St Paul's CofE Primary School, Nuneaton

St Paul's CofE Primary School, Nuneaton Inspection report

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125656 Unique Reference Number Warwickshire Local Authority 293321 Inspection number 25 °26 April 2007 Inspection dates Alison Cartlidge 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 Voluntary controlled School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 470 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Colin A Dayman Chair C M Plant Headteacher 24 June 2002 Date of previous school inspection Wiclif Way School address Stockingford Nuneaton CV10 8NH

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024 76383323 Telephone number 024 76383323 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 25 °26 April 2007 Inspection dates 293321 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Attainment on entry to the school is broadly average although children's language skills are less well developed. Most pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is above average. The school provides before and after school clubs.

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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: St Paul's CofE Primary School, Nuneaton, 25 °26 April 2007

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Grade: 2

This good school provides a wealth of exciting activities that make pupils exceptionally keen to learn. Friendly and welcoming members of staff ensure that pupils feel safe and secure and that their personal development and well-being are good. Good care, guidance and support are especially successful in helping pupils to behave well and become mature and confident. Outstanding links with parents and outside agencies contribute well to the good curriculum and the wide range of additional activities provided. The headteacher is well respected by parents and, together with other members of staff, has a clear understanding of what the school does well and how it can improve. Good teaching in most lessons ensures that pupils' achievement is good. Children make a good start to their education in the Nursery and Reception classes, especially in personal, social and emotional development. Teachers and teaching assistants work together well to plan a wide

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Grade: 2

variety of inviting and purposeful activities that ensure that children are fully absorbed in their learning. Most children are working within the levels expected for their age when they start in Year 1. Their language skills continue to be below expectations but they are working above expectations in personal, social and emotional development. Good relationships and the positive management of behaviour are successful in helping pupils to develop good self-esteem. Standards by the end of Year 2 are broadly average. Recent improvements in the way writing is being taught in Years 1 and 2 are starting to have a positive impact after a dip in test results at the end of Year 2. The school is aware that more able pupils are not always challenged enough or shown clearly how to improve their work. Standards by the end of Year 6 are above average. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make particularly good progress because they

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Grade: 2

are supported well. Leadership and management are good. Members of staff and governors are very hard-working and want the best for the pupils. There is a strong focus on improving pupils' progress, although assessment information on pupils' performance is not used well enough to set challenging targets for more able pupils. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education because they develop good basic skills and become well rounded and responsible individuals. Most parents are very pleased that their children come to this school. Typically they say, 'St Paul's works very hard to ensure the children are happy and well educated'.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Increase the rate of progress of more able pupils, especially in writing in Years 1 and 2, by ensuring that teachers consistently provide suitably challenging work. • Use assessment information to set challenging targets for the more able pupils and to ensure that they learn more quickly.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' achievement is good. Children make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes, especially in personal, social and emotional development. Most children are working at the levels expected for their age by the end of the Reception Year and are working above them in personal, social and emotional development. Standards in communication, language and literacy 4 of 11 Inspection Report: St Paul's CofE Primary School, Nuneaton, 25 °26 April 2007 remain slightly below expectations and there are occasions when more able children are insufficiently challenged when developing literacy skills. Pupils make satisfactory progress overall in Years 1 and 2 with good progress being made in reading. A dip in end of Year 2 standards in recent years is because more able pupils are not always making enough progress. This has been tackled successfully in reading but in writing pupils are not always expected to complete hard enough work. Pupils make good progress in

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Grade: 2

Years 3 to 6 and standards are above average by the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are included well in lessons. Support from well trained teaching assistants enables them to make good progress towards their individual targets. Occasionally, the progress of more able pupils slows when they complete similar work to other pupils in subjects other than English and mathematics.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' enjoyment of school is outstanding. Pupils enjoy learning because 'teachers make lessons fun'. For example, pupils in Year 3 were delighted to take part in Maypole dancing. In most lessons, pupils, including those with learning difficulties, are keen to contribute to discussions and to read their work to the class. Occasionally, a few pupils become inattentive when work does not match their ability or interest level. Attendance is only satisfactory because some parents take their children on term time holidays. Older pupils contribute well to the community by running the school council and organising activities at break times and lunchtimes. Pupils play sensibly and safely and have a good understanding of the need to eat healthily and keep fit. Good pupil involvement makes instances of bullying rare. Pupils' good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength and makes a significant

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Grade: 2

contribution to the caring and friendly atmosphere that permeates school life. Most pupils are well behaved, courteous and friendly. They speak confidently and are respectful. During assembly, pupils listened attentively when others played musical instruments and were engrossed in a presentation about the lives of children in Mozambique.

