All Saints School

Age group Published Reference no. All Saints School

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Independent School

DfES registration number 926/6140 Unique reference number 121250 Inspection number 296770 Inspection dates 1-2 March 2007 Reporting inspector Mrs Angela Cook AI

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Independent School

Inspection of the school was carried out under section 162A of the Education Act 2002 (as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005). Inspection of the funded nursery education was carried out under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.

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Independent School

3-16 26 March 2007 269770 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Independent School

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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Purpose and scope of the inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005, in order to advise the Secretary of State for Education and Skills about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about the school

All Saints School, in the village of Lessingham, near Norwich, is a privately owned independent day school, which takes students from the term of their third birthday to the age of 16. It is accommodated in a Victorian school building and the adjoining school house, both of which have extensions. Funded nursery education, provided for children over three but under five years old, was inspected by a childcare inspector at the same time as this inspection. Approximately a fifth of the students have learning disabilities and difficulties, in particular those associated with dyslexia. The school was established in 1987, with the aim of supporting young people to achieve not only ‘their potential in the academic field’, but also to learn ‘about themselves and their role in society’.

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Evaluation of the school

The overall quality of education and care provided at All Saints School is good. The school supports students’ personal development effectively and enables them to make good progress academically. Students have developed very positive attitudes to work and their behaviour is outstanding. The school knows itself well, and has worked hard to meet most of the regulations.

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Quality of education

The quality of the curriculum is satisfactory, with some good aspects, particularly in the nursery and infant classes, where joint planning ensures the continuity and progression of students’ learning across the years. The curriculum policy defines the provision in generic terms, and does not fully reflect the range of options available to the older students. A broad and balanced curriculum, based on the National Curriculum, is offered to all age groups, and is tailored to the interests and needs of the students. There is good provision for aesthetic and creative arts, and all students study personal, social and health education, which reflects the caring ethos of the school.

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Quality of education

The quality of curriculum planning is variable. In some subjects there are clear long-, medium- and short-term plans. In other areas, however, planning is more rudimentary. Where planning translates into clear learning outcomes, and staff plan together, good practice evolves which enhances students’ progress. This is not yet common practice in the school. Mixed year group teaching requires careful planning so that all can experience continuity and progression in their learning. Occasionally, carefully sequenced progression is sacrificed because of timetabling issues. Those with statements for special educational needs are supported well, and the curriculum is planned carefully for them. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used effectively to support learning and reinforce understanding. Inspectors agree with the comments made by students and parents that extra-curricular activities are limited.

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Quality of education

The junior school provides a sound basis for students’ further learning. Numeracy and literacy are priorities, supplemented by science, topic work, religious education, music, drama and sports, including swimming. Instrumental lessons further complement the timetable. Students are able to take some GCSE courses at the end of Key Stage 3, although most take them in Key Stage 4. Approximately fifteen courses are available, including music, two languages, child development and a short course in citizenship. Students can also take vocational courses at a nearby college. The Connexions service provides careers advice. Year 11 students say that they have been well supported in making their choices, and nearly all go on to further education.

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Quality of education

Teaching is satisfactory. In some classes materials, such as poor worksheets and ill-planned resources, fail to take account of students’ different learning styles and different abilities. Students’ good progress in these lessons is due to their willingness to participate and their determination to maximise their learning. Where teaching is good, students are able to develop skills and understanding at their own pace, with resources suitable to their needs. Good lessons capitalise on students’ motivation by developing their independent learning skills, but poor planning in some lessons results in missed learning opportunities. The staff are well-qualified, confident practitioners, extending students’ learning and challenging their understanding, but they do not always make full use of assessment to inform their planning. Marking is not consistent in providing an indication of the level achieved or showing the student how to

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Quality of education

improve. Nevertheless, progress across all key stages is good, because of the positive attitudes of the students and the small class size, which enables each student to receive individual attention. Those with additional needs make similarly good progress. Base-line testing, with regular monitoring and assessment, enables the school to track each student’s progress and provide additional support where necessary.

