Wigginton Primary School

Wigginton Primary School Inspection report

p.1

121366 Unique Reference Number York Local Authority 292089 Inspection number 27 °28 September 2006 Inspection dates Linda Murphy Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Primary Type of school Community School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 276 School

p.1

The governing body Appropriate authority Mr John Clark Chair Mrs Pat Boyle Headteacher 18 February 2002 Date of previous school inspection Westfield Lane School address Wigginton York North Yorkshire YO32 2FZ

p.1

01904 761647 Telephone number 01904 758350 Fax number

p.1

4 °11 Age group 27 °28 September 2006 Inspection dates 292089 Inspection number .

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

Most pupils are of White British heritage; a small number are from other White or mixed-White and Black African heritage. A few are at an early stage of learning English as an additional language. There is a small proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. The school has the Basic Skills Quality Mark and the Healthy Schools Award. There have recently been many changes to the staffing.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Wigginton Primary School, 27 °28 September 2006

p.3

Grade: 3

This is a friendly village school which pupils enjoy. The education it provides is satisfactory with some good aspects. Pupils' personal development is strong because the school makes very sure that pupils are safe and well cared for. As a result, pupils appreciate the importance of staying healthy, building good relationships, caring for others and looking after the environment. A parent commented that 'staff are calm and well organised'. Staff make time to listen to their pupils and help them with any problems. Parents and staff work together to ensure that attendance is good. The quality of teaching, learning and the curriculum is satisfactory in the Foundation Stage. Standards are broadly average across the school. In the past, pupils have not done as well as they might - particularly those capable of learning quickly in Years 1 and 2. This is in part because of many changes of staff and because there are weaknesses in the precise use of

p.4

Grade: 3

assessment and in the pace and challenge for pupils in these year groups. Importantly, pupils make at least satisfactory progress across the school, which reflects the effective quality of teaching and learning - this is at its best in Years 5 and 6 where pupils' progress accelerates as a result. The school uses various systems to track pupils' progress but the information gained is not used well enough to help raise standards. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Recent staff changes include a strengthened leadership team whose members already work closely together to ensure that standards are improving. Governors provide support and a sound degree of challenge. The school has mostly successfully tackled the key issues from the last inspection. There is a unity and collective desire to raise standards and the school has a satisfactory capacity to improve. It provides satisfactory value for money.

p.4

Grade: 3

Self-evaluation is generally satisfactory although the school judged the teaching and curriculum over-generously. This is because too little weight was given to the impact on pupils' academic progress, which is satisfactory. Nonetheless, the curriculum promotes pupils' personal development well because pupils benefit considerably from a good range of visitors and enjoy many visits to places of interest. The range of extra-curricular activities is good and these are well attended. This helps pupils achieve a healthy lifestyle and broaden their horizons.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

• Make better use of the data collected about pupils' attainment so that their progress is carefully tracked and the information used to raise standards. • Provide more challenge for pupils who learn more quickly in Years 1 and 2 in writing and mathematics so that they achieve their potential. • Raise the overall quality of teaching to the level of the best practice and ensure that it has good pace and challenge for all pupils, including the most able.

p.4

Grade: 3

What children know, understand and can do when they first enter the Reception Year is broadly as expected for their age. Sound foundations are laid in this year so that by the end of of their first year at school standards are broadly those expected. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory overall in Years 1 to 6. Pupils who are capable of learning quickly in Years 1 and 2 do not make 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Wigginton Primary School, 27 °28 September 2006 enough progress. This is because the challenge for them is often insufficient to move them on quickly in writing and mathematics. In Years 5 and 6 this improves so that pupils' progress makes a spurt. Over time, the proportion of pupils reaching higher levels in Year 6 is increasing. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilites and those learning English as an additional language make the same progress as others. Pupils' achievement is strongest in reading and

p.4

Grade: 3

the school is therefore concentrating on raising standards in writing and mathematics.

p.5

Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils enjoy their learning, attendance is high, and behaviour is generally good. The school council plays an active role in the life of the school, encouraging healthy eating and care of the environment, for example, planting the school's Rainbow Garden. Pupils are involved in drawing up school rules and older pupils help to supervise younger ones on the playground. Pupils are well aware of the need for a healthy lifestyle and this is reflected in the recent achievement of the Healthy School Award. Pupils enjoy physical exercise: for example, they tally their laps of the playground to build up to a 'crazy kilometre' distance over time. The good range of residential visits and large number of extra-curricular activities are popular with pupils and well supported by parents. Pupils play an important role in the local community. They are

p.5

Grade: 2

involved, for example, in delivering harvest gifts locally, whilst older pupils host a harvest lunch for senior citizens.

