Reedness Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 7 Feb 2007

Inspection Report Reedness Primary School

p.1

117939 Unique Reference Number East Riding of Yorkshire Local Authority 290972 Inspection number 6 °7 February 2007 Inspection dates Cathryn Kirby HMI Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Reedness School address Primary Type of school Goole Community School category DN14 8HG 3 °11 Age range of pupils 01405 704264 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01405 704264 Fax number 92 Number on roll (school) Mr David Hanney Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Elisabeth Rawson Headteacher 1 October 2002 Date of previous school inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 290972 6 °7 February 2007 3°11 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and one Additional Inspector.

p.3

Description of the school

Reedness School is a smaller than average primary school situated in the rural East Riding of Yorkshire. The nearest large town is Goole. There are 92 pupils on role including 12 who attend part-time Nursery provision shared with a primary school in the next village. Pupils come from isolated villages, hamlets and farms. Just under half are transported by minibus. The socio-economic backgrounds of pupils are broadly average as is the proportion in receipt of a free school meal. A greater number of pupils join or leave the school at points other than reception and Year 6, than is the case for most schools. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is below average. No pupils speak English as an additional language. The very small year group cohorts, at times, leads to an imbalance between the numbers of boys and girls in a key stage. In addition the small numbers mean mixed-age classes are a feature

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Reedness Primary School, 6 °7 February 2007

p.3

Grade: 2

A caring ethos is at the heart of this school. Pupils thrive in the nurturing environment all staff have worked hard to create. The headteacher’s strong commitment to inclusion and achievement is reflected in the good quality academic and pastoral support pupils receive. The school has established productive links with a number of external partners to promote the pupils’ well-being. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are especially well supported; every child matters at Reedness School. Teachers know the pupils very well. They monitor academic progress carefully and ensure effective intervention to counter underachievement. Pupils feel safe and secure and enjoy their time at school. The pride and confidence that they have in their school is reflected in the friendly, open way in which they deal with visitors. Of those parents who responded to the parental questionnaire the majority were positive in their views of the school.

p.4

Grade: 2

A minority of parents expressed concern about the number of teachers sharing the mixed Year 5/6 class. An interesting range of activities in lessons, complemented by additional opportunities, broadens pupils’ horizons, enriches their learning and contributes well to their personal development. Pupils develop well as responsible young citizens with a keen interest in the wider world beyond their school gates. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. The majority of pupils are polite and courteous to visitors and other adults. The school is not complacent. Undaunted by the isolation of the rural location, staff are always seeking new opportunities to engage and inspire pupils further afield. The well balanced curriculum is enriched by subject-related experiences which contribute to the pupils’ enjoyment of learning and provide good opportunities for reflection back in the classroom. Overall, children enter the Foundation Stage with skills and abilities broadly in line

p.4

Grade: 2

with those expected for their age. Standards at age 7 and 11 are above average. This represents good progress for the majority of pupils. Standards are well above average in English at both key stages. However, the proportion of pupils gaining the higher levels in mathematics at Key Stage 2 lags behind the other core subjects. Teaching is consistently good. Detailed lesson planning is effective in meeting the needs of pupils well in each of the three mixed-age classes. Teaching assistants add real value to pupils’ learning. High expectations of what the pupils can do and of their behaviour ensure all make gains. However, more regular and rigorous monitoring of teaching is needed to improve its quality further. The school has demonstrated good improvement since the last inspection. Standards have risen. Inadequacies in accommodation have been fully addressed. A new hall has greatly improved the quality of indoor space for physical education, whole school

p.4

Grade: 2

gatherings and lunchtime dining. Renovation work has improved the classroom environments and freed up space for the development of a library. Further developments include greater emphasis on the use information and communication technology (ICT) to support learning across the curriculum. The recent introduction of hot meals has proved popular. The school building and risk assessment procedures 2 Inspection Report: Reedness Primary School, 6 °7 February 2007 ensure a safe environment for pupils. However, security on external doors and gates needs to be far tighter. Astute financial management has removed the accrued deficit whilst maintaining quality of provision and in some aspects, improving it. The school provides good value for money. The school’s self evaluation gives a broadly accurate view of provision. Good use is made of test and examination results to inform the actions within the school improvement plan. Through its self-knowledge and record of improvement the

p.4

Grade: 2

school demonstrates good capacity to continue this trend.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 so that they are in line with English and science. • Increase the frequency and rigour of monitoring of teaching and learning to build further on the current good practice. • Reduce the risk of unauthorised access to the school buildings and ensure gates to the playground and riverside paths are secure at all times.

p.5

Grade: 2

Children achieve well in the Foundation Stage. They make good progress in all areas of learning, including their personal development. The majority reach all of the early learning goals well before entry into Key Stage 1. The small cohort sizes mean year-on-year comparison needs to be treated with caution. Nevertheless virtually all pupils achieve the expected level for 7 year olds in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportions achieving the higher levels are above average and well above average in reading with at least half the pupils reaching the higher level 3. This represents good progress relative to their start points. Standards at Key Stage 2 in 2006 were also above average. English is consistently the strongest performing subject, with over a third of pupils attaining the higher level 5. Pupils are well prepared for secondary school.

