Osgodby Primary School

Inspection Report Osgodby Primary School

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120471 Unique Reference Number LINCOLNSHIRE Local Authority 291749 Inspection number 13 °14 September 2006 Inspection dates Mr. Glynn Storer 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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Main Road School address Primary Type of school Osgodby, Osgodby Community School category Market Rasen, Lincolnshire LN8 3TA 4 °11 Age range of pupils

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01673828323 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01673828913 Fax number 74 Number on roll (school) Mrs.Angela Barnes Milford Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs. Nadia Dawson Headteacher 5 March 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 291749 13 °14 September 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This small school serves rural communities in the area of Market Rasen. Few parents register their children for free school meals but this is unrepresentative of the hardship experienced by some families. Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds and none speaks English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is below that in schools nationally. Children's attainment on entry varies considerably because year groups are very small, but in recent years it has often been well below that normally expected of four-year-olds.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Osgodby Primary School, 13 °14 September 2006

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Grade: 2

Osgodby Primary School gives pupils a good education. A major strength of the school is that it turns out thoroughly well-rounded young people. By the time that they leave the school, almost all attain, and many exceed, the standards normally expected of 11-year-olds. They also develop levels of maturity and confidence beyond their years and a joy in learning that prepares them well for the move to secondary school. Standards have risen steadily. Children's attainment on entry to Reception has declined in recent years and, despite the good progress that most make, often remains below national expectations by the beginning of Year 1. Nevertheless, overall standards in core subjects are broadly average by the end of Year 2, and above average by the end of Year 6. Indeed, standards in science are exceptionally high. Pupils' learning in science is particularly successful because teachers approach the subject in a really practical,

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Grade: 2

'hands-on' way. The previous inspection reported weaknesses in standards of writing. The school has done much to address these weaknesses and standards have improved. However, whilst standards in English are now satisfactory by the end of Year 6, they lag behind those in mathematics and science. Factors which have restricted pupils' progress have been inconsistencies in the teaching of basic writing skills and a lack of rigour in the monitoring of this area of teaching and learning. Despite this relative weakness, pupils of all ages and abilities make good overall progress. They achieve well because teaching is good. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is effective because it ensures that children learn through structured play, practical activities and the systematic teaching of key skills. Teachers throughout school plan effectively for classes with wide ranges of age and ability. They also instil excellent standards of

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Grade: 2

behaviour and response, because their expectations are high. The curriculum is good. Concerns about provision for information and communication technology (ICT) raised by the previous inspection have been resolved and the school is rightly building in the regular use of ICT to aid learning across the curriculum. However, the outstanding strength of the school's curricular provision is the excellent range of educational visits and visitors, which significantly enhances the teaching and learning programme. Standards of personal development and well-being are outstanding. Pupils learn well because they thoroughly enjoy school and enter willingly into the teaching and learning relationship. Levels of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are excellent and a carefully planned programme of personal, social, health education (PSHE) and citizenship ensures the pupils adopt healthy and safe lifestyles and make a real

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Grade: 2

contribution to the school and to the wider community. Pupils readily collaborate and show enterprise which, along with improving standards of literacy, numeracy and ICT, lays firm foundations for their lives as young adults. Another striking feature of the school is its caring, family atmosphere. Levels of pastoral care are good. Staff respond swiftly to the needs and concerns of pupils and their families and provide effective support and guidance. As a result, pupils grow in confidence and self-assurance. They readily rise to challenges and are adventurous in their learning because they are unafraid to 'get it wrong'. There are also satisfactory arrangements for guiding pupils on their academic performance. The school's formal procedures for safeguarding pupils meet current government requirements. The headteacher provides good leadership and, as 2 Inspection Report: Osgodby Primary School, 13 °14 September 2006

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Grade: 2

a result, the staff work as a committed team. She receives excellent support from the governing body. Governors provide a highly effective balance between challenge and support, which is central to the school's good capacity for further improvement. School self-evaluation is satisfactory. The headteacher is systematic in checking quality and standards but there are currently no arrangements to allow subject leaders to join in the monitoring programme. This is unsatisfactory because it reduces the impact of school self-evaluation and improvement planning, and has been a factor in inconsistencies that have held back standards in English.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Raise standards in English by introducing a consistent approach to the teaching of writing skills throughout the school. - Improve school self-evaluation and improvement planning by giving subject leaders a more prominent role in monitoring standards and quality.

