Barrowby Church of England Primary School

Inspection Report Barrowby CofE Primary School

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120513 Unique Reference Number LINCOLNSHIRE Local Authority 291764 Inspection number 8 °9 January 2007 Inspection dates Susan Aldridge 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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Church Street School address Primary Type of school Barrowby, Grantham Voluntary controlled School category Lincolnshire NG32 1BX 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01476 566121 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01476 563031 Fax number 235 Number on roll (school) Mr Mark Newton Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Sylvia West Headteacher 18 March 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 291764 8 °9 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an average sized oversubscribed primary school in a large village outside Grantham. Most of the pupils are White and of British heritage; there are very few from minority ethnic groups. Pupils' socio-economic circumstances are mixed, although the proportion eligible for free school meals is well below average. The proportion with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average and so is the percentage with a statement of special educational needs. Very few pupils are in public care. The school has a strong association with the adjacent church, links with a nearby university and with three secondary schools. Its work has been recognised by Investors in People.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Barrowby CofE Primary School, 8 °9 January 2007

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Grade: 2

Barrowby is a good school with some excellent features, and this is how it sees itself. It provides good value for money and has a good capacity for improvement. One of many highly supportive parents noted that the school has, 'An excellent family and community feel with strong links to the church and parents.' The school's ethos and its good leadership and management are at the heart of its success. Children thrive in the school's happy atmosphere where pupils and staff are encouraged and helped to learn and develop. The headteacher leads exceptionally well in setting the tone for the school and she has the full support and commitment of the dedicated staff and governors. The care and support given to pupils is outstanding and so is their personal development. Expectations of good work and behaviour are crystal clear, so pupils' behaviour is excellent. Pupils have very good opportunities to develop as young

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Grade: 2

citizens and make an exceptionally good contribution to the life of the school and the wider community. They leave school as skilled, confident, well-rounded individuals very well-equipped for the next step in their school careers. Children enter the school with average knowledge and skills expected at their age. By Year 6, standards are above average, showing that they achieve well in their time at the school. However, standards in writing are average, particularly the percentage that reach Level 5. The school has a good range of strategies for improving writing standards, including staff training. Good achievement is linked to good teaching, an enjoyable, rich curriculum, and good quality support for pupils who experience difficulties in learning. The school sets challenging targets for raising achievement, and monitors carefully the progress that pupils make towards these. It also provides a good range of additional activities for pupils who are not making expected progress.

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Grade: 2

This helps to ensure that pupils of all abilities make good progress. The provision for children in the Reception year is good. In particular, they are well taught and benefit socially from being in classes with older Year 1 pupils. They make good progress, and by the end of the year standards are above average. However, the classrooms, whilst adequate for the size of groups, do not offer the scope for providing the full range of activities in the Foundation Stage curriculum every day. Staff ensure that children have the full range of activities each week, and the school has ambitious plans to develop an outdoor classroom area so that children will have more opportunities for creative and physical activities. This is a school that knows how well it is doing and what it needs to do to improve, because self-evaluation is good. However, it does not always exploit the assessment information that it has to demonstrate its success and the impact of improvements.

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Grade: 2

There has been good improvement since the last inspection, particularly in the accommodation and provision for information and communication technology (ICT), and evaluation shows that the latter has had a significant impact on teaching and learning. The school is also in the process of collating available assessment information to show the impact of ICT on standards. 2 Inspection Report: Barrowby CofE Primary School, 8 °9 January 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Increase the proportion of Year 6 pupils reaching the higher Level 5 in writing. • Make full use of all the assessment information that it has to support the process of self-evaluation. • Increase the opportunities that Reception children have for creative and physical development.

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Grade: 2

From average starting points, children in Reception make good progress so that they reach above average standards by the end of the year. The school does not analyse the available assessment information sufficiently to see whether children make better progress in certain areas of learning than others; standards are generally lower in creative and physical development. In Years 2 and 6, the standards reached by pupils are consistently above the national average. In 2006, all pupils in Year 2 reached Level 2 in mathematics and science; in science the proportion reaching Level 3 was higher than the national average. A high proportion of pupils reached Level 2 and above in speaking and listening and reading; standards in writing were also above average. Similarly, in Year 6, standards are above average in science and mathematics, and slightly above average in English. Standards in reading are high; in writing they are average. There are occasionally differences in

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Grade: 2

the standards reached by boys and girls, but the school can explain these convincingly. For instance, below average standards in Year 6 boys' writing in 2006 resulted from a third of boys in a small group having learning difficulties or special educational needs. Pupils from minority ethnic groups and those in public care achieve as well as others.

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Grade: 1

The personal development and well-being of pupils are outstanding. Pupils thoroughly enjoy coming to school, where they feel safe and valued. Their behaviour, both in lessons and around the school, is exemplary. They work very well with one another and form excellent relationships with their teachers and other adults. As one pupil put it, 'Teachers have faith in us and trust us.' Attendance is above average. Children settle well into the Reception Year and quickly become confident and enthusiastic learners. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils are aware of how to keep themselves safe and they understand the need to adopt healthy lifestyles. The contribution they make to both the school and wider communities is excellent, and the school's record in fund-raising is impressive. Pupils successfully acquire the essential skills necessary for the next stages of education and for adult life.

