East-the-Water Community Primary School

Inspection Report East-the-Water Community Primary School

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113130 Unique Reference Number Devon Local Authority 295383 Inspection number 13 °14 February 2007 Inspection dates Hazel Callaghan 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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Mines Road School address Primary Type of school Bideford Community School category EX39 4BZ 3 °11 Age range of pupils 01237 475178 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01237 423439 Fax number 211 Number on roll (school) Claudia Sanders Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Claire Grant Headteacher 1 January 2006 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 295383 13 °14 February 2007 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

East-the-Water Primary is an average sized school that serves an area of significant social deprivation. An above average proportion of pupils have learning difficulties and disabilities. There is a hearing support unit on site that works with four pupils and provides outreach provision for other pupils and their families. Most pupils are from families of White British origins. Children enter the school nursery with a range of experiences but standards are well below those expected for their age especially in their speech and language skills. There has been significant turnover in staffing with eight teachers leaving the school and ten joining it over the last two years. Two senior staff have been working as joint assistant headteachers during the headteacher's long term sick leave. The school was given a Notice to Improve at the last inspection.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: East-the-Water Community Primary School, 13 °14 February 2007

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Grade: 3

East-the-Water Primary is an improving school that has many strengths. Concerns at the last inspection have been largely addressed and the school's overall effectiveness is now satisfactory. In accordance with Section 13 (5) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement. The school has been through a particularly difficult time and, just as it was on a sharp upward turn, the headteacher was taken ill. The school has continued to move forward successfully because the two acting headteachers have continued his strong lead and clear focus on school improvement. Standards and achievement have improved because of the commitment to improve teaching. But, the large changes in the teaching staff have slowed the process and some classes still lack sufficient challenge so teaching is satisfactory overall. Standards are just below average but attainment at the end of Year 6 is still too low.

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Grade: 3

This is because of inadequate progress in the past. However, standards throughout the school are now much closer to those expected for pupils' ages. Pupils achieve satisfactorily. In several classes progress is good because the teaching clearly identifies what pupils need to do in order to improve. Progress is good in the Foundation Stage. The provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, especially in the hearing support unit is good. The systems by which pupils' progress is monitored are well established. The information gained is used successfully to identify those pupils of all abilities who are underachieving. Positive strategies are then put into place so their learning improves. The school is not clear, however, about whether the amount of progress made by children in the Foundation Stage and those with learning difficulties and disabilities is sufficient given their different starting points. Good

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Grade: 3

attention is given to setting curricular targets for all pupils' future learning. However, these are not focused enough on what individual pupils need to learn next, or reviewed sufficiently frequently, to ensure rapid progress. A good curriculum stimulates pupils' interest in learning and promotes pupils' good personal development. Many additional activities extend knowledge, self confidence and teamwork and satisfactorily prepare pupils for the world of work. There is a good focus on promoting pupils' awareness and positive attitudes to developing healthy lifestyles, which are all part of the school's strong pastoral care and good care, support and guidance. Leadership and management are good. Although there have been changes in leadership, its positive impact continues. There is an accurate recognition of what needs to be done and most aspects of self-evaluation are correct. Together the governors, assistant

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Grade: 3

headteachers and subject leaders have enabled the school to make good advances.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Promote consistently good teaching by ensuring that all lessons contain activities that challenge and extend pupils' learning in order to raise standards and make pupils' achievement even better. 2 Inspection Report: East-the-Water Community Primary School, 13 °14 February 2007 • Use data on pupils' standards and progress more rigorously to identify how different groups of pupils are achieving such as those with learning difficulties and disabilities and in the Foundation Stage. • Provide targets that are more closely focused on pupils' next steps in learning and review them more frequently so pupils make rapid progress.

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Grade: 3

Pupils make satisfactory progress through the school. In several classes achievement is good and pupils' learning accelerates. This is clearly evident in the current Year 2, Year 4 and Year 6 classes. Children also make good progress through the Foundation Stage, although it is yet to be consistent across the Nursery and Reception classes. Children start school with attainment at well below the expected levels. By the time they enter Year 1 standards are still below average but children are developing their early skills and knowledge more in line with those expected. Standards in Year 2 have risen significantly over the last two years and, although still below average, are much higher than in the past. Good progress is also enabling many other pupils to reach standards that are more in line with those expected in English, mathematics and science. Standards in Year 5 and Year 6 are still too low because of inadequate progress in the

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Grade: 3

past. This has changed, especially in Year 6, and most pupils now make rapid progress. The large number of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities throughout the school make generally satisfactory progress. Where their individual needs are clearly identified and accurate support is provided, such as by those staff working with pupils with hearing disabilities, progress is good.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, moral social and cultural development is good with particular strengths in social and moral development. Pupils have a good appreciation of what is right and wrong and show care for one another. Behaviour is good and the majority of pupils act sensibly. Pupils get on well with each other and celebrate each other's successes. They show empathy for others and are developing a good understanding of each other's qualities. However, they have too limited an awareness of the many other cultures and ethnic groups within English society. Pupils enjoy school and most attend regularly. One pupil said, 'We want to go to school because we know its going to be a good day.' Pupils enjoy taking responsibilities and they carry it out well. Older pupils, for example, carefully carry out risk assessments in preparation for their residential trip. Pupils make a good contribution to improving the life of the school. The school

