Payhembury Church of England Primary School

Payhembury Church of England Primary School (Voluntary Controlled) Inspection report

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113360 Unique Reference Number Devon Local Authority 289598 Inspection number 22 March 2007 Inspection date Michael Barron 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 Community School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 61 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Tracy Brett Chair Nick Gordon Headteacher 26 February 2001 Date of previous school inspection Payhembury School address Honiton EX14 3HT

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01404 841291 Telephone number 01404 841291 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 22 March 2007 Inspection date 289598 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. Inspection Report: Payhembury Church of England Primary School (Voluntary Controlled), 22 March 2007

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average village primary school. Pupils come from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds. All pupils are of White British heritage. There have been considerable staff changes in the last two years. The present headteacher was appointed in 2005.

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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: Payhembury Church of England Primary School (Voluntary Controlled), 22 March 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school which provides pupils with a sound start to their education. Children enter the Foundation Stage with broadly average skills. They make satisfactory progress as a result of sound teaching and reach the expected standards in all areas of learning by the time they enter Year 1. The quality of teaching is satisfactory throughout the rest of the school and ensures that most pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities, make satisfactory progress and that standards in Year 6 are average overall. However, more able pupils are not always provided with work which is matched to their capabilities and this affects their progress. Standards in science are lower than in mathematics or English because pupils are given limited opportunities to develop their investigative skills. Pupils say that they enjoy school. Their personal development and well-being are good and

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Grade: 3

this is reflected in their good behaviour and positive attitudes to school and to work. Pupils have a good awareness of the need to keep safe and say that they feel free from bullying and are well looked after. Parents appreciate the good level of care the school offers their children and this was reflected in their positive comments in parents' questionnaire replies. Pupils display responsible attitudes, have a good community spirit and learn how to make sensible and healthy choices. They learn respect for others and are prepared satisfactorily for their future life. The curriculum is satisfactory and is enriched by a range of additional activities that further develop pupils' skills and their enjoyment of learning. However, opportunities for pupils to develop their awareness and understanding of multi-cultural British society are limited. The level of care, guidance and support for pupils is satisfactory. Whilst procedures for care and

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Grade: 3

support are good and contribute to pupils' sense of well-being, pupils are not always given effective guidance about how to improve their work as the quality of teachers' marking is variable and the school has still to develop effective procedures to track the progress of individual pupils in order to develop the effective setting of targets. Leadership and management are satisfactory and the school displays a satisfactory capacity to improve The governing body has led the school well through a period of considerable changes to the teaching staff and has ensured that the headteacher has received the support he has needed to lead and manage the school satisfactorily. Governors and staff have been thorough in their analysis of what the school needs to do to improve and this is reflected in both the good quality of school improvement planning and the effective way the school has tackled issues raised in the last inspection.

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What the school should do to improve further

• What the school should do to improve further • Improve the effectiveness of teachers' marking and the setting of targets in order to provide pupils with effective guidance about how to improve their work. • Ensure more able pupils consistently make the progress they are capable of. • Develop pupils' investigative skills in order to raise standards in science. • Increase pupils' awareness and understanding of the multicultural nature of modern British society. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Payhembury Church of England Primary School (Voluntary Controlled), 22 March 2007

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory overall throughout the school and reflects the satisfactory quality of teaching. Children's standards when starting school in the Foundation Stage are broadly average. They make satisfactory progress in all year groups so that, by Year 6, the standards they attain are comparable to those achieved by other schools nationally. However, standards are lower in science than in English or mathematics and pupils make less progress in this subject because they are not given regular opportunities to develop their investigative skills. Pupils say they dislike science lessons because they feel that all they do is write things down. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make satisfactory progress because of the range and good quality of support offered to them by teaching assistants . However, there are occasions when more able pupils do not achieve as well as they could because they are not

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Grade: 3

consistently challenged with work at a suitable level.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well-being are good. Attendance is above average and pupils enjoy school. Pupils are friendly, polite and well behaved. They have developed good relationships with other pupils and with adults. They say they feel safe and that instances of unkind behaviour between pupils are rare. They play sensibly together in the small playground and even the youngest pupils display a good regard for the safety and well-being of others. They know there is always someone to turn to if they have a problem. However, older pupils do not feel that they are given enough responsibilities in the school. Pupils make satisfactory progress in literacy, numeracy and ICT and are prepared satisfactorily for the next stage of their education. They have developed good attitudes towards learning and talk enthusiastically about their favourite subjects. Pupils have a good understanding of the importance of keeping fit and about making healthy choices, especially about what they

