Chantry Community Primary School

Inspection Report - Amended Chantry Community Primary School

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114427 Unique Reference Number East Sussex Local Authority 289905 Inspection number 12 September 2006 Inspection date Carole Skinner 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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Barrack Road School address Primary Type of school Bexhill-on-Sea Community School category TN40 2AT 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01424 211696 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01424 211696 Fax number 224 Number on roll (school) Simon Allen Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Christine Dickens Headteacher 1 July 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 289905 12 September 2006 4 °11

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Amended Report Addendum

Report updated to resolve formatting inconsistency

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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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Chantry Community Primary School has made a successful transition from a two-form-entry infant school to a one-form-entry primary school. It is regularly oversubscribed. Since the last inspection, its intake has changed such that more children now start school with weak language and social skills. Very few pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds and there are no pupils at an early stage of learning to speak English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is above average in some year groups and below in others, but broadly average overall. A new headteacher had been in post for a week at the time of this inspection.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Chantry Community Primary School, 12 September 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with some significant strengths, particularly in pupils' personal development. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary and their attitudes to learning are very good. Moral and social education of the highest calibre sets the tone for the school's caring ethos, where individual pupils' efforts are valued. All are included in every aspect of school life. The school's systems for ensuring that pupils are safe and cared for well are very thorough. As one parent put it, 'The school environment is a welcoming and friendly one and we are extremely privileged to send our children here.' Pupils develop into self-assured young people who are well prepared for the next stage of their education. They also achieve well and reach very high standards by the end of Year 6. Good teaching and a well-planned curriculum help the majority of Reception children to make good progress. Most children reach expected standards

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Grade: 2

by the end of the Reception Year, but fewer exceed expectations than is usually seen. Good progress continues throughout the school, although, as in the Reception Year, a few more-able pupils do not reach high enough standards in Year 2. Pupils of all ages say they really enjoy coming to school because teachers make lessons fun. Relationships between teachers and pupils are excellent. Lessons are well planned and organised, with different activities designed to meet the varying needs of pupils within each class. Although there are comprehensive procedures for assessing how well each pupil is doing, the systems for tracking pupils' progress from Reception through to Year 2 are not fully effective in ensuring that all pupils make as much progress as they should. A strong feature is the interesting curriculum which is enriched by many additional activities. The school has recently received recognition for its work in science,

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Grade: 2

information and communication technology (ICT) and promoting healthy lifestyles. Music, drama and sport enjoy a high profile. The new headteacher has taken up the reins of leadership with enthusiasm and a clear vision for the school's continuing drive for excellence. Well supported by senior and middle managers and governors, all with a common goal, she is keen to continue the good work of the school. She has already identified the need for a greater focus on Reception and Years 1 and 2. Good systems are in place for evaluating the school's effectiveness, but the views of pupils and parents are not yet taken systematically into account in the regular cycle of school review.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards for the higher-attaining pupils in Reception and Years 1 and 2. • Devise more rigorous systems for tracking the progress of pupils from when they start school through to the end of Year 2. • Take regular account of the views of parents and pupils as part of the school's cycle of self-review. 2 Inspection Report: Chantry Community Primary School, 12 September 2006

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Grade: 2

Many children start school with lower-than-average social, language and communication skills. A strong focus on these aspects of learning ensures they make good progress in the Reception class and most achieve expected standards in all areas of learning by the time they enter Year 1. However, fewer children reach the higher levels than is usually seen. In Year 2, national assessment results have recently fallen back to average levels, having previously been above average. This is mainly because too few pupils are reaching the higher levels in the tests. Pupils in Year 6 reach consistently high standards. The results of national tests in English, mathematics and science have been significantly above average for the past four years. They were exceptionally high in 2005, when the school was placed in the top 10% of schools nationally. The percentage of pupils who exceed the expectations for their age in Year 6 tests is much higher than in most schools. Pupils with learning

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Grade: 1

Outstanding personal development and well-being underpin pupils' good achievement. Pupils are confident, self-assured and sensitive to the needs of others. They take time to reflect and appreciate the world around them, and show a good understanding of the cultural diversity of society. Excellent moral and social development results in impeccable behaviour and mutual respect. However, despite these excellent personal qualities, pupils do not play a significant role in suggesting how their school could be further improved. Attendance is above average. Pupils speak knowledgeably about healthy eating and why exercise is important. They have no concerns about bullying and keep a good sense of proportion about minor disagreements. Pupils seize opportunities to take responsibility with enthusiasm and enjoy helping teachers and each other. Some older pupils run clubs and others look after younger children and

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Grade: 1

act as 'playground buddies.' Pupils contribute much to the school, local and wider communities and enjoy a special link with a school in Uganda, raising money for equipment at Harvest time each year.

