The Metheringham Primary School

Inspection Report The Metheringham Primary School

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120382 Unique Reference Number LINCOLNSHIRE Local Authority 299966 Inspection number 27 °28 February 2007 Inspection dates Martin Cragg HMI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 which gives Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools the authority to cause any school to be inspected. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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Prince's Street School address Primary Type of school Metheringham Community School category Lincoln LN4 3BX 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01526 320039 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01526 323329 Fax number 243 Number on roll (school) Mr Neil Kendall Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Ms Sue Ashe (Interim Ht) Headteacher 5 October 2005 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 299966 27 °28 February 2007 4°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 one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Metheringham Primary School is of average size. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below average and there are very few pupils who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is broadly average but there is a higher than average proportion who have statements of special educational need. The school shares some of its facilities with the local community.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: The Metheringham Primary School, 27 °28 February 2007

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Grade: 3

When it was last inspected in October 2005 the school was not providing an acceptable standard of education because a large proportion of its pupils did not make adequate progress. There has been significant improvement since and the school now provides a satisfactory education for its pupils. In accordance with section 13 (4) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures. Under the determined leadership of the interim headteacher, the school has successfully addressed the main areas of concern from the last inspection. Pupils now make at least satisfactory progress throughout the school. Standards have improved and are now broadly in line with the national average. Nevertheless, progress in Key Stage 2 remains below that in Key Stage 1 and is an area for further improvement. Provision in the Foundation Stage is good. Children make good overall progress during their time in

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Grade: 3

the reception class. The quality of teaching is now rigorously monitored and has improved to be satisfactory overall. As a result of the increasing proportion of good lessons, pupils enjoy their learning and make at least satisfactory progress. Teachers ensure that pupils know their targets and that they have clear guidance on how to improve their work. Although the best lessons challenge all pupils and require them to think about and discuss their learning, this is not a strong enough feature across the school. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Their attendance is good. They trust staff, generally enjoy their lessons and feel safe. They contribute enthusiastically to school activities and increasingly take on responsibilities. There is a strong ethos of care in the school and relationships are good. The curriculum is broad and ensures that pupils receive good support to develop their basic skills through additional work

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Grade: 3

in small groups. There are good opportunities for enrichment through a wide variety of trips and events. Leadership and management in the school have improved and are now satisfactory overall. The interim headteacher provides very good direction and sets high expectations. She knows the strengths and weaknesses of the school. There are now effective systems for monitoring and evaluating the school's work and these are shared by key staff and governors. As a result, the school's self evaluation is good. Subject leaders provide satisfactory leadership which has brought about improved achievement for pupils. However, several changes in headteacher in the last eighteen months have limited the coherence of the key staff as a team. There are good partnerships with other schools, organisations and agencies which benefit teachers and provide good additional opportunities for pupils. There has been good improvement since the last

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Grade: 3

inspection and this demonstrates clearly that the school has the capacity to improve further. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve standards and progress at Key Stage 2 by increasing the proportion of teaching and learning which is good or better. 2 Inspection Report: The Metheringham Primary School, 27 °28 February 2007 • Ensure that pupils have regular opportunities in lessons to discuss their ideas and develop independence in their learning. • Ensure that those with leadership responsibilities work effectively as a team to improve achievement.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' achievement is satisfactory overall and has improved since the last inspection. Pupils join the school with attainment which is below that expected nationally for their age. They make good progress during the Foundation Stage. By the end of Year 2, pupils make at least satisfactory progress to achieve standards which are above the national average. By the end of Year 6, pupils achieve standards which are broadly in line with the national average. In 2006, standards improved in mathematics but fell in science. Pupils now make satisfactory progress by the end of Year 6. The school's own detailed assessment of pupils' progress indicates an improving trend and confirms that most pupils make progress in line with or above that expected nationally. Pupils are set challenging targets and most achieve them. Pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities make satisfactory progress overall and some make good progress.

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Grade: 3

The personal development and well-being of pupils is satisfactory overall with good features. Pupils' behaviour is usually good and they respond well to the school's clear expectations. They confirmed that they feel safe in a school that has little bullying or racism. Pupils' attendance is good with very little unauthorised absence. The school takes effective action when pupils' attendance falters. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils have a good sense of right and wrong. They also have good social skills and show increasing maturity as they move up through the school. Cultural development is good and pupils enjoy learning about other ways of life. Spiritual development is satisfactory but is not planned for sufficiently across the curriculum. Pupils' adoption of healthy lifestyles and safe practices in school is satisfactory. They know why it is important to stay fit and healthy and eat healthy food. Nearly all enjoy

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Grade: 3

school and value their friendships. They feel part of the school community and participate enthusiastically in school council meetings. They contribute to the school community through school productions, charity collections and help in the classroom. Pupils' involvement in fundraising activities combines with their satisfactory achievement in basic skills to lay sound foundations for their future economic well-being. 3 Inspection Report: The Metheringham Primary School, 27 °28 February 2007

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall and have improved since the last inspection. Teachers manage their classes well, establishing good working relationships. Lesson planning is good and pupils know exactly what they are expected to learn. All teaching is now satisfactory and a greater proportion is good than at the time of the last inspection. Where teaching is good or better, the pace of the lesson is brisk, work is challenging, pupils are encouraged to think and to discuss their ideas. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can do. However, where teaching and learning are satisfactory rather than good, work is not always carefully matched to pupils' needs. There are limited opportunities for pupils to think independently and develop their own ideas through discussion. The quality of teachers' marking is good. Teachers give pupils good advice about how they can improve their work. Pupils know their targets and what to do to achieve them.

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Grade: 3

The school has good systems for tracking pupils' progress. This information is used effectively to identify pupils who need additional support. These pupils make good progress in developing their basic skills in the intervention programme.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory overall. It meets statutory requirements and matches the needs of most pupils. The school has justifiably put strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy since the last inspection but is now linking these with other non-core subjects and developing the wider curriculum. There is a good programme of support for pupils needing additional work on basic skills. Curriculum provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is satisfactory. There is an increasing range of clubs available to pupils, but this is more limited for younger pupils. A good range of enrichment activities is available including a residential experience, visits to local places of worship, visiting theatre companies, school productions, African dancers and a range of sporting activities.

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Grade: 3

The care, guidance and support provided by the school are satisfactory. Pupils' relationships with staff are good and pupils confirmed that they would seek help if they felt at risk. They place a high level of trust and confidence in staff. Pupils are happy and thrive in a caring and supportive learning environment. Arrangements for looked after children are good and these pupils are making good progress. Child protection procedures are satisfactory but staff training is not fully up to date. The school has taken all reasonable steps to comply with the legal requirements for safeguarding. 4 Inspection Report: The Metheringham Primary School, 27 °28 February 2007 The support and guidance pupils receive for their learning is satisfactory. Pupils know their targets and most know what they have to do to improve their work. However, opportunities for pupils to assess their own work are limited. There are adequate

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Grade: 3

arrangements to support pupils with learning difficulties. The school works well with relevant external agencies to provide specialist help for these pupils if needed.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The interim headteacher sets a very clear vision for the school and has high expectations of staff and pupils which provide an effective framework for improvement. Core subject leaders are increasingly effective, demonstrated by the improvements in pupils' achievement. However, the structure of the leadership team in the school lacks coherence. There are thorough systems for monitoring the work of the school and, increasingly, the outcomes are evaluated and used effectively to inform planning so that areas of weakness are addressed. The school is committed to recognising the needs of all learners. The school now occupies impressive accommodation. Staff are suitably qualified and efficiently allocated. Governors understand their role in holding the school to account and have revised their systems to ensure that they gather the information necessary

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Grade: 3

to make these judgements. The school has made clear progress on the key issues raised in the last inspection and now provides satisfactory education for its pupils. The improved performance of subject leaders and the very effective leadership of the interim headteacher ensure that the school has satisfactory capacity to improve. This is further strengthened by the appointment of an experienced headteacher for April 2007. 5 Inspection Report: The Metheringham Primary School, 27 °28 February 2007 .

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: The Metheringham Primary School, 27 °28 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 2 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 2 The attendance of learners 3 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 3 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?

3 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: The Metheringham Primary School, 27 °28 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: The Metheringham Primary School, 27 °28 February 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

1 March 2007 Dear Pupils Metheringham Primary School, Prince's Street, Metheringham, Lincolnshire, LN4 3BX As you know, I recently visited your school with two other inspectors. This letter is to tell you what we found. First, I would like to thank you for your help during our visit. We enjoyed talking to some of you at lunchtime and in lessons. Your views of the school were very helpful. We were very impressed by the friendly and confident way you spoke to us. Your school has improved a lot in the last year and we have taken it out of the group of schools which we have to visit every term. This means that the school now gives you a satisfactory education. You behave well in school and you mostly enjoy coming to school. You told us that you feel safe and that there is very little bullying. You now make progress in your lessons and most of you know your targets and reach them. You pay attention in lessons and are enthusiastic in

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

answering questions. Your teachers mark your work carefully and give you a clear idea of the next steps you need to take. You enjoy the broad range of activities and trips that the school provides and some of your work based on these was very interesting. The school council is beginning to put your ideas into practice around the school. The staff look after you well and help you to learn. We suggested some areas of the school's work that need to be even better. You still need to work even harder to get better results by the end of Year 6. To help you, we want even more of your lessons to be good. We also felt that you need more time in lessons to work out your own ideas and to discuss them with others. We want to see you take more responsibility for your learning. I am confident that your school can improve further. I wish you good luck in the future. Yours sincerely Martin Cragg Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

9 Inspection Report: The Metheringham Primary School, 27 °28 February 2007

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