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Grade: 1

3 Inspection Report: Barrowby CofE Primary School, 8 °9 January 2007

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Staff are working hard to make it outstanding, and a few have already developed excellent practice. Teachers plan their lessons well to ensure that work is pitched at the right level and that it is interesting and enjoyable. Their skilful use of ICT adds to pupils' interest and enjoyment. Teachers are clear about what they want pupils of different abilities to learn, and provide different tasks and support to enable pupils to achieve this. Skilled teaching assistants give just the right amount of support. Staff show that they value pupils, so pupils are confident learners who are keen to answer questions and even to make suggestions. Occasionally, however, teachers do not encourage pupils to develop their answers to questions. Helpful feedback is given to pupils at various points during lessons, so they know how well they are getting on and what they need to do to be successful or to improve. Older

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Grade: 2

pupils know what their targets are. Pupils are kept thinking and participating by talking to partners during whole-class sessions. Their excellent behaviour and positive attitudes help to ensure that they make good progress during lessons.

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Grade: 2

The school provides pupils with an interesting and enjoyable curriculum that meets requirements. Staff have revised their planning to link subjects and make learning more meaningful for pupils. Children in Reception benefit from working alongside Year 1 pupils, but their opportunities for creative and physical development are restricted by the accommodation. Resources for ICT have improved considerably since the previous inspection and are now good. Pupils' learning is enriched by an excellent range of trips and visits, by visitors to the school and by special events. These, and the good range of lunchtime and after school clubs and activities, are highly valued by both pupils and their parents. Together with the comprehensive personal, social and health education programme, they encourage personal development most effectively. Parents are particularly impressed by the school's musical productions; all

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Grade: 1

This aspect of the school's work is outstanding. The school works closely with parents, who are very confident that their children are safe, well cared-for and challenged to do their best. One noted that there could be, 'No better environment for a child to be nurtured and taught.' Arrangements to ensure that pupils are safe are applied rigorously by all staff and are taken seriously by pupils. Steps to safeguard learners are fully in place. The varied needs of pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities are met very well. The tracking of pupils' progress is rigorous and analysis of pupils' 4 Inspection Report: Barrowby CofE Primary School, 8 °9 January 2007 performance is used skilfully to plan suitable interventions. Teachers keep pupils very well informed about the progress they are making and guide them on how to make their work better. The school council provides a useful forum for pupils' views to be

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school which is well communicated to staff, governors and parents. The deputy headteacher leads well by example; he has done a sterling job of developing assessment and ICT since his appointment. Staff with whole-school responsibilities carry these out well. The school improvement plan identifies the need to develop the roles of subject leaders following a change in the way that the school manages the curriculum. There is no complacency; although the teaching is good, staff are striving to make it outstanding. They are well supported by having a clear, shared understanding of what they are aiming for and by the monitoring and support that is provided. Governance is good. Governors are most supportive and frequently come to school see how well things are going and to help out at school functions. They are involved well in making

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Grade: 2

decisions, self-evaluation and the school improvement process. They ensure that resources are used efficiently and effectively and the school provides good value for money. 5 Inspection Report: Barrowby CofE Primary School, 8 °9 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: Barrowby CofE Primary School, 8 °9 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? 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 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 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. 7 Inspection Report: Barrowby CofE Primary School, 8 °9 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: Barrowby CofE Primary School, 8 °9 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

10 January 2007 Dear Pupils Barrowby CofE Primary School, Church Street, Barrowby, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG32 1BX Thank you for making us welcome in your school, especially to those of you who talked to us about school life. We came to see how well you are all getting on and whether there are any ways that the school could be improved. We really enjoyed our visit. Your school is a good one, and some things about it are excellent. You and the staff get on very well together - it is like a big, happy family. You are lucky to have such a good headteacher and staff; they all work hard to make sure that you make good progress and reach high standards in most subjects. We were particularly impressed with you! Your behaviour is excellent and you work very hard in class, which helps you to do so well. You are developing especially well as young people. The school council take their responsibilities seriously and they are helping you all to have a say about what happens in school. You also

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

help others, especially by raising large sums of money for charity. Your parents are pleased with what the school does for you too. We greatly enjoyed the lessons we saw and understand why you enjoy them too. You are lucky to have so many trips, visits, visitors and clubs and activities after school. The staff at school care for you extremely well and give extra help to those that need it. We were pleased to see that older pupils know what they need to do to improve their work and that you take good notice of the comments teachers write when they mark your work. This is helping you to improve too. The staff know what needs to improve. More of you need to get to Level 5 in writing by Year 6. You can help here by making a special effort in writing. They are also working on improving the outdoor areas for children in Reception. We have asked them to use the information that they have about how well you are getting on to show what a good school this is and whether

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

there are any areas that need to be improved. We wish you all well in the future. Mrs. S Aldridge Lead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Barrowby CofE Primary School, 8 °9 January 2007

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