Edmund de Moundeford VC Primary School, Feltwell

Edmund de Moundeford VC Primary School Inspection report

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121037 Unique Reference Number NORFOLK Local Authority 291969 Inspection number 21 °22 June 2007 Inspection dates John Godwood 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 173 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Coreen Turner Chair Mr Stephen Kite Headteacher 11 March 2002 Date of previous school inspection The Beck School address Feltwell Thetford Norfolk IP26 4DB

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01842 828334 Telephone number 01842 827655 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 21 °22 June 2007 Inspection dates 291969 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

Edmund de Moundeford Voluntary Controlled Primary School serves the village of Feltwell, although one in five pupils come from further afield. One in ten pupils are American, from the nearby air base. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is broadly average, although almost all pupils speak English as their first language. An above average proportion of pupils join or leave the school at other than the usual time. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. The number of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is below average for a school of this size, although the proportion with a statement of special educational need is average. Pupils' knowledge and skills on joining the school are broadly average. The Edmund de Moundeford Charitable Trust provides two foundation governors and funds additional facilities such as the swimming pool, which is also used by the community.

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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: Edmund de Moundeford VC Primary School, 21 °22 June 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school that provides good value for money. It has a positive ethos in which pupils are happy and enjoy learning. The staff also enjoy their work and all work well together to promote pupils' well-being and their achievement. The school has good links with the local community and with parents, who mostly hold very positive views of the school. Pupils' good personal development is a strength of the school. Their behaviour is generally very good and they show good care for each other. The school takes their views seriously. Pupils grow in self-confidence and contribute positively through participating in assemblies and taking on responsibilities. They understand well how to stay safe and healthy. Achievement and standards are good. Pupils get off to a good start in the Foundation Stage because the activities are planned very carefully and are well taught. Pupils make good progress throughout the school. Standards in Year 2 are above average and show a clear trend of

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Grade: 2

improvement. Pupils' reading is particularly good. Standards in Year 6 are more variable, partly because of turnover in the pupil population, but are above average overall. Pupils make good progress in English and mathematics and satisfactory progress in science. Good achievement is the result of good teaching and a good curriculum. Teachers have high expectations and pupils generally respond very well. Most lessons are interesting and well matched to pupils' abilities. Pupils' attainment is assessed regularly and the results are used well by teachers to review pupils' progress and provide additional support or challenges. However, the school does not use assessment data sufficiently in evaluating its overall effectiveness and in planning improvements. The curriculum is well planned and includes interesting enrichment activities and additional challenges for gifted and talented pupils. Care, guidance and support are satisfactory. Teachers and teaching assistants know the pupils

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Grade: 2

well and are caring. Pupils feel safe and have trusting relationships with the adults. Teachers encourage pupils well through careful marking, but do not guide their learning sufficiently through giving clear targets for their next steps. The support for pupils with learning difficulties is good, except that pupils and their parents are not informed early enough of the targets on individual education plans. Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher guides the school well in making learning interesting and effective, and is well supported by the deputy headteacher. The school has clear priorities for improvement. Good subject leadership and teamwork have led to steadily improving standards in Key Stage 1 and recent improvements to the curriculum. The school's knowledge of its strengths and weaknesses, through lesson observations and other monitoring, is satisfactory. There is, however, a lack of rigour in the monitoring processes, partly because

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Grade: 2

the responsibilities of senior and middle leaders are not defined clearly enough. As a result, the school has satisfactory capacity for further improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve guidance to pupils on their next steps in learning, and ensure that pupils with learning difficulties and their parents know their individual targets. • Make better use of assessment data to ensure that planning and evaluation are focused on raising standards for pupils. • Increase the rigour in the monitoring of teaching through clarifying the responsibilities of managers at all levels. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Edmund de Moundeford VC Primary School, 21 °22 June 2007

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Grade: 2

Achievement and standards are good. In the Foundation Stage, pupils make good progress and most achieve or exceed the early learning goals. Pupils continue to make good progress through the school. By the end of Year 2, standards are above average. They have been steadily rising for the last four years. Standards are particularly high in reading. They are higher in English than mathematics, but due to a consistent and effective focus, standards in mathematics have risen significantly and are also above average. Standards at the end of Year 6 are more variable, partly because several pupils join or leave the school at other than the usual time. However, standards are generally above average. They are often better in English and mathematics than in science. Pupils' progress is good overall, but satisfactory in science. Boys and girls make equally good progress and there are no groups of pupils who underachieve. Pupils with learning difficulties make good progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good. Pupils enjoy school and have positive attitudes. They generally behave very well. Attendance is monitored well and is satisfactory. Pupils' social skills are developed well through lessons, the many additional activities, and the good examples shown by adults. Pupils work well in pairs and small groups. They are confident to 'have a go' in new situations because they know teachers will value their contributions even if they are wrong. Pupils are keen to take on responsibilities. They contribute very well to the class assemblies and this adds to their self-confidence. The school council has a high profile and is influential. Older pupils are conscientious 'friends at break'. Pupils show concern for others through their fundraising, for example for Children in Need. Pupils know well how to stay safe and healthy

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Grade: 2

and many take part in sports activities. Their social skills and good achievement prepare them well for their future working lives.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good, and occasionally outstanding. Pupils are keen to participate and listen well to each other. Most lessons are well planned, with interesting activities that pupils enjoy. Teachers have high expectations and usually make clear to pupils what they are going to learn. In most lessons, activities are well matched to pupils' different abilities, so that all are challenged. Interactive whiteboards are used very effectively in some lessons to add impact and engage pupils. Teachers' questions are effective in checking pupils' understanding and encouraging them to think. Teaching assistants and parent helpers provide good support. In a small minority of lessons, teachers' questioning does not sufficiently engage all the pupils. Occasionally, the pace slows because pupils' attention is not managed well enough. However, in outstanding lessons, the management of pupils and questioning are exceptionally good, so

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Grade: 2

that all pupils participate fully and thoroughly enjoy learning. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Edmund de Moundeford VC Primary School, 21 °22 June 2007

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is interesting and meets pupils' needs well. The Foundation Stage activities are particularly well planned, enabling the youngest pupils to make good progress on a wide range of skills. Older pupils benefit from learning French and Spanish. In literacy and numeracy, good planning ensures that the curriculum is well matched to pupils' different abilities, although this is less secure in some other subjects. Where possible, teachers link subjects to make learning more enjoyable and to enable pupils to develop writing skills in different contexts. Personal, social and health education is well planned. Pupils swim every week in the school's pool. Pupils enjoy a good range of sports clubs, visits and other relevant activities such as the Fenland Project. The additional challenges for gifted and talented pupils and the support for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities have both been improved over the past year and are

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory. Adults are caring and supportive towards children. Pupils are well supervised and feel safe. Child protection arrangements meet requirements. The school undertakes regular health and safety checks. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are well supported. Their individual education plans are well written, but their individual targets are not shared quickly enough with parents or pupils. There are good procedures to monitor pupils' academic development and identify pupils who need additional support. Guidance to pupils is satisfactory. Marking of pupils' work is thorough and supportive. However, pupils are not consistently given clear targets for their next steps in learning. There are good links with the pre-school and secondary school.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher's leadership has established a happy school with clear aims, in which staff share a sense of common purpose. As a result, the school is successful in promoting pupils' good achievement and personal development. The school development plan includes clear priorities and supports staff and governors in implementing improvements. This has led to a rise in standards in Key Stage 1 and recent improvements to the curriculum. Subject leaders work well in planning the development of their subjects and monitoring the quality. The school runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis. There are good links with parents, many of whom provide good help in lessons and in other ways. Self-evaluation is satisfactory. Both senior and middle leaders observe lessons and have a satisfactory knowledge of the quality of teaching, but formal observations are not frequent enough to provide a detailed picture of strengths and weaknesses. Assessment records are

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Grade: 2

used well to monitor individual pupils' progress, but are not used sufficiently in the evaluation of the school's overall performance. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Edmund de Moundeford VC Primary School, 21 °22 June 2007 Governance is good. Governors are involved in planning and monitoring the school's work. They provide particularly good support for financial matters and on issues relating to premises and buildings. Value for money is good. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Edmund de Moundeford VC Primary School, 21 °22 June 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Edmund de Moundeford VC Primary School, 21 °22 June 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

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 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: Edmund de Moundeford VC Primary School, 21 °22 June 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: Edmund de Moundeford VC Primary School, 21 °22 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

25 June 2007 Dear Children Inspection of Edmund de Moundeford Primary School, Feltwell, IP26 4DB We enjoyed our visit to your school. Thank you for your friendly welcome and for sharing your thoughts with us. Many of you told us that you really enjoy school because most lessons are fun and you have other interesting activities, such as swimming. We agree that it is a good school. The school helps you to grow into responsible young people. Your teachers are fair and listen to what you have to say. You are keen to learn and most of you behave very well. We were pleased to see how well you care for each other and are helpful in school - as 'friends at break' or on the school council, for example. You make an excellent contribution in the class assemblies. You learn well because teachers explain things clearly and usually set work at the right level. They expect you to work hard and ask questions that make you think. The teaching assistants

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

give good extra support. Teachers mark your work well, but we have asked them to help your learning by giving you targets for your next steps. You make good progress and generally do well in Year 2 and Year 6 tests. Your reading is particularly good and your writing has improved. In Year 6, English and mathematics are good, and science is satisfactory. Teachers check your progress well and give you extra help if you need it. We have asked the school to make more use of the results from assessment weeks when planning new learning. All the staff work very hard to make learning enjoyable and help you to do well. They have good ideas for how to make the school even better. They check how well things are going. We have asked the headteacher and other teachers to watch your lessons more often so that they can share the best teaching methods across the school. We think that the school will continue to improve. You can help through making suggestions

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

to the school council and working hard, especially on writing and science. We wish you well for the future. Yours sincerely John Godwood Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Edmund de Moundeford VC Primary School, 21 °22 June 2007

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