Swinefleet Primary School

Inspection Report Swinefleet Primary School

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117942 Unique Reference Number East Riding of Yorkshire Local Authority 290973 Inspection number 16 °17 November 2006 Inspection dates John Atkinson 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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Low Street School address Primary Type of school Swinefleet, Goole Community School category East Yorkshire, DN14 8BX 3 °11 Age range of pupils 01405 704386 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01405 704386 Fax number 62 Number on roll (school) Ms Louise Shires Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Peter Gibson Headteacher 1 January 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 290973 16 °17 November 2006 3°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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Swinefleet Community Primary is a smaller than average rural school. It draws its pupils from Swinefleet and surrounding villages. Nine children attend a travelling Nursery class for two half-days per week. Currently the attainment of pupils on entry to school is below average, but attainment at entry varies widely year-on-year as numbers are so small. An above average proportion of pupils have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Two pupils learn English as an additional language. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils who leave or join the school at other than the normal times is well above average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Swinefleet Primary School, 16 °17 November 2006

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school with some good features, giving satisfactory value for money. This judgement is a lower than the school’s own evaluation. However, the school’s self-evaluation is generally satisfactory. The headteacher and the governing body manage the school’s finances well enabling three separate classes to be retained. This means that pupils are taught in small classes with children of a similar age. As a result, pupils’ personal development is good and their academic achievement is satisfactory. They enjoy coming to school and talk enthusiastically about what they learn and the wide range of activities provided. They particularly like it that everyone knows them and that the school is friendly, so that they feel safe. The school cares for its pupils well and promotes very healthy lifestyles for them. Standards fluctuate because year groups are small and the number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities varies widely year-on-year. Standards in the

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Grade: 3

Foundation Stage are satisfactory. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 make satisfactory progress. At the end of Year 2 in 2006, standards were above average in reading and writing but below average in mathematics. Overall achievement in Years 3 to 6 is satisfactory and pupils make expected progress in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Only three pupils took the Year 6 national tests in 2006; their achievement was satisfactory overall, and good in English. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those whose first language is not English make good progress because of the good support they receive. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teachers enjoy good relationships with pupils and as a result they are very willing to contribute their ideas in lessons. Teachers work well with support staff so that planned activities for pupils requiring extra help meet their needs of well. When expectations are high, as in writing in Years

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Grade: 3

3 to 6, pupils are enthusiastic and progress is good. However, there are weaknesses in some lesson planning, particularly for pupils in Key Stage 1. Work is marked effectively, and the staff sometimes prompt learning well through skilled questioning. However, information gained from assessment of pupils’ progress is not always used effectively to set challenging targets when new work is planned for them. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher leads and sustains a positive learning environment well. Pupils are well behaved and are given good support and advice about their future education. The headteacher is reviewing the curriculum to try to develop more creative approaches to learning with the aim of raising standards. His heavy workload has resulted in a lack of rigorous monitoring of the quality of provision, particularly teaching and learning. Governance is satisfactory, but governors

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Grade: 3

are stronger in supporting the school than in challenging it. Satisfactory progress has been made since the last inspection, although the quality of planning for younger pupils remains a weakness. There is satisfactory capacity to deal with identified weaknesses. 2 Inspection Report: Swinefleet Primary School, 16 °17 November 2006

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What the school should do to improve further

• Implement a systematic programme for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in order to set effective improvement targets. • Make more effective use of assessment information to set challenging targets in reading, writing and mathematics for all pupils. • Ensure that lesson planning is sufficiently detailed to meet the needs of all pupils, particularly at Key Stage 1.

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory. Standards are generally average although they fluctuate each year because of the wide variability in the number and ability of pupils in each year group. Children make satisfactory progress in the Foundation Stage, particularly in developing language skills and learning about the wider world. Currently the achievement and progress of pupils aged three years to seven years is also satisfactory. Whilst lesson planning and support for these pupils are satisfactory, there are still weaknesses in using assessment information to plan new work for different groups. In 2006, test results show that standards were above average in reading and writing and below average in mathematics at the end of Key Stage 1. In Years 3 to 6, pupils make good progress in their writing because work is marked and assessed thoroughly and pupils understand what they have to do to improve. Pupils do well in information

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Grade: 3

and communication technology (ICT) and physical education (PE) and develop good skills by Year 6.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development is good. They show their enjoyment in their good attendance and positive attitudes, their enthusiasm for taking responsibility and their willingness to show initiative when facing new challenges. Pupils are very health conscious, leading them to eat and drink sensibly and participate in the many physical activities provided. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils have very good relationships with each other and older pupils are very protective of younger children. Pupils are active in community activities and raise money for a number of charities, increasing their awareness of the needs of others. The school council represents the views of pupils clearly and is a good example of how pupils are being well prepared to act as responsible and mature young people. Pupils behave very well. They are polite and considerate so that pupils from a variety of cultural

