Rampton Primary School

Inspection Report Rampton Primary School

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122671 Unique Reference Number NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Local Authority 294618 Inspection number 19 °20 October 2006 Inspection dates Glynn Storer 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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Retford Road School address Primary Type of school Rampton Community School category Rampton DN22 0JB 3 °11 Age range of pupils 01777 248251 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01777 248136 Fax number 68 Number on roll (school) Ms Helen Chambers Headteacher The local authority Appropriate authority 26 September 2005 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 294618 19 °20 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

The school serves Rampton and surrounding villages. It is much smaller than the average primary school nationally. The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds are below average overall and there are no pupils who do not speak English in the home. No pupils are eligible for free school meals and the number of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is below average for a school of this size. Following a period of interim leadership, a new headteacher was appointed at the beginning of this school year.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Rampton Primary School, 19 °20 October 2006

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Grade: 2

Since the previous inspection, this school has undergone a remarkable transformation. School leaders and governors have been so successful in dealing with the weaknesses that were identified that it is now, in most respects, a good school, which provides good value for money. Consequently, in accordance with section 13 (5) of the Education Act of 2005, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement. The school's rapid improvement has been built on effective support from the Local Authority, provided principally by able interim leaders, who brought rigour to both leadership and management. Equally importantly, they restored the self-belief of staff and rekindled a strong desire to succeed. The assistant headteacher and the recently appointed headteacher have effectively continued the momentum, such that almost all aspects of the school are stronger than they were a year ago. The school has good

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Grade: 2

capacity for further improvement because they have generated a clear view of the way ahead. Their evaluation of the school is accurate, communication has improved and staff and governors are highly motivated. They are pulling in the same direction because they share the headteacher's vision. Training for staff and governors has prepared them a stronger role in school improvement but their impact is limited, because they are not yet systematically involved in checking standards and quality. Effective leadership and management are already having a significant impact. Teaching and learning are good. Improved systems for assessment and for tracking pupils' progress are raising standards in writing and the school is, rightly, planning to extend these to reading and mathematics. Nevertheless, pupils of all abilities in Years 1 to 6 are already achieving well. In 2006, standards were above average at the end of Year

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Grade: 2

2 and well above average by the end of Year 6. The school has also improved its curriculum. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage gives them the necessary practical activities and structured play to promote secure learning. Links between subjects make the curriculum in Years 1 to 6 meaningful, but staff are not yet using assessment information effectively to ensure that learning builds progressively in cross-curricular topics. Pupils also contribute to the quality of their learning. Most enjoy school, so readily rise to the challenge to do their best. Most respond well to teachers' high expectations of their behaviour and of their capacity to cope with demanding work. Pupils demonstrate good standards of personal development. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They are sensitive to the achievements and needs of others. They know the importance of safe and healthy lifestyles and show this in

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Grade: 2

the choices that they make. They contribute willingly to the school and the wider community and are well prepared for adult life. Pupils feel secure because care, guidance and support are good. Pastoral care is strong. Procedures for child protection, for minimising risks to pupils and for preventing bullying are robust and meet current requirements. Teachers give satisfactory academic guidance but systems for setting individual targets are just developing, so in reading and mathematics, pupils do not really know how to improve their progress. 2 Inspection Report: Rampton Primary School, 19 °20 October 2006

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the use of assessment information to ensure that pupils' learning builds progressively in all subjects. • Extend personal targets to reading and mathematics and ensure that pupils understand clearly how to improve their work. • Give subject leaders and governors a more systematic role in monitoring the work of the school.

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Grade: 2

Children start school with broadly average abilities. They make satisfactory progress in the Foundation Stage and most reach of the standards expected of five-year-olds. In recent years, standards have fallen in Years 1 to 6, but are now recovering strongly. The upturn in the results at the end of Year 2 began in 2005 and continued in 2006, when most pupils achieved well and standards in reading and writing were above average. In mathematics, pupils made satisfactory progress but overall standards were average because no pupils attained the above average level. In 2005, overall standards at the end of Year 6 were barely average. However, pupils' achievements were satisfactory, because this group were below average on entry to Year 3. In 2006, all pupils in Year 6 attained or exceeded the nationally expected standards in all core subjects and standards were exceptionally high in mathematics and science. This cohort

