Keep Hatch Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 9 Nov 2007

Keep Hatch Primary School Inspection report

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109840 Unique Reference Number Wokingham District Council Local Authority 310119 Inspection number 8 °9 November 2007 Inspection dates Peter Thrussell 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 Community School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 279 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs J Sumpster Chair Mrs A Young Headteacher Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection Ashridge Road School address Wokingham RG40 1PG 0118 978 4859 Telephone number 0118 978 4880 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 8 °9 November 2007 Inspection dates 310119 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Keep Hatch is a two-form entry primary school that caters for pupils from a variety of social and economic backgrounds. A lower than average proportion is known to be eligible for free school meals. The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties is above average. Following the amalgamation of the infant and junior schools and a recent building programme, the school is under one roof from January 2007.

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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: Keep Hatch Primary School, 8 °9 November 2007

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Grade: 3

Keep Hatch is a satisfactory school. The building programme, along with a complete turnover of staff in Key Stage 2, has disrupted pupils' learning. This has contributed to pupils only achieving satisfactorily by the end of Year 6, despite making good progress in Reception and Key Stage 1, where teaching is good. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school and where improvements are needed. To an extent, the implementation of plans has been delayed by the demands of the building programme and the need to relocate staff and resources. Throughout this time of change, however, the school has maintained good pastoral care for its pupils. This draws effectively on the support and involvement of parents, carers and other agencies. As a result, pupils enjoy school, are keen to learn and develop good personal skills. They particularly enjoy the extra activities provided by a good and well-enriched curriculum,

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Grade: 3

which foster self-confidence and develop good social skills. One pupil commented about a residential trip, 'I was worn out when I got home, but would love to have stayed longer.' Whole-school procedures for monitoring and recording assessments have only recently been introduced. Analyses of the data gathered show that pupils' progress throughout Key Stage 2 is variable. The school has started to identify pupils who are underachieving and to provide further support for them. This is now particularly successful in Year 6, where teaching and learning are well focused and progress is being accelerated. It enables pupils to make up considerable lost ground towards meeting their adequately challenging targets. However, teachers generally are not yet making the fullest use of assessment information to carefully plan the next steps in pupils' learning. Consequently, some pupils do not progress as rapidly as they might.

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Grade: 3

Standards overall, by the end of Year 2, are well above average. In writing, where more able pupils do not do as well as in other subjects, they are above average. By the end of Year 6, standards overall are above average. In English they are average and have shown a slight decline in recent years. The school has identified that writing, particularly of boys, is a weakness throughout the school, and is looking to address this issue in its next school improvement plan. Other recent areas for improvement, such as the systematic tracking of progress and the development of an integrated curriculum, are appropriate and leading to better standards. However, the school's actions to bring about improvements are not being rigorously monitored and evaluated to ensure maximum success, particularly in relation to raising achievement and standards. Given the improvements made and the actions being taken, the school has a

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Grade: 3

satisfactory capacity for further improvement.

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Grade: 2

Children are well provided for in the Foundation Stage and they make good progress. By the time they leave Reception, they are working securely in all of their areas of learning, and exceed expectations for their age in most areas. They are strongest in personal, social and emotional development. Although most pupils have expected writing skills for their age, this is a relatively weaker area for many, reflecting a slower rate of progress than in their other areas of learning. The adults provide a variety of interesting activities. These provide a good balance between adult-led activities and opportunities to play and explore. Staff carefully record the progress of each pupil, but systems for identifying their starting points, while satisfactory, are less secure. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Keep Hatch Primary School, 8 °9 November 2007 Following the building work, the development of the indoor and outdoor areas, whilst not yet

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Grade: 2

complete, is moving well towards providing a stimulating learning environment.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that leadership and management fully implement and rigorously monitor and evaluate its plans for school improvement. ■ Raise achievement and standards in writing throughout the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that teachers make the fullest use of assessment information to plan the next steps in pupils' learning, especially in Key Stage 2, so that all pupils make the best progress possible. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Children enter Reception with an above average level of skills, although there is some variation from year to year. They make good progress in Reception and Key Stage 1. At the end of Year 2, standards are well above average in reading and mathematics, and above average in writing. Progress in Key Stage 2 is inconsistent. Given their starting points in Year 3, by the end of Year 6 pupils achieve satisfactorily. Standards here are above average in mathematics and science, and average in English. Pupils with learning difficulties make similar progress to their classmates; their good progress in Key Stage 1 is due to the particularly good support they receive here. Work on an integrated curriculum is already proving effective in Key Stage 1, where pupils' progress is helped through opportunities to use and develop their basic skills in different subjects. This is now being implemented in Key Stage 2.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being is good, as is their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They say emphatically that they enjoy school and show this by their regular attendance and the good behaviour of the great majority. Pupils are keen to do well and generally work hard, although a small number lose concentration at times. Pupils know that the best healthy diet is a balanced one. They eagerly take up the many opportunities provided for sport and physical exercise, which involves specialist tuition. They understand why there have to be rules and procedures for everybody's safety and are very sensible in observing these. Pupils are aware that people living in some places are less fortunate than themselves. Their genuine concern is shown by their enthusiastic involvement in charