Corbett VA CofE Primary School

Inspection Report Corbett VA CofE Primary School

p.1

124464 Unique Reference Number Staffordshire Local Authority 293008 Inspection number 29 January 2007 Inspection date Gerald Griffin Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Six Ashes Road School address Primary Type of school Bobbington Voluntary aided School category Stourbridge DY7 5DU 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01384 221260 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01384 221013 Fax number 88 Number on roll (school) Terry Lester Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Margaret Southall Headteacher 18 February 2002 Date of previous school inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection date Age group 293008 29 January 2007 4 °11 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

Corbett is a small rural primary school with four classes. There is a class for Reception children and Year 1. There are two other mixed age classes and a Year 6 class. Most pupils are of White British heritage. Although there are wide variations within each group, most children enter the school with skills and experiences that are at levels below those expected for their age. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is above average. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is below the national average.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Corbett VA CofE Primary School, 29 January 2007

p.3

Grade: 3

Corbett is a satisfactory school. The school is rapidly improving under the headteacher's good leadership; she provides clear drive, direction and purpose. The recent history of underachievement in aspects of English and low standards in mathematics is being successfully redressed through detailed planning and improvement strategies that are enthusiastically implemented by staff. The good provision in the Reception year ensures children make good progress and that most achieve the expected levels by the start of Year 1. Standards are average but improving, which represents satisfactory achievement from pupils' starting points. Progress is good in reading and in science because of the good opportunities provided for pupils to practise their skills. Progress in writing is satisfactory but slower. Pupils have not had enough opportunities to learn to use punctuation accurately and to broaden their vocabulary when they write. Progress in

p.4

Grade: 3

mathematics is satisfactory and improving, as a result of more time to practise mental arithmetic. Pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities make good progress because of the good personal guidance and support they are given. Teaching is satisfactory and improving. Classes are orderly and relationships are positive. As a result, pupils' behaviour is good and they are keen to learn. However, teachers do not consistently provide feedback to pupils about what they need to do to improve their work, which means the pace of learning sometimes slows. Pupils' personal development is good and they thrive in the school's happy Christian atmosphere. Pupils report that they feel very safe and secure and that they enjoy school. Pupils' very good community involvement is shown by the sterling work of the school council and their enthusiastic support for charities. They have an outstanding commitment to a healthy diet and keeping fit. The curriculum is good and promotes

p.4

Grade: 3

pupils' personal development through activities such as well-attended sports clubs and regular visits to places of interest. Parents are very happy with the quality of pastoral care the school provides. Typically, they say: 'The teachers are approachable and supportive and my child is very happy at school'. Care, guidance and support are satisfactory. The strengths in the support given to pupils' individual needs enable them to make good progress in their personal development. The academic targets that the school sets are suitable for most pupils but they do not consistently provide more able pupils with enough challenge. This means that these pupils are not always fully stretched by their work. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Self-evaluation by the leadership team and governors, ensures the school has a good understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. Many weaknesses, such as low standards in mathematics, have been

p.4

Grade: 3

effectively rectified. The recent improvements show the school has good capacity to make further gains. 2 Inspection Report: Corbett VA CofE Primary School, 29 January 2007

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

• Improve pupils' progress in writing by giving greater emphasis to developing accurate punctuation and the broadening of vocabulary • Ensure pupils know what they need to do to further improve their work • Provide targets that always challenge and stretch more able pupils.

p.5

Grade: 3

Children make good progress in the Reception year. Most enter Year 1 having reached the expected levels for their age and a significant number exceed these. Children make best progress in their personal, social and emotional development because of many opportunities to play and work together and with adults. In Years 1 to 6, achievement is satisfactory. Those with learning difficulties or disabilities achieve well because of the effective specialist support they receive that ensures they often exceed their targets. In the 2006 national tests in English, mathematics and science, pupils reached standards which were broadly average at the end of Year 6. However, previous underachievement in English meant that pupils did not do quite as well as expected and the school missed some of its targets. There are many signs that the progress of current pupils is rapidly improving. In mathematics, the school's successful drive to sharpen pupils' skills in mental calculation

p.5

Grade: 3

and their ability to apply knowledge of number in investigations is rapidly raising standards. In English, pupils' skills in reading are better than those in writing. Pupils read a wide variety of texts fluently and have a very clear grasp of their meaning. When writing, pupils' spelling and handwriting are satisfactory but their use of vocabulary to develop and 'add colour' to their work and the accuracy of punctuation are weaker elements. The school recognises this, and the recently made changes to the English curriculum to improve pupils' use of vocabulary and punctuation are already bringing clear signs of improvement in the pupils' written work. Progress in science is consistently good because the school provides good opportunities for pupils to develop and apply their scientific knowledge and understanding.

p.5

Grade: 2

Children settle well in the Foundation Stage and are confident and keen to share their experiences. By the time they start in Year 1, they work and play together well. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils respect and value each other and the world around them. They are very polite to each other and to adults. Pupils' good behaviour comes from a clear understanding of right and wrong. Their good cultural development is especially seen in pupils' appreciation of their place in a multicultural society. 3 Inspection Report: Corbett VA CofE Primary School, 29 January 2007 Pupils feel safe because the very rare incidences of bullying are effectively resolved and they know their concerns will be quickly dealt with by staff. Pupils are very clear about the pitfalls of a poor diet and choose to eat healthy food at school and home. They fully understand the value of exercise and enthusiastically take part in a wide

p.5

Grade: 2

range of physical activities such as dance and sport to keep fit. Pupils enjoy school and particularly like the good range of extra-curricular activities. Pupils are very keen to help others and their community. They talk proudly about the many charities they support and the hardworking school council that has helped, for example, to provide more playground apparatus. Pupils' standards in literacy and numeracy satisfactorily prepare them for their future economic well-being.