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pupils

Students’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural education is good. Much positive support is provided to help them build self-esteem. Small class size and individual help enable students to develop self-confidence. Self-evaluation is used in the senior school to encourage students to develop an understanding of their strengths and areas that need improvement.

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pupils

Students are encouraged to reflect on different traditions and cultures, for example by a Chinese New Year display. Prayers are used regularly at meal times and in assembly. Students throughout the school know what is right and wrong. Juniors say that the system of punishments is effective. The school is aware that the preparation it gives its students to live in a multicultural society is limited, and it is seeking to address this through the development of a partnership with a school in Tanzania.

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pupils

Students enjoy school and their attendance is good. One junior described it as ‘a great school’. Their attitudes to work are very positive, and students maximise their learning by participating fully in lessons. Their behaviour is outstanding. Students initiate many conversations with visitors, and their courtesy and thoughtfulness are notable. Students’ awareness of public institutions and services available in England is developed effectively through the curriculum and through links with the wider community, involving guest speakers. These have included a local magistrate and a member of St John’s Ambulance.

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pupils

Students have a variety of opportunities to take responsibility, such as being peer mentors or student council representatives. Many carry out jobs around the school to help it to function smoothly. The student council enables students to develop decision making skills. Year 11 students organised a sale, raising money for two charities, as part of their citizenship studies. Some students feel that they are not always shown sufficient respect by staff. Generally the relationships between staff and students are very positive. However, almost half of the senior students feel that greater account could be taken of their views. All say that they can find someone with whom they can share any concerns.

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Welfare, health and safety of the students

The students’ positive attitudes to work reflect the good quality of care provided by the dedicated staff. Welfare, health and safety are all high priorities for the school. A variety of timetabled sport, including cross-country running, encourages students to develop a healthy lifestyle. Juniors say that there is no bullying. Several commented that they had previously been victims of bullying, and had moved to this school to avoid it. They have developed social responsibility and look after each other. Senior students agree there is some bullying in Key Stage 3, but the school deals with it effectively. The headteacher’s determination to provide a safe learning environment for all students, whatever their needs, has resulted in a happy, purposeful school. Consideration, courtesy, courage, care and respect are all qualities which the school values and instils successfully in its learners. However, students indicate

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Welfare, health and safety of the students

that the school’s reward system is not always applied consistently and there is a lack of clarity.

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Welfare, health and safety of the students

Almost all the policies necessary to meet the regulations are in place. The school has yet to prepare a three-year plan, as required by the Disability Discrimination Act 2002, to improve the provision of information and accessibility to the curriculum and to the premises. Plans have already been drawn up to install a toilet for disabled users. Risk assessments are carried out for activities off-site, and regular fire checks and drills are conducted to ensure safety. In most cases staff are deployed well to supervise students, although exceptions were noticed. The headteacher takes responsibility for child protection and first aid matters. One parent praised the teachers’ excellent understanding of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Suitability of the proprietor and staff

The appointment of staff is well managed. Criminal records have been carefully checked with the local authority, and new checks with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) have recently been initiated for all staff. Not all responses have yet been received. A single record, incorporating these details, is being developed.

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School’s premises and accommodation

The accommodation is adequate. Teaching spaces are sufficient for the size of the groups using them. There is a small, well-equipped ICT room. The Foundation Stage is located in a wooden building attached to the school, which is of adequate size. Although the Year 2 classroom has little natural light, attractive displays and imaginative use of space create a warm learning environment. Outdoor play space is limited for older students, but the school endeavours to overcome this by using nearby sports facilities.

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School’s premises and accommodation

At times students play by the fuel tank and rubbish bins in the playground. There is no separate room where they can go if they are ill. Some toilets are poorly maintained.

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Provision of information for parents, carers and others

A prospectus, including colour photos, and a new website are interestingly presented and include all the required information. Although the school notifies the local authority of income received for each student funded at the school, it does not yet routinely supply the associated expenditure.

