Mappleborough Green CofE Primary School

Inspection Report Mappleborough Green CofE Primary School

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125640 Unique Reference Number Warwickshire Local Authority 293316 Inspection number 26 September 2006 Inspection date Ruth Westbrook 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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Henley Road School address Primary Type of school Mappleborough Green Voluntary controlled School category Studley B80 7DR 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01527 852240 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01527 852240 Fax number 121 Number on roll (school) Stephanie Langram Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Erica Hayton Headteacher 1 June 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 293316 26 September 2006 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

Mappleborough Green is a small school which draws most of its pupils from the nearby town of Redditch, with very few coming from nearby Mappleborough. Fewer than average pupils have learning difficulties and disabilities. There are few pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and all pupils have English as a first language. A new headteacher was appointed in September 2006.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Mappleborough Green CofE Primary School, 26 September 2006

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Grade: 3

The school’s effectiveness is satisfactory. It has a number of good features, particularly in the personal development and well-being of its pupils. Pupils respond well to the way in which the school promotes their spiritual, moral and social development. They appreciate the support of the school’s caring, family atmosphere and develop well within it. The school helps pupils to lead safe and healthy lives by encouraging pupils to care for themselves and others. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall. Standards are above average by Year 6, which represents satisfactory progress given these pupils’ capabilities. Standards are not as high in tests in Year 2; they are average in writing and mathematics where fewer pupils than average reach the higher levels of attainment. In the Foundation Stage (Reception class), pupils’ standards are in line with those expected for children of their age, and are being improved by a curriculum better

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Grade: 3

suited to developing a broad range of skills. The school’s leadership has addressed issues from the last inspection, notably the constraints of accommodation. Standards have been maintained across the school since then, and the standard of reading has improved in response to developments in the quality of provision, particularly aspects of teaching and learning. However, the checking of the school’s work by its leadership has not been systematically carried out to establish what is working well and where improvement is needed. As a result, the school’s view of its effectiveness has been over-generous and the causes of some underachievement have been overlooked. For example, although the school has set targets for pupils, they have not been set high enough, particularly for the most able pupils in Years 1 and 2. Progress towards these targets has not been checked regularly and pupils have not been made aware of what

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Grade: 3

they need to do to achieve their target, when not on course. Pupils were able to tell us about lessons which they enjoyed because they felt ‘challenged’ and ‘involved’ in the learning. Some felt that this did not always happen. The school’s evaluation has not pinpointed the reasons for this. Teaching methods are not always varied and challenging enough to offer pupils sufficient challenge or excitement. The recently appointed headteacher has a clear vision for the school’s future. She has evaluated very quickly and soundly what needs to happen to improve the school further. Some developments have already had a positive impact, such as changes to the Foundation Stage curriculum. Staff are committed to further improvement and receptive to developments. The school is, therefore, poised to move forward and its capacity to improve further is good. Parents’ views of the school’s work are very positive and

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Grade: 3

supportive. Most parents feel that the school works well with them to provide a school where pupils are ‘very well cared for’.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Make better use of assessment information to ensure pupils achieve challenging targets that are matched to their individual abilities. • Increase pupils’ motivation by varying teaching and learning styles to stimulate pupils’ interest and enthusiasm for learning. 2 Inspection Report: Mappleborough Green CofE Primary School, 26 September 2006

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory. Children’s attainment on entry to the school varies from year to year from average to above average. In recent years, pupils have reached standards expected for their age and made satisfactory progress in the Foundation Stage. In 2005 and 2006, Year 2 pupils reached average standards in writing and mathematics, making satisfactory progress. In reading, standards improved in Year 2 and pupils made good progress as a result of action taken to support the most able. It is the most able pupils who underachieve currently in writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2. In Year 6 national tests in 2005, pupils reached standards which were above average in English and mathematics and very high in science. They made satisfactory progress in English and mathematics and exceptionally good progress in science. Test results remained the same in 2006, and all groups of pupils made satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good because they respond well to opportunities provided for spiritual, moral and social education. Pupils have a strong sense of what is right and fair. Cultural development is not as strong because there are fewer opportunities in the curriculum to find out about other cultures. Pupils behave well in classes and around the playground. They are aware of some bullying and racial harassment, but most pupils feel that these issues are satisfactorily resolved. They care for each other well and give support where needed. Pupils have good awareness of safety issues and how to lead a healthy lifestyle, and there is evidence of this in their willingness to eat fruit and drink water at playtimes. Pupils describe how they sometimes lose interest in lessons, and feel that lessons could be more interesting. They have clear ideas of the kind of activities which do motivate them to

