Botley Church of England Controlled Primary School

Inspection Report Botley Church of England Controlled Primary School

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116273 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 290480 Inspection number 5 °6 March 2007 Inspection dates Anthony Green 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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52 High Street School address Primary Type of school Botley Foundation School category Southampton SO30 2EA 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01489 782308 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01489 786994 Fax number 258 Number on roll (school) Mrs A J Stubbs Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs S Tomlin Headteacher 4 February 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 290480 5 °6 March 2007 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a larger than average school serving the village of Botley and the surrounding area. Almost half the pupils live outside the catchment area. The school admits pupils from a wide range of social backgrounds. Most are White British. A small proportion are from minority ethic groups. Most speak English fluently. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is above average. Pupil mobility is higher than average due to an increasing number entering the school, often with learning difficulties, during the school year, especially in Years 3 to 6. The number of pupils in each year group can vary significantly from year to year. Except for one Year 2 class, all pupils are grouped in mixed aged classes. During 2004 and 2005 there was a period of staff turbulence. The school provides the premises for after school care for a maximum of 24 children. This is run by a private company and was inspected at the same time as the school.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Botley Church of England Controlled Primary School, 5 °6 March 2007

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Grade: 2

'All three of my children have attended Botley School and I really believe that the school is on the up.' This is how one parent summed up her positive view of the school. This is a good and effective school, which is improving steadily and has some outstanding features. The school is justifiably held in high regard by the overwhelming majority of parents and carers. A happy atmosphere is evident everywhere. When the children start school many do not have the skills expected for their age. The well managed Foundation Stage curriculum caters well for them and the good teaching ensures they get a good start to their education and make good progress. They do well in all areas of learning and by the end of the Reception Year most children are working at or beyond the expected levels for their age. Pupils continue to make good progress and achieve well in Years 1 to 6, because teaching and learning are good. Standards are above average by Year 6. The schools'

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Grade: 2

comprehensive data shows that standards in English, which were lower than mathematics and science in 2006, have rapidly improved because of a school focus on English. Whilst the needs of the more able pupils are generally well planned for, opportunities are missed in some lessons for them to make the progress they should. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and those for whom English is an additional language are helped by well informed support staff and make good progress against their individual targets. The personal development and well being of pupils are good. Their behaviour in and around the school is excellent. They are considerate towards one another and polite and engaging when speaking to adults. The high proportion of pupils who arrive during the school year are made to feel welcome and quickly settle into school life. Attitudes towards learning are good. Pupils are keen to participate in lessons and work hard

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Grade: 2

with growing confidence. They have an excellent understanding of how to live healthily and feel safe and secure in school. They enjoy taking part in the many clubs and activities and in using the very recently developed sporting and;quot;Playground activity zonesand;quot;. The new curriculum has been designed to make meaningful links between different subjects. Pupils clearly enjoy the subjects taught. Very detailed curriculum planning ensures good progress through all the year groups and that those in mixed aged classes do not repeat work from one year to the next. This is having a good impact on the progress of all pupils, especially in their writing, and is equipping them well with the skills needed for future success. Their ability to develop enterprise skills is evident, for example in the innovative ways in which they raise money for charities. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides strong and effective

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Grade: 2

leadership and is ably supported by her deputy. She is fully supported by all staff and an outstanding governing body. She has guided the school well through a period of staff disruption, which impacted on standards and achievement, and has ensured that the school is now moving in a new direction with renewed vigour. This, combined with 2 Inspection Report: Botley Church of England Controlled Primary School, 5 °6 March 2007 the rise in standards since 2005, indicates the capacity to improve is good. She has introduced good systems for self evaluation and has ensured that all staff and governors are fully involved in the process.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure teaching consistently challenges the most able pupils to achieve as well as they can in all lessons.

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Grade: 2

The achievement of pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities, vulnerable pupils and those who speak English as an additional language, is good. Achievement for more able pupils is good overall but varies within lessons because not all teachers consistently ensure that work set is challenging. Children enter Reception with standards that are generally less well developed than is usually found in four-year-olds, although their personal and social development is better. They make good progress in the six areas of learning and are well prepared for entry into Year 1. In 2005 there was a decline in standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 from above average to average because of some unsatisfactory teaching in Years 1 and 2 and staff mobility, especially in Years 3 and 4. Improvements in teaching and assessment saw standards rise again in 2006 to average overall but better in mathematics and science

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Grade: 2

by Year 6. The upward trend is continuing and standards are above average in mathematics and science and improving rapidly in English because of a whole school initiative on writing.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well being, including the spiritual, moral, social and cultural dimensions, are amongst the strengths of the school. Moral and social development is outstanding. Pupils respond very positively to the caring ethos of the school. They show consideration for one another and for adults. They work very collaboratively in lessons. They are able to reflect and talk constructively about things which matter to them such as friendship and feelings. They enjoy their education. Pupils welcome the opportunity to relate to children from other cultures, for example through the Kenyan school link, but opportunities to use the local environment to develop pupils' multicultural awareness are less well developed. Attendance is average and the school is working hard to raise this. Behaviour has improved and is now outstanding. Pupils appreciate the efforts that go into developing a healthy lifestyle, for example through

