Ribby with Wrea Endowed CofE Primary School

Ribby with Wrea Endowed C of E Primary School Inspection report

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119559 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 291461 Inspection number 24 April 2007 Inspection date Shirley Herring 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 aided School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 143 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Janet Wardell Chair Mr Andrew Embley-Peers Headteacher 1 October 2002 Date of previous school inspection Dubside School address Wrea Green Preston Lancashire PR4 2WQ

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01772 685221 Telephone number 01772 685221 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 24 April 2007 Inspection date 291461 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

Ribby with Wrea is a smaller than average primary school at the heart of its rural, village community. The headteacher has been in post for two terms. Pupils are exclusively from a White British background with a high proportion from supportive homes. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is low though the number with statements is above average. Apart from Reception, there is more than one age group in each class. The school has close links with the church, the local cluster of schools and supports students in initial teacher training. The school has a number of national and local awards including Investors in People, The Silver Eco Award, Healthy Schools status and The Basic Skills Quality Mark. After-school care has been inspected separately.

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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: Ribby with Wrea Endowed C of E Primary School, 24 April 2007

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Grade: 2

Ribby with Wrea Primary is a good school that provides an outstanding level of care, guidance and support for its pupils, and their personal development is good. Pupils say they enjoy coming to school because, ‘It is small and friendly, we meet friends and learn a lot!’ Very good relationships within the school community help them to feel safe and secure. They are developing an excellent understanding of how to keep healthy by eating sensibly and joining in regular physical activities. The school is central to the life of the village and pupils make an excellent contribution to the community through regular participation in many church activities and by raising substantial amounts for charities at home and abroad. The high standards of basic skills and opportunities to take responsibilities prepare pupils well for the future. Leadership and management are good. The school’s well informed and thorough evaluation of

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Grade: 2

its work is providing a good platform for future improvement. It is accurate in almost all respects though its judgement on pupils’ personal development is a little generous. The new headteacher has a clear vision of how to take the school forward and, by listening to and respecting the views of others, he has the support of his school staff in bringing about improvements. Initiatives such as providing individual targets for pupils are helping them to improve their literacy and numeracy skills. Good teaching, with very good support from skilled teaching assistants, enables pupils to make good progress through the school and achieve well. Standards have been consistently high in the national tests in Year 6 in the last two years. Achievement is good overall in Key Stage 1 and standards are above average by the end of Year 2. However, in this key stage boys achieve considerably less well than girls, particularly in reading and writing. The school has purchased

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Grade: 2

new books and materials in a concerted effort to address this imbalance, though it is too soon to judge the effect on standards. The curriculum is good and takes particular account of the need to provide continuity and progression in mixed-age classes. For a small school, there is a very good range of lunchtime and after school activities to enhance pupils’ learning. Provision in the Foundation Stage has improved since the last inspection and is now good. Teaching is good so most children achieve or exceed the recommended goals by the time they enter Year 1. The school’s thorough and honest evaluation of its work and the clear vision of the headteacher indicate that the school has a good capacity to improve further. It gives good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the achievement of boys in Key Stage 1, particularly in reading and writing.

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Grade: 2

Standards are exceptionally and consistently high, and pupils achieve well compared to their attainment on entry. Children start school with a range of skills that are generally above those expected for their age. Good teaching enables children to make good progress in their Reception year and almost all achieve or exceed the nationally recommended goals by the time they enter Year 1. Assessments indicate that there was a comparative weakness in children’s understanding of letter sounds 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Ribby with Wrea Endowed C of E Primary School, 24 April 2007 last year. The school has introduced new materials to address this and inspection evidence suggests these are proving effective in developing children’s phonic awareness. Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 1 and, the results of the 2006 teachers’ assessments, were above average at the end of Year 2. Although pupils achieve well overall, boys achieve

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Grade: 2

considerably less well than girls, particularly in reading and writing. The school has purchased new books to appeal to boys to encourage them to want to read, though it is too soon to judge what impact this is having on standards. Progress is good in Key Stage 2 because of methodical teaching and a very good level of classroom support. Weaknesses in boys’ reading and writing at Key Stage 1 are tackled effectively and, by the end of Year 6, there is no significant difference between the achievement of boys and girls. In the 2006 national tests, results were exceptionally high at the end of Year 6, maintaining the standards achieved in the previous year. All pupils achieved at least the expected level in mathematics and science and almost all in English. The number of pupils achieving higher than the expected level was well above average overall; it was slightly higher in English than mathematics because of the school’s successful focus on improving writing. The school

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Grade: 2

met its targets. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve well because of the very good level of support they receive.

