Fairford Church of England Primary School

Fairford Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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115622 Unique Reference Number Gloucestershire Local Authority 298925 Inspection number 20 °21 March 2007 Inspection dates Peter Limm HMI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005; it was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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Primary Type of school Voluntary controlled School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 234 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Guy Bailey Chair Jane Sparling Headteacher 7 February 2006 Date of previous school inspection The Park School address Leafield Road Fairford GL7 4JQ

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01285 712543 Telephone number 01285 712543 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 20 °21 March 2007 Inspection dates 298925 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 one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

The school is of average size situated on the outskirts of Fairford, a rural town near Cirencester. Pupils come from the local area which includes a large air base with a mobile population. The socio-economic characteristics of the area are favourable. Most families are of White British origin, with a few from minority ethnic groups. The attainment of pupils on entry is broadly in line with the national average. There are a small number of pupils with learning disabilities and difficulties. The school was placed in special measures in February 2006 following a period of declining standards and achievement.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Fairford Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007

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Grade: 2

The school has made considerable improvements since its last inspection and has successfully tackled the weaknesses that were identified. In accordance with Section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures. The school's overall effectiveness is good. Since the last inspection, the headteacher has worked well to strengthen the quality of leadership at all levels, promote better quality teaching, and to raise standards and achievement. The governors provide good support and challenge. Both standards of attainment and achievement across the school are good, although the rate of improvement in English and mathematics is still slower than it should be. Staff have been deployed well to improve the rate at which pupils make progress and to combat the legacy of underachievement, especially in Years 3 to 6. Very good assessment strategies pinpoint weaker aspects of performance and lead to well thought

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Grade: 2

out interventions for specific individuals and groups. The school has identified key priorities in its drive for improvement and staff work hard to implement them. Pupils have noted how lessons 'are more fun this year' and how 'we all have more targets to help us get better results'. The quality of teaching is good with some outstanding practice. Teachers use assessment information effectively to plan lessons that match pupils' varying starting points. This has led to lively lesson activities with clear objectives in which all pupils are actively engaged in their learning. The school is aware that it still does not challenge the more able pupils fully. It is also aware that the good practice found in most lessons is not found consistently in all of them. The school provides a good curriculum focused on developing personal and social skills as well as academic understanding. The personal development of the pupils is good. Pupils work well together in lessons and

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Grade: 2

behaviour and attendance are good. Pupils make effective contributions to school life. They speak with some pride about their roles and responsibilities in the school and feel their views are taken into account well by teachers. Fairford is a caring school where teachers work hard to help and support pupils. This hard work of staff, together with more skilled leadership and management, has secured big improvements in achievement and value for money. There are good links with the community and pupils benefit from working with the nearby secondary school to improve their sporting skills. There is good capacity within the school to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve further the progress pupils make in English and mathematics. • Provide even more challenge for able pupils. • Ensure that the good practice found in most lessons is developed in all of them.

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Grade: 2

Standards are above average and pupils achieve well. The school has responded positively to the weaknesses identified by the last inspection and has made good strides in ensuring pupils' achievement, progress and standards have improved. With tighter monitoring and tracking of pupils' progress, standards have risen throughout the school and especially in Years 3 to 6. Pupils' achievement in Years 1 and 2 has also been carefully analysed to ensure the rate of 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Fairford Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007 progress of pupils after admission is strong. The school has put in place intervention programmes to accelerate the rate of learning for pupils who were not progressing fast enough. Nevertheless, the rate of progress in English and mathematics is still not as rapid as it could be. Whilst they make expected progress, more able pupils lack appropriate challenge in some lessons. Pupils

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Grade: 2

with learning difficulties and disabilities make good progress as a result of the good support they receive in class.

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Grade: 2

Pupils say they enjoy school and that the many new things introduced over the last few months help them to work better. Behaviour is good and pupils relish challenges. They are kind to each other and show courtesy and respect to adults. As they move through the school pupils grow in confidence and they are happy to undertake responsibilities within the school, such as peer mentoring. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. There are good links to schools in other parts of the world and pupils talk animatedly about the work they have done finding out how people in the various countries live and what they believe. Assemblies provide regular opportunities for celebrating achievements and enhancing pupils' spiritual development. There are plenty of opportunities for pupils to contribute to the development of the school through the school and class councils. Pupils say they value these discussions.