p.6

Grade: 3

Teaching and learning is good in the Reception year. Assessment information is used effectively to plan activities that are well matched to children's needs. Teachers have good subject knowledge, provide clear explanations and make lessons interesting. Teachers use information and communication technology (ICT) resources well to engage pupils. As a result, pupils are eager to learn and work hard. Teaching is improving because of the school's focus on developing teaching so that it encompasses different styles of learning. For example, the use of discussion is proving successful in helping pupils understand the subject matter; discussions are lively and accelerate pupils' progress through challenging questions. Good opportunities are also provided for pupils to clarify and extend their ideas with their 'talk partners'. Teachers do not always use marking and other feedback to tell pupils how they can raise the

p.6

Grade: 3

standard of their work. This means the pace of learning sometimes slows. Teaching assistants are well informed and ensure that pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities participate fully in lessons and make good progress.

p.6

Grade: 2

The curriculum supports pupils' personal development well. In the Reception year, there is a good balance of child-led and adult-led activities that stimulates learning and meets the needs of children well. Music provision is good and gives pupils many opportunities to develop their confidence and self-esteem through learning to play musical instruments and singing. Throughout the school, provision for physical development is good. Swimming, sports teams and physical education (PE) lessons support pupils' good efforts to keep fit. Pupils' outstanding understanding of the need to maintain a healthy lifestyle is gained from science, PE and personal, social and health education lessons. Art is very popular and gives good support to pupils' creative development and their appreciation of beauty. Regular visits to places of interest, such as museums, broaden pupils' horizons and 4 Inspection Report: Corbett VA CofE Primary School, 29 January 2007

p.6

Grade: 2

raise their aspirations. Changes to the English and mathematics curriculum are leading to rising standards and improving achievement although there is still scope to give pupils more opportunities to improve punctuation and widen vocabulary.

p.7

Grade: 3

Children settle quickly in the Reception Year because of the effective induction programme. Children's skills are regularly assessed and parents really appreciate the frequent updates they are given on their child's progress. Sensitive personal support and care for pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities enables these pupils to participate fully in lessons and make good progress. The school makes good use of external agencies and specialists to promote pupils' welfare when the need arises. Child protection procedures and health and safety arrangements are robust. The school is using effective measures, such as providing appropriate support for families with attendance difficulties, to improve the already average level of attendance. Procedures to assess pupils' work and track their progress are satisfactory. Most pupils are now largely meeting the challenging targets set for them although they are not

p.7

Grade: 3

always clear as to what they need to do to reach them. The targets set for more able pupils are not always demanding enough in writing and mathematics. This means they are not fully stretched in these subjects. The school provides very effective additional support, through booster classes, for individual pupils who underperform, and this is having a positive impact on rising standards.

p.7

Grade: 3

The headteacher provides clear leadership that ensures that pupils make good gains in their personal development. She has effectively tackled the recent underachievement in English with zeal and, as a consequence, standards are improving. She is well supported by subject leaders and other staff, all of whom have high expectations for pupils and strive to do their very best for them. The school's accurate view of its strengths and areas for development stems from the systematic checking of its performance by the headteacher and subject leaders. Weaknesses have been tackled well. The measures to improve teachers' planning to take account of different learning styles are improving pupils' understanding and accelerating their progress. When the school recognised that mathematics standards were too low, well-judged action was taken to provide more opportunities for them to practise their mental arithmetic skills.

p.7

Grade: 3

As a result, standards in mathematics are rising. Whilst the school has sharpened its procedures to set pupils challenging targets for their work, the targets are not demanding enough for all pupils. The governing body provides the headteacher with enthusiastic support. Through their developing understanding of data, governors are asking searching questions 5 Inspection Report: Corbett VA CofE Primary School, 29 January 2007 about standards and the progress of pupils. The record of improvements since the last inspection and clear strategic planning that is identifying the right priorities show that the school has good capacity to improve further. 6 Inspection Report: Corbett VA CofE Primary School, 29 January 2007 .

p.7

Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 Inspection Report: Corbett VA CofE Primary School, 29 January 2007

p.9

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.10

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 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

p.10

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 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

p.10

learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 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

p.10

and interests of learners?

3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.10

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 Inspection Report: Corbett VA CofE Primary School, 29 January 2007

p.10

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 Inspection Report: Corbett VA CofE Primary School, 29 January 2007

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming us to your school and being so friendly. You clearly enjoy being in a school where you get on with each other very well. We enjoyed our conversations with you about your work and the other things that you do at school. The school is improving and provides you with a satisfactory education. Here are some of the 'highlights' • You are making good progress in reading and in science • Those of you who need extra help with your learning make good progress • Children make a good start in the Reception Year • You work hard in your lessons • Your behaviour is good • Your many charity collections and the hard work of the school council show your very good community spirit • You have an outstanding commitment to being healthy • You have a very interesting range of clubs, which most of you attend • All the staff care for you very well • The headteacher, staff and governors are working together well to make the school even

p.12

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

better. What we have asked your school to do now • Help you make your written work better by improving your punctuation and vocabulary • Help you to understand better how you can improve your work • Make sure you have demanding targets to reach, especially for those of you who find work easy, so that you all always achieve well. Best wishes for your future and the future of the school. 10 Inspection Report: Corbett VA CofE Primary School, 29 January 2007

p.12