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Grade: 2

council has put several plans into action, such as selecting and buying a billiard table for pupils' use. Pupils often raise money for charities and enjoy opportunities to support community projects and events. They have a good understanding of how to keep healthy and safe and use this to make positive choices. 3 Inspection Report: East-the-Water Community Primary School, 13 °14 February 2007

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Grade: 3

Lessons are often good and teachers build effectively on previous work, providing activities that are interesting and extend pupils' thinking. This is not always the case and in some instances work is set that does not challenge pupils enough. Work is not yet consistently good and pupils' progress in learning is satisfactory overall. Teachers are usually clear about what is to be learnt. They share this with their pupils so that evaluations at the end of lessons help pupils to identify how well they have got on. Pupils benefit from the quick and helpful marking of their work so they understand how to improve. Interactive whiteboards and other resources are used well to stimulate pupils' interest and curiosity. Teachers are supported by a generous number of well qualified assistants who make a significant contribution to pupils' progress, especially in small group sessions. In the Foundation Stage teaching is good but assessment of

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Grade: 3

children's progress has been inaccurate in the past and did not give a secure view of progress. Current systems are more effective and so teachers now set work that is better matched to children's needs.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory and provides an appropriate balance of adult led tasks and children's independent learning. Across the rest of the school the curriculum is good because it successfully matches pupils' learning needs and promotes interest and enjoyment in learning. Effective cross-curricular planning makes activities more meaningful and provides many opportunities for pupils to build on their skills and knowledge. Pupils in Year 3, for example, were exploring how food rations in the Second World War could be measured in a mathematics lesson. The very wide range of additional activities, such the Science Week and links with the Prince's Trust, extends pupils' experiences. Links with other local schools for sport competitions and the after school clubs also provide considerable benefits to pupils' learning. Regular visits extend pupils' experiences and enrich learning. Pupils' personal

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Grade: 2

development and knowledge of how to keep safe and healthy are promoted well by many aspects of the curriculum. The annual residential visit for pupils in Year 5 and Year 6, for example, promotes team building and social skills. Few opportunities are provided to extend pupils' awareness of the multicultural quality of English society.

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Grade: 2

Pastoral care and guidance of the children is a real strength of the school. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils are robust and the relevant checks are carried out, including those to do with the assessment of risk. The school is calm and well ordered. Pupils feel safe and secure. Support for learning is good. Throughout the school, the generous 4 Inspection Report: East-the-Water Community Primary School, 13 °14 February 2007 number of adults in lessons means that pupils quickly gain help when they need it. Specially planned support, such as Sure Start for the youngest pupils, and additional programmes to improve literacy and numeracy are beginning to show effect as they are used with growing accuracy to promote pupils' learning. Outside agencies are used well when required to support pupils' physical and academic progress. Special group sessions in the Studio are having a good affect on raising achievement for pupils with

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Grade: 2

personal and social difficulties. All pupils are given curricular targets for their future learning. However, they are not always detailed enough or monitored sufficiently frequently to ensure pupils rapid progress.

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Grade: 2

The two assistant headteachers and subject coordinators provide good leadership and this has led to many improvements especially in teaching and pupils' progress. A clear view of what pupils need to help them learn has guided curricular development so that pupils are now positive learners who show interest in their work and want to do well. Comprehensive and well established systems for tracking pupils' individual progress and for monitoring teaching give senior managers a secure basis for evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of pupils' learning. The priorities for improvement are well founded and provide staff with a united focus. Although the many staff changes have slowed development and there are still some inconsistencies to address, improvement has been good. This has been recognised by parents and pupils and there is real confidence in the staff. The school is very well served by its governors. They provide

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Grade: 2

a supportive yet challenging partnership. The aspects requiring further improvement identified by inspection had been recognised by the school but there are still some uncertainties in aspects of staffing and leadership which need to be resolved so capacity for improvement is judged as satisfactory. 5 Inspection Report: East-the-Water Community Primary School, 13 °14 February 2007 .

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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: East-the-Water Community Primary School, 13 °14 February 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 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 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? 3 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 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: East-the-Water Community Primary School, 13 °14 February 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? 8 Inspection Report: East-the-Water Community Primary School, 13 °14 February 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

I am writing to say thank you for making us feel welcome in your school and for helping us with our questions. We really enjoyed chatting to you and found everything you said very interesting. I thought you would like to know what we thought about your school. • What we liked about the school • This is an improving school that has many good features. • Most of you are happy at school and enjoy your lessons. • You get on well with each other and the adults in the school. • You behave sensibly and are kind to each other. • Teachers have made lots of good improvements recently to help you learn things more quickly • Teachers are making your work more interesting by linking subjects so that activities are more purposeful and enjoyable. • You try to do well in your work but many of you could still make better progress. • You have a good understanding about how to keep healthy and safe. • You enjoy working together to make the school a better place and to support local events

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and charities. • The staff look after you well and help you feel safe and secure. • Your assistant headteachers, governors and teachers are working hard to make the school better and to help you make good progress. • What we have asked the school to do now • Ensure that all teachers give you activities that build on what you already know and do and challenge your thinking so you make consistently good progress. • For teachers to use the information on how you are getting on so they have a clear view of how different groups of pupils are achieving. • For the staff to give you targets in English and mathematics that match what you need to learn next and to check more frequently whether you have achieved these targets so you can move on more quickly. Thank you again for being so friendly and polite. 9 Inspection Report: East-the-Water Community Primary School, 13 °14 February 2007

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