All Saints' CofE School

Inspection Report All Saints C of E Primary School

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112272 Unique Reference Number Cumbria LEA 294772 Inspection number 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Penny Parrish Reporting inspector

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

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Slatefell Drive School address Primary Type of school Cockermouth Voluntary controlled School category Cumbria, CA13 9BH 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01900 325938 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01900 822195 Fax number 225 Number on roll Mr Nick Moore Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Peter Ovens Headteacher 1 September 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 294772 13 June 2006 - 3 to 11 14 June 2006 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

All Saints’ Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) School is situated on a housing estate on the outskirts of Cockermouth, in Cumbria. Some pupils travel to the school from beyond the local area, some to attend the resourced facility for children who have learning difficulties within the autistic range. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average. The number taking free school meals is about average. On admission to the Nursery, children’s attainments vary widely but are below average, overall. The vast majority of pupils are of White British ethnic background and all have English as their home language.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: All Saints C of E Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school where pupils achieve well. The school has an accurate and realistic view of its own work, and is dedicated to giving all pupils, whatever their needs, a good opportunity to progress well. Leadership and management are good, and with the energetic encouragement of the headteacher, no complacency is allowed as the school seeks to continuously improve outcomes for all pupils. Recent improvements show that the school has a good capacity for further improvement. It gives good value for money. Good teaching and learning raise attainment to standards that are average, overall, by the end of Year 6, and above average in mathematics. Standards are improving in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2. New strategies for helping boys especially, have led to an upsurge in achievement and progress. By the end of Reception, the learning goals are largely met, showing good improvement in communication, language

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Grade: 2

and literacy in particular. By the end of Year 2, standards have been below average overall in recent years because a higher than average proportion of pupils have specific difficulties with literacy. However, they have improved this year, especially in mathematics. Throughout the school, all groups of pupils achieve equally well; higher and lower attaining pupils, girls and boys, and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including those who attend the school’s specially resourced base, make good progress. Fewer boys than girls, however, reach higher levels within national tests and more are included at the lower end of the attainment spectrum. This is particularly apparent for English, but is evident also in mathematics and science. This has been largely resolved in the Foundation Stage and Year 1, but there is more to be done in the rest of the school. Personal development is good: pupils are confident,

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Grade: 2

caring and well-mannered. A good curriculum, with an outstanding range of extra activities, ensures that pupils develop a broad range of skills and a lively interest in learning. Pupils are well cared for and their health and safety is assured. Although teaching staff have a good picture of each pupil’s stage of learning, not enough is shared with pupils to help them to clearly understand their next steps.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Make sure that boys’ attainment is at least as high as girls’ throughout the school. • Improve pupils’ knowledge of what they need to do next in order to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good and standards are average, overall, by the end of Year 6. Challenging targets set each year are generally exceeded. The school works hard to secure good achievement for all across the curriculum and is constantly focused on a programme of improvement. Attention has been focused recently, for example, on raising achievement in mathematics, and teachers’ hard work has been rewarded with 2 Inspection Report: All Saints C of E Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006 standards that are now above average by the end of Year 6, with almost half of all pupils working at the above average Level 5. In recent years, there has been outstanding progress from Year 3 to Year 6, and this has put the school into the top 10% of schools nationally for overall progress in Key Stage 2. However, the school’s action for improvement has focused more closely on this key stage. Standards by the end of Year 2 have been less secure and have generally

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Grade: 2

been below average but are now much improved, especially in mathematics. Overall standards are adversely affected by the above average proportion of pupils that have specific learning difficulties, particularly in literacy. Boys’ attainment has a history of being lower, overall, than that of girls but there are clear signs that this is being tackled more successfully. In Year 1, for example, standards are at least average overall for boys and girls, and above average in writing, giving the promise of further improvements through the school. By the end of the Foundation Stage, high standards of provision mean that most children in Reception are reaching the early learning goals set nationally, despite a below average starting point. The children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities benefit from well targeted support, both within the specially resourced base and the main school, and achieve well.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. Most are enthusiastic learners who enjoy all aspects of school life and establish very good relationships. Behaviour is good, overall, and there is generally a happy, purposeful learning environment. The group of pupils with specific behaviour difficulties respond well to the friendliness of the school and the clear systems for helping them to improve. A good indication that pupils like coming to school is the gradual improvement in attendance figures, which now match the national average. Pupils are very aware of the benefits of healthy eating and physical activity and know how to keep safe. The work of the school council, supported by class councils, fully involves them in decision-making; they are very proud of their contributions to the anti-bullying policy and to the improvements in the toilet facilities. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.