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Grade: 2

Achievement and standards are good. The most recent tests and assessments confirm that a trend of rising standards has been maintained. From starting points that are often well below those normally expected, especially in communication, language and literacy and in mathematical development, pupils of all abilities, including those with learning difficulties or disabilities, make good progress. By the time that they leave the school, almost all attain the standards expected of 11-year-olds and a significant proportion achieves above average standards, especially in mathematics and science. That said, overall standards in writing are lower than those in other core subjects in Years 3 to 6.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding. Pupils really like school and participate wholeheartedly. They enjoy excellent relationships with staff and fellow pupils alike. As a result, attendance is above average and pupils' behaviour in lessons and around school is extremely good. By the time that they leave school, most are very mature and confident. They demonstrate this in their conscientious working habits and by striving to succeed. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Pupils show impressive insights into human emotions and respond sensitively to the school's strong family ethos. They are well informed in matters of safe and healthy lifestyles and show this in the choices that they make. They are thoroughly prepared for their secondary education, the world of work and for adult life in a multi-cultural society. 3 Inspection Report: Osgodby Primary School, 13 °14 September 2006

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. From the Foundation Stage onwards, teachers plan practical activities which engage pupils' interest, challenge and motivate them to learn. They carefully match these activities to the range of age and ability in the class, so that pupils with different capabilities succeed and make progress. Nevertheless, inconsistencies in the teaching of writing have held back standards to some extent. In science, standards are high because teachers give good emphasis to teaching investigative skills, for example by making extensive use of the school's nature reserve. They also modify the curriculum effectively to ensure that there are no gaps in pupils' learning and that key areas are systematically reinforced. Pupils describe their teachers as 'kind', 'helpful' and 'fair'. They particularly appreciate the additional activities which they say 'make learning fun'.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a good curriculum and has been forward looking by introducing French for pupils in Years 3 to 6. There are suitable opportunities for pupils to reinforce literacy and numeracy skills through their work in other subjects and the school is actively extending the use of ICT across the curriculum. However, the strength of the curriculum lies in the quality of additional opportunities offered to pupils. Hardly a term goes by without some special event to bring learning to life and add to pupils' enjoyment and enthusiasm for school. Highly productive partnerships with neighbouring specialist schools for the arts, sport and technology also add much to the quality of pupils' experience and to the professional development of staff.

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Grade: 3

Standards of care, guidance and support are satisfactory. Pupils thrive in the nurturing family atmosphere. They feel secure because teachers and supervisory staff are attentive to their needs and readily provide guidance, especially in matters of personal development. There are adequate arrangements for safeguarding pupils, and the governing body is, rightly, seeking to strengthen these by bringing forward 'refresher' training in child protection and by re-evaluating potential hazards. The school has introduced arrangements for tracking pupils' progress and for the setting of targets to help pupils improve their performance. These arrangements are well conceived but have not yet been in operation for long enough to have an impact on pupils' achievements. 4 Inspection Report: Osgodby Primary School, 13 °14 September 2006

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher leads by example and in doing so, sets suitably high standards for staff to follow. Her termly monitoring ensures that staff receive professional support and that weaknesses are remedied. Governance is extremely effective. Governors collect a substantial amount of first-hand information in order to hold the school to account for what it achieves. Their expertise, for example in monitoring finances, has been an important factor in improving the school. However, school self-evaluation is not as effective as it could be because subject leaders are not given the time to contribute systematically to the monitoring of standards and quality. As a result, inconsistencies in some aspects of the school's work have gone unchecked. 5 Inspection Report: Osgodby Primary School, 13 °14 September 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: Osgodby Primary School, 13 °14 September 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? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 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 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. 7 Inspection Report: Osgodby Primary School, 13 °14 September 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: Osgodby Primary School, 13 °14 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Dear Children I am writing to thank you for helping me during my visit to your school and to tell you what I found out. I know that you, your parents and carers think that Osgodby Primary is a good school, and I agree. Here are some of the things that I particularly liked about your school: - Standards are rising and you are all making good progress. You should be particularly proud of your achievements in science, where standards are very high. - Your teachers make lessons fun by planning lots of exciting activities and by taking you to interesting places that help you to learn. - You are developing into confident and sensible young people. - Everybody is keen to learn, works hard and behaves extremely well in lessons. - Your teachers and other staff take good care of you and help you if you are hurt or upset. - Your governors work hard to improve the school. There are also a few things that could be even better. I have asked the

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

teachers to teach writing skills in the same way throughout the school, so that standards in writing rise more quickly. You could help by listening carefully and making a real effort to use the advice that they give you in all of your writing. I have also asked the school to make time for all of the teachers to help in checking how well you are doing, so that any problems can be spotted quickly and put right. Thank you again for your warm welcome to Osgodby School and best wishes for the future. Glynn Storer (Lead Inspector) 9 Inspection Report: Osgodby Primary School, 13 °14 September 2006

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