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Grade: 2

Good teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes is as a result of effective team work and a good understanding of children's needs. Children learn quickly because they benefit from a wide range of opportunities for purposeful play. In Years 1 to 6, teaching is good in most lessons and pupils benefit from interesting and motivating activities, enabling them to make good progress. For example, pupils in Year 4 gleefully described their recent assembly about how the Ancient Egyptians mummified a body. Teachers develop pupils' skills well by making very good use of a wide range of quality resources, including information and communication technology (ICT), music and the school grounds. Most English and mathematics lessons include activities of varying difficulty to match pupils' differing needs. Less able pupils and those with learning difficulties are particularly well supported and often benefit from small group work with an adult. There are occasions, especially

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Grade: 2

in Years 1 and 2, when more able pupils are not challenged enough and at these times their 5 of 11 Inspection Report: St Paul's CofE Primary School, Nuneaton, 25 °26 April 2007 progress slows. Teachers mark pupils' work diligently, although written comments do not always indicate what pupils need to do to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

Children in the Nursery and Reception classes benefit from a good range of learning opportunities and, consequently, they love school. Good use is made of the outdoor classroom, and there is a well judged balance between activities directed by the teacher and tasks that children have chosen. In Years 1 to 6, innovative learning programmes contribute to the breadth of experiences provided. A wealth of visits, creative art activities, international links and themed events enrich learning and boost pupils' enjoyment. Following a recent visit to the 'Space Centre' one pupil commented 'It was the most fantastic place I have ever been to and I learned such a lot'. Literacy and numeracy are emphasised well, although there are some missed opportunities to extend the writing of more able pupils through work in other subjects. The school provides a good range of additional activities. For example, over 80 pupils are

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Grade: 2

learning to play musical instruments. Close involvement with a local School Sports Partnership enhances physical education successfully. Strong provision for pupils' personal development enables pupils to learn to become responsible, resourceful and self-motivated learners.

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Grade: 2

Pupils benefit from good support and guidance for their personal development and satisfactory support for their academic development. The school is a caring community reflecting the strong Christian ethos which underpins all its work. As a consequence, pupils are trusting and get on well together. They are confident about sharing their concerns with members of staff. One parent shared the views of many by saying 'My daughter is safe and well cared for'. The school provides good additional pastoral support for pupils and their families when needed. For example, there is a nurture group and visiting counsellor for pupils who are finding life a little difficult. Well thought out procedures help children to settle quickly at St Paul's and transfer smoothly from class to class and on to secondary school. Assessment information is used to set targets for individuals and groups of pupils and these are well understood. However, assessment information is not used well enough in setting targets

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Grade: 2

for more able pupils. Consequently, they are not always sufficiently challenging. As a result, fewer pupils than might be expected attain the higher levels at the end of Year 2.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher and other senior leaders are focused on improving provision and achievement. They understand the school's comparative strengths and weaknesses well. They are innovative in their approach to developing the curriculum and make particularly good use of visits to schools in the United Kingdom and abroad to help inspire their practice. Whole-school developments in the way reading is being taught have had a positive impact on standards in this subject. Over the past year the school has improved the rigour in its use of assessment information enabling it to spot dips in attainment more quickly. The school is aware that not 6 of 11 Inspection Report: St Paul's CofE Primary School, Nuneaton, 25 °26 April 2007 all pupils achieve equally well and target setting is not always sufficiently challenging for more able pupils. Self-evaluation is accurate and firmly based on a thorough analysis of pupils' progress. Subject

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Grade: 2

leaders are enthusiastic and carry out various monitoring activities well. Recent strategies to increase the rate of pupils' progress in writing in Years 1 and 2 are beginning to have a positive impact, although it is too soon for there to be evidence to show sustained improvement. The school has shown in the way that it tackles weaknesses that it has a good capacity to improve. Governance is good. Governors are supportive and well informed and aware that they can increase their effectiveness by becoming more proactive in monitoring the work of the school. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: St Paul's CofE Primary School, Nuneaton, 25 °26 April 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: St Paul's CofE Primary School, Nuneaton, 25 °26 April 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?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 1 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: St Paul's CofE Primary School, Nuneaton, 25 °26 April 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: St Paul's CofE Primary School, Nuneaton, 25 °26 April 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

27 April 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of St Paul's C of E Primary School, Nuneaton, CV10 8NH Thank you for welcoming us to your school and for sharing your work with us. We are pleased that you enjoy coming to this good school. Here are some other good things about you and your school • Most of you are keen to learn and make good progress. • You are very polite and friendly and are especially good at serving each other at lunchtime. • Good teaching and interesting activities help you to enjoy learning new things. • You have a wide range of exciting things to do. The visit to the Space Centre sounded especially interesting. • All adults in school are kind and caring and look after you well. • Your headteacher, other teachers and governors are working together well to make your school even better. • Your parents and carers are very pleased that you come to this school. What we have asked your school to do now

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• Help you all to make good progress by always giving you hard enough work, especially in writing in Years 1 and 2. • Use the information collected on how well you are doing to set challenging targets, particularly for faster learners, to make sure that you are all learning quickly. We thoroughly enjoyed talking with you about your work and watching you learn. We wish you all well for the future. We hope you continue to help your teachers by listening carefully and trying your best. Yours faithfully Alison Cartlidge Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: St Paul's CofE Primary School, Nuneaton, 25 °26 April 2007

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