Bishop Henderson Church of England Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 18 Oct 2006

Inspection Report Bishop Henderson Church of England Primary School

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123747 Unique Reference Number Somerset Local Authority 292772 Inspection number 17 °18 October 2006 Inspection dates Diane Wilkinson 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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Farley Dell School address Primary Type of school Coleford Voluntary controlled School category Radstock BA3 5PN 3 °11 Age range of pupils 01373 812557 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01373 812925 Fax number 176 Number on roll (school) Carole Parr Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Tonie Scott Headteacher 1 July 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 292772 17 °18 October 2006 3°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

Bishop Henderson is a small village primary school which also has a nursery class. All pupils are from a White British background. Attainment on entry is below that usually found. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is above average. There has been a significant changeover of senior staff during the last year.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Bishop Henderson Church of England Primary School, 17 °18 October 2006

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Grade: 3

Bishop Henderson provides a satisfactory standard of education and has strengths in some aspects of its work. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The school knows how well it is doing and where improvement is needed. Strategies to address weaknesses have begun to raise standards, but more needs to be done. Good new appointments, the reorganisation of staff and support for professional development have helped the school to address some shortcomings in provision that hindered pupils' achievement in the past. Strong leadership has ensured the whole school community is focused on providing a better education for pupils and is working hard to achieve this. As a result, the school is securely placed to improve further. Good links with other groups and agencies are helping to improve the quality of education, for example in providing specialist sports coaching. Teaching and learning are satisfactory although the quality differs through the school

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Grade: 3

and not enough is being done to check on strengths and weaknesses and to bring about improvements. Outstanding teaching in the Nursery and good teaching in Reception ensures children's good progress in the Foundation Stage. In Years 1 to 6, reading and science are well taught so pupils make good progress in these areas. Teaching in other subjects is sound. Occasionally, however, teachers overlook the need to check whether pupils have understood their work and marking does not indicate how pupils could improve. The school has successfully addressed the weaknesses in pupils' progress seen in past years. Children in the Nursery and Reception start school with limited skills but they achieve well and the majority reach the expected standards by entry to Year 1. Achievement in Years 1 to 6 is satisfactory and as a result standards at the end of Year 6 are average, although in English they are better in reading than in writing. Current

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Grade: 3

progress in writing is satisfactory, but pupils in Years 3 to 6 are still making up for past weaknesses. The curriculum is satisfactory, although little has been done to plan opportunities for pupils to use their literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills in other subjects. As a result, achievement in these areas is not as good as it could be. The personal, social and health education programme is good. The extensive range of visits, visitors and after school clubs enhances learning and enjoyment particularly well. Care, support and guidance are satisfactory. Pupils are well cared for on an individual basis because pastoral support is strong. The careful tracking of pupils' progress helps teachers set effective targets to help pupils improve. Parents are very appreciative of what the school offers their children. Pupils enjoy school and their personal development is good. They feel safe and happy in school, like their teachers and behave

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Grade: 3

well. 2 Inspection Report: Bishop Henderson Church of England Primary School, 17 °18 October 2006

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve standards and achievement, particularly in writing, by ensuring that pupils in Years 3 to 6 make up lost ground and by identifying opportunities for them to use literacy, numeracy and ICT skills in other subjects. • Ensure that all teachers keep a secure check on pupils' progress in lessons and, when marking work, indicate what needs to be improved. • Improve the monitoring of teaching by clearly identifying how well it is supporting pupils' progress and taking action to improve its effectiveness.

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory although there is some variation in how well pupils do in different subjects. When children join the Nursery, their skills are below expectations and are particularly weak in language and communication. Children make very good progress in the Nursery, particularly in their personal development. Good progress is sustained in the Reception Year so that, at the start of Year 1, children reach standards broadly in line with those expected. Their personal and social development is particularly good, but there are still weaknesses in some key literacy and numeracy skills. Achievement in Years 1 to 6 is satisfactory. The rate of progress has accelerated in the last two years and is good in reading and science. Progress in mathematics is satisfactory. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics in Year 2 are broadly average although few pupils reach the higher levels. Standards in Year 6 have improved

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Grade: 3

over the last two years and results in national tests in English, mathematics and science are now broadly average. However, fewer pupils than predicted reached the higher levels in English in the 2006 tests. This is largely because pupils do better in reading than they do in writing and some are still making up for slow progress in the past. Throughout the school, those pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make steady progress as a result of the extra support that they receive.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. This is the result of good opportunities for reflection, for example, on religious and moral issues in very well planned assemblies. Pupils behave well, form good relationships and are friendly, polite and helpful. They are confident that adults will help sort out any problems. Pupils' enjoyment of school is shown by their good attendance. Pupils are very aware of any risks and know how to keep themselves safe. They contribute well to the school community, for example, through suggesting improvements and resources for the new classrooms which have enhanced the learning environment. Pupils recognise the importance of regular exercise, although they are less knowledgeable about which 3 Inspection Report: Bishop Henderson Church of England Primary School, 17 °18 October 2006 foods help them keep healthy. Pupils are adequately prepared for their future lives

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Grade: 2

because they develop sound basic skills and learn to work co-operatively and understand the diversity of modern British society.

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Grade: 3

Nursery teaching is outstanding. Very effective questioning and exciting activities encourage children to find out new things for themselves. Consequently children's knowledge of what they are learning is very good. Teaching in Reception has recently improved and is now good. As a result, children's learning needs are also well met through the Reception Year. Teaching in Years 1 to 6 is satisfactory overall. Reading and science are well taught. The teaching of writing has improved and extra support is targeted at pupils whose progress has been too slow. In most lessons pupils are set appropriately challenging work and are increasingly referring to their targets to help them improve. However, occasionally progress is not as good as it should be because teachers do not always check whether pupils have grasped new ideas and can complete their individual tasks. Not enough use is made of classroom assistants to help assess how well pupils are

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Grade: 3

doing. Consequently too many pupils have to wait for extra help. Marking effectively identifies what pupils have achieved, but does not often indicate how to do better. These weaknesses mean that pupils' knowledge of their own learning, particularly what they need to do to improve, is not as good as it could be.

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Grade: 3

There is an appropriate emphasis on meeting individual pupils' needs and on teaching key skills in English, mathematics, science and ICT. The school acknowledges that less attention has been given to other subjects or to identifying opportunities for pupils to use their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills across the curriculum. The outstanding nursery curriculum is closely geared to the needs and interests of individual children; that for the Reception Year is good and, as a result, children are well prepared for later learning when they move to Year 1. Programmes to support pupils' personal development, including promoting healthy and safe lifestyles, are good. The number and range of out-of-school activities are very good, and 'The Forest School' provides innovative outdoor activities in a piece of wild ground on the school premises.

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Grade: 3

Academic support and guidance is satisfactory. Through the analysis of test results and other data the school tracks pupils' progress over time well. This information is used to help set pupils' targets for improvement. However, pupils are not given enough 4 Inspection Report: Bishop Henderson Church of England Primary School, 17 °18 October 2006 day-to-day guidance how to achieve their targets and this limits the progress they make. Pastoral care is good. Procedures for child protection are well established and understood by all the staff. Pupils with emotional or behavioural problems are given considerable support with effective involvement of parents and other agencies. Teachers know pupils very well and are committed to ensuring their health and welfare. Regular risk assessments help improve the safety of pupils. There is little bullying, but any inappropriate behaviour is firmly dealt with. Supervision of the pupils is very good,

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Grade: 3

and pupils enjoy the wide variety of activities available to them in break times.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher has a very clear vision for the school and staff and governors share her sense of direction. All are working successfully together to improve achievement with the aim of creating a school that provides the best care and support for each child. A clear understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses results in comprehensive plans for development in which parents' and pupils' views have effectively been taken into account. Management, including monitoring and evaluation of the school's performance, is satisfactory. Effective checks on pupils' progress have been set in place to ensure that any weaknesses in achievement are accurately identified and acted on. Improvement is evident in some aspects of the provision for writing, although there is still more to do to ensure that all pupils make up for lost ground in this area. However, not enough attention has been paid to evaluating how well teaching methods are supporting pupils'

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Grade: 3

progress. This is one reason for inconsistencies in teaching not being identified and tackled. Governors are fully committed to the school and provide both support and challenge to the senior management. Financial control and planning are good and resources are efficiently deployed to support learning. 5 Inspection Report: Bishop Henderson Church of England Primary School, 17 °18 October 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: Bishop Henderson Church of England Primary School, 17 °18 October 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? 2 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 3 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: Bishop Henderson Church of England Primary School, 17 °18 October 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: Bishop Henderson Church of England Primary School, 17 °18 October 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming us to your school. We enjoyed talking to you and I particularly want to thank the pupils who gave up their lunchtime to meet with me. We think that your school gives you a satisfactory education. However, there are a lot of good things happening. This is what we thought is particularly good: • You like your teachers and enjoy school. You are polite and helpful, friendly to other children and behave well. • The Nursery is excellent and the activities planned for the children are particularly good. Reception children are also well taught and make good progress. • Those of you in Years 1 to 6 are making steady progress, and you do well in science and in reading because you are well taught in these subjects. • The extra things like visits, visitors and school clubs are very good. • You are well looked after and your parents are very happy about this. • Your headteacher, staff and governors, with help from you and your parents, are working

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

hard to try and make your school better. This is what we have asked your school to do now: • Carry on helping you to make better progress, especially in writing. You also need more opportunities to use your literacy, numeracy and ICT skills in lots of other subjects. • Keep a check on whether you understand your work so that you can get help quickly if you are stuck. You also need a clear idea on what to work on next when your work is marked. • Keep a closer check on how well teaching is helping you to learn so that the best ways of doing this can be used in all lessons. You can help by continuing to work hard and checking that you know what to do to reach your targets. 9 Inspection Report: Bishop Henderson Church of England Primary School, 17 °18 October 2006

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