Stickney Church of England Primary School

Stickney Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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120629 Unique Reference Number LINCOLNSHIRE Local Authority 291805 Inspection number 27 °28 March 2007 Inspection dates Joanne Harvey 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 169 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Sheila Doyle Thomas Chair Miss Rowena Hanks Headteacher 12 November 2001 Date of previous school inspection Main Road School address Stickney Boston Lincolnshire PE22 8AX

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01205 480254 Telephone number 01205 481170 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 27 °28 March 2007 Inspection dates 291805 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 a smaller than average primary school in the village of Stickney that serves pupils from a wide area. A small number of pupils are entitled to claim free school meals. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds and none is in the early stages of learning to speak English. A higher number of pupils than in most schools has learning difficulties or disabilities and the number with a statement of special educational need is also higher. Attainment on entry to the school varies year by year though it is generally below average, particularly in some areas of English and mathematical development.

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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: Stickney Church of England Primary School, 27 °28 March 2007

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Grade: 3

This is an improving school with some important good features and some areas for further improvement. It is providing a satisfactory standard of education and sound value for money. The relatively new headteacher, supported by the governors and a hardworking team of staff, provides strong and effective leadership. This has ensured that, following a challenging time for the school, everyone is working together successfully to improve the quality of education provided for pupils and to achieve the school's motto to 'Learn, enjoy, achieve!' Good personal development and well-being have been successfully promoted. Most pupils behave well and enjoy good relationships with adults and each other. They become confident because they are encouraged to express their opinions and accept responsibilities. They enjoy working together, playing together and helping each other and others in their community. They are taught successfully about how to keep healthy and safe. The combination of well developed

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Grade: 3

personal, social and emotional skills with improving basic skills ensures pupils are satisfactorily equipped for the next stage of their education and life. Overall, the care, guidance and support of pupils are satisfactory. Pastoral needs are met particularly well. Great care is taken to keep pupils safe, happy and able to enjoy their time at school. Effective arrangements support pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities so that they make good progress. The academic guidance given to pupils is satisfactory. Systems to check how well pupils are progressing and for setting pupils' targets are not yet finely tuned or embedded across the school. Consequently, pupils do not always know how well they are doing or what they need to do to improve. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teachers plan conscientiously and promote good relationships and positive attitudes to learning. Teaching assistants work well to support

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Grade: 3

individuals and groups. Improvements to teaching and learning are having a positive impact and some good teaching was seen at the time of the inspection. However, there is not yet enough good teaching to ensure that all pupils progress well. There are inconsistencies in marking and work does not always offer enough challenge to the more able pupils. Consequently, achievement and standards are satisfactory. Pupils progress well to achieve the standards expected of them in the Reception class where teaching and learning and the curriculum are good. Satisfactory standards and progress have been maintained over recent years in Years 1 and 2. In the national tests taken in 2006 at the end of Year 6, standards in English, mathematics and science were broadly average, representing broadly average progress from Years 3 to 6. At the time of the inspection, more pupils were making good progress where teaching and the

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Grade: 3

academic guidance of pupils had improved. The satisfactory curriculum develops basic skills and provides enrichment activities that pupils enjoy, but there are not enough creative links being made between subjects or enough opportunities to practise basic skills in other subjects. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher, supported by the assistant head, has made a significant impact on the school by improving pupils' personal development and introducing sound systems for evaluating the school's work. The role of curriculum leaders is developing well but they are not yet having sufficient impact on school improvement. However, the school has shown that it has made sound improvements since the last inspection, and the sense of urgency and determination to do even better demonstrate that it has the capacity to improve further. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Stickney Church of England Primary School, 27 °28 March 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve teaching to ensure it is consistently of the quality seen in the best lessons. • Improve assessment by ensuring systems for checking pupils' progress are rigorously applied and that targets set as a result include a sufficient level of challenge for all. • Develop a curriculum closely tailored to the needs of pupils with increased cross-curricular links and more opportunities for pupils to practise what they have learned in a range of contexts. • Ensure that all school leaders play a full role in monitoring, evaluation and school improvement.

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Grade: 3

Achievement and standards are satisfactory. Stimulating activities and consistently good teaching ensure that pupils make good progress in the Reception class and achieve the standards expected for their age. Standards and progress in Years 1 and 2 have been satisfactory over recent years, though school tracking evidence at the time of the inspection suggests that pupils are beginning to make better progress here. At the end of Year 6 in 2006 pupils achieved average standards in English, mathematics and science having made satisfactory progress. Improved teaching and new systems for checking pupils' progress and setting targets are beginning to impact positively on pupils' achievement across the school. Evidence suggests an increasing number of pupils are on course to achieve more challenging targets. Good support for pupils who find their learning more difficult ensures these pupils progress well.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Pupils enjoy coming to school and develop into friendly, confident young people. Attendance is similar to other schools. The majority behave and co-operate well during lessons and respond well to reward systems. Pupils enjoy extra-curricular sporting and other activities. They make healthy and safe lifestyle choices. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. For example, they talk with wonder about the developments brought about by the changing seasons and with sensitivity about the impact of bullying behaviour. Pupils enjoy the close links with the local church and community to which they are proud to contribute. Their participation in local events, such as Apple Day, helps them to develop a good understanding of their own and other cultures. Pupils make their views known through, for example, the school council. Year 6 pupils help to run the

