East Haddon Church of England Primary School

Inspection Report East Haddon Church of England Primary School

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121969 Unique Reference Number Northamptonshire Local Authority 292279 Inspection number 10 January 2007 Inspection date Alison Cartlidge 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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Church Lane School address Primary Type of school East Haddon Voluntary controlled School category Northampton NN6 8DB 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01604 770462 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01604770462 Fax number 77 Number on roll (school) John E Brewer Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Stephen Lord Headteacher 20 May 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 292279 10 January 2007 4 °11 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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

Most pupils at this small primary school are of White British heritage. They come from the village and surrounding area and only a few are eligible for free school meals. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is above average and attainment on entry to the Reception class is slightly above average in most years.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: East Haddon Church of England Primary School, 10 January 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school where pupils achieve well. Children make a good start to their education in the Foundation Stage. This is because good teaching enables them to enjoy a wide range of interesting activities and to make good progress. By the end of the Reception Year, most children are working within or beyond the levels expected for their age. Pupils continue to make good progress in Years 1 to 6, because teaching and learning are good. Standards are well above average by the end of Year 6. Teachers are well organised and teaching assistants are used well to support groups of pupils. Pupils make particularly good progress in Years 4 to 6 due to the effective way that learning is supported in this class. Very good relationships between members of staff and the pupils enable personal development and well-being to be good. Behaviour is exemplary and pupils are very polite and work hard in lessons. A good curriculum with a wide range of activities

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Grade: 2

engages the pupils' interest exceptionally well. Recent improvements to the building have provided more space and the school is now adapting work well to include more practical tasks than was previously possible. Care, guidance and support are satisfactory. Throughout the school, the family atmosphere supports pupils' pastoral needs well and helps them to be very happy and confident individuals. Assessment information is not always used well enough to plan work that meets pupils' differing needs, and occasionally these are not met in full. When this happens the pace of learning slows. Pupils are insufficiently involved in setting their own targets to help them know how to do even better. Leadership and management are good. There is a strong and successful commitment towards maintaining high standards. This demonstrates the school's good capacity to improve further. During the extensive building project, limited time has been allocated

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Grade: 2

to formally monitoring teaching, learning and standards. Whilst the headteacher has a good overview of provision at the school from informal monitoring, and self-evaluation is accurate, he teaches much of the time and is responsible for leading too many subjects. He is aware of the need to delegate responsibilities further and to increase the rigour of monitoring to check that teaching is consistently good and that all pupils make consistently good progress. The governing body provides a good level of support and challenge for the school and understands its strengths and weaknesses well. Pupils are prepared well for the next stage of education and life outside school and they become mature and responsible. Parents are very pleased with the work of the school. One parent reflects the views of others by saying, 'This is a wonderful school focused on our children.'

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What the school should do to improve further

• Make better use of information about pupils' progress to ensure that their differing needs are consistently being met and to involve them more in setting their own targets. 2 Inspection Report: East Haddon Church of England Primary School, 10 January 2007 • Delegate responsibilities equitably and improve the rigour in monitoring teaching and learning, to ensure that pupils make consistently good progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils achieve well and make good progress throughout the school. Good provision when children start in the Foundation Stage enables them to settle quickly. They are working at or beyond the levels expected for their age when they start in Year 1. Reception children are particularly good at listening and are confident and enthusiastic learners. By the end of Year 6, standards are well above average in English, mathematics and science. Pupils make especially good progress in Years 4 to 6. In this class there are effective arrangements for sharing the teaching that result in an accurate match of work to pupils' differing needs. Occasionally in other year groups the pace of learning slows when work is not sufficiently adapted to meet the range of abilities in each class. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are well supported by teachers and teaching assistants, enabling them to make good progress.

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Grade: 2

Foundation Stage children are very happy at school and this supports their good progress. Pupils throughout the school are very considerate to one another and behaviour is outstanding. One pupil said, 'There's sometimes a squabble, but we're all very friendly.' Pupils' enjoyment of their learning is also outstanding. They are eager to talk about their work and take great pride in it. They develop a good understanding of how to lead safe and healthy lifestyles. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. In the playground, and at lunchtimes, older pupils support younger ones. Years 5 and 6 pupils especially enjoy sitting with younger pupils and being their 'buddies'. One said, 'It's nice to help.' Pupils make a positive contribution to the school community. Although there is no school council, pupils feel comfortable sharing their ideas with members of staff, and know that they will be listened to. They are proud of their support for numerous