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Grade: 2

eat. They enjoy taking part in activites such as tag-rugby and after-school sports clubs. Parents comment favourably about the way in which pupils contribute well to the local community. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is good overall and pupils have developed a good understanding of right and wrong and how to stay safe. Visits to places of interest, for example, Dartmoor Outdoor Activity Centre, help bring learning alive and provide pupils with experiences of life outside their locality. However, pupils have yet to develop a realistic understanding of the multicultural nature of modern British society.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children in the Foundation Stage make satisfactory progress because they are provided with suitable activities which blend independent learning with teacher-directed tasks. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the rest of the school is satisfactory overall but varies in different classes. Lessons are well structured and teachers work effectively with other adults to make learning interesting and to support pupils, especially those with learning 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Payhembury Church of England Primary School (Voluntary Controlled), 22 March 2007 difficulties and disabilities. However, although teachers usually try to ensure that the activities pupils are set are appropriate to their learning needs, there are occasions when the same work is set for all pupils in a single year group, regardless of their abilities. When this happens, more

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Grade: 3

able pupils are often not sufficiently challenged by the tasks they have to complete and this affects their progress.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is broad and balanced and meets the needs and interests of pupils satisfactorily. Activity weeks such as 'Creative Arts Week' are popular with pupils and help to build up their skills and interests in specific subject areas. Provision in the in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory and contributes to children's enjoyment of learning and their developing independence. The curriculum is satisfactory throughout the rest of the school and ensures that the two-year topic cycle takes account of mixed-year classes. However, pupils dislike science lessons because they feel they have few opportunities to carry out practical investigations. Provision for pupils' personal, social and health education is good and ensures that pupils become well aware of the importance of fitness and well-being. Pupils have opportunities to take part in a range of popular extra-curricular activities, including sports clubs. Interesting

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Grade: 3

visits and visitors to school increase their enjoyment of learning and their knowledge of the world around them. Good links between the local church and the village community further enrich their learning opportunities.

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Grade: 3

Procedures for care, guidance and support are satisfactory overall and contribute well to pupils' sense of well-being and their enjoyment of learning. Parents feel their children are safe and very well looked after and comment about the 'caring staff' in the school. Pupils feel safe and happy and are confident that there is always someone to turn to if they have a problem. Health and safety routines are well documented and risk assessments are fully in place. Robust child protection procedures are understood and followed by all staff. Induction and transfer arrangements are good and help pupils to settle quickly into new routines. Teachers and teaching assistants work effectively together to ensure that those pupils who are vulnerable or who have particular learning needs are well supported. However, many pupils are unaware of their individual learning targets and the school recognises that this is an area in need of development. In addition, the quality of teachers' marking is

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Grade: 3

inconsistent in different classes and does not always help pupils to understand what they have to do in order to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. Individual governors play a very active part in school life and the governing body fulfils its duties well. It has helped to guide the school very effectively through a period of major changes in staffing and has ensured that the present 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Payhembury Church of England Primary School (Voluntary Controlled), 22 March 2007 headteacher has been given the support he has needed to fulfil both his teaching and management duties satisfactorily. Governors and staff have been thorough in analysing and evaluating provision. They have ensured that school improvement planning has focused on the key areas in need of development in order to improve standards and achievement. New initiatives have already led to improvements, for example, raising standards in information and communication technology (ICT). However, there is still a need to develop the rigour of the school's systems for tracking

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Grade: 3

the progress of individual pupils and improving the use of processes for setting targets. Resources are used well and good use is made of the school's grounds to enhance learning opportunities for pupils. Good links with parents and with external agencies, for example, educational psychologists, help the school to support pupils effectively. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Payhembury Church of England Primary School (Voluntary Controlled), 22 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: Payhembury Church of England Primary School (Voluntary Controlled), 22 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 quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 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: Payhembury Church of England Primary School (Voluntary Controlled), 22 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: Payhembury Church of England Primary School (Voluntary Controlled), 22 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making us feel very welcome when we visited your school. We really enjoyed our day and especially enjoyed talking to some of you about what you like the most about your school and seeing you work in lessons. Here are some of the things we particularly like about your school: • Payhembury Primary School is a satisfactory school which gives you a sound start to your education and makes sure you make satisfactory progress in learning. • Your personal development is good and you enjoy being at school. • You are very friendly, behave well and play and work well together. • The quality of care and support you receive from the school is good. • Your school governors work really hard and want to make sure that your school improves in the future. We believe your headteacher and teachers can do some things to make your school better. We have asked them to: . • Improve how well you do in science by making lessons more interesting and by including

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

more experiments in them. • Make sure that you know how to improve your work and that teachers know how much progress you are making so that they can plan the correct work for you. • Make sure that those of you who find some areas of work easy are always given work that challenges you to do even better. • Help you to gain a broader understanding about the customs and traditions of people from different cultural backgrounds. You can help your school to get even better by continuing to work hard in lessons. We wish you the very best for the future. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Payhembury Church of England Primary School (Voluntary Controlled), 22 March 2007

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