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Procedures for handling complaints

The school’s complaints procedure complies fully with the regulations.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets all of the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003 as amended January 2005, with the exception of those listed below.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of provision for students’ welfare, health and safety (standard 3) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 ensure that there is proper supervision by staff of the students at all times (paragraph 3(7)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of suitability of proprietor and staff (standard 4) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 prior to the confirmation of the appointment of all staff, ensure that appropriate CRB checks have been carried out, and ensure that all volunteers who help in the school are similarly appropriately checked, keeping details of all checks in a single record (paragraph 4(b)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of the premises and accommodation (standard 5) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 provide appropriate facilities for students who are ill (paragraph 5(l)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of the provision of information for parents, carers and others (standard 6) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 submit, for any student registered at the school who is wholly or partly funded by the local authority, an annual account of income received and expenditure incurred by the school in respect of that student, to the local authority and on request to the Secretary of State (paragraph 6(7)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

In order to comply with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 2002 the school should devise a three-year accessibility plan.

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What the school could do to improve further

While not required by the regulations, the school might wish to consider the following points for development:

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What the school could do to improve further

 create opportunities for all staff to develop their planning together, so that good practice can be shared, cross-curricular opportunities maximised, and the continuity and progression of students’ learning ensured

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What the school could do to improve further

 ensure that assessment is used to inform lesson planning, so that the needs of all students are met in each lesson.

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Effectiveness of the funded nursery education

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff are very enthusiastic. They use resources well and provide an inviting, friendly environment for the children. They deliver a broad, balanced and purposeful curriculum which covers all aspects of the Foundation Stage. Plans clearly show the learning intentions for activities. There is a strong emphasis on children learning through talk and they readily interact with others. They undertake a wide variety of practical activities which focus on mathematics. However, the structure of the daily routine provides limited opportunities for children to initiate their own activities and play experiences. The information gained from observations is used successfully to assess children's progress and identify their learning needs. Currently there is no system to add parents' observations to their child's assessment record.

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Effectiveness of the funded nursery education

Children feel confident and at ease in the setting. They are well motivated to learn and form positive relationships. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of children is fostered. Children are developing good self-esteem because the staff give them lots of praise, for example, for their brilliant painting. Children are polite and behave well. Those with additional needs are well-supported. Children gain an awareness of beliefs and cultures by using play equipment that reflects diversity and by undertaking projects.

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Effectiveness of the funded nursery education

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Staff welcome parents into the setting. They maintain on-going communication using daily diaries. Parents receive sufficient information about the activities and their child's achievements to enable them to feel fully involved in their child’s learning.

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Effectiveness of the funded nursery education

The leadership and management of the nursery are satisfactory. The setting has made sound progress since the last inspection. Staff have a suitable understanding of their roles and responsibilities in developing children's learning and work together well. They have access to training to develop their knowledge although regular appraisal sessions are not undertaken. The staff review the effectiveness of what they do and evaluate activities on a daily basis. The needs of children are being met.

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education

To improve the quality and standard of the nursery education the registered person should take account of the follow recommendations:

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education

 provide further opportunities for children to initiate their own activities and play experiences

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education

 develop a system to add comments made by parents about their child's progress to the assessment records.

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School details

Name of school All Saints School DfES number 926/6140 Unique reference number 121250 Unique reference number (funded nursery education) EY239608

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School details

Type of school Day school for pupils aged 3 to 16 years Status Independent Date school opened 1987 Age range of pupils 3-16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number on roll (full-time pupils ) Boys: 45 Girls: 34 Total: 79 Number of pupils with a statement of special educational need Boys: 3 Girls: 0 Total: 3 Number of pupils who are looked after Boys: 2 Girls: 0 Total: 2 Number of children receiving funded nursery education Boys: 3 Girls: 6 Total: 9 Annual fees (day pupils) £2,040-£3,285 Address of school School Road Lessingham Stalham Norwich Norfolk NR12 0DJ Telephone number 01692 582083 Fax number 01692 584999 Email address headmistress@allsaintslessingham.co.uk Headteacher Mrs Judith Gardiner Proprietor Mrs Judith Gardiner Reporting inspector Mrs Angela Cook AI Childcare inspector Mrs Pauline Todd CCI Dates of inspection 1-2 March 2007

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