Heckington St Andrew's Church of England School

Heckington St Andrew's Church of England School Inspection report

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120526 Unique Reference Number LINCOLNSHIRE Local Authority 291769 Inspection number 21 °22 May 2007 Inspection dates David Speakman 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 controlled School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 204 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Mike Hardy Chair Mrs Lesley Tyreman Headteacher 23 May 2002 Date of previous school inspection Howell Road School address Heckington Sleaford Lincolnshire NG34 9RX

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01529460633 Telephone number 01529462107 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 21 °22 May 2007 Inspection dates 291769 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an average size school serving children from the local rural community. Very few come from backgrounds other than White British but there is a small number who are at the early stages of learning English. The proportion of pupils receiving a free school meal is below the national average. The number of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities (LDD) is about average, as is the proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational need. Attainment on entry is typical for children of this age. The school has the Active Mark and is part of the local authority's School Improvement Partnership and a School Sports Coordinator Programme. The headteacher took up her post at the beginning of the current school year.

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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: Heckington St Andrew's Church of England School, 21 °22 May 2007

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Grade: 3

Inspection outcomes support the schools own evaluation that its effectiveness is satisfactory. It provides satisfactory value for money. Pupils make satisfactory progress overall and, by the time they reach the end of Year 6, attainment is broadly average. Quality and standards in the Foundation Stage are satisfactory. This year's school assessment data for Year 6 shows signs of improving standards in reading and mathematics, which are set to be above average, with average standards in science and well below average standards in writing. Progress since Year 2 has been satisfactory in reading and mathematics but is unsatisfactory in writing. Pupils' personal development is satisfactory. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory. Staff help pupils develop an understanding of cultures other than their own, but there is still more to be achieved in this area. Pupils behave well in lessons and

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Grade: 3

around school. They say that they enjoy school a lot and consider it is a safe and comfortable place to learn and play. Attendance is in line with the national average. On the whole, pupils take advantage of the opportunities the school has to offer to enable them to keep fit and healthy. They develop satisfactory skills to equip them for the next stages in their schooling, including their ability to use their own initiative in solving problems and carrying out investigations. They make a satisfactory contribution to school life and the wider community. The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory. There is a significant variation in the quality of teaching and learning both across the school and within year groups. The school provides a satisfactory level of care and guidance for pupils. Although there are good systems for tracking pupils' progress and a lot of valuable information is available on pupils'

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Grade: 3

achievement, teachers do not always use it well enough to make sure that all pupils are suitably challenged and make good progress. The curriculum is satisfactory and adequately meets the needs of all learners. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall, but the leadership of the headteacher and deputy headteacher is good. It is strong and purposeful and is clearly focused on improving achievement and raising standards. Since taking up her role at the beginning of this school year, the headteacher, working in effective partnership with the deputy headteacher, has identified accurately where the school needs to improve and what actions need to be taken. However, some staff with leadership responsibilities have yet to embrace the drive for improvement. The monitoring and evaluation role of subject leadership teams is at different stages of development and so the impact on standards varies. Governance is satisfactory. There

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Grade: 3

are several new governors and the governing body is now working to increase its involvement and its impact on school improvement. Consequently, school self-evaluation is satisfactory overall, although the headteacher and deputy headteacher have already got a good knowledge of the school's performance. The improvement since the previous inspection has been adequate, but there has been a greater impetus in moving the school forward in the current school year. The capacity for further improvement is at present satisfactory.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in writing throughout the school. • Make sure that teachers use assessment and other performance information more effectively to plan challenging lessons and to provide guidance that enables all pupils achieve well. • Improve the role of the subject leaders and governors in monitoring and evaluating the school's performance. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Heckington St Andrew's Church of England School, 21 °22 May 2007 A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged to be satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next Section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Pupils achieve satisfactorily in Reception and, by the time they move into Year 1, most have attained the nationally expected levels for five year olds. There has been a trend of rising standards at the end of Year 2 over recent years, but this year's assessments in reading, writing and mathematics are closer to the national average. Recent work to improve teachers' skills in assessing and levelling pupils' work is giving the school a more accurate picture of pupils' achievements in Key Stage 1, which are satisfactory overall. School assessment data also indicates that standards at the end of Year 6 are average overall. However, this year, standards have begun to improve. Pupils' attainment is currently above average in reading and mathematics, average in science, but well below average in writing. Achievement in Years 3 to 6 is generally satisfactory, but pupils' progress is still not good enough in writing. Pupils with LDD achieve

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Grade: 3

satisfactorily. Those with English as an additional language soon gain sufficient competence in English to enable them to make the same progress as other pupils in their class.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' personal development is satisfactory. Pupils work and play happily; they get on well together and say they enjoy school. Behaviour is good. They have good attitudes towards learning overall, but some pupils are passive learners and do not make enough effort to join in discussions or answer questions. Pupils know how to lead a healthy lifestyle. They enjoy the high quality school lunches and join in physical activities enthusiastically, including lunchtime and after-school sports. The school is wisely considering further activities to help pupils understand the benefits of making healthy choices in their packed lunches. Older pupils make a good contribution to the work of the school but there are fewer such opportunities for younger ones. Attendance is average. It would be higher, but for an unusually large proportion of families who take holidays in term time and, in doing so, adversely affect their children's learning.

