Corby Old Village Primary School

Rowlett Community Primary School Inspection report

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121808 Unique Reference Number Northamptonshire Local Authority 292224 Inspection number 7 June 2007 Inspection date Gulshanbir Kayembe 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 Community School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 107 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Jane Lawson Chair Georgina Dredge Headteacher 22 April 2002 Date of previous school inspection High Street School address Corby NN17 1UU

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01536 202359 Telephone number 01536 202359 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 7 June 2007 Inspection date 292224 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

In this small school, pupils' attainment on entry is below average, particularly in relation to communication and language skills. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is well above average and particularly high in the current Year 6. The proportion of pupils with statements of special educational need is also well above average. Currently, 7% of pupils are from New Age Traveller families.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Rowlett Community Primary School, 7 June 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. It provides a good quality of education and pupils achieve well as a result. The quality of provision in the Foundation Stage is also good and pupils make good progress in their first year in school. They reach standards that are close to national averages by the end of their Reception Year. Standards are broadly in line with national averages by the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Pupils achieve particularly well in mathematics. Writing is an area where some, especially boys, tend to struggle. As a result, standards in mathematics tend to be higher than in English. The success of the school is down to good leadership and management and the systematic approach to improvement taken by the headteacher. She uses self-evaluation very effectively to help the school improve and individual staff to develop their skills further. Hence, teaching and learning are good. Lessons are well planned and work is well matched to

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Grade: 2

the needs of most pupils, although able pupils are not always challenged as effectively as they could be. Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Pupils show a very high level of enjoyment of school, leading to good attendance and behaviour. They make good progress in learning to use their initiative and generally maturing into well rounded, personable and articulate youngsters by the time they are ready to leave. Given the good progress they make in literacy and numeracy, pupils are well prepared for the next steps in their education and future life. A good curriculum includes good provision for personal, social and health education. As a result, pupils have a thorough understanding of how to stay healthy. They are well looked after and cared for and feel safe. Overall, the school has improved provision and standards well since the last inspection. Accurate self-evaluation and continued improvements, such as in the provision for pupils with learning

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Grade: 2

disabilities and difficulties, mean that the school is well placed to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the quality of pupils' writing, including handwriting, spelling and use of vocabulary. • Ensure able pupils are suitably challenged in all lessons.

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Grade: 2

From low starting points, children in the Foundation Stage make good progress. In the 2006 national tests, pupils attained broadly average standards at the end of both key stages. Pupils in Year 6 achieved well in mathematics and their achievement in English was satisfactory. Most pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities achieved well as a result of good support. In both key stages, the numbers of pupils reaching the higher levels were low except in Key Stage 2 mathematics. Nonetheless, the results over the past three years represent a good trend of improvement. Pupils from New Age Traveller backgrounds achieve well. Current standards in Year 6 show that this improving trend is continuing and pupils are on track to attain better results in the 2007 tests, especially in English and science. Achievement is good across the school. Increasing numbers of pupils are working at the higher levels in both key

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Grade: 2

stages. Pupils make good progress in speaking as they move through the school and speak fluently and with confidence by Year 6. However, the school recognises that there is room for further improvement in pupils' writing, including handwriting, where standards still lag a little 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Rowlett Community Primary School, 7 June 2007 behind those in mathematics and science. Some pupils struggle with spelling and do not use a wide enough range of vocabulary.

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Grade: 2

Pupils are very positive about all aspects of school life and speak particularly warmly of their teachers. Their great enjoyment of school is reflected in their happy faces as they walk through the doors in the morning and their above average attendance. Pupils' spiritual, moral and social development is good. Pupils make great strides in their personal development as they move through the school. Children settle down well in the Reception class and, by the time they leave in Year 6, are reflective, sensitive and well-rounded young people. This, together with their good academic achievement, equips them well for future life. Behaviour is good and pupils get on well with each other. There are very few reported incidents of racism and bullying and pupils feel that any problems of this nature are resolved well by staff. Pupils are keen to take on responsibility and make a good contribution to the school community through the work of the

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Grade: 2

school council and the classroom and lunchtime monitor system. They have a good understanding of how to stay healthy and safe and particularly enjoy the many opportunities to exercise. Pupils' cultural development is satisfactory and they have a reasonable understanding of the diverse cultures represented in society including New Age Travellers' cultural background.

