Freckleton Church of England Primary School

Inspection Report Freckleton Church of England Primary School

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119548 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 291456 Inspection number 21 °22 November 2006 Inspection dates Joy Byrom 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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School Lane School address Primary Type of school Freckleton, Preston Voluntary aided School category Lancashire, PR4 1PJ 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01772 632350 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01772 679369 Fax number 152 Number on roll (school) Mr Jim Martin Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Les Turner Headteacher 1 July 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 291456 21 °22 November 2006 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average primary school serving a relatively advantaged semi-rural area. The proportion of pupils taking free school meals is below average, as is the number of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. Only two pupils have statements of special educational need. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage and no pupils are at an early stage in learning English. The previous headteacher retired last December. The current headteacher took up his post at the start of this term after two terms as associate head.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Freckleton Church of England Primary School, 21 °22 November 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good and improving school. Pupils, parents and staff are delighted with the very good leadership of the headteacher, who already knows every child by name and has the gift of making each child feel special. The pupils tell us that he makes school fun. The school has a newly discovered sense of direction and purpose and a determination to ensure that all pupils achieve well in all areas of the curriculum. For example, the improvements in teaching have helped raise standards significantly in writing, particularly in Years 5 and 6. Pupils are happy and achieve well because good care and support makes them feel safe and valued. They are keen to learn and tell us that that they like their work. They behave well and work hard. Personal development is good, helped by the carefully planned curriculum and good opportunities for pupils of all ages to take on responsibilities. A strong, caring ethos based on Christian values permeates all aspects

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Grade: 2

of school life. Pupils are caring, thoughtful and look after one another. They are confident, articulate and very friendly. They enjoy school and take on responsibilities enthusiastically to make a good contribution to the school community. Pupils are helped to keep safe and healthy. They gain good literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills, which prepares them well for the future. Attendance is above average. Standards are average when pupils start school and increase to above average by the end of Year 6. By the end of Reception most pupils have reached expected levels. There are too few opportunities for structured play with clearly defined learning objectives. Through Years 1 to 6, pupils make good progress. Progress at Key Stage 2 is better than at Key Stage 1. Standards at Key Stage 1 are not as high as they could be because learning activities are not always sufficiently challenging. However, teaching

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Grade: 2

is improving and most is now good. Teachers make lessons lively and engaging through a wide range of activities, which successfully promote good learning. Subject leaders are taking increasing responsibility for the quality of teaching and learning in their subject areas but planned monitoring to identify areas for improvement has not yet been fully implemented. The school’s system for assessing and tracking progress is not yet rigorous enough to ensure all pupils meet challenging targets. The drive for improvement is evident at all levels in the school and is fully supported by the governors. The school has improved since the last inspection, particularly over the last twelve months. It has good capacity to improve further. Staff and resources are well deployed and the school gives good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise attainment at Key Stage 1 by expecting more of pupils. • Develop the role of subject leaders to ensure they take a more active role in monitoring and improving teaching and learning. • Use assessment more effectively to check pupils’ progress and ensure that all pupils meet challenging targets. 2 Inspection Report: Freckleton Church of England Primary School, 21 °22 November 2006

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Grade: 2

Standards are above average and the pupils achieve well. Children’s attainment when they start and leave Reception, is broadly average. By the end of Year 6 pupils reach above average standards in English, mathematics and science. This represents good achievement and progress. Results for Year 6 pupils in 2005 were particularly good, with average attaining boys and girls making particularly good progress. The results of higher attainers were not as good in English as in mathematics and science. In 2006, results were not as high as the previous year, but were still above average. Higher attaining girls did particularly well in all subjects. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make similar progress to other pupils. The school exceeded its targets in 2005 and met most in 2006, when challenging targets for higher attainers were exceeded in English and almost met in mathematics. The evidence of inspection shows

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Grade: 2

that improvement in teaching is raising standards in pupils’ writing, particularly in Years 5 and 6. Progress in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory. Standards are broadly average at the end of Key Stage 1. Standards in reading are higher than those in writing and mathematics. Standards of higher attainers in mathematics were below average in 2006. However, current standards of pupils’ work show that progress is improving in both mathematics and writing as a result of teachers’ higher expectations.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral and social development is good. Cultural development is satisfactory. The recently introduced personal development programme helps pupils develop a good sensitivity towards their own and others’ emotions. Assemblies make a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual development. Younger pupils are very aware that these help them to think about God, friends and beautiful things in life. Pupils enjoy learning about different religions but their experience and understanding of the cultural diversity of modern Britain, although satisfactory, are more limited. In the Reception class, positive and supportive relationships help children to develop self-confidence and enjoy school. All pupils enjoy lessons and behave well. They say learning is fun and they enjoy doing hard work. Well planned activities in sports and physical education help pupils to adopt a