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Grade: 2

They have a good understanding of their own and other cultures, and are encouraged to explore moral issues in assemblies and during class discussions. When given the opportunity, they willingly take on responsibilities and make a good contribution to the local and wider community by organising events and raising money for charity. For example, the pupils have supported a family in Uganda for a number of years and are taking part in the Cockermouth Festival. The good development and application of mathematical, language and computer skills, together with activities to promote awareness of the needs of others, prepare pupils well for adult life. 3 Inspection Report: All Saints C of E Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. The staff form a cohesive team and teaching is successful in meeting pupils’ varied learning needs and enabling them to make good progress. Teachers brief teaching assistants well and they are deployed effectively, particularly to support the pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Subject leaders make every effort to ensure that the staff team has good, up-to-date subject knowledge. Teachers use technological whiteboards well in all classes to promote the pupils’ interest and pace of learning. Assessment systems are good and used well to check that teaching methods are working and to check pupils’ progress. Staff have a high level of commitment to playing their part in whole-school improvements. In response to the aim to improve boys’ attainment, for example, changes were made to topics planned, resources were purchased and teaching styles adapted. Consequently, in Reception and Year 1, boys are attaining at least equally

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Grade: 2

with girls, but there is more work to be done to continue this trend through the school. Pupils’ work is marked regularly but does not always identify successes clearly or focus attention effectively on the next steps. Pupils’ learning is successfully taken further through the employment of specialist sports coaches and music teachers to take lessons or after-school clubs. Several enthusiastic parents and other long-standing volunteers are engaged very successfully in promoting pupils’ learning.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and provides well, overall, for all pupils’ needs, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. It promotes an enjoyment of learning and enables pupils to develop their personal and social skills. Several strands, such as science and physical education, combine well to enable pupils to understand and adopt safe and healthy lifestyles. There is more work to be done in some classes, however, to inspire boys to greater efforts to close the attainment gap with girls that exists in national tests in Years 2 and 6. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and linked closely to the nationally agreed goals. Throughout the school, the curriculum is enhanced by ‘themed weeks’, such as for science and for design and technology, which the pupils really enjoy. Many pupils take part enthusiastically in an outstanding range of extra-curricular clubs and sporting activities which help them to gain in

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Grade: 2

confidence and promote their self-esteem in fields such as music and physical education. Work in class is enriched by regular visitors and visits, including annual residential trips for Years 2 to 6, which help to extend their experiences and understanding of the world. 4 Inspection Report: All Saints C of E Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006

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Grade: 2

Teaching staff know the pupils and their families well. They go out of their way to make the school a comfortable and inviting place to learn. This is much appreciated by all the parents who responded to the recent questionnaire. One commented that ‘the school is a positive, caring environment which is valued by parents, children, staff and the local community.’ Provision for the welfare, health and safety of pupils is effective. They say that they feel safe in school and are confident that there is always an adult they can turn to if they feel the need. Child-protection and health and safety procedures are in place and understood by all staff. Risk assessments are carried out well. Staff respond quickly to pupils’ individual needs and, as a result, those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and vulnerable pupils receive good support. Due to a prime focus on improving results in Key Stage 2 in recent years, however,

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Grade: 2

there has been some delay in establishing support for lower attaining pupils, mainly boys, in Years 1 and 2. Assessment and tracking procedures to monitor and guide pupils’ progress are good, overall, but inconsistent practice between classes means that pupils do not always know clearly enough their next steps for learning. Parents and carers are kept well informed of their children’s work and progress and are given good encouragement and help to extend their children’s learning.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher is strongly committed to providing well for each and every child. The deputy headteacher and other staff are firmly in tune with this philosophy and able to promote the continuous improvement of the school’s provision well. The school has a good understanding of its strengths, its aims and where it could become a little better. Good and thorough self-evaluation systems are used well to check on the quality of provision and each individual child. Senior managers, other staff and governors contribute to school review days which form the basis for the very detailed but manageable school improvement plan. Strategies put into place to improve standards work well. The contribution of the governing body is satisfactory; governors are interested and involved in the school and are aware of its strengths and areas for development. Parents hold the school in

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Grade: 2

very high regard, regularly complete questionnaires, and their views are taken fully into account. The school’s good track record in improving standards shows that it has a good capacity for further improvement. 5 Inspection Report: All Saints C of E Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 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: All Saints C of E Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006

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Inspection judgements

16-19 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

NA 2 How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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Personal development and well-being

NA 2 How good is the overall personal development and well-being of the learners? NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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The quality of provision

NA 2 How effective are teaching and learning in meeting the full range of the learners' needs? NA 2 How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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The quality of provision

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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Leadership and management

NA 2 How effective are leadership and management in raising achievement and supporting all learners? NA 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 3 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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Leadership and management

The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them The extent to which learners make a positive contribution Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the

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Leadership and management

wider community The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 Ofsted helpline 08456 404045 To the pupils of: All Saint's’ C of E Primary School Slatefell Drive Cockermouth Cumbria CA13 9BH 14 June 2006 Dear Pupils Thank you for welcoming the inspectors to your school and for helping us to find out about what happens at All Saints’. You, Mr Ovens and the staff, were very patient with all our questions, answered them carefully and contributed very well to the inspection. We found that All Saints’ is a good school, where you are happy. You told us you like coming to school and we saw that almost all of you are keen to get on with your work and to learn well. Everyone is friendly and willing to help one another. The teaching staff work hard to help you to understand your work and to help you to make good progress. There is an outstanding range of activities, clubs and outings available to make sure that you enjoy learning and get

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

better at doing the things you enjoy most. We think you are lucky to have so many opportunities to stay away from home with your school friends. You told us that the school council and the class councils work well to improve your school. To make the school even better, we think that many of the boys need to work really hard to try to do as well as they possibly can and as well as many of the girls. We think teachers need to help all of you, boys and girls, to understand more precisely what is good about your work, and how you can begin to improve it further. Thank you again for being so friendly and helpful. Keep on working hard and continuing to enjoy the school. Yours sincerely, Mrs Penny Parrish Lead inspector

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