Hartland Primary School

Inspection Report - Amended Hartland Primary School

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113152 Unique Reference Number Devon Local Authority 289526 Inspection number 11 September 2006 Inspection date Alexander Baxter 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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North Road School address Primary Type of school Hartland Community School category Bideford EX39 6BP 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01237 441258 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01237 441258 Fax number 122 Number on roll (school) Lesley Walker Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Kathy Tape Headteacher 12 February 2006 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 289526 11 September 2006 4 °11

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Amended Report Addendum

Report amended due to administration error

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Amended Report Addendum

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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Amended Report Addendum

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 rurally isolated school is below average in size. Very few pupils are from minority ethnic groups or have English as an additional language. The proportions of pupils with learning difficulties or with a statement of special educational need are above average. Children’s attainment on entry is below the level expected for their age, significantly so in communication, language and literacy and calculation skills in mathematics.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Hartland Primary School, 11 September 2006

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Grade: 3

This school provides a satisfactory education for its pupils. This judgement differs from the school’s view that it is good, because staff have not assessed pupils’ academic progress accurately enough as they move up through the school. Even so, the school has shown that it has a satisfactory capacity to make any necessary improvements, for example by raising standards in mathematics, having identified that standards were too low in this subject. There have also been improvements in the achievement of potential higher attainers in Years 3 to 6. In addition there are clear signs that improvements are happening elsewhere and the school has started to address weaknesses in tracking pupils’ progress throughout the school, with the headteacher and governors working well together to bring about such changes. Much of that is in its early stages and consequently it is too early to measure the full impact and to be

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Grade: 3

assured that the improvements envisaged will necessarily happen. In bringing about change, the school is being helped by a more settled teaching team and, consequently, improvements in the quality of teaching and learning. Curriculum planning is also improving. The school’s self-evaluation is improving and is currently satisfactory. Strengths include the pupils’ good personal development and well-being that are nurtured by the good pastoral care given by the staff of the school and accurately assessed. Parents welcome this care and support and say that their children ‘enjoy an interesting range of school activities, feel happy and develop self-confidence’. The pupils’ enjoyment of learning, understanding of health, feeling safe and contributions to the community are good. The fact that most are willing to learn provides a good basis for further improvements. The caring work of the headteacher and her staff, and the stimulating facilities are

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Grade: 3

helping to raise standards. Standards have improved this year and although they are below average by the end of Year 6, they represent satisfactory achievement, given pupils’ skills on entry. Within that overall picture, however, standards have not improved sufficiently in reading and writing in Years 1 and 2 and some pupils, particularly potentially higher attainers, underachieve. This is because the quality of assessing pupils’ academic progress and school self-evaluation has not been consistent enough, and expectations of what pupils should achieve have been too low. Leadership and management are satisfactory and subject co-ordinators are increasingly involved in strengthening provision. Issues of the last inspection have been rectified. These include provision for children in the Foundation Stage (Reception class), which is now satisfactory and has strengths in children’s personal, social, emotional and

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Grade: 3

physical development. Although the school’s overall effectiveness is satisfactory, its performance in a few respects is inadequate. Before its next section 5 inspection, Ofsted inspectors may visit the school to monitor the progress that it has made in remedying these weaknesses. The school would receive two to five days’ notice of such a visit. 2 Inspection Report: Hartland Primary School, 11 September 2006

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What the school should do to improve further

• raise pupils’ achievement and standards, especially reading and writing in Years 1 and 2 • strengthen the methods used to track pupils’ progress and ensure that leaders and managers rectify gaps identified in pupils’ learning more quickly and effectively • improve the use of assessments of pupils’ work to inform future curriculum and lesson planning and, subsequently, teaching and learning.

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Grade: 3

Standards at the end of Year 6 are below average in English, mathematics and science. Whilst these represent satisfactory achievement, considering pupils’ starting points, a legacy of earlier underachievement has held back standards. Children make good progress in personal, social, emotional and physical development but, as a result of the low standards on entry, many do not reach the early learning goals expected in language and mathematics on leaving the Foundation Stage. Progress slows in Years 1 and 2 and pupils’ attainments in reading and writing at Year 2 are significantly below average, showing underachievement, particularly among potentially higher attaining pupils. However, inspection evidence shows improved teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 is increasing the progress pupils now make, but this is too recent a development to judge its full impact. In Years 3 to 6, the recent improvement in teaching, and subsequently in pupils’

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Grade: 3

learning and progress, especially by potential higher attainers, has moved standards closer to average, especially in English. Over the past year, in response to strengthened teaching across the school, mathematics has shown most improvement.