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Grade: 2

backgrounds get on well together. Pupils understand the importance of teamwork and reflect this in their ability to collaborate in learning and social activities. 3 Inspection Report: Swinefleet Primary School, 16 °17 November 2006

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Grade: 3

Teaching is satisfactory. Teachers enjoy good relationships with pupils who, as a result, are very willing to contribute their ideas in lessons. Where expectations are high, for example in writing in Key Stage 2, then progress is good and pupils are enthusiastic. The more effective teaching also involves the pupils directly by getting them to work out answers on the interactive whiteboard. Sometimes, teachers question pupils skilfully and draw out thoughtful responses, making them justify their opinions or explain their mathematical strategies. However, there are occasions when pupils are not encouraged to think for themselves and are merely asked for undemanding responses. Teaching assistants work well with teachers and give very good support to pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those whose first language is not English. Teachers’ lesson planning is satisfactory but too variable across the school. When there is detail

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Grade: 3

in planning activities for pupils of different abilities, then the rate of progress is satisfactory or good and pupils achieve what they are capable of. When information about pupils’ prior achievements is not used effectively to set challenging and appropriate work for all of them, their progress slows. Marking is satisfactory but varies in quality. Staff do not explain clearly enough to younger pupils how to reach the next steps in their learning.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. It covers all statutory requirements and there is adequate provision for the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. The Foundation Stage curriculum is covered through part-time specialist provision and by children spending time in a mixed age class of three to seven year olds. Provision for ICT is good and this enables pupils to enjoy their learning. The school is reviewing its curriculum because it recognises that its current approach to linking ideas and activities between subjects is not creative enough. For a small school, there is a good range of enrichment activities, including sport. A good range of visitors and visits, including a residential experience for the older pupils, increases pupils’ interest and is influential in motivating them to learn.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good overall. The school cares for its pupils well and is rightly proud of its ability to know every child as an individual. The school’s good links with parents and the community mean that any concerns about individual pupils are quickly identified and addressed. Vulnerable pupils are very well supported and this is reflected in pupils feeling very secure and at ease in asking for help. Pupils whose first language is not English and those with learning difficulties and/or 4 Inspection Report: Swinefleet Primary School, 16 °17 November 2006 disabilities are given particularly good support and as a result make good progress. Guidance and support are satisfactory. Pupils receive good guidance about personal matters such as their health, safety and being aware of the dangers of drugs. The school maintains up-to-date records relating to the safeguarding of children. The strong links with high schools give reassurance to pupils about the challenges of

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Grade: 2

moving from a small school to a much larger one. Pupils have achievement targets in English and mathematics but are not always aware of them and the inconsistency in the use of assessment information means that the targets set are not always sufficiently challenging.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher successfully balances a substantial teaching commitment with his management responsibilities. He leads well in establishing good standards of behaviour and a positive ethos where pupils want to learn. The heavy burden of these roles results in insufficient monitoring of the quality of the provision. The effect is that weaknesses in planning and the use of information about pupils’ achievement are not sufficiently well addressed. The governors are effective in ensuring that the budget is carefully monitored so that the school can retain small classes. They are supportive and spend time getting to know what is going on, but do not challenge the school enough about standards and the quality of provision. 5 Inspection Report: Swinefleet Primary School, 16 °17 November 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: Swinefleet Primary School, 16 °17 November 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 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 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 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?

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: Swinefleet Primary School, 16 °17 November 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: Swinefleet Primary School, 16 °17 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Swinefleet Primary School Low Street Swinefleet Goole East Yorkshire DN14 8BX 16 November 2006 Dear Children Thank you very much for making me welcome when I came to visit your school. I enjoyed the two days I spent with you and the staff. I was very impressed by your good behaviour and positive attitudes towards school. It was clear that you like the size of your school and the fact that everyone knows you well. I am sure that these are some of the main reasons that you enjoy school so much. The headteacher, teachers, teaching assistants and all the other members of staff take very good care of you and create a happy school. I think that you all work hard and want to do well. That is why I am asking the school to do three key things to help you to do your best. • Introduce a programme of monitoring the quality of teaching. • Use the information of how well you have done in previous years to set you challenging

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

targets. • Plan lessons in more detail so that al of you at different stages of learning get the right help. I think that you can help yourselves and the school by always aiming high, asking for help when you need it and working hard at the things you find difficult. It is really important that you make the most out of the opportunities school provides for you because then you will be able to achieve your ambitions. I hope you all continue with your very healthy lifestyles and take part in all the sporting activities that the school offers. Keep striving for the raffle tickets and best of luck to the cross country runners in the regional competition. Yours sincerely John Atkinson Lead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Swinefleet Primary School, 16 °17 November 2006

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