Nettleton Community Primary School

Inspection Report Nettleton Community Primary School

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120465 Unique Reference Number LINCOLNSHIRE Local Authority 291747 Inspection number 9 °10 January 2007 Inspection dates Roger Sadler 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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Moortown Road School address Primary Type of school Nettleton, Nettleton Community School category Market Rasen, Lincolnshire LN7 6AA 4 °11 Age range of pupils

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01472 851455 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01472 851455 Fax number 67 Number on roll (school) Mr C Horton Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr M Cordes Headteacher 3 January 2003 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 291747 9 °10 January 2007 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 an Additional Inspector

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Description of the school

Pupils come to this small school mainly from Nettleton village and the surrounding area and are taught in three classes. Almost all pupils are from White British families. The area's socio-economic conditions are average. The proportion of pupils who enter the school after the Reception year is greater than normal and the proportion of the school's pupils with learning difficulties 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: Nettleton Community Primary School, 9 °10 January 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school in which good leadership and management have ensured that teaching is good so that pupils achieve well and make good progress. Although attainment on entry varies from year to year, in most year groups pupils entered the school with knowledge and skills below what is expected nationally. This is because a well above average proportion of the children entering Reception or joining the school later have learning difficulties. Good provision in the Foundation Stage ensures that children make good progress so that, by the end of Reception, most attain the expected standards and a few exceed them. In Years 1 and 2, teaching is good and pupils continue to progress and achieve well. Standards by the end of Year 2 are mainly at the national average. Throughout the school, care, guidance and support are good. Work is marked carefully and constructively and many pupils know their targets and show a clear

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Grade: 2

understanding of where and how they need to improve. As a result, pupils in Years 3 to 6 make consistently good progress, achieve well and attain average standards by the end of Year 6. Pupils in the current Year 3 are attaining above what is expected for their ages. Pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 attain nationally expected standards in writing and science. Standards in mathematics are a little below average overall because mental mathematics and skills in using and applying mathematics when solving problems are below average. Throughout the school, pupils with learning difficulties achieve well and are happy in school because staff make careful assessments and ensure they are effectively and sensitively supported in lessons. The curriculum is good and well enhanced by a good range of clubs, visits and visitors. Pupils' personal development and well-being are good because the school puts pupils' progress in this area as a high priority. Pupils find the school a friendly place and feel

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Grade: 2

secure and valued. They concentrate well, work hard and behave well, with consideration for their own and others' safety and feelings. Older pupils help to look after younger children and enjoy taking on responsibilities and contributing to the smooth running of the school. Pupils' social, moral, and spiritual development is good. Their cultural development is satisfactory because, although pupils show good awareness of their own culture, their knowledge and understanding of other cultural traditions are too limited. Staff, governors, pupils and parents are all effectively involved in making important decisions about the school. Almost all parents who responded to the Ofsted questionnaire are fully supportive of the school. Parents' views reflect the inspection findings and the positive picture of a school that has made good improvement since its last inspection and has good capacity to continue to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in mathematics by improving pupils' mental and oral skills and their skills in solving mathematical problems. • Improve pupils' cultural development by extending their knowledge, understanding and experience of other cultures. 2 Inspection Report: Nettleton Community Primary School, 9 °10 January 2007

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Grade: 2

All children make good progress in Reception and most meet national expectations in all areas of learning by the time they move into Year 1, and a few exceed these. In Years 1 and 2, pupils continue to progress well. Year 2 National Curriculum assessment results vary considerably from year to year, in line with the capabilities of each year group. Results were mainly average up to 2005 but improved in 2006 to above average levels. In Years 3 to 6, pupils continue to make good progress because of good teaching and the careful use of assessment. National test results and inspection evidence indicate that science standards have been consistently good, writing standards have improved well but standards in mathematics are a little below average. This is mainly because a few pupils could do better in their mental mathematics and apply these skills better in solving problems. Ambitious targets in English and mathematics have been set for

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Grade: 2

pupils currently in Years 5 and 6. School assessment information and pupils' current work indicate that most are on track to reach average standards, with some to reach above average levels. A substantial proportion of pupils, many of whom have learning difficulties, join the school in the older classes. The school quickly makes accurate assessments and carefully tailors teaching to ensure that each pupil's needs are met. This helps pupils to settle in quickly, make good progress and achieve well.