p.5

Grade: 3

The qualities of teaching and learning are satisfactory: they range from satisfactory to good. Common strengths include the use of clear targets at the beginning of each lesson, so that pupils are aware of the skills they will learn or apply. To end the lesson, these targets are reviewed so pupils can evaluate their progress. Interactive white boards impact well on pupils' learning in all classes. Lessons are given increased visual appeal and variety and pupils are becoming increasingly confident in using this new technology. Teachers work hard to make lessons relevant and interesting. Those pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities are well supported when taught individually. Those with English as an additional language receive the help required to settle quickly and learn at the same rate as others in their class. However, some aspects of teaching are not consistent through the school. There is insufficient challenge

p.5

Grade: 3

for pupils in Years 1 and 2. Generally expectations and pace are not as high across the school as they are, for example, in Years 5 and 6. Assessment and target setting, strong in upper Key Stage 2, are not used as well with the younger pupils. These factors especially limit the speed of pupils' progress.

p.5

Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. It is divided into themes which allow work in one subject to stimulate learning in another. As a result, pupils see the relevance of new skills they develop. The curriculum is frequently enriched by educational visits or by artists, actors and other experts visiting the school. Such vivid experiences as meeting a Viking warrior or working with a painter 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Wigginton Primary School, 27 °28 September 2006 leave indelible memories. Residential visits also raise pupils' self-confidence and skills of leadership. The curriculum promotes healthy living well and establishes in the pupils good habits which could influence their future lives. The Basic Skills Quality Mark has had a positive impact in Years 5 and 6. However, the overall curriculum does not sufficiently address the needs of the more able pupils, particularly in Years 1 and 2. Outside school hours, the pupils benefit

p.5

Grade: 3

well from a very wide range of extra sporting and artistic clubs, run by teachers, parents and outside coaches.

p.6

Grade: 2

The school provides a good level of care for its pupils. Arrangements for health and safety, including child protection, are good. Pupils feel happy and confident within the school, and this is reflected in good attendance and in the positive views of parents. The pupils describe the large number of visitors, the frequent school visits and the large choice of extra-curricular activities as the areas that make the school special for them. Older pupils have a clear understanding of their academic targets, and know what they must do to improve. Arrangements for transfer to the secondary school are thorough and pupils look forward to this with confidence.

p.6

Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory, with strengths in the nurturing of pupils' personal development and in ensuring that pupils are well cared for and encouraged to lead healthy lives. As one parent explained, 'Pupils are taught to respect others and value diversity.' The school works well with outside agencies and parents are generally pleased that they chose this school for their children. There have been several recent changes of staffing and the headteacher has fostered a strong sense of teamwork and a shared determination to bring about improvement. Together with the deputy headteacher and new members of the senior leadership team, there is a clear understanding of what needs to be done to accelerate pupils' progress. Overall the quality of teaching of the senior leadership team is good but it is not yet sufficiently influencing the quality of teaching and learning as a whole. The school has still to get to grips

p.6

Grade: 3

with raising standards for the more able pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 and with tracking pupils' progress more carefully. The governing body carries out its duties conscientiously and fulfils statutory requirements. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Wigginton Primary School, 27 °28 September 2006 .

p.6

Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Wigginton Primary School, 27 °28 September 2006

p.7

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.8

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

p.8

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

p.8

learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 2 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

p.8

and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.8

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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Wigginton Primary School, 27 °28 September 2006

p.8

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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Wigginton Primary School, 27 °28 September 2006

p.9

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for the welcome you gave the team of inspectors when we visited your school. We judge that the school gives you a satisfactory education that is especially strong in helping you develop personally and in caring for you well. We know that you enjoy school - your attendance is good. The next steps for the school are first to look at what you can do and make good use of this information to help you improve: Second, to give more help to those pupils who are capable of learning quickly in Years 1 and 2: and third to make sure that you all have the best teaching possible. You can all help by working hard and always doing your best. 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Wigginton Primary School, 27 °28 September 2006

p.10