p.5

Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy school and this is demonstrated by their good behaviour, positive attitudes, and consideration for others. They are attentive in class and tolerant of pupils around them, including those making slower progress. Pupils engage enthusiastically in activities that promote their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. The school welcomes a wide variety of visitors such as artists in residence to enrich their experiences. Good use is made of praise and rewards to reinforce the importance of working hard. Pupils show concern for the safety and well-being of others. Bullying is taken seriously and pupils have confidence that their teachers will listen to them sympathetically. In school, they eat fruit, take exercise and drink water. The quality 3 Inspection Report: Reedness Primary School, 6 °7 February 2007 of school meals encourages pupils to eat healthily. There is a strong sense of community

p.5

Grade: 2

in the school. The new school council provides a formal means of communication between pupils and staff. Teachers make good use of the mixed-age classes to give older pupils the opportunity to help younger ones. Pupils respond to this challenge very well.

p.6

Grade: 2

The teachers are a key element of the school’s success. A strength of the teaching is planning which meets the needs of children in mixed-age, mixed-ability classes. In the Foundation Stage effective collaboration between teachers, teaching assistants and nursery staff underpins the good progress children make. In all classes interesting activities capture and sustain pupils’ interest and promote positive attitudes to learning. Good relationships in classrooms underpin the pupils’ achievement and enjoyment of learning. Effective classroom management and high expectations inject a brisk pace. Pupils are frequently provided with opportunities to collaborate with others and to think for themselves. Occasionally some pupils whose independent learning skills lag behind those of their older or more able peers, struggle to keep up. Teaching assistants are used very well to support pupils’ learning. Assessment and the tracking of pupils’

p.6

Grade: 2

progress are used well to identify where pupils have gaps in their learning and to target appropriate support.

p.6

Grade: 2

The curriculum is broad and balanced. Curriculum planning is thorough and ensures continuity and progression for children within each key stage. Staff collaborate effectively to produce longer-term curriculum plans. The regular review of these is a priority. Subject related visits enrich learning experiences in a number of subjects and provide opportunities for reflection back in the classroom. Music has a high profile and is enhanced by a weekly visit of a specialist teacher. Membership of the Creative Contexts initiative provides all pupils with a high quality experience of the arts. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used well to support learning across the curriculum and has been successful in engaging some pupils in developing their creative writing.

p.6

Grade: 2

Reedness is a caring, inclusive school where all pupils are encouraged to achieve. They make good progress in the essential life skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are identified early and there are good systems for support. The progress made by pupils is checked regularly and additional support 4 Inspection Report: Reedness Primary School, 6 °7 February 2007 is provided for pupils who are not making the progress expected. Partnership working with parents is encouraged, particularly in the Foundation Stage, at assessment points and through the Family Learning Club. The tolerance, empathy and respect pupils show towards each other enhances their ability to work in teams and to bring out the best in each other. Internally, the school is a safe and secure environment where procedures for safeguarding pupils are robust. External security is inadequate and

p.6

Grade: 2

needs to be improved. The school, governors and local authority are aware of this and intend to address the issue as a matter of urgency.

p.7

Grade: 2

The headteacher involves all staff in self evaluation and forward planning. She has delegated responsibility for subject areas and teachers have risen to this challenge with enthusiasm. Her strong commitment to inclusion underpins the high quality care provided to the most vulnerable pupils and those with learning difficulties and disabilities. Careful management of the small year group cohorts enables pupils to achieve well. The development of systems to assess pupils and track their progress has contributed to the school’s thorough knowledge of individual needs. The school manages the collective input of three teachers in the mixed Year 5/6 well. English and mathematics curriculum is shared in a coherent way to ensure learning is sequential. Individual teachers take responsibility for foundation subjects. This has the benefit of providing pupils with a consistently high level of subject expertise. Much of the

p.7

Grade: 2

monitoring and evaluation of the school’s work is informal, but nonetheless effective. However, in the case of monitoring teaching and wider classroom practice a more formalised approach is needed to share the good and very good practice that exists. Governance of the school is good. The Chair of Governors knows the school well and his direction provides an appropriate balance between support and challenge. 5 Inspection Report: Reedness Primary School, 6 °7 February 2007 .

p.7

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: Reedness Primary School, 6 °7 February 2007

p.8

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

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 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 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

p.9

and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.9

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: Reedness Primary School, 6 °7 February 2007

p.9

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 No 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: Reedness Primary School, 6 °7 February 2007

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Reedness Primary School Reedness Goole DN14 8HG 6 February 2007 Dear Pupils Thank you for being so friendly and polite when we came to visit your school. We enjoyed meeting you. Here is what we found: Reedness School is a good school. Mrs Rawson, your teachers and other adults in school take very good care of you. They work hard to make lessons interesting and your learning fun. You told us that you enjoy school and feel safe. Many of you older children are very responsible and take good care of the younger ones. You enjoy school visits and the Creative Contexts activities. You do well in tests because you work hard and you all have good teachers who prepare you well for the future. Your behaviour is very good. Some of you said you would like more things to do at lunchtime. You are rightly proud of your school ° and your school has every right to be proud of you!We have asked Mrs Rawson to make your school even better by:

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• Helping more of you in Year 6 achieve the higher level in mathematics. • Making sure teachers share all their good ideas with each other so you all benefit. • Making sure that the gate to the river and to the playground is secure during the day. We wish you all every success in the future. Best wishes Cathy Kirby Stephen Quinlan Her Majesty’s Inspector of Schools Additional Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Reedness Primary School, 6 °7 February 2007

p.11