Normanton-on-Soar Primary School

Normanton-on-Soar Primary School Inspection report

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122661 Unique Reference Number NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Local Authority 292470 Inspection number 28 °29 June 2007 Inspection dates Georgina Beasley 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 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 71 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Caroline Branch Chair Mr Adrian Hamilton Headteacher 12 November 2001 Date of previous school inspection Main Street School address Normanton-on-Soar Leicestershire LE12 5HA

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01509842326 Telephone number 01509842326 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 28 °29 June 2007 Inspection dates 292470 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Nearly all of the pupils who attend this small village school are from British or European White backgrounds and none are in the early stages of learning English. A very small number are from minority ethnic backgrounds. Few are eligible for free school meals. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is just above average. Over half of the pupils live outside the village and some live on outlying farms. Attainment on entry to the school is similar to national expectations overall.

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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: Normanton-on-Soar Primary School, 28 °29 June 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Provision for children in the new Nursery unit and in Reception is good, reflecting effective improvements since the previous inspection. By the end of Year 2, standards are above average in science. They are broadly average overall in English and mathematics. Systematic and effective monitoring by the headteacher and staff identified weaknesses in the literacy skills of its younger pupils and the school implemented strategies that have resulted in improvements in reading and writing. However, pupils' knowledge of sounds, their spelling and handwriting skills are still below average at the end of Reception and Year 2. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 make good progress and standards in English, mathematics, science are above average and higher than is usual for their age in information and communication technology (ICT). Pupils' personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Grade: 2

development, are outstanding. They have excellent knowledge of how to keep fit, healthy and safe. Their keen sense of responsibility for themselves ensures that behaviour is good. The eldest pupils' attitudes are excellent in lessons. Pupils make an outstanding contribution to the school and local community, by supporting many village events and raising considerable money for charities. Pupils are given good opportunities everyday to use their initiative, work collaboratively and use literacy and ICT skills. They develop well the key skills they will need in later life. Teaching and learning and the curriculum are good. Teachers plan to make learning relevant and so effectively engage pupils' interests and enjoyment for much of the time. Teaching assistants make a good contribution to pupils' successful learning. Care, guidance and support are good. The school cares for pupils well and gives good support and guidance

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Grade: 2

for personal and academic achievements. Teachers give them good guidance on how to improve their work, but pupils are not always involved in setting their own targets. The school welcomes and values the contributions of pupils, staff, parents, governors as well as the local and wider communities to help fulfil its vision that 'everyone has an important part to play'. The excellent partnerships with local schools and with its local and wider community, and very good relationships with parents, enrich pupils' learning experiences exceptionally well. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher leads by example and his evaluation of the school's effectiveness is accurate. His commitment to pupils' successful personal and academic achievement is communicated clearly to all member of the school community. As a result, all staff and governors lead and manage their areas of responsibilities effectively. The

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Grade: 2

school gives good value for money and has good capacity to improve.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Involve pupils in deciding targets for improving their knowledge and skills and share these with parents so they can support learning effectively at home. • Implement planned strategies in order to develop pupils' reading and writing skills effectively in Reception and Years 1 and 2.

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Grade: 2

Children's attainment on entry is similar to national expectations overall. They make good progress in Nursery and Reception. With the exception of communication, language and literacy, nearly all children reach the goals they are expected to reach in all areas of learning. This has 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Normanton-on-Soar Primary School, 28 °29 June 2007 not always been the case. A relevant curriculum and good teaching in the new Nursery unit and in Reception have led to higher attainment than in previous years. Pupils continue to make good progress in mathematics and science in Years 1 and 2 and the standards they reach are average in mathematics and above average in science. They make satisfactory progress in reading and writing but although standards are broadly average by the end of Year 2 they are weaker in writing. This is because writing is not revisited often enough to extend ideas and correct mistakes.

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Grade: 2

The school reaches its challenging targets for Year 6 in English, mathematics and science every year. Standards in ICT, art and design and history are higher than is usual throughout the school. Enrichment opportunities for gifted and talented pupils are good and help them extend their skills. As a result, they achieve the higher level 5. Pupils with learning difficulties are given good support and reach average standards by the end of Year 6.

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Grade: 1

Excellent provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development results in well-rounded, sensible and responsible young people who have good respect for others' feelings, cultures and beliefs by the end of Year 6. Most pupils have a positive self-image, high self-esteem and self-confidence due to strong and very positive relationships with each other and adults. By Year 5, all pupils are keen to do well and take responsibility for the quality of their work. An excellent range of opportunities enables pupils to learn how to stay safe and to keep themselves fit and healthy. Pupils grow and cook their own vegetables to supplement the daily snack and are encouraged to drink water regularly during the day. Plenty of physical activities and sporting opportunities are offered. All pupils take part in these and a similarly varied range of musical performances. Pupils are encouraged to cycle or walk to school through initiatives

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Grade: 1

such as 'Park and Stride'. Opportunities for pupils to contribute to the school and wider community are outstanding. They contribute to the parish magazine, get involved in village events and plan and organise various fund-raising events in school. In response to feedback from pupil questionnaires, the family of schools is organising additional healthcare for them. By the end of Year 6, pupils are confident to solve problems independently and work well together in groups, all skills they will need in the future. Behaviour is good. Older pupils organise playtime games with younger ones. The few occasions when pupils become over-boisterous are handled well either by pupil counsellors or by the adults on duty. Pupils enjoy learning and their attendance is good.

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Grade: 2

Teachers and teaching assistants always consider how lessons will bring about good learning. They strive to make sure pupils understand what they are learning, with pupils saying that teachers 'keep on explaining until we get it'. The purpose of the lesson is shared with pupils at the beginning and reviewed at the end so learning can be assessed together. Pupils' individual needs are met well. When working in groups, pupils often work at different ability levels, ensuring the brightest pupils are challenged and those that need extra help are supported 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Normanton-on-Soar Primary School, 28 °29 June 2007 effectively. Teaching assistants make significant contributions to pupils' learning when working with small groups within lessons, teaching lessons and activities themselves and when working with individuals on specific tasks. Teachers use the interactive whiteboards effectively to involve

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Grade: 2

pupils in the lesson and so keep their attention. Computers are used widely, especially in Years 3 to 6, to develop pupils' research skills.

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Grade: 2

For children in the Nursery and Reception, the curriculum contains a well-balanced range of adult-led tasks and activities that the children choose. Learning takes place both indoors and out, extending children's experiences and giving them a sense of adventure to learning. There are particular strengths in mathematics, science, art, history, music and ICT across the school. A writing project developed with other local schools motivated pupils in all year groups to write and standards improved. However, pupils in Years 1 and 2 do build skills systematically and adapt and extend their ideas. Science and personal, social and health education lessons support pupils' excellent knowledge of how to stay safe, and keep fit and healthy. An extensive range of visits and visitors enrich the curriculum exceptionally well and extend the achievements of all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and gifted and talented pupils. Sport,

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Grade: 2

mathematics and ICT opportunities are offered by two specialist secondary schools. Older pupils' visits to the local Arts Centre result in good standards in art and design. They also practise their French by writing to penpals.

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Grade: 2

All government requirements regarding pupils' health and safety are established and followed rigorously and consistently by all staff. Excellent guidance and support for pupils' personal development results in pupils' high levels of self-confidence and self-esteem. Good induction procedures ensure Nursery children settle quickly and Year 6 pupils transfer to secondary school with confidence. Pupils receive good oral feedback about their work and so are clear about what they need to do to improve. Teachers constantly assess and review pupils' work and give them appropriate targets. The pupils themselves are not always involved enough in agreeing the targets. In addition, targets are not always shared with parents so that they can support even more effectively at home. Targets for pupils with learning difficulties are precisely based on individual needs. Planned action is detailed giving clear guidance to staff, identifying the support required

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Grade: 2

The headteacher is focused on making sure that pupils achieve as well as they can within a caring and supportive environment. All staff play an important role in ensuring that this is fulfilled. They take full responsibility for pupils' learning in their classes and the leadership and management of specific aspects of the school's work. The school development plan is based on an accurate evaluation and review of the school's work. It details precisely the action that needs to be taken to improve its weaker aspects, such as pupils' literacy skills in Years 1 and 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Normanton-on-Soar Primary School, 28 °29 June 2007 2, and how to maintain and consolidate good provision during future changes of staffing. Budget and staffing decisions are made in response to the school's needs. Governors have a clear overview of the school's strengths and improvement needs because of systematic

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Grade: 2

procedures to guide their work. They support and challenge the school well. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Normanton-on-Soar Primary School, 28 °29 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: Normanton-on-Soar Primary School, 28 °29 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? 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?

1 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 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Normanton-on-Soar Primary School, 28 °29 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: Normanton-on-Soar Primary School, 28 °29 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

2 July 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Normanton-on-Soar Primary School, Normanton-on-Soar, LE12 5HA Thank you for welcoming me to your school during its recent inspection. I enjoyed learning about all the things you do and what you are achieving in school. The inspection judged your school to be good. You are all making good progress and are achieving standards that are above average in many subjects. Most of you told me that you enjoy school. You all try your best to get to school every day. Well done. Most of you behave well, although some of you could take more care when playing with your friends on the yard. You make a very positive contribution to your school and local community by helping with events and planning ways to raise money for the many charities you support. You have lots of opportunity to grow and eat healthy fruit and vegetables, to take part in regular sporting and other physical activities and to talk about how you should behave towards one another. You

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

are learning lots about how people in this country and around the world live through lessons, learning to speak another language and sending messages to your pen pals in France. Your teachers are doing a good job. They make sure you know what you are expected to learn in lessons by giving you targets. I have asked your headteacher and teachers to think of ways to involve you more in helping to decide your targets. Your teachers know that some of the younger pupils need to improve their writing skills. You can help by learning your letter sounds, always spelling the words you know correctly every time you write them. You could try to remember to use the correct punctuation and to always write neatly. Mr Hamilton is a good headteacher. He works hard with all members of staff to make sure you are cared for in school and that you have fun while you learn. The extra activities such as special days and weeks,

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

clubs, visits and visitors are exceptionally good. I hope that you continue to do well and wish you all the best for the future. Yours sincerely Georgie Beasley Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Normanton-on-Soar Primary School, 28 °29 June 2007

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