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Grade: 2

the school's increased emphasis on physical activity and organised play activities. They are also good role models in working constructively on the school council and as monitors to help their peers. The maturity of older pupils is evident in the way that 3 Inspection Report: Botley Church of England Controlled Primary School, 5 °6 March 2007 they participate in assessing their own work targets and work on the Botley Buzz newspaper.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good and underpin the improving standards and achievement. The school has overcome some recent staffing difficulties and teachers are benefiting from opportunities for professional development to meet the needs of learners more effectively. For example, teachers are assessing work more thoroughly and setting helpful targets, which enable older pupils in particular to take more responsibility for their learning. Teaching is characterised by the use of clear objectives, good questioning, good use of support staff and involving pupils actively in lessons. Relationships are good and teachers build successfully on the very positive attitudes which pupils display towards learning. Pupils respond particularly well to lively, engaging teaching as seen in physical education and in a French lesson in which the teacher used a range of audio and visual resources. There is no unsatisfactory teaching, but

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Grade: 2

where teaching is less effective it is in helping the most able pupils achieve to their full potential, by not ensuring that they are challenged early in the lesson or consistently throughout.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum and other activities are good with outstanding features. The excellent links between subjects increases motivation and enjoyment. This is beginning to have a positive impact on the progress pupils make, especially in their writing, which has been a target for the school. Pupils talk proudly about the 'Book Week' when the older ones consulted the younger ones before producing special books for them. The carefully structured curriculum in the nurture group helps pupils to manage their behaviour and personal development very well. The school has improved the outdoor provision for reception children since the last inspection but they recognise that more use could be made of this to extend pupils' interests and skills. All pupils, including the Reception class, learn French and swimming. There is a wide range of well attended extra-curricular activities. The school has recently achieved the 'Active Mark' for their physical education

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Grade: 2

provision and is working towards 'Healthy Schools' status.

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Grade: 2

The good care, guidance and support offered to pupils ensure good achievement and personal development. The arrangements for safeguarding children are thorough. Pupils say they are happy to be in this school. One pupil commented `Everyone is friendly and you can trust your teachers and there are good relationships between the 4 Inspection Report: Botley Church of England Controlled Primary School, 5 °6 March 2007 teachers and other children'. The academic guidance given to pupils is good. The tracking and target setting processes are thorough. Older pupils know what they do well and what they need to improve, especially in English, but younger pupils are less certain of their targets and of how they can improve their work.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher gives strong and effective leadership and guidance. She is ably supported by her deputy, the senior management team and hardworking teachers and support staff. Together they ensure that an exciting and relevant curriculum makes learning enjoyable for pupils. As a result they make good progress. The quality of leadership and management in the Reception year is good. The vast majority of parents have a great deal of confidence in the school because they are regularly consulted and informed about developments, for instance through a regular newsletter and the Parent Partnership Group. Parents greatly value the friendliness and openness of the school. One wrote 'As parents we feel we have been kept well informed of not only events within the school but also of changes and introductions in the school curriculum'. Governance of the school is outstanding. Governors give the headteacher and staff

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Grade: 2

their full support and take a very active interest in the school. They hold the school to account very well. An associate governor, with a very well-informed understanding of the curriculum, has given excellent support in the drive to develop links between subjects and in raising standards. Self evaluation is good, though at times modest, and strategic plans have appropriate priorities for improvement. The school recognises that more needs to be done to raise standards and achievement, for more able pupils in particular. The school has improved well since the last inspection and is well placed to continue to go from strength to strength. 5 Inspection Report: Botley Church of England Controlled Primary School, 5 °6 March 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: Botley Church of England Controlled Primary School, 5 °6 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? 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 3 The attendance of learners 2 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: Botley Church of England Controlled Primary School, 5 °6 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? 8 Inspection Report: Botley Church of England Controlled Primary School, 5 °6 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for your very friendly welcome when we visited your school. We really enjoyed talking to you and hearing about how much you like being at Botley. You told us that you go to a good school and we agree with you. We were impressed by many things. These are just a few of them. • Teaching in the school is good, which is why you do well. • Your teaching assistants also help you to do as well as you can. • You enjoy school and the work you are given. I really enjoyed hearing from the reception class about the 'Three pigs and the big bad wolf' and seeing all the work they had produced. We were pleased to hear that the pigs are now safe and happy. • You know how to keep safe and how important it is to stay healthy by eating a balanced diet and by taking part in games and sports activities. • We enjoyed watching you use the new and;quot;Playground activity zonesand;quot;. • Your behaviour in and around the school is excellent.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• You are developing into very mature young people. • Your headteacher, senior staff and your governors lead your school well. To make your school even better we have asked you teachers to make sure that work in lessons is carefully matched to everyone's needs, and especially for those of you who learn quickly, so that you can all progress at an even faster pace than you do now. Thank you again for making us feel so welcome. We wish you well for the future. Anthony Green Lead inspector 9 Inspection Report: Botley Church of England Controlled Primary School, 5 °6 March 2007

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