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Grade: 2

A fundamental element of the good teaching is the excellent relationships that exist between adults and pupils. This was particularly noticeable during this inspection, as pupils had only been with their new teachers for a week. The development of positive attitudes to learning ensures that pupils are fully engaged, interested and keen to do well. Teachers draw upon a wide range of expertise, techniques and resources to make 3 Inspection Report: Chantry Community Primary School, 12 September 2006 lessons fun and to meet pupils' differing needs. Skilful questioning helps to hone pupils' thinking skills. Lessons are planned and organised well and learning moves along at a brisk pace. However, the marking of pupils' work is not consistently good. Some does not show pupils clearly enough how to improve or what to do next. In some classes, the environment and organisation promote independence and resourcefulness,

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Grade: 2

while in others these features are less prominent.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a rich, well-balanced and interesting curriculum. The school has rightly identified the need to make more creative links between subjects and has embarked on a project with other local schools to develop planning for this aspect. A strong focus on personal, social, health and citizenship education is reflected in the pupils' outstanding personal development. Participation in a wide variety of music, drama and sports activities further contributes to building pupils' self-esteem and broadens their range of skills. Year 6 pupils spoke animatedly about their residential visit to the Isle of Wight, which has clearly done wonders for building teamwork skills. The curriculum is further enhanced by the teaching of modern foreign languages and close links with a local technology college to support the teaching of science and ICT.

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Grade: 2

Although the overall judgement for this aspect is good, those elements which apply to pupils' personal care and support are outstanding. Building pupils' confidence and self-esteem are at the heart of the school's ethos. Warm, supportive relationships help pupils of all ages to feel secure and happy in school. Children with particular difficulties receive very good levels of care. Every effort is made to include all pupils in every aspect of school life and to celebrate their achievements. Although good, the academic support and guidance for pupils is not as effective in Reception and Years 1 and 2 as in Years 3 to 6. The systems for tracking individual pupils' progress from entry to the end of Year 2 are not rigorous enough to ensure that all make the best possible progress. The school has identified that this is a factor in why some higher-attaining pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

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Grade: 2

Good leadership and management ensure that the school offers pupils a good education which enables them to achieve high standards. The new headteacher already has a good overview of the school's strengths and areas for improvement. Her view of the school's effectiveness closely matches the findings of the inspection. Senior and middle managers have a good track record in evaluating the quality of provision and leading development in their subjects. Governors play an active role in helping to determine 4 Inspection Report: Chantry Community Primary School, 12 September 2006 the school's strategic direction. They monitor the school's effectiveness through regular visits, observations and discussions with staff. Detailed analysis of data enables the school to identify areas for improvement. This has recently led to successful initiatives to improve boys' writing and girls' achievement in mathematics throughout the school. However, there has been a greater focus on

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Grade: 2

Years 3 to 6, with the result that there has been less rigour in ensuring that all pupils, especially the higher attainers, in the Reception Year and Years 1 and 2, are making the best possible progress. The school's well-established cycle of self-review takes good account of the views of staff and governors, but is less rigorous in seeking those of pupils and parents and acting upon them. The school does not regularly survey parents or pupils through, for example, questionnaires or focused discussions, to check their views of what is going well and what might be improved. However, the school council is involved well in decision making. The school has made good progress since the last inspection and is well placed to do so in the future under the leadership of the new headteacher. 5 Inspection Report: Chantry Community 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: Chantry Community 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?

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 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?

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: Chantry Community 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: Chantry Community Primary School, 12 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making me feel so welcome when I visited your school. I really enjoyed talking to some of you and coming in to see your lessons. I thought you would like to know what I found out during my visit. Some of you told me how much you enjoy coming to school and I can see why. You are fortunate to go to a good school where the teachers care for you very well and help you to learn a lot of new things. Your lessons are fun because the teachers have lots of good ways to make learning interesting. You get the chance to take part in many exciting activities, such as sports, drama performances and music, and you do very well in English, maths and science by the time you reach Year 6. The adults who run the school keep checking that you are being taught well and making good progress. They introduce new ideas to improve your learning. There are just a few things that your school could do better. I have asked the teachers to make

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

sure they keep very careful records of how much progress you make from when you start school up to Year 2 to make sure that you all do as well as you possibly can, especially those of you who can achieve high standards. I also think it would be a good idea for the school to ask you and your families for your opinions on a regular basis so that teachers can make things even better for you. I want to end by telling you what I think is the most outstanding thing about your school ° and that is all of you. I was very impressed by your behaviour and by how well you have settled down to learning in your new classes. You listen to your teachers, do exactly as they ask and are confident and happy children. You are a real credit to your school and to your families. I know you will help your teachers to make Chantry Primary School even better in the future. 9 Inspection Report: Chantry Community Primary School, 12 September 2006

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