Shalfleet Church of England Primary School

Shalfleet Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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118188 Unique Reference Number Isle of Wight Local Authority 291046 Inspection number 20 °21 March 2007 Inspection dates Peter Thrussell 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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First Type of school Voluntary controlled School category 4 °9 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 106 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs F Thorpe Chair Mrs V Collins Headteacher 1 July 2002 Date of previous school inspection Station Road School address Ningwood Newport PO30 4NN

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01983 760269 Telephone number 01983 760269 Fax number

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4 °9 Age group 20 °21 March 2007 Inspection dates 291046 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Shalfleet is a small rural primary school. Pupils leave the school at the end of Year 4. A higher than average proportion joins the school during the course of each school year. There is little deprivation. The majority of pupils are from White British heritage. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is just below average. Many of the staff are new to the school.

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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: Shalfleet Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007

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Grade: 2

Shalfleet is a good school with some outstanding features. The committed headteacher, very ably assisted by the assistant headteacher, sets a clear direction for the school. She works diligently and has gained the very strong support of parents for the work and life of the school. This work is well supported by all staff and an extremely responsible governing body. Consequently, personal development is outstanding and pupils achieve well in their learning. Outstanding care draws on the extremely close links established with parents and other agencies. This ensures that pupils are safe and that particular difficulties met by pupils are fully identified and well supported. Excellent behaviour and very positive attitudes to learning contribute to pupils' success in school. They greatly enjoy everything about school, with one commenting, 'I wouldn't change anything.' Pupils feel extremely safe, knowing that personal concerns can be sensitively dealt

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Grade: 2

with through classroom problem boxes. Pupils enjoy their lessons and the opportunities offered through a very well enriched curriculum. A highlight of the week is the 'Buddy Afternoon', where they can choose from a range of interesting activities, such as woodwork, cookery and handbells. Pupils are well aware that the different sporting activities provided help them to keep fit. They also benefit from daily 'wake up and shake up' sessions, providing fun for pupils and staff alike, and activities such as the 'Walk the Wight', where money is raised for charity. Pupils recognise the importance of a healthy diet, with many benefiting from the nutritious meals served in school. The drive for healthy eating has also reached out to parents. With the help of pupils, they have produced a book, 'Eat Cool with Shalfleet School'. The school council appreciates its involvement in school life through the changes it brought about to lunchtime

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Grade: 2

arrangements. Pupils are increasingly involved in their own learning. Lessons are planned with clear learning outcomes, providing a measure against which pupils can assess how well they are doing. Individual targets are set. Pupils understand that these help them to make their work even better. The very good provision in Reception recognises the importance of carefully assessing and recording the small steps children make in their learning in order to plan the next steps. Good teaching throughout the rest of the school makes full use of regularly updated assessment information. This ensures that work is challenging and well matched to individual ability. As a result, by Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are generally well above average. Good progress continues in Years 3 and 4. By Year 4, a high proportion achieves standards beyond those expected at this age. Although cautious in how it judges itself, the school is nevertheless accurate in the evaluation

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Grade: 2

of its performance. Senior staff analyse data carefully and identify areas to work on. A dip in the progress made in mathematics in Years 3 and 4 has been successfully addressed. The school is developing its curriculum to make learning even more interesting and enjoyable. Creative links are being made between subjects to add more relevance and purpose to learning. More work is yet to be done on this. Senior management has been largely responsible for ensuring the school's good practice. Teachers themselves are not yet fully accountable for the areas and subjects they manage. Consequently, the school is keen to develop their leadership potential. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. The school therefore has a similarly good capacity for further improvement. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Shalfleet Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Develop the leadership roles of teachers so that they become more accountable for the subjects and areas they manage. • Develop links between subjects to add further interest, purpose and enjoyment to pupils' learning.

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Grade: 2

Standards overall are well above average and achievement is good. Children enter the school with an average level of skills. They make good progress in Reception. The majority of children achieve the learning goals expected at the end of Reception and a significant number exceed them. Pupils continue to make good progress throughout the school. Those with learning difficulties make similar progress to their classmates due to the well targeted support they receive. Progress in reading is helped through regular reading times, strongly supported by parents. Good progress is now being made in mathematics in Year 3 and 4. This has resulted from further staff training and the better use of assessment to provide more challenge to pupils' learning. A relative weakness in writing is being addressed by encouraging pupils to be more creative in their written work and providing further opportunities, within other subjects, for

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding. They thoroughly enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in the above average attendance. Pupils have an excellent understanding of healthy lifestyles, recognised by the Healthy Schools Award. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Very good relationships and opportunities to celebrate achievements ensure that pupils value their own worth and that of others. Strong church links and very thoughtful assemblies add considerably to their spiritual development. Pupils make an excellent contribution to both the school and wider communities. They are keen to take on responsibilities in school, taking their role as school councillors seriously. Pupils are regularly involved in charitable fund raising. They share harvest produce with local senior citizens and support a school in Ghana. Good academic standards, along with these personal