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Grade: 2

healthy and well balanced lifestyle. Residential visits for older pupils develop teamwork and independence and prepare them well for the future. Pupils make a good contribution to the school community and feel fully involved in electing representatives to the school council. They take seriously their responsibilities, such as being class monitors. Older pupils enjoy looking after younger pupils at lunchtimes, wet playtimes and in some of the school’s clubs. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. Rare incidents of bullying are dealt with swiftly. In the Reception class, careful planning promotes personal development so that children learn to get on well with each other, 3 Inspection Report: Freckleton Church of England Primary School, 21 °22 November 2006 share toys and equipment and work alongside each other happily. As a result, they grow in self-assurance and learn to carry out tasks independently.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. They are improving as a result of good leadership with a clear focus on raising standards. Clear learning objectives are shared with pupils, who feel they understand what is expected of them. Relationships are very good and pupils are enthusiastic learners. The pupils’ personal development is promoted well through teaching and learning in all subjects. This is contributing well to pupils working productively in groups and independently. Teaching assistants, though limited in number, provide good support for less able pupils. In most lessons teachers have high expectations and challenge pupils appropriately. The difference between good and satisfactory teaching often depends upon the degree of challenge, especially for more able pupils. The teaching of writing is improving, particularly in Years 5 and 6, but opportunities are occasionally missed to promote extended writing in subjects other

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Grade: 2

than English. The teaching of mathematics is improving at Key Stage 1 due to carefully planning of work to match individual pupils’ needs. However, teachers do not always have high enough expectations of what they want pupils to achieve. Teachers are starting to use a wider range of assessment strategies to promote good learning but this is at an early stage of development. There is some good practice in marking pupils’ work in English, particularly at Key Stage 2, where constructive comments help pupils rectify mistakes but even here, these do not always include sufficient guidance for more improvement. Marking in other subjects is weaker. In the Reception class children’s progress in assessed and recorded regularly and this information is used well to help to plan next steps in their learning. Less able children are well supported but more able ones are not always fully challenged in numeracy tasks and play activities.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. It meets pupils’ needs well and statutory requirements are met. Literacy, numeracy and ICT are well planned for as separate subjects and opportunities to practise these skills in other subjects are improving. This is especially so in ICT. Recently installed interactive whiteboards in each class and a set of laptop computers are helping to develop the use of ICT in teaching and learning. The curriculum is enriched by educational visits, outside speakers and an annual residential outdoor activities trip for Year 6 pupils. Pupils enjoy this wide range of activities, which help them to extend their interests and to develop healthy lifestyles. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is well planned so that these pupils make good progress. Booster classes for older pupils help them reach their potential in Year 6 tests. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage covers the required areas of

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Grade: 2

4 Inspection Report: Freckleton Church of England Primary School, 21 °22 November 2006 learning, though opportunities for pupils to learn when out of doors are not fully developed and opportunities for structured and focused play are limited.

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support provided for pupils are good. Procedures for child protection and all risk assessments are in place. Very positive relationships and a loving, Christian ethos produce an atmosphere in which children feel happy, safe and secure. Teachers know the pupils well and recognise when they may need extra help, encouragement and support. Parents are very happy with the way the school cares for their children and find the school friendly and approachable. Strong partnerships enable outside agencies to work well with the school to look after and care for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, and the more vulnerable pupils. Recently developed systems for tracking pupils’ progress are not yet being used fully by teachers to provide pupils with clear targets for learning.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides very good leadership and has a clear vision for the future. He has quickly established a whole-school focus on raising achievement. This is shared and welcomed by all members of the teaching staff and has given them a new enthusiasm and determination to improve all aspects of their work. As a result, improvements in the teaching of mathematics at Key Stage 1 and of writing across the school are already apparent. Subject leaders have embraced the need to monitor and improve standards across the school, but they are still at the early stages of implementation. They are beginning to use data on pupils’ performance to track progress and to identify underachievement. Performance management for staff is closely linked to the school’s focus on improving teaching and learning through professional development. Perceptive self-evaluation, taking close account of pupils’

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Grade: 2

and parents’ views, has accurately identified the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. The chair of governors knows the school well and understands where it needs to improve. Under his good leadership the governing body are committed and supportive, and are becoming more involved in actively helping the school to move forward. 5 Inspection Report: Freckleton Church of England Primary School, 21 °22 November 2006 .

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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: Freckleton Church of England Primary School, 21 °22 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 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 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: Freckleton Church of England Primary School, 21 °22 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: Freckleton Church of England Primary School, 21 °22 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Freckleton Church of England Primary School School Lane Freckleton Preston Lancashire PR4 1PJ 23 November 2006 Dear Pupils We very much enjoyed our visit to your school and thank you for the warm welcome you gave us. We were impressed by how friendly you are and how you look after each other. You were very positive in saying that you enjoy school and have fun. You try hard to be fit and healthy and know how to keep safe. You are keen to take on responsibilities and it was nice to see even the youngest pupils taking on classroom monitor duties. All the extra activities you take part in help to prepare you for the next stage of your education. You are right to be proud of your school. Your teachers are friendly and take good care of you. They work hard to make the lessons interesting for you and in most lessons the work is at the right level for you. You work hard and behave well. You make good progress overall through

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

the school, but not as much progress at Key Stage 1. You appreciate the help your teachers give you and like having targets to help you improve. To make your education even better we have asked the school: • to help you to make more progress in Years 1 and 2 • to check on teaching and learning to make sure it always meets your needs • to check your progress regularly to make sure you all reach challenging targets. We wish you all good luck in the future! With very best wishes Joy Byrom (Lead Inspector) 9 Inspection Report: Freckleton Church of England Primary School, 21 °22 November 2006

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