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Grade: 2

Children settle happily into Reception and quickly become confident in school and happy to share ideas and experiences. By the time they enter Year 1, they work independently and relate well to each other and to adults. Throughout the school, pupils' spiritual, moral and social development is good. This is supported well by the school's strong commitment to including the needs of all pupils in its work. Pupils have a good understanding of their own culture but do not have sufficient awareness of the traditions and influence of other cultures. Older pupils act with maturity and make a valuable contribution to helping the school run smoothly by taking on additional responsibilities, such as membership of the school council or helping younger children. Pupils are well involved in the local community and have, for example, worked with the Parish Council to support the repair of the church clock. Pupils' enjoyment of school is reflected in an above average attendance level. Behaviour

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Grade: 2

is good. Pupils say that they feel safe at school and are confident there is no bullying. They also say that if there was any, it would be dealt with promptly. They know that they can approach any member of staff if they have a worry. Pupils have a good understanding of what it means to lead a healthy lifestyle. They take care to conduct themselves safely in lessons and at playtimes and keep fit by taking regular exercise in physical education lessons, swimming and sporting activities. Pupils use computers confidently. This, along with their confidence in relating to others, prepares them well for their next school and the world of work beyond. 3 Inspection Report: Nettleton Community Primary School, 9 °10 January 2007

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good throughout the school. Teachers plan and teach well to meets the broad range of learning needs in each mixed-age class, including the needs of higher attaining pupils and those with learning difficulties. In a mathematics lesson in Year 3/4, because they could already do what the others were learning, higher attaining pupils were given more difficult work to complete with the teaching assistant while the rest of the class was taught by the teacher. Teaching assistants work successfully and mostly in close co-operation with teachers, often in support of lower attaining pupils. Home reading is managed well. This helps parents to make a valuable contribution to the good progress that pupils make in learning to read. In the youngest class, there are a few occasions when teaching assistants could be better deployed to ensure that all pupils maintain concentration in the session before lunchtime.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum supports pupils' personal development and achievement well. Despite limited accommodation, learning opportunities for the youngest children are good. Popular extra-curricular clubs enrich pupils' interest and broaden their horizons. Sports coaches help pupils to develop new games skills and keep fit and healthy. The curriculum gives suitable emphasis to key skills such as literacy and numeracy. Information and communication technology (ICT) is being used increasingly well to add impact and interest to lessons. This helps pupils to enjoy learning and to sustain good concentration in lessons. The curriculum for pupils with learning difficulties is good; each pupil who finds learning difficult has an individual education plan that is used well to guide the work of teachers and teaching assistants and the learning of individual pupils.

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Grade: 2

The school provides good care, guidance and support and knows its pupils well. Reception children thrive on the caring support from adults and older pupils. Pupils with learning difficulties also receive effective and sensitive care and support. As a result, they make good progress and participate fully in all school activities. New entrants are inducted into the school well and are made to feel welcome by other pupils so that they quickly feel at ease in the school. Procedures for safeguarding pupils, including risk assessments, are effective. Teachers assess learning well and help pupils to see what they need to do to improve, both through their marking of work and by giving them oral feedback. Consequently, pupils show a clear understanding of their recently introduced learning targets and good awareness of where they need to focus their efforts. When the school judges that any pupil, whether a slower learner

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Grade: 2

4 Inspection Report: Nettleton Community Primary School, 9 °10 January 2007 or a higher attainer, could benefit, extra help is given to ensure that they do their best. For example, the more able Year 4 pupils join the Year 5/6 class for mathematics lessons to ensure that they are stretched appropriately.

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Grade: 2

Good leadership and management have resulted in good teamwork and a shared commitment to improving the school. The school knows itself well. It has effective ways of monitoring and evaluating its work, judging its success and checking that pupils are equally successful. This means that the school is well placed to continue to improve. It is working on appropriate priorities and this is resulting in continually improving teaching and rising standards. For example, over the last two years the school has targeted English, especially writing, as an area for improvement. Better provision for English has ensured that pupils enjoy writing, punctuate better and use more lively vocabulary when writing. The school is now, appropriately and effectively, working to improve standards in mathematics. Governance is good. The governing body makes a valuable and committed contribution to the school's development and provides good support to the headteacher and staff.

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Grade: 2

The governing body has recently made some useful improvements in the ways that it checks the school's work. Governors are aware that they need further training in how to analyse performance data to ensure that they are able to monitor the impact of the school's development plan more confidently. 5 Inspection Report: Nettleton Community Primary School, 9 °10 January 2007 .

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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: Nettleton Community Primary School, 9 °10 January 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? 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: Nettleton Community Primary School, 9 °10 January 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? 8 Inspection Report: Nettleton Community Primary School, 9 °10 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

11 January 2007 Dear Children, Nettleton Community Primary School, Moortown Road, Nettleton, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN7 6AA Thank you for making me so welcome when I came to inspect your school. I am pleased that you like your school so much. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with you and your teachers and watching you learn. I think your school is well run and is giving you a good education. Adults provide good teaching and care for you so that you make good progress. The work you do is interesting and you are taken on visits to different places to help you learn. Your behaviour is good. You know right from wrong, show consideration for others and show good understanding of what it means to be friendly and helpful to each other. I was impressed by how older pupils take responsibility for helping others within the school. Pupils who find learning hard make good progress because the school gives good attention to helping them learn.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

There are two things that I have asked your school to work on: • Help you do your best in mathematics by improving your mental maths and your skills in solving mathematical problems. • Help you learn more about the life and culture of people from different backgrounds. With very best wishes for the future, Mr Sadler Lead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Nettleton Community Primary School, 9 °10 January 2007

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