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Grade: 1

qualities, mean pupils are well prepared for their later life and learning.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Very good relationships encourage pupils in their eagerness to learn. In Reception the very warm relationships ensure that children develop the confidence to choose from a wide range of well-organised activities. Lessons are planned and prepared well, taking good account of pupils' previous learning. Good opportunities for speaking and listening, for example through talking partners and open questioning, help in developing pupils' ideas and understanding. Marking is thorough and shows pupils how well they have done and how they could further improve their work. Throughout the school, teachers and teaching assistants generally work well as a team. In some lessons, however, teaching assistants could 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Shalfleet Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007 take a more active role in supporting pupils, particularly less able ones, in their learning. Teachers

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Grade: 2

use a good range of techniques to make lessons interesting and enjoyable. Information and communication technology (ICT) equipment, such as interactive whiteboards and laptops, is used to good effect.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and meets the learning needs of all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and those who are gifted and talented. It contains a comprehensive programme for personal and social development. This includes life skills that help pupils to become healthy, safe and responsible people. The school is starting to develop a more creative approach to learning, through combining different subjects. This is enabling pupils to use and develop their different subject skills in more interesting and purposeful situations. There is good provision for ICT and pupils have many opportunities to use these skills to support their learning. For example, through the use of programs to develop reading skills, less able pupils were very keen to improve their scores. The curriculum is very well enriched. A wide range of visits and visitors provide first hand learning experiences. A good number of additional activities, including many

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Grade: 2

clubs and special event weeks, such as a multi-cultural week, add interest and enjoyment to pupils' learning. Work in the Foundation Stage is very well planned, with full attention paid to all areas of learning. There is a good balance between structured sessions and activities chosen by children.

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Grade: 1

The care, guidance and support of pupils are outstanding. The school has a very strong commitment to caring, which is reflected in the extremely good arrangements for ensuring the safety and welfare of pupils. This starts with the very good arrangements for children starting school. They become acquainted with the staff and surroundings by spending time in school and are therefore keen to start school and settle very quickly. Pupils starting school at other times are quickly integrated into the life of the school and therefore soon begin to make good progress in their learning. One parent commented, 'A very big thank you to Shalfleet for helping my child to settle in well and feel supported'. Where pupils are identified with social or behavioural needs, very good one-to-one support is provided. Pupils' progress is assessed and tracked well. Through knowing what they need to achieve in lessons and the targets set for

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Grade: 1

them, pupils are guided well in their learning.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The school's performance is monitored well and appropriate areas for further improvement identified and acted upon. The school wants teachers themselves to be more fully involved in these processes and to become more accountable for the areas and subjects which they lead and manage. There is good support for teachers joining the school. Regular classroom observations recognise strengths as well as showing teachers how their practice could be improved. Governance is outstanding. Governors are extremely supportive of the work of the school and have an exceptionally good understanding of its performance. They do not just rely on what the headteacher tells them, wanting as much to 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Shalfleet Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007 find out things for themselves, often by asking searching questions. The school has very good links with parents. They are encouraged to take a full part in their children's learning. Close

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Grade: 2

links with other local schools, including the on-site pre-school, help to foster curriculum development. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Shalfleet Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Shalfleet Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 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?

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 1 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?

1 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: Shalfleet Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 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: Shalfleet Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

I am writing to let you know what I found when I visited your school. Thank you for taking part in the inspection. I spoke to some of you during my visit and you were interesting to talk to, very polite and helpful. You spoke enthusiastically about enjoying school and all of the things you take part in. Shalfleet is a good school with some excellent features. I liked these things the most. • You all enjoy school and are very keen to learn. • You do well in reading, writing and mathematics and make good use of computers. • You have many exciting and enjoyable things to do both in and out of lessons. 'Wake up and shake up' looks to be great fun and Buddy Time seems to be a highlight of the week. • The school is extremely caring and looks after you well. • Teachers are good at sharing with you how well you have done and what you need to learn next. • You understand the importance of taking plenty of exercise and eating the right things. I

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

will try some of the recipes from 'Eat Cool with Shalfleet School'. • You behave extremely well and want to do your best in lessons. • The school listens to you when you suggest how things could be better. I'm glad that you can now share lunchtimes with your friends whether you have a school dinner or not. • Your headteacher and assistant headteacher do a very good job. I have asked the school to work on these things now. • Continue to look at ways to make your lessons even more interesting and enjoyable. • Involve more teachers in leading the work of the school so that it gets even better. Thank you again. Yours sincerely, Peter Thrussell Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Shalfleet Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007

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