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Grade: 2

They understand about the benefits of living healthily and avoiding unhealthy foods at meal times. Pupils develop a good understanding of community life through interactions with local residents participating in activities such as gardening, reading, and visiting senior citizens. Pupils are prepared well for their future economic well-being. The school continues to work hard to maintain regular attendance, which is good.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good with some excellent features. All staff have worked very hard to raise their expectations of what pupils can achieve and to create exciting and stimulating lessons. Teachers are becoming expert at using the interactive whiteboards to motivate and interest pupils. This was demonstrated very well by one teacher who used the whiteboard to show how pupils could easily make mistakes about fractions and how these mistakes could be avoided. However, the good practice found in most lessons is not consistently found in all of them. Excellent relationships in the school help all the pupils develop good attitudes to learning. Pupils say that if they do not understand anything teachers explain how to overcome their difficulties and make helpful comments in their books. One pupil said, 'We all have targets and teachers keep checking how well we are doing. We have lots of targets

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Grade: 2

now.' The work set for the pupils is usually matched well to their individual needs, but some of the tasks still do not demand enough of the more able pupils.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and pupils say they enjoy the opportunities to find out about how the world works and how other people live. Staff plan carefully to make the curriculum interesting for all pupils. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities receive good support from teachers 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Fairford Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007 and teaching assistants to ensure they enjoy the activities. The curriculum is enriched well by a good range of further activities such as sport, music, dance and poetry workshops. The school timetable has been revised to enable more educational visits to take place, which pupils said they valued highly. There is good provision for information and communication technology (ICT) and this is being used well to raise standards and improve the quality of teaching in the majority of lessons, although not consistently well in all.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. Pupils are cared for well and they say they feel safe at school. The child safety and protection arrangements are good. There is good support for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. The school works well with parents and communications are good. Assessment of pupils' work and tracking of pupils' progress have improved well since the last inspection. Teachers' expectations have been raised and marking and target setting are good. Pupils say marking in books is regular and comments help them to make improvements.

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Grade: 2

Effective leadership and management have resulted in good improvements in the key areas of weakness identified in the last inspection. The school's systems for checking its effectiveness are strong. Weaknesses that are identified are addressed rigorously and become priorities for action in the school's improvement plan. Systems for tracking pupils' progress demonstrate clearly that standards are rising and pupils are achieving well. Performance management is good and there is a rigorous programme in place to evaluate and improve the quality of teaching through the school. All members of the school community have focused well on making key improvements and there is a good team spirit which is focused on continuous improvement. The headteacher has made judicious decisions about the deployment of staff and resources and these have strengthened the leadership capacity of the school. The governing body provides

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Grade: 2

a good balance of support and challenge. Governors hold the school to account well. They are kept well informed about key school developments and are actively involved in school activities. The planned appointment of an additional member to the senior team will strengthen the capacity of the school to improve even further. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Fairford Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 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. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Fairford Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 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 2 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Fairford Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Fairford Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making us welcome when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed looking at your work and were pleased to hear you say how much you enjoyed school and your lessons. We particularly liked the way you behaved and got on well with each other. We listened carefully to what you and your teachers said and decided that your school is providing you with a good education. • Your school has improved well since it was last inspected. • Your headteacher and other staff lead and manage the school well. • Your standards and progress are good. • The teaching is good and you enjoy the lessons, especially when they are 'fun'. • You are cared for well. There are still some things that the school could do better. I have asked your headteacher and governors to: • make sure that all your lessons are as good as the best lessons we saw • make sure that you progress even faster in English and mathematics • give those of you who do things quickly and well even more tricky things to do.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You can help by telling your teachers when you find things easy and want more to do or when you need more help to understand what you are taught. Good luck! 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Fairford Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007

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