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Grade: 2

entered Year 3 with above average overall standards, but with the exception of English, where progress was satisfactory, have achieved well. Inspection evidence is consistent with the most recent national tests, but also indicates that measures to raise standards in writing are paying off and that improving standards of writing are feeding through from Key Stage 1 into Key Stage 2.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being have improved since the last inspection and are now good. Most pupils enjoy school, attend regularly and relate well to staff and fellow pupils. Pupils generally behave well and have positive attitudes to learning. When asked what he liked about school, one pupil replied, 'the work that challenges me.' However, older pupils occasionally need reminding to behave well and still sometimes show limited enthusiasm. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They show respect and appreciation for one another and act on a clear understanding of what is right. Pupils make good contributions to school life and the wider community by acting as school councillors, helping younger pupils and entertaining local old folks. Most become responsible and mature. They show this by adopting safe, healthy lifestyles and conscientious working habits. As a result, they

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Grade: 2

are well prepared for secondary education and for the world of work. 3 Inspection Report: Rampton Primary School, 19 °20 October 2006

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Teachers plan their lessons carefully. The provision that they make for pupils with different capabilities has improved because teachers are making better use of assessment information to match tasks to pupils' abilities. This has had an immediate impact on standards in writing and staff are, rightly, planning to extend the use of assessment to other subjects. Teachers and teaching assistants work well together in support of the school's youngest children and those with learning difficulties or disabilities. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils. This is particularly apparent in Years 2 to 6, where pupils benefit from challenging tasks that allow them to work collaboratively. Positive relationships with staff promote pupils' confidence and so most rise to the challenge to do their best.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is better than it was at the time of the last inspection. Provision for children in the Foundation stage has improved. They now benefit from a balance of practical activities and purposeful play that promotes satisfactory standards and achievement. The curriculum for Years 1 to 6 gives a satisfactory emphasis to all subjects and teaching time is now adequate. Nevertheless, teachers are not yet making enough use of assessment information to plan cross-curricular topics that ensure that pupils' knowledge and skills builds progressively and that the full range of learning needs in the mixed age classes is consistently met in all subjects.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. Pastoral care is strong and staff ensure that pupils are safe and secure. There are effective procedures for preventing bullying and, in this respect, the 'Playground Peacemakers' do a good job. Risk assessments are thorough and staff have received recent training to ensure a consistent response to child protection matters. Procedures for safeguarding pupils meet current requirements. The school has effective partnerships with outside agencies that ensure that pupils with learning difficulties or other vulnerable pupils get the support that they need. However, although teachers advise individual pupils, their current target setting in subjects other than writing does not ensure that they all know how to improve their learning. 4 Inspection Report: Rampton Primary School, 19 °20 October 2006

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Grade: 2

The school has successfully addressed the serious weaknesses in leadership and management identified by the previous inspection. At the heart of the effective support provided by the Local Authority were excellent interim leaders, who galvanised staff and 'kick-started' the process of improvement. This work has been continued successfully by the assistant headteacher and the recently appointed headteacher, who has already had a significant impact on the school. Communication has improved, there is a shared appreciation of the way ahead and staff work as a committed and effective team. As the headteacher said; 'The buzz is coming back.' School self-evaluation and improvement planning are rigorous and thorough and, as a result, the school's capacity to improve further is good. However, although the part played by other staff and governors has also improved and is, in many respects good, their role in monitoring the school's work is not yet planned systematically enough to be

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Grade: 2

of maximum benefit. 5 Inspection Report: Rampton Primary School, 19 °20 October 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Rampton Primary School, 19 °20 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 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 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: Rampton Primary School, 19 °20 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: Rampton Primary School, 19 °20 October 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

23 October 2006 Dear Children Rampton Primary School, Retford Road, Rampton, Nottinghamshire, DN22 0JB You may remember that I visited your school a little while ago. Thank you for making my visit so enjoyable and for taking time to talk to me and to answer my questions. I thought that you would like to hear what I found out about your school. There are many good things happening in your school: • Lots of things at your school have improved during the last year. • Standards are higher and almost all of you are making good progress. • You are learning well because your teachers are trying hard to plan work that is interesting and that is at the right level of difficulty for you all. • You get on really well with your teachers, with the other adults and with one another. • Your teachers and other adults help you when you have problems and make sure that you are safe. • Ms Chambers, the staff, governors and pupils work hard to make the school a better place.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

There are a few things that could be even better. Although most of you behave well, those few who sometimes find it difficult to be on their best behaviour could help by making an extra effort to settle quickly to their work. I have asked your teachers to make sure that your work in all lessons builds carefully on what you have learned before and that you all understand your personal targets and how to achieve them. Finally, I have asked Ms Chambers to make time for all teachers and governors to check regularly on how well you are doing. I hope that you will all continue to work hard and do well. Yours sincerely Glynn Storer (Lead Inspector) 9 Inspection Report: Rampton Primary School, 19 °20 October 2006

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