all times and have made a real difference by successfully bidding for a 1000 pound grant to purchase new playground equipment. All pupils enjoy the interesting and stimulating curriculum and in particular using computers, attending the many clubs, village events and visits. The school provides good value for money. Good leadership and management mean that the school has an accurate view of its own effectiveness. Staff and governors can clearly see the way forward and are working successfully to recruit new pupils. The school's capacity to improve is good because everyone examines all aspects of their performance and takes the correct action to improve. This has led to very good improvement since

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Grade: 2

the last inspection in terms of provision and standards in information and communication technology (ICT), more challenging work for higher attaining Year 2 pupils and considerably improved accommodation for the school office and the youngest children.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Simplify how pupils' attainment and achievement is recorded to make it easier for staff to track their progress throughout the school. - Increase the opportunities for pupils to evaluate for themselves how well they are doing. 2 Inspection Report: Long Lane Church of England Primary School, 12 September 2006

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Grade: 2

Achievement and standards are good because of the good teaching and curriculum and the excellent care that the school provides for each pupil. The attainment of the small number of children joining the school each year varies widely. Many children have skills that are slightly less well developed than those of most four-year-olds. They make good progress and many achieve the expected levels for children of this age. Pupils make good progress in the infant class and virtually all attain average standards in the Year 2 teacher assessments. These standards represent particularly good progress and achievement for the pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities who receive high quality support. The considerable time and care taken to plan work to meet the needs of individual pupils in both the infant and junior classes mean that all pupils are challenged and make good progress in their learning. Year 6 pupils reach

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Grade: 2

the challenging targets set and attain average standards in English and above average standards in mathematics by the time they leave. Pupils attain exceptionally high standards in science due to a sharp focus on investigating and exploratory work.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development is outstanding. They have excellent relationships with staff and one another. Therefore, the school is a very happy and caring place in which all pupils make good progress in acquiring the numeracy, literacy and social skills which will help in later life. Pupils learn effectively how to stay safe and they say that there are many people they can go to in school if they are worried. They love coming to school and this is reflected in the high attendance figures. Behaviour is excellent and pupils have good manners and learn to respect themselves and others. They know that it is important to eat healthy food and to take regular exercise. Staff sit with pupils at lunchtime, serve the excellent freshly prepared healthy food and engage children in conversation thus extending pupils' social skills. Pupils benefit from regular physical education coaching sessions and all enjoy weekly swimming lessons. Older pupils gently

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Grade: 1

support younger children so that newcomers settle quickly. The school council is very successful, having recently bid for and purchased new playground equipment. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. They flourish in this warm, supportive environment where their achievements are valued, recognised and praised.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good, enabling all pupils to achieve well. Relationships and behaviour are excellent, resulting in happy, interesting classrooms where pupils learn 3 Inspection Report: Long Lane Church of England Primary School, 12 September 2006 a good deal. Pupils have challenging targets for improvement and teachers are beginning to encourage pupils to evaluate how well they are doing for themselves. Small class sizes allow staff considerable flexibility to cater for the wide range of learning needs. More able Year 2 pupils are effectively challenged by being given the chance to work with older pupils for English and mathematics. ICT is used effectively by teachers in many lessons, which captures pupils' interest and sustains their concentration. The talented teaching assistants make a very good contribution to pupils' learning. They skilfully teach the new Reception children who learn through

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Grade: 2

an exciting mix of work and play. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities benefit from very good individual and group support which maximises their achievement. Staff diligently record the standards achieved and the progress that pupils make, but information is not kept in a form that is easy to interpret and so pupils' rate of progress is not easy to ascertain.

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Grade: 2

Staff work very hard to make sure curriculum planning effectively meets the needs of all pupils in the two mixed aged classes including those with learning difficulties and disabilities. Improved ICT provision and use have a positive impact on learning. Pupils are not consistently given opportunities to use their ICT skills in a variety of subjects. The accommodation for Reception children has been enlarged and they now get off to a good start because they learn through a wide variety of practical experiences. The curriculum for other pupils is planned carefully to be relevant, practical and interesting. Close links with other local schools and schools in Romania and Rwanda enliven the curriculum through shared resources and experiences. A good range of enticing enrichment activities is provided, such as gardening (where pupils grow, cook and eat their own produce) computer, sports and musical clubs. These, together with a good

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Grade: 2

number of visits and visitors, bring pupils' learning to life and have a very positive impact on their personal and social skills.

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Grade: 1

The school takes outstanding care of its pupils and this contributes effectively to their good progress, sense of well-being and to their great enjoyment of school. A parent writes 'The pupils feel safe, heard and loved.' Staff make sure that pupils feel very safe and valued. Procedures to ensure they are kept safe and secure, including those relating to child protection, are well established. Good induction procedures help newcomers to settle quickly and happily. Pupils talk warmly of how their teachers 'care for them and help them learn' and they greatly appreciate the sports and other activities organised outside the school day. Pupils say they feel supported and guided because teachers' marking is clear and helpful. The school makes very good use of help and advice from outside agencies to support vulnerable pupils and those who have learning difficulties or disabilities. 4 Inspection Report: Long Lane Church of England Primary School, 12 September 2006

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are effective. The headteacher's leadership is very good and has been instrumental in ensuring the school has recovered well following a difficult period following the last inspection. She has established excellent links with parents and the school has acquired a good reputation in the local community. The headteacher's vast experience and expertise in leading a small school is used to very good effect to support other local small schools. There is a strong sense of teamwork in the school, with staff, parents and governors committed to working to increase pupil numbers so the school can continue to flourish. The school's self-evaluation is accurate and takes account of the views of staff, governors and parents. This leads to effective action to remedy identified weaknesses via the school improvement plan. Regular monitoring and evaluation of teaching are effective in raising all pupils'

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Grade: 2

attainment. The senior management team can not easily monitor the achievement of pupils because the system in use is too complicated. Governors are supportive and effective. 5 Inspection Report: Long Lane Church of England Primary School, 12 September 2006 .

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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: Long Lane Church of England Primary School, 12 September 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? 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?

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?

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. 7 Inspection Report: Long Lane Church of England Primary School, 12 September 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? 8 Inspection Report: Long Lane Church of England Primary School, 12 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Dear Pupils I enjoyed my visit to Long Lane very much. I discovered a great deal about your school by talking to you and watching you learn. It was also very good to get a letter from a pupil telling me how very much she loved her school. I thought that you would like to know what was good about your school and how it could get even better. - You made me feel very welcome and greeted me with lots of smiles. - You love coming to school because you feel safe and you really like your teachers. - You are very polite, get on well together and really care about each other. - You work hard, behave exceptionally well and you are good learners. - It was brilliant that your school council managed to raise 1000 pounds to buy new playground equipment. Your headteacher runs the school well and your parents are right to think that you go to a good school. What I have asked the school to do now to make it even better is: - To

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

make it easier for teachers to record how well you are doing in your work. - To ask you how well you think you are doing in your work. Keep working hard and enjoying life at Long Lane. I wish you all the very best in the future. Yours sincerely Joyce Cox (Lead Inspector) 9 Inspection Report: Long Lane Church of England Primary School, 12 September 2006

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