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Grade: 2

tuck shop and as monitors, older pupils help younger pupils during lunch and break times.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall and are consistently good in the Reception class where pupils make good progress. Some good teaching was seen in Years 1 to 6 and, across the school, teachers are successful in establishing warm relationships, making good use of information and communication technology (ICT) and deploying skilled teaching assistants 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Stickney Church of England Primary School, 27 °28 March 2007 well. Questioning is often used effectively to develop thinking and extend pupils' understanding. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is good. Teachers plan conscientiously, but this does not always result in work that challenges more able pupils who say they would welcome more demanding work. Teachers do not always make it clear to pupils what they want them to learn. The quality of teachers' marking varies and too often does not provide feedback

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Grade: 3

on how pupils can improve the standard of their work. Occasionally, when teachers talk too much in lessons, pupils lose interest and progress slows.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. In the Reception class it is good because it is closely tailored to meet pupils' needs. In the rest of the school, it focuses on the development of pupils' basic skills but it has not been adapted to the same extent to meet the specific needs of the pupils. Creative links across subjects to promote interest and enjoyment are only just being made. Worksheets are too heavily relied upon and limit progress. Plans to include a modern foreign language and to support pupils who are gifted and talented are at an early stage. Curriculum enrichment includes trips to local places of interest, and themed days. These make a good contribution to pupils' enjoyment and personal development. Year 6 pupils undertake a residential trip to an outdoor activity centre and pupils of all ages enjoy taking part in additional sporting and musical activities. A carefully planned programme of personal, social and health

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Grade: 3

education contributes well to pupils' good personal development and reinforces the school's close links with the local community.

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Grade: 3

Pupils and their parents speak highly of the pastoral care provided and their confidence is well-placed. The supportive and caring ethos helps to put pupils in a calm and settled frame of mind, which enables them to make steady progress in their work. Partnerships with community agencies are good and add significantly to the care given to pupils. Arrangements to safeguard pupils meet requirements. The school provides a sound range of booster activities for pupils who are making less than expected progress. Those with learning difficulties or disabilities are supported well and make good progress. Curriculum targets have been introduced to remind pupils of what they need to do to improve their work. However, not all pupils know their targets well enough or how to achieve them. The system for tracking pupils' progress has begun to have a positive impact on how well they do but does not yet consistently help to promote the

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Grade: 3

highest possible expectations for all pupils.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. In a short time the headteacher, who has a clear vision for the school, has successfully reached out to the community to strengthen relationships. Partnerships have been forged within and beyond the school to enhance provision for pupils. Good personal development and improved behaviour have been successfully promoted. The building and resources to promote learning have also been improved. A sharper focus has been given to checking on the school's work, the way assessment information is collected and used and how targets are set to secure higher academic standards. These are not yet fully developed 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Stickney Church of England Primary School, 27 °28 March 2007 or embedded and it is too early to judge their impact. The governing body is only just beginning to check how well school improvement is going. Curriculum and other leaders are enthusiastic

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Grade: 3

but have only recently begun to develop their role and are not yet playing a full part in checking how well pupils are doing, thereby helping to make the school better. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Stickney Church of England Primary School, 27 °28 March 2007 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Stickney Church of England Primary School, 27 °28 March 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 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 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 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 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Stickney Church of England Primary School, 27 °28 March 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: Stickney Church of England Primary School, 27 °28 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

29 March 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Stickney CofE Primary School, Main Road, Stickney, Boston, Lincolnshire, PE22 8AX We were pleased to meet you and all the staff and enjoyed the time we spent with you when we came to inspect your school recently. Thank you for making us so welcome, talking to us and helping us to find out so much about you and your school. You are lucky to go to a school where all the adults work very hard to take care of you and make sure you are happy and that your lessons are fun. It is in your personal development that your teachers help you to do well. It was lovely to see you behaving well, working hard and looking after yourselves and each other, and that you know so much about keeping safe and healthy. Your super sport activities and hard work for the Healthy School Award have really paid off! We especially enjoyed seeing you proudly carry out your jobs around school and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

hearing about how you help others by entertaining them with your performances, raising money, and doing other helpful things. We also loved hearing you sing in assembly. The standards you reach in your tests at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are similar to those of most pupils of a similar age. The progress you make is also similar to most pupils around the country and some of you are beginning to do even better. Those of you who find learning more difficult progress well. All the adults at school are keen to help you do as well as you can and so we have asked them to do some things to help you. It is important that you do your bit to help by continuing to behave well and by coming to school every day. Though teaching in school is satisfactory, those who lead the school are going to make sure that it is always as good as the best teaching we saw. Everyone is going to make sure they always know exactly how well you are doing and give you all the right work to help you improve.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

They are going to make sure that you are clear about what you need to do to improve. They are going to give you more of the topic work that you say you love and that helps you to learn well, including time to practise your skills in different ways. Leaders at all levels of the school are going to play their full part in checking on the work of the school and making it even better. We would like to wish you the very best for the future. Joanne Harvey Lead Inspector Jill Smith Additional Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Stickney Church of England Primary School, 27 °28 March 2007

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