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Grade: 2

learn. The school council is well established and pupils use it appropriately to voice their ideas for ways to improve the school, with a good focus on developing a happy and healthy environment. By taking part in such activities and making sound progress in their studies, pupils show satisfactory development of skills for later life.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, but they are now good in the Foundation Stage. Recently improved planning in the reception class means children engage enthusiastically in a range of carefully thought-out activities, some of which they choose for themselves. Learning is satisfactory in Years 1 to 6. Good relationships between the staff and pupils establish a positive atmosphere in the classrooms. 3 Inspection Report: Mappleborough Green CofE Primary School, 26 September 2006 However, some lessons fail to ignite the pupils' interest and enthusiasm when, for example, the teacher talks to the children for too long. In the lessons where pupils are encouraged to speak and discuss topics or are challenged to solve a problem, their interest and rate of learning improve. Lessons are carefully planned on the basis of what has been learned previously, and pupils settle down well to work. In Years 1 and

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Grade: 3

2, writing and mathematics lessons are not planned to extend the more able. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make satisfactory progress in lessons because of the support they have from teaching assistants to complete set tasks.

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum covering all the National Curriculum subjects and religious education. A reasonable range of extra activities is provided at lunchtimes and after school, including music and sport. English and mathematics are taught systematically, but the pupils are not encouraged and supported sufficiently to use their speaking and writing skills across the curriculum. The Foundation Stage curriculum has improved recently, with planning now based on the areas of learning for children of this age rather than a National Curriculum better suited to older children.

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Grade: 3

The school provides satisfactory care, guidance and support overall. It offers a good, caring environment in which the pupils feel safe and secure. There is a programme of sex education for the older pupils and they are given appropriate guidance on the dangers of smoking and drugs misuse. The school looks after the children well, although some procedures are not sufficiently formalised. Pupils are well supervised at playtimes. Academic targets are set for each year group, but this process does not yet lead to sufficiently demanding targets for all pupils, especially the more able.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. Since the last inspection, standards have been maintained and some have improved as a result of action taken to improve the quality of teaching and learning. For example, the teaching of reading improved for Years 1 and 2 and the ablest pupils made better progress as a result. The most able pupils achieved more when teaching methods changed in mathematics in Years 3 to 6. Monitoring and evaluation has not always been rigorous enough to identify what needs to happen to bring about improvement. In the case of writing in Years 1 and 2, leadership has been unable to bring about the development needed to ensure that the ablest pupils achieve the highest levels. The school’s leadership has managed significant improvement to the quality of accommodation and resources since the last inspection. Information and communication technology facilities are now in place and

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Grade: 3

are beginning to be used well by teachers and pupils to support teaching and learning. 4 Inspection Report: Mappleborough Green CofE Primary School, 26 September 2006 This had been an issue for improvement in the previous inspection. Governors have provided satisfactory support to the school, and have been appropriately involved in planning and decision making. The transition to a new headteacher has been managed smoothly. She has evaluated provision and its effects on achievement accurately and has a vision of how the school should continue to improve. New arrangements to strengthen the school’s leadership are already having a positive effect on planning and development, and contribute to the school’s good capacity for improvement. 5 Inspection Report: Mappleborough Green CofE Primary School, 26 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: Mappleborough Green CofE Primary School, 26 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 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

3 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 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 3 The attendance of learners 3 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: Mappleborough Green CofE Primary School, 26 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: Mappleborough Green CofE Primary School, 26 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• Recently, we inspected your school. Thank you for being so helpful and polite during the inspection. We thought that you might like to know what we think about the school and how we think that it could be made even better. • The school provides a satisfactory education. The way you develop as young people is good. • Staff in the school look after you well and make sure that you learn how to be healthy and safe. • You behave well and care for each other in school. You are good at taking responsibility for activities like the school council and raising money. • You were clear about the learning activities which you enjoy. Like you, we think that some lessons could be made more interesting, and we have asked staff in your school to look at that. • You are making satisfactory progress in your lessons but we think that some of you could do even better and achieve more challenging targets. We have asked teachers to check

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

whether you are doing as well as you can regularly, so that you can be given extra help if you need it. We have asked the school to look at our suggestions. We hope that you will help them to put them in place and make the school an even better place. 9 Inspection Report: Mappleborough Green CofE Primary School, 26 September 2006

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