The St Peter and St Paul C of E Primary School

The St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School Inspection report

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120566 Unique Reference Number LINCOLNSHIRE Local Authority 300314 Inspection number 15 °16 March 2007 Inspection dates Rajinder Harrison 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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Primary Type of school Voluntary controlled School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 198 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Father Terry Steele Chair Miss Sarah Smith Headteacher 16 November 2005 Date of previous school inspection Wainfleet Road School address Burgh-le-marsh Skegness Lincolnshire PE24 5ED

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01754 810241 Telephone number 01754 811650 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 15 °16 March 2007 Inspection dates 300314 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The St Peter and St Paul C of E Primary School serves Burgh-le-Marsh and nearby villages and an increasing number of pupils come to the school from Skegness. The school is of average size and almost all pupils are of White British heritage. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is low. The proportion of pupils identified as having learning difficulties or disabilities is average. The school has an unusually high proportion of boys. At the time of the last inspection the school was subject to a Notice to Improve. A new headteacher was appointed to the school in September 2006.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: The St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School, 15 °16 March 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school with some good aspects and has successfully addressed the issues raised in the previous inspection. In accordance with section 13 (5) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement. Pupils' personal development is good. They feel happy and secure in school and their enjoyment is evident in the way they work and play together, forming good relationships with their classmates and with all the adults that help them. Behaviour is good and pupils show care and kindness by helping each other during lessons and around the school. Older pupils act as 'buddies' to younger ones making sure everyone has someone to play with and turn to if problems arise. Pupils are keen to learn and talk enthusiastically about the work they do. They delight over the many special activities that happen, including raising money for 'Red Nose

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Grade: 3

Day'. They have a good understanding of living healthy lifestyles and how to keep safe. Good provision in the Reception class results in children reaching standards that are broadly typical of children nationally at the end of the Foundation Stage. Following many staff changes, teaching is now good throughout the school, and, as a result, pupils' achievement has improved and is now satisfactory. Teachers identify any pupils that need additional help early. In Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are just above average. In Year 6, because of the many changes in teachers, high staff absence and some weaknesses in assessing pupils' progress accurately enough, standards in English, mathematics and science are below average. Standards were well below average last year. The curriculum is satisfactory. Additional activities and experiences enhance learning well and add to pupils' enjoyment of school. Care, guidance and support arrangements are satisfactory

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Grade: 3

but pupils do not always receive enough advice about how to improve their work. Parents are confident that if problems arise the school will deal with these promptly. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher has a clear focus on raising achievement and standards, so that pupils are better prepared for the next stage of their education. She has been relentless in her efforts to improve teaching. Her strong determination has inspired senior managers to support more rigorous monitoring of pupils' performance and to take action to establish good classroom practice. However, subject managers have not yet had time to monitor their subjects to identify how provision can be improved. Governors know the school well and check its work closely. For example, astute recruitment of staff has resulted in teaching now being good. The school's self-evaluation that it is a satisfactory school is largely

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Grade: 3

accurate. The staff and governors recognise they have more to do to make the school as good as they wish. This indicates that there is good capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in English, mathematics and science in Years 3 to 6. • Improve the assessment systems in order to measure pupils' achievements more accurately and give pupils more advice on how to improve their work. • Ensure subject managers have time to develop provision in their subjects. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: The St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School, 15 °16 March 2007

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Grade: 3

Children start in the Reception class with levels of skills and knowledge that are slightly below those expected at this age in most of the areas of learning. Their literacy and calculation skills and their personal development are often the weaker aspects. Because staff are diligent in identifying individual needs, appropriate action is taken to guide those children who need help in these areas so that they all achieve well. Most children leave the Reception class reaching all the early learning goals and a few exceed them. Achievement in Years 1 to 6 has improved and is now satisfactory for all pupils, including for those with learning difficulties and disabilities. Pupils in Year 2 are working at broadly average standards. In the 2006 national tests pupils in Year 6 attained standards in English, mathematics and science that were well below the national averages. With improvements in teaching since

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Grade: 3

that time, pupils are currently working at below average standards.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' enjoyment of school reflects their positive attitudes to learning. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Their relationships and behaviour are good. They develop independence and responsibility by checking their work to see if they have met their targets. Lunchtimes are social occasions as are the many clubs pupils enjoy. They develop a sense of warmth and spirituality through joyful assemblies. Links with Africa promote their awareness of other cultures and traditions but pupils are limited in their understanding of the multicultural diversity of British society. Pupils know the importance of living safe and healthy lifestyles well. They play safely, participate in the many sporting clubs on offer and are looking forward to the 'healthy lunches' the school is hoping to introduce. Through the school council, pupils are involved in decision making and initiate projects such as recycling activities. Through the church and other local events and by

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Grade: 2

fund raising for charities, they make a valuable contribution to the wider community. Regular visits and many visitors introduce pupils to life and work beyond the school. Attendance is satisfactory, but a few pupils have frequent absences and this affects their achievement. As a result of the satisfactory achievement in their academic skills, pupils are prepared satisfactorily for the next stage of their education.