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Grade: 2

Pupils make good progress in developing their personal qualities. Their opinions are valued and members of the school council make positive contributions to the community. They said, ‘We feel proud that our views are listened to’. The older pupils’ personal skills are given a big boost when they look after the youngest children at certain times of the school day. Children in the Foundation Stage make good progress in developing their personal, social and emotional skills. Pupils’ behaviour, attitudes to learning and enjoyment of school are good. Attendance is satisfactory. Pupils develop adequate skills for their economic well-being and the next stage of their education, although few pupils are sufficiently aware of their own targets to improve their literacy skills. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils feel safe, secure and free from bullying. They have a good understanding of the importance of safety, regular exercise and healthy eating. The

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Grade: 2

3 Inspection Report: Hartland Primary School, 11 September 2006 school’s high quality ‘Fresh Start Menu’ and ‘meals on wheels’ service aids the health of pupils and members of the local community.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children receive a sound start in Reception where personal and physical skills are developed well. Improved stability in staffing is helping to improve the quality of teaching. Teachers promote warm relationships and manage pupils’ behaviour effectively. They make improving use of information and communication technology (ICT) to motivate pupils, for example in Years 3 and 4, where pupils enjoyed a variety of investigations. Increased opportunities for problem-solving in mathematics also has a beneficial effect in most classes. In contrast, satisfactory current affairs and numeracy lessons in Years 6 and 4/5 respectively were less successful in enthusing pupils and learning was constrained. The challenge given to potential higher-attaining pupils is gaining momentum in Years 3 to 6, but has been weaker in Years 1 and 2. However, inspection shows recent

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Grade: 3

improvement; for example, a good numeracy lesson in Years 1 and 2 was typified by good questioning that raised the pupils’ understanding. The use of assessments of pupils’ learning to target future learning remains inconsistent, however, and teachers’ expectations are therefore not always high enough.

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum that is broad and balanced. The school’s stimulating environment and facilities promote pupils’ personal qualities and enjoyment of learning. A wide range of clubs, regular visits to places of interest and visiting speakers, including members of local organisations and support agencies, also provide good enrichment. For example, the pupils’ multi-cultural awareness is developed well through visits by African dancers and musicians, studies of world faiths in religious education and topics such as an ‘Indian Day’. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage encompasses all the required areas of learning and is strong in promoting children’s personal and physical development. A weaker, but improving, aspect of the curriculum is the inconsistency in matching the tasks and challenge to meet the needs of average and potential higher attaining pupils.

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Grade: 3

Pupils receive satisfactory care, guidance and support. Good pastoral care is a strength of the school that underpins the pupils’ good personal development. Children from Traveller families are given very effective support and have made good progress in their learning in a short space of time. Pupils with learning difficulties are also 4 Inspection Report: Hartland Primary School, 11 September 2006 benefiting from earlier identification of their needs. Their parents appreciate how children are looked after and emphasised their improved progress when speaking to inspectors. Senior managers and teachers do not always have a sharp enough picture of whether pupils are making sufficient progress and what pupils are capable of achieving, despite some recent improvements in tracking progress.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. A legacy of staffing instability weakened assessment and evaluation of pupils’ progress for some time. This also constrained improvement since the last inspection. The headteacher gives clear direction and has worked hard to bring stability in staffing. In combination with a team approach to management, this has improved teaching and learning and is beginning to raise the quality of pupils’ achievement. Although some weaknesses in monitoring and evaluating pupils’ academic work remain, especially in assessing and tracking pupils’ progress, they are being addressed. In addition, whilst the rigour of monitoring is uneven, there have been successes, particularly in mathematics. This was made possible by more accurate identification of the weaknesses, and effective working relationships between senior management and the subject co-ordinator. A measure of this improvement and

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Grade: 3

what is possible elsewhere is seen in more pupils reaching their equally challenging targets in mathematics in national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2006 compared to 2005. Good monitoring and evaluation of pupils’ personal development also shows that the school has the capacity to improve. Leadership and management are satisfactory. A legacy of staffing instability weakened assessment and evaluation of pupils’ progress for some time. This also constrained improvement since the last inspection. The headteacher gives clear direction and has worked hard to bring stability in staffing. In combination with a team approach to management, this has improved teaching and learning and is beginning to raise the quality of pupils’ achievement. Although some weaknesses in monitoring and evaluating pupils’ academic work remain, especially in assessing and tracking pupils’ progress, they are being addressed. In addition, whilst the rigour of monitoring is uneven, there

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Grade: 3

have been successes, particularly in mathematics. This was made possible by more accurate identification of the weaknesses, and effective working relationships between senior management and the subject co-ordinator. A measure of this improvement and what is possible elsewhere is seen in more pupils reaching their equally challenging targets in mathematics in national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2006 compared to 2005. Good monitoring and evaluation of pupils’ personal development also shows that the school has the capacity to improve. 5 Inspection Report: Hartland Primary School, 11 September 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. 6 Inspection Report: Hartland Primary School, 11 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? 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 No 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. 7 Inspection Report: Hartland Primary School, 11 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: Hartland Primary School, 11 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming us. We really enjoyed our visit and talking with many of you. We are pleased to say that there are a number of things that are good about your school, but there are also some important things which need to be improved. We judged that the school gives you what adults call a satisfactory education. Standards in English, mathematics and science are below average in Year 6. They could be better, but still show that most of you are making satisfactory progress by the time you leave school. All parts of the school are led and managed satisfactorily. What we liked most about your school • we liked your good behaviour and relationships and how you enjoy your time in school • we like your awareness of health and safety and your contributions to the community • we feel that the headteacher and staff care for you well and keep you safe. What we have asked the school to do now • we want the school to help you improve your reading and writing, especially in Years 1 and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• we want your school to improve the way your progress is checked. You should assist for it will show how well you are doing, what needs to be done to bring about improvement and whether improvements are being achieved • your teachers should make better use of assessments of your work to teach you what you need to learn next. 9 Inspection Report: Hartland Primary School, 11 September 2006

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