Belton All Saints CofE Primary School

Belton All Saints CofE Primary School Inspection report

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118007 Unique Reference Number North Lincolnshire Local Authority 290996 Inspection number 13 °14 March 2007 Inspection dates Keith Bardon 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 Voluntary controlled School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 254 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Neil Ferris Chair Mrs Sarah Groves-Allen Headteacher 1 March 2002 Date of previous school inspection High Street School address Belton Doncaster South Yorkshire DN9 1LR

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01427 872391 Telephone number 01427 872391 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 13 °14 March 2007 Inspection dates 290996 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This average sized primary school serves a rural community with mixed social and economic characteristics. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. Most pupils are from White British families. All pupils speak English confidently. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is a little above average and for its size, the school has a relatively large number of pupils with a statement of special educational need. Children’s attainment on entry to Nursery is broadly as expected for their age.

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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: Belton All Saints CofE Primary School, 13 °14 March 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school in which pupils’ personal development is promoted well. Across the school as a whole, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory and, by the end of Reception, children’s attainment is typical of the age group. Pupils in Year 2 are currently attaining standards that are a little below average but much closer to those expected for their age than in the previous years. Less effective teaching and weak provision in the immediate past resulted in two years of underachievement and standards in Key Stage 1 that were far too low. Improvements have been made and pupils are making much better progress, but there is scope for a further improvement in standards. Pupils’ progress in Key Stage 2 is satisfactory and accelerates in Years 5 and 6 in response to more challenging and more sharply focused teaching. By Year 6, standards are generally above average in English

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Grade: 3

and science and average in mathematics. Science is taught well throughout the school and pupils make particularly good progress in this subject. As they move through the school, pupils acquire a range of good personal qualities and develop into sensible, confident young people. They enjoy school, behave well and show positive attitudes to learning. Most listen carefully to their teachers and try hard in lessons. Pupils’ understanding of the need for a healthy lifestyle is good and they show a strong sense of responsibility towards each other and to the local and wider communities. These qualities prepare them adequately for their future well-being. Lessons are usually planned clearly and pupils are given clear instruction on what they have to do and how to achieve it. The level of challenge that activities offer and the pace at which lessons progress varies substantially. This results in some pupils making faster progress than

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Grade: 3

others. The curriculum covers all the required subjects adequately and additional features, such as the science week taking place at the time of the inspection, enliven pupils’ experiences. The school pays close attention to pupils’ safety and cares for them well. Systems for monitoring pupils’ progress and providing academic guidance are satisfactory. The school is increasing its use of computer-based systems and these are improving the quality of information available to staff. Procedures for checking the work of the school are satisfactory and provide reliable information. In the recent past, senior staff and governors were too slow to identify weaknesses, particularly those in Key Stage 1, and pupils’ learning was adversely affected. The correct decisions have been made to bring about improvement but the school’s evaluation procedures are somewhat unwieldy, making strategic decision-making more difficult than it should be. Governors fulfil

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Grade: 3

their statutory responsibilities and they too have developed constructive new strategies to enable them to monitor the work of the school more closely. Financial management is sound and the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Accelerate pupils’ progress and raise standards in Key Stage 1. • Address inconsistencies in teaching and ensure that all pupils benefit from the pace and challenge of the best lessons. • Increase the rigour and clarity of self-evaluation to enable managers to respond quickly to the needs of the school. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Belton All Saints CofE Primary School, 13 °14 March 2007

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory. Standards are currently below average in Year 2 and a little above average in Year 6. Children’s attainment on entry is broadly average. Progress in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. By the end of Reception, children’s attainment meets expectations in most areas of learning and their personal, social and emotional development is good. The attainment of Year 2 pupils in the 2006 national assessments was well below average in reading, writing and mathematics. Improvements have since been made. Standards in Year 2 are rising, but are still not high enough. In 2006, the attainment of Year 6 pupils in the national tests was above average in English and well above in science. In mathematics, improvements made in previous years were not maintained and results fell to around the national average. Pupils’ performance in the mathematics tests was around the targets the school had set but in English far more pupils achieved the higher

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Grade: 3

level than was expected. In most subjects, boys achieve as well as girls but the quality of their writing is often not as good and is a focus of school development. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make satisfactory and at times good progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development is good. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are also good and are supported well by assemblies which focus on religious and moral themes. Pupils are polite, considerate and confident. Behaviour is good and pupils move about the school sensibly. Occasional inappropriate and silly behaviour is quickly checked. Attendance is satisfactory and the school is making efforts to improve it. Pupils enjoy their lessons and contribute willingly. They know how to keep safe and healthy and take a good amount of exercise through physical education lessons and clubs held after school. Pupils make good contributions to the community. They raise money for charity; they have planted trees in a local picnic area and the choir sings for local church services. Pupils willingly help around school. Toy and library monitors take their responsibilities seriously and Year 6 pupils play games with

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Grade: 2

the younger children at lunchtimes. Pupils know their opinions are heeded and they view the school council as playing an important part in improving the school. Preparation for future learning and life is satisfactory and pupils acquire a range of interpersonal and academic skills.