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Grade: 2

charities and for introducing the 'Huff and Puff' exercises. Through visits and visitors pupils are developing a good understanding of their own culture and a satisfactory understanding of life in a multicultural society. 3 Inspection Report: East Haddon Church of England Primary School, 10 January 2007

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Lessons are well organised and most tasks are challenging, enabling pupils to learn quickly. Good use is made of teaching assistants to support group activities. As a result, the progress of all groups of pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities, is good. Teachers have good relationships with the pupils and manage their behaviour well. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good. Imaginative, practical activities and high expectations ensure that children have a good start to their education. Teaching in Years 1 to 6 is good in most lessons. There are occasional inconsistencies when teachers do not plan work sufficiently well to meet the needs of different ability groups to ensure that all make quick progress. The quality of marking is satisfactory but it does not involve pupils enough in the assessment of their own learning or consistently set targets for them

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Grade: 2

The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is good. A breadth of meaningful and exciting activities supports children well in their learning. The recent increase in indoor and outdoor space for these children is enabling the teacher to expand the range of choices for independent learning. The curriculum for Years 1 to 6 supports the good achievement of pupils well. The school has been aware that the lack of space and recent disruption due to building work has restricted some aspects of the curriculum, such as practical science activities and physical education. This is now being addressed with the completion of major building works. The school's good emphasis on personal, social and health education has led to the good personal development and well-being of all pupils. All classes are benefiting from new technology such as the interactive whiteboards, although some teachers are still developing confidence in their use. The good range of extra-curricular

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Grade: 2

activities is much appreciated by the pupils. A residential visit for Years 4 to 6 supports their academic and social and personal development well.

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Grade: 3

Pastoral care is good in this friendly school. Members of staff understand pupils' personal needs well and as a result, pupils are made to feel safe right from the time when they first join the Foundation Stage. Very good relationships contribute to the pupils' thorough enjoyment of learning and support their outstanding behaviour very well. One pupil said, 'Teachers are really nice. If there's a problem you can talk to them.' The help given to pupils by teaching assistants is good and pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make similar progress to other groups of pupils. Although 4 Inspection Report: East Haddon Church of England Primary School, 10 January 2007 pupils achieve well, there are weaknesses in the way assessment information is used to ensure that pupils make consistently good progress throughout the school. In addition, pupils are not always made aware of their personal targets to inform their

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Grade: 2

Members of staff and governors are successful in maintaining the school's well above average standards. The headteacher leads teaching by his good example, and spends much of his time in class working with the pupils. This has a positive impact on pupils' progress, particularly those in Years 4 to 6. Over the last few years much energy and time has been devoted to making improvements to the building with the view of improving provision. This has been successfully managed so that there has been minimal disruption to the pupils' learning. The delivery of practical subjects such as investigative science, art and design and physical education is now much improved. Better provision for Foundation Stage children is already evident in the increased flexibility of allowing children to choose to work outside. The headteacher has a very heavy workload and alongside his extensive teaching commitment, is responsible for managing many

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Grade: 2

subjects. This has restricted the opportunities to monitor teaching, learning and standards rigorously and the school is aware that this needs urgent attention. For example, the school is currently reviewing software to improve the way that pupils' progress is tracked through the school. General strengths and weaknesses are understood and school development planning is based on improving provision and standards further. Governance is good. Governors are supportive and take a keen interest in the work of the school. They provide a good level of challenge and are aware of the need to increase the rigour in the way the school's work is monitored 5 Inspection Report: East Haddon Church of England Primary School, 10 January 2007 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: East Haddon Church of England Primary School, 10 January 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? 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 1 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?

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. 7 Inspection Report: East Haddon Church of England Primary School, 10 January 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? 8 Inspection Report: East Haddon Church of England Primary School, 10 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming us to your school in such a polite and friendly way and for showing us your work. We are pleased that you enjoy coming to this good school. Here are some other things about you and your school: • Good teaching helps you to do well in English, mathematics and science. • All adults in school are very kind and caring. • You really enjoy the interesting activities provided by the teachers. • You behave exceptionally well. • Members of staff and governors are working together well to make the school even better. • Your parents and carers are very pleased that you come to this school. What we have asked your school to do now: • Make sure that teachers use information about how well you are doing to give you work that is neither too hard nor too easy, and help you to take part in setting your own targets. • Share jobs more fairly between teachers so that they can be more thorough in checking

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

that you learn quickly enough. We thoroughly enjoyed talking to you about your work and watching you learn. We wish you all well for the future. We hope you continue to help your teachers by working hard and trying your best. 9 Inspection Report: East Haddon Church of England Primary School, 10 January 2007

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