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Grade: 3

Although satisfactory overall, there is significant variation in the quality of teaching, with that seen during the inspection ranging from good to inadequate. Teachers generally use success criteria well to check if pupils have been effective in their learning and to give them a good idea about the progress they have made. There are some good opportunities for pupils to positively appraise the work of others, identifying strengths in what they have done in lessons and so supporting improvement well. Where teachers use the interactive whiteboards well to give clear explanations, pupils understand quickly. However, explanations are not always clear because the language is sometimes too difficult and not easily understood. The pace of lessons varies; at times it is brisk and moves pupils on well, whilst at other times it slows and pupils lose interest. On occasions, teachers talk for too long and leave insufficient time for pupils to

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Grade: 3

practise skills and consolidate learning. Teachers do not use assessment data well enough to 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Heckington St Andrew's Church of England School, 21 °22 May 2007 ensure tasks are closely matched to the different ages and abilities in the mixed-age classes. Consequently, tasks are not always challenging enough to ensure that pupils at different levels of attainment make the progress that they should. Furthermore, teaching assistants are not always deployed effectively. They are not directed to focus on key groups of pupils to provide sustained support and ensure their good progress.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. It is broad, balanced and meets statutory requirements. The curriculum for pupils in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory and has improved this year with a greater focus on practical aspects of learning. Provision for literacy and numeracy is satisfactory overall but the emphasis placed on writing, particularly at Key Stage 2, is not sufficient to ensure satisfactory progress. Furthermore, there are too few planned opportunities for pupils to develop investigative and problem-solving skills. During the current year, the school has extended the resources for information and communication technology, which is having a beneficial effect on pupils' learning across the curriculum. Pupils enjoy the good range of enrichment activities, including after-school clubs, which widen their experiences. Parents are pleased that the school has recently re-introduced a residential visit for older pupils.

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Grade: 3

Provision for care, guidance and support is satisfactory. Staff know and care for their pupils well. The needs of pupils with LDD or those at the early stages of learning English are identified in good time and sound support enables them to make similar progress to their classmates. The headteacher ensures that the required checks are made on all adults who work or help in school and that staff are familiar with child protection procedures. The school has improved its safeguarding of pupils by introducing additional security and health and safety arrangements. Pupils are confident that there is no bullying in school and there are plenty of adults to talk to if they have any worries. Older pupils are currently benefiting from 'Bike Wise' safety training and Junior Road Safety Officers are helping others to stay safe. The ways in which staff check and track pupils' progress are satisfactory and some teachers are beginning to use such

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Grade: 3

information to provide well matched levels of challenge to those of different abilities. However, not all staff use performance data in a way that ensures that guidance to pupils is effective and that their progress is consistently good.

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Grade: 3

Although the quality of leadership and management is satisfactory overall, that of the headteacher and deputy headteacher is good and, as such, provides a clear direction for school improvement. The roles of the subject leadership teams are not yet well developed and some do not yet fully understand how assessment data can be used to raise attainment. Teams have been formed fairly recently and most are having a satisfactory impact on provision and standards, as indicated, for example, by improvements in mathematics this year. Not enough has been done to improve standards in writing, which at the end of Key Stage 2 have fallen this year. The monitoring of teaching and learning is, at present, mainly the responsibility of the headteacher, although the subject leaders have made a start in monitoring teaching in their 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Heckington St Andrew's Church of England School, 21 °22 May 2007

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Grade: 3

own subjects. The headteacher and the deputy headteacher have a good grasp of pupils' performance at individual, class and year group levels but teachers have yet to see themselves as accountable for the performance of pupils in their classes. Governors are supportive and work satisfactorily with the headteacher and others with leadership and management responsibilities. However, they do not play a sufficiently active role in monitoring and evaluating school performance or in challenging the school about what it achieves. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Heckington St Andrew's Church of England School, 21 °22 May 2007 .

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in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Heckington St Andrew's Church of England School, 21 °22 May 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? 3 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 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

3 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 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 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 3 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Heckington St Andrew's Church of England School, 21 °22 May 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: Heckington St Andrew's Church of England School, 21 °22 May 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

23 May 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Heckington St Andrew's CE School, Heckington, Sleaford, NG34 9RX Thank you for making us feel welcome in your school on our recent visit and for talking to us throughout the two days we spent with you. We were pleased to find out that you like school and feel safe whilst you are there. We thought that your behaviour in lessons and at break times was good and this helps to make the school a pleasant place for you to learn. We could see that you all got on well together. Since she took over the running of the school last September, your headteacher has worked hard to find out how the school can be improved. She has received some good support, particularly from the deputy headteacher. There are signs this year that standards in reading and mathematics are improving, but those in writing are still not good enough. Therefore, we have asked everybody in school to help you improve the quality of your writing. Perhaps you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

could help too, by really trying hard to do your best. We have also asked your headteacher to make sure that teaching is at least good in all classes and that teachers use everything that they know about you to plan challenging lessons. They should give you good advice on how to improve your work. Staff who are subject leaders and governors can also help to improve teaching and learning by checking more carefully how well you and your teachers are doing and by planning the best ways to improve the quality of your work. We wish you well in the future David Speakman (Lead inspector) 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Heckington St Andrew's Church of England School, 21 °22 May 2007

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