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Grade: 2

Lessons are well planned to meet the needs of most pupils, although the ablest pupils are not always challenged enough. Teachers build strong relationships with their pupils and this supports learning. Activities generally engage pupils' interests but occasionally they are not as appealing as they could be. In the Foundation Stage, children are provided with good opportunities to develop their independence. Learning support staff work well with pupils and provide effective help to them. There is good teamwork across the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 where pupils work in mixed-age groups during the afternoons. In the older classes, teachers give pupils good opportunities for developing skills such as problem solving and use discussion to extend their speaking skills. Throughout the school, teachers use questions well to help pupils to develop their ideas and understanding.

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Grade: 2

The interesting work planned for them is a key factor in pupils' good achievement. In the Reception class and Years 1 and 2, good use is made of the area outside the classrooms to develop pupils' learning. Throughout the school, staff work hard to develop links between subjects, often through a cross-curricular theme to engage pupils' imaginations. Visits and visitors are used well to enhance the work in lessons. These include the 'Forest Schools' project, and trips to London and Peterborough. This creative approach, although successful, is relatively new and still being developed. The school has successfully tackled the planning for mixed-age classes and provision for pupils of different abilities and ages within individual classes is also enhanced by a good staff to pupil ratios. Pupils enjoy the many clubs after school. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Rowlett Community Primary School, 7 June 2007

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Grade: 2

'You've always got someone to turn to.' This comment by a pupil sums up the school's good pastoral care. Staff know the pupils well, and they in turn have absolute confidence that the staff will sort out any problems. Arrangements for keeping pupils safe are secure and there are good links with support agencies. Pupils are clear about what they need to do to move forward in their work. This is because the staff explain the next steps in learning carefully and give pupils clear targets to aim for. However, sometimes the marking of pupils' work is not always as helpful as it could be. This means pupils do not always know if they have met the objective for a particular lesson.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides a clear direction for development and is very well focused on raising attainment. There are good systems in place to support the work of the school, including regular checking of teaching, planning and pupils' written work. This enables the school to identify quickly the areas for improvement and to share good practice. Overall performance is well managed, with good systems for tracking pupils' progress on a termly basis. Staff work well as a team and have a strong shared understanding of the school's priorities. Governors are supportive of the school and have established effective systems to help them carry out their roles. Many are new, however, and hence still developing their roles. The school involves parents well in its work and parents' views about the quality of education provided are very positive. Parents are right to praise the school's

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Grade: 2

leadership and to be pleased about the progress that their children make. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Rowlett Community Primary School, 7 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. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Rowlett Community Primary School, 7 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 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? 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 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 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?

2 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Rowlett Community Primary School, 7 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Rowlett Community Primary School, 7 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

11 June 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Rowlett Community Primary School, Corby, NN17 1UU We enjoyed our time at your school very much and we particularly liked visiting your classrooms and talking to you. We would like to thank you for making us feel welcome. The school is providing you with a good education. We saw many things that were good including ways in which you help to make the school a better place: • You become mature and confident by the time you are in Year 6. • Children in Reception get a good start to their education. • Lessons are interesting and you make good progress in your learning, especially in mathematics. • Pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities receive good support in and out of lessons. • You are well cared for and looked after and, as a result, you feel safe and happy at school. • Your headteacher leads the school well. There are some things that could be better. These include:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• Providing challenging work in lessons for able pupils. • Improving the quality of your writing, including handwriting and spelling. We wish you all well in the future. Gulshan Kayembe Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Rowlett Community Primary School, 7 June 2007

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