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Grade: 3

Teaching in the school is satisfactory overall, and good in Years 5 and 6. Relationships are good and staff have high expectations for how pupils are to behave in lessons. Pupils respond well. They work productively, stay on task and have positive attitudes to their work. Teachers’ questions are answered willingly and with due thought and consideration. Staff are generally well-informed about what they are going to teach and give pupils clear instruction. There are inconsistencies across the school in providing sufficient pace and challenge in lessons, particularly for the more able, which makes learning uneven. Better focused teaching in Year 2 has improved the learning of younger pupils and is helping to address the weaknesses that adversely affected standards in the past. Generally, learning objectives are clear but this is not 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Belton All Saints CofE Primary School, 13 °14 March 2007

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Grade: 3

always the case in all lessons. At times, teachers focus too much on what the pupils are to do rather than what they are to learn. In the Foundation Stage, staff use a carefully thought through programme of activities to develop children’s skills in literacy and numeracy. Activities to promote the children's independence, and play which they initiate for themselves, lack some development.

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Grade: 3

Pupils are provided with a satisfactory range of opportunities to learn. Basic skills in literacy and numeracy are given appropriate emphasis. The curriculum in Key Stage 1 is being strengthened to make it more relevant to the needs of pupils and to improve attainment. The science curriculum is lively and interesting. The school is sensibly taking what is good in science to help strengthen the mathematics curriculum, which is less successful. The programme for personal, social, health and citizenship education is good and promotes pupils’ cultural awareness well. At times there are not enough opportunities for pupils to show independence and to work collaboratively, especially in the Foundation Stage. Enrichment of the curriculum is good, with an emphasis on creative aspects such as musical activities and visits from theatre groups. A variety of opportunities such as observing shire horses in the school grounds and witnessing a

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Grade: 3

helicopter landing enhance pupils’ enjoyment of school.

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Grade: 3

The school provides a warm and caring Christian ethos which successfully provides pupils with examples of how to behave. Pupils learn about respect and concern for others through the curriculum and in assemblies. There are good systems in place to keep pupils safe and healthy. They know there is always someone to listen if there is a problem and that staff will act to solve difficulties. Safeguarding procedures are in place and good links with outside agencies help ensure the needs of vulnerable pupils are met. Systems for tracking pupils’ progress are satisfactory. Data are used productively to identify pupils who would benefit from intensive short-term support. Pupils are set individual targets based securely on what they need to learn next but are not involved enough when these are reviewed. The provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is monitored regularly and they are given the support they need

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Grade: 3

The headteacher provides the school with purpose and helps generate an ethos in which pupils are valued and supported. Since it was last inspected, the school has made satisfactory improvement. Capacity for future improvement is also satisfactory. Standards in Key Stage 2 have risen but the school was slow to react to declining standards in Key Stage 1. Effective measures are now being taken to reverse the fall and to help Year 3 pupils catch up on what they missed. While regular checks provide senior staff with an accurate overview of how well the school is performing, self-evaluation procedures lack the incisiveness needed to clearly identify cause and effect. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Belton All Saints CofE Primary School, 13 °14 March 2007 The governing body has recently reorganised its structure so it can play a more active role in checking the school’s performance for itself. This, along with the developments planned, will

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Grade: 3

keep the school moving forwards but more incisive evaluation and decision-making is needed to accelerate the pace of development. At times, the headteacher carries out monitoring tasks which would be better delegated to others so she could make better use of her time. Subject coordinators are more involved in management than at the time of the last inspection but many have yet to focus their evaluations clearly enough on achievement and standards. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Belton All Saints CofE Primary School, 13 °14 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: Belton All Saints CofE Primary School, 13 °14 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 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 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 3 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: Belton All Saints CofE Primary School, 13 °14 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: Belton All Saints CofE Primary School, 13 °14 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Belton All Saints CofE Primary School High Street Belton Doncaster South Yorkshire DN9 1LR 15 March 2007 Dear Pupils Thank you very much for the very friendly greeting you gave us when we visited your school recently. Lots of you smiled and spoke to us, which made us feel comfortable and welcome. Although we were with you for only two days, we thoroughly enjoyed finding out about the work you do, and a special thanks to those who talked with us about the school. There were lots of things we liked about the school. It is clear that you are happy at school and that everyone gets on well. When we were in lessons and around school your behaviour was good, although some of the younger ones get a little too excited and do not always do what the teacher asks quickly enough. Adults look after you well and it is good that you feel safe and that you can get help if you need it. We think that you are growing into sensible and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

responsible young people and were impressed with the concern you show for others. While Year 6 pupils have often done well in the national tests in the last few years, the results of Year 2 pupils could have been better. We have asked the headteacher and staff to make sure that when you are in Years 1 and 2 you are able to make as much progress as possible. It would help the teachers in these classes if you try really hard to meet your targets and in every lesson always do your best to achieve the learning objectives. We also looked at other things the school might do next to get even better. These are what we suggested. • Make sure that in all classes, lessons move along at a good pace, give you lots of new things to learn and encourage you to think hard all of the time. You can help by trying to work things out and solve problems for yourselves. • Make sure everyone is clear about how to make the school even better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you once again for a very enjoyable visit and we wish you lots of luck in the future. Yours sincerely Joan Lock, Aileen King and Keith Bardon (School inspectors) 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Belton All Saints CofE Primary School, 13 °14 March 2007

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