Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary School

Inspection Report - Amended Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary School

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123702 Unique Reference Number Somerset Local Authority 292753 Inspection number 21 September 2006 Inspection date Lorna Brackstone 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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Lydeard St Lawrence School address Primary Type of school Taunton Community School category TA4 3SF 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01984 667287 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01984 667287 Fax number 75 Number on roll (school) Vacant Position Chair The governing body Appropriate authority G Stripp Headteacher 22 October 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 292753 21 September 2006 4 °11

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Amended Report Addendum

Report updated to resolve formatting inconsistency

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Amended Report Addendum

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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Amended Report Addendum

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

This small school consisting of three mixed-age group classes serves the surrounding rural area. All pupils are of White British backgrounds and most come from privately owned housing. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below average, as is the proportion of those who have learning difficulties. Pupils start school with standards that are as expected for their age group. The pupils are grouped according to their age in three classes.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary School, 21 September 2006

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Grade: 3

The school accurately describes its effectiveness as satisfactory. Pupils are provided with a satisfactory quality of education and are adequately prepared for the next stage of their education. Achievement from Reception to Year 6 is satisfactory with pupils attaining average standards in English, mathematics and science. Teaching is satisfactory with good use made of teaching assistants to support learning. However, lessons do not always move at a fast enough pace. Planning does not fully meet the needs of all age groups and abilities, and pupils are not always clear about how they can improve their work. There are insufficient opportunities for the pupils to use their writing skills in subjects other than English. The satisfactory curriculum provision is enriched by sport, music and learning languages. The quality and provision of the Foundation Stage in Class 1 is satisfactory. The children make satisfactory progress and most reach the expected levels by the start of Year 1.

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Grade: 3

Satisfactory leadership and management ensure the school makes sound progress. The headteacher is leading the school well, through a difficult phase following a great deal of change in staffing and membership of the governing body. Parents express much confidence in the headteacher's leadership skills and say they feel she is doing a good job of 'bringing the school up-to-date' and inspectors agree. This is evident from the transformation of the school building and grounds. The school still has some way to go in ensuring all governors are fully involved and in ensuring adequate leadership for subject areas by staff. The care and support provided by the staff is of good quality. Many parents describe the atmosphere in school as 'friendly and supportive'. Consequently, personal development is good. Pupils enjoy school life, show positive attitudes in their work and play and keep healthy and fit and know how to keep themselves safe. Good

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Grade: 3

provision for social and moral development ensures that behaviour is good. Pupils are responsible members of the school community and take responsibility for financial ventures. These help develop the skills that they will need in the future.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Plan more opportunities for pupils to improve their writing skills in subjects other than English. • Improve the pace of lessons and ensure that activities are planned to meet the needs of all the age groups and abilities within each class. • Develop the role of subject leaders and provide opportunities to fully involve the governors to improve leadership and management.

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory overall. Standards are average by the end of Year 6. Reception children make sound progress and reach the expected levels by the time 2 Inspection Report: Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary School, 21 September 2006 they start Year 1. Standards are average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Although achievement in Years 1 to 6 is satisfactory, pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 achieve well because teaching is better in their class. Whilst there has been a recent improvement in mathematics and science standards, the school knows that standards in writing are not as good as they could be.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good. They enjoy the strong family feel of the school. Taking responsibility, expressing their own views confidently and involving themselves in traditional village events ensures that they know how to be successful members of their community. Their awareness of cultural diversity is less secure but is satisfactory overall. Pupils have positive attitudes and behave well because they know what is expected of them. One pupil explained that 'school rules don't need to be put up because they are always stored inside our heads'. Pupils respond well to special moments. They showed much thoughtfulness when they sang a meaningful song during World Peace Day at the same time as 8,000 other schools across the country. As one parent pointed out, pupils 'love their fruity tuck-shop and the school meal trials' because they know that the food served is good for them. They are very clear

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Grade: 2

about the benefits of growing their own vegetables at school and have a good understanding of how sporting activities keep them fit. Attendance is good and pupils are punctual. The sound grasp of basic skills they acquire in English and mathematics ensures pupils are adequately prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Relationships in class are good and parents agree that 'the extra effort from teachers' has meant that their children enjoy the activities. Behaviour management is good and relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are supported well by teaching assistants. Whilst some lessons are well paced, time is not always as productively used as it could be. The extent of challenge in the tasks set, especially for the more capable pupils, is not always good enough to ensure that all pupils make as much progress as they could do. The use of assessment and the setting of targets is satisfactory, but it is not always precise enough, especially in writing. For instance, marking does not tell pupils how to improve their work. 3 Inspection Report: Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary School, 21 September 2006

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Grade: 3

The Foundation Stage curriculum is based satisfactorily on national guidelines and makes good use of the outdoor area to support learning. However, the purposes of planned activities are not always made sufficiently clear to the children. Curriculum planning for English, mathematics and science in Years 1 to 6 is satisfactory, but does not take sufficient account of the mixed-age groups in all classes. The personal, social and health education curriculum across the school contributes well to pupils' personal development. The school makes satisfactory provision for those pupils who have learning difficulties. The enhancement of the curriculum through the programme of visits and visitors is good. The pupils are enthusiastic about the good range of extra-curricular opportunities which includes school clubs, learning modern foreign languages, and going on residential trips. One view expressed by a parent, and shared by many others, pointed

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Grade: 3

out 'the school does a great deal for the children … the volume of sports the school does is fantastic as well as the selection of music available which is an asset'. These activities are making an effective contribution to the good personal development of pupils.

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Grade: 2

The pastoral care, guidance and support of the pupils is good because all staff know them very well as individuals and have very close contact with the parents. A common view expressed by parents is that 'staff are on hand should any problems arise'. Pupils are kept very safe because the large site is secure and staff are extremely vigilant. Personal, social, health and emotional education are good and ensure that pupils develop a good understanding of how to keep healthy and safe. Academic guidance is satisfactory. There are sound systems in place to track and monitor pupils' progress. Pupils know the targets that they have been set. However, these are not checked regularly enough to ensure that sufficient progress is being made. Pupils with learning difficulties are supported well in class, but their targets to ensure their continued progress are not always precise enough. Links with outside agencies adequately support

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Grade: 3

The school views its leadership and management as good but, whilst there are some strong aspects, inspectors judge it to be satisfactory overall. The dynamic and purposeful leadership of the headteacher has already resulted in many improvements to boost pupils' personal development and provide an environment where pupils are keen to learn. 4 Inspection Report: Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary School, 21 September 2006 Her management of the refurbishment of the school site has been outstanding and is a good example of how she uses local support well. The youngest children now have an outdoor area to use as an integral part of the school day. Older pupils enjoy the use of the new library area, which is purposeful and stimulating, yet created on a very tight budget. The headteacher has also forged good links with local schools to enhance provision such as through specialist teaching for music, sports and modern foreign

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Grade: 3

languages. The headteacher is fully aware that achievement is not as good as it could be in some classes and is working hard to rectify this through staff development. She has an accurate understanding of the strengths and areas requiring improvement in her school and has made a good start by successfully transforming the Foundation Stage provision. Whilst the headteacher works closely with the senior teacher and one or two supportive governors, she is driving much of the improvements herself. This is because of staff changes, which have contributed to a lack of subject leadership, and the insufficient involvement of all governors. Sound improvements have been made since the last inspection. The capacity to improve further is satisfactory because school improvement planning clearly identifies the areas requiring development and work has already started on rectifying them. 5 Inspection Report: Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary School, 21 September 2006

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary School, 21 September 2006

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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? 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

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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

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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 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?

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. 7 Inspection Report: Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary School, 21 September 2006

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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: Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary School, 21 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for the friendly way you welcomed us to your school. It was just like being part of a big family. The highlight of the inspection visit was when you all sang the special song for World Peace Day so well. Those of you who spoke with me will know that I promised to write and tell you what we thought about the school. Good things about the school: • Your school is a very friendly place and you behave well. • You get on well with the adults who work in the school. • You clearly appreciate all of the extra, interesting activities that the school provides for you. • The school does a good job of taking care of you. • We were impressed to see how much you know about how to stay safe, eat healthy foods and stay fit. • The school has worked hard to make the buildings and grounds much more interesting and exciting for you. To make things better in the future, we have asked teachers to look at more ways of making

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

your lessons move at a good pace. We also think there should be more chances in different subjects for you to practise and improve your English, skills. Lastly, we think your school needs to help staff and governors develop the jobs they do to keep things improving. 9 Inspection Report: Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary School, 21 September 2006

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