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Grade: 2

The personal development and well-being of pupils are good, enabling them to make good progress in their learning. Pupils are happy in school, attend regularly and behave impeccably. They participate very well in lessons and do all that is asked of them, though there are limited opportunities to develop independence through organising their own ways of working things out. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They have an excellent understanding of the difference between right and wrong and social skills are well advanced. However, their preparation for life in a culturally diverse society is not quite so strong. Pupils feel safe in school and are confident to talk to staff should they have any concerns. Many benefit from gaining the Passport to Safer Cycling. Pupils have a very good awareness of a healthy lifestyle through growing fresh vegetables in the school grounds and seeing them

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Grade: 2

used at lunchtimes. Sports activities after school are well attended. The pupils’ exceptional contribution to the village, through strong links with the church and participation in the Wrea Green Field Day Procession, has been recognised in gaining the Learning Excellence Best Practice Award for involvement with the local community. The responsibilities that pupils have in school, for example as school councillors, buddies and house captains, and their high standards of basic skills, prepare them well for later life.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good and pupils learn well. Teachers explain new work clearly so pupils know what to do and get on quickly. Basic skills are taught methodically and pupils reach a high standard by the time they leave school. A strong feature in all lessons is the good deployment of a generous number of skilled support staff. They are well briefed by the teachers and make a 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Ribby with Wrea Endowed C of E Primary School, 24 April 2007 good contribution to enabling pupils of different ages and abilities to make good progress in each lesson. Teachers mark pupils’ work thoroughly and give good suggestions to help them to improve. In some lessons there are limited opportunities for pupils to explain their thinking and work out their own ideas and this slows the development of independent learning.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is broad and meets the needs of different pupils well. Curriculum planning takes suitable account of the need for continuity and progression for pupils in mixed-age classes. The school gives high priority to the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills to enable pupils to achieve a high standard. The well organised programme for personal, social and health education makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal development. The school is successfully strengthening pupils’ understanding of cultural diversity through increased opportunities to learn about other cultures, for example through a ‘Theme Week’ based on different religions and cultures at the end of the summer term. The school is extending its creative curriculum well through the regular contribution of ‘The Wider Opportunities Music Scheme’ which is enabling pupils to learn an instrument and make music. A good range of visitors and visits, including a residential trip for Years 5 and 6, enhances

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Grade: 2

the curriculum. Pupils have the opportunity to participate in an extensive range of lunchtime and after school activities to enrich their learning.

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Grade: 1

Excellent care, guidance and support and very good relationships between all adults and pupils lie at the heart of pupils’ good achievement and personal development. All the recommended procedures for safeguarding pupils are in place and pupils benefit from initiatives such as learning about water safety. Pupils feel able to talk to any adult if they have a problem, confident in the knowledge that help is at hand. The very good induction programme, including home visits, enables Reception children to settle quickly into school. There are very effective systems in place for monitoring pupils’ academic progress and pupils are familiar with the targets they are now set to help them improve their literacy and numeracy skills. The results of regular assessments of pupils’ work are sent home so parents are aware of and can support their children’s progress. The system of rewards, including valued team points and the honour of sitting at The Captain’s Table for lunch, encourages pupils to behave

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Grade: 1

exceptionally well and do their best. There is a very generous number of teaching assistants in each lesson to provide high quality support for individuals and for groups of different age and ability in each class. The school has beneficial links with other professionals to provide specialist support where needed.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The high level of care provided is based on a moral framework stemming from the school’s Christian tradition. The school’s thorough analysis and evaluation of its work are being used well to plan improvements and the clear vision of the 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Ribby with Wrea Endowed C of E Primary School, 24 April 2007 headteacher is helping to take the school forward. Changes in the lunchtime arrangements at the start of the school year have led to improvements in pupils’ social skills. In analysing assessments for the last academic year, the school identified the need to improve children’s knowledge of letter sounds in reception, and the new system for teaching phonics is leading to improvements. The school has identified the lower achievement of boys in Key Stage 1, particularly in reading and writing, as an area for improvement. It has purchased a good range

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Grade: 2

of non-fiction books to encourage boys to read more but it is too soon to judge the impact on achievement and standards. The headteacher has been in post for two terms, staff retirements have prompted a change in the roles of subject leaders, and their role is being developed. Governors have provided good support for the new headteacher and governance is good. There have been good improvements in standards and in the provision for the Reception class since the last inspection. The school’s honest and largely accurate evaluation of its work along with proven success in tackling weaknesses, for example in pupils’ phonic knowledge, indicates a good capacity to improve. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Ribby with Wrea Endowed C of E Primary School, 24 April 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: Ribby with Wrea Endowed C of E Primary School, 24 April 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? 1 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 1 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 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: Ribby with Wrea Endowed C of E Primary School, 24 April 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: Ribby with Wrea Endowed C of E Primary School, 24 April 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

24 April 2007 Dear Children Inspection of Ribby with Wrea Endowed C of E Primary School, Dubside, Lancashire, PR4 2WQ Thank you for making me welcome when I visited your school. You told me how much you enjoy coming to school because you meet friends and learn a lot. I agree with you that Ribby with Wrea is a good school and, in fact, some things about it are outstanding. I think the care you receive from all the adults is exceptional and I know that this helps to make you feel happy and safe in school. I congratulate you on the fact that other excellent features about your school include your excellent behaviour and the way you join in all the activities in school and in the village. You work hard and are taught well so you reach a high standard in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. This will prepare you well for high school and later life. To make things even better we have asked the school to help the boys in the infants to improve

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

their reading and writing. Enjoy the rest of the Summer Term. Yours sincerely Mrs Shirley Herring Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Ribby with Wrea Endowed C of E Primary School, 24 April 2007

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