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Grade: 2

Teachers' planning ensures work builds on pupils' prior learning well and is carefully matched to their needs in most lessons. Good use is made of the interactive whiteboards to capture pupils' interest, particularly benefiting those who find it hard to understand new information without visual images. Pace of lessons is generally lively and challenging, with pupils being encouraged to discuss things with their 'talk partners'. The good relationships that prevail give pupils the confidence to seek help but also to try to work independently. Teaching assistants are deployed effectively to support pupils who need specific help so that they achieve as well as their classmates. While most teachers use the assessment information the school now has to challenge pupils appropriately, this information still contains inaccuracies and at times 5 of 11 Inspection Report: The St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School, 15 °16 March 2007

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Grade: 2

expectations are not high enough. However, the recent improvements in teaching have led to pupils in all classes in Years 1 to 6 making satisfactory progress. The system of setting pupils individual targets is new but already pupils are keen to reach these targets so that they can move to more challenging work.

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Grade: 3

Provision to support pupils' basic skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) is satisfactory, as is the provision in other subjects. The support for pupils with learning disabilities who need specific help is well considered and, because standards in science fell in 2006, more emphasis is being given to developing their investigation skills. Topics that link learning across subjects have begun to make learning more fun for pupils, but with many subject managers being new to the school, improvements are at an early stage of development. Provision in the Foundation Stage is good and has been greatly enhanced by a very well designed outside area where children have good opportunities to develop their social, creative and physical skills. Visits to places of interest and many visitors, that include artists and musicians, enrich pupils' cultural experiences. An appropriate personal, social, health and

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Grade: 3

citizenship programme underpins pupils' good understanding of the need to adopt healthy lifestyles and stay safe. The popular after school clubs extend the curriculum and promote pupils' personal development well.

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Grade: 3

The school takes good care of its pupils. Pupils feel safe and well cared for and say that if they have worries about anything, they can tell their teachers, who would deal with their concerns promptly. They say that there is no bullying at school, but if there was, it would be sorted out quickly. Systems to promote pupils' health and well-being are robust and requirements to safeguard pupils are fully met. Where appropriate, pupils receive good individual attention and external agencies are consulted when necessary. Guidance for pupils' academic development is satisfactory and improving rapidly as teachers become more confident in using the assessment information they have to challenge pupils more. All pupils have individual targets to help them improve their work and these are shared with parents so they can help their children achieve them. However, this is a recent initiative and has yet to impact on pupils' overall progress. While teachers' marking is generally detailed

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Grade: 3

and supportive, pupils are not always given enough advice as to how they could improve their work.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher, well supported by the senior management team, leads the school well. Her in depth analysis of the school's provision has allowed the school to produce a clear and comprehensive improvement plan to move the school forward. Her rigorous monitoring of teaching has resulted in teaching now being good throughout the school. She has established a good team spirit that is clearly focused on raising standards. Rigorous monitoring and tracking of pupils' progress has led to the setting of realistic but challenging targets. Parents applaud 6 of 11 Inspection Report: The St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School, 15 °16 March 2007 these positive changes. As one writes, 'Since the appointment of the headteacher in September, the school has had a dramatic turnaround.' Subject leaders, many new in post, have had limited time to develop their subjects in order to raise standards. Governance is good. Governors are actively involved in the life of the school through regular

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Grade: 3

monitoring visits and reviews of pupils' performance. Money is spent wisely, for example to improve the outdoor play areas. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive. They note improved communications between home and school and are being consulted regarding school meals. The issues identified at the previous inspection have been fully addressed and the school is well placed to improve further. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: The St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School, 15 °16 March 2007 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: The St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School, 15 °16 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 3 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

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?

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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: The St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School, 15 °16 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: The St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School, 15 °16 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

19 March 2007 Dear Pupils St Peter and St Paul C of E Primary School, Wainfleet Road, Burgh-le-Marsh, Skegness, Lincolnshire, PE24 5ED We enjoyed visiting your school recently and meeting you and your teachers. Thank you for making us feel so welcome and for being so friendly and polite. I am writing to tell you what we found out when we looked at the work you do and talked to your teachers. Please thank your parents for filling in a form that gave us their views about the school. We are pleased that everyone likes the school so much. We particularly liked the way you all get on with each other and look after each other in the playground. I am sorry we did not bring anything red to wear for 'Red Nose Day' but it was really encouraging to see how much money you raised to help other people. Your school is much better than it was the last time it was inspected. Here are some of the good things about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• You enjoy being there, work hard and want to do well. • Teaching is good and that means you are making better progress in your work now. • Your teachers listen to you and everyone does their best to help you. • Your teachers work hard to organise good clubs and activities for you. • The school takes good care of you and you have many friends to help you. • You behave well and know how to stay safe, fit and healthy. There are a few things that we think could be better. • The school needs to work harder to help you improve your test results in Years 3 to 6. • Teachers need to check how well you are doing more carefully and help you understand more clearly how you can improve your work. • Your teachers need to have time to make the improvements that are required to make your work better in all subjects. It is lovely that you enjoy school so much and I hope that you continue to do well. Yours sincerely Rajinder Harrison

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

(Lead inspector) 11 of 11 Inspection Report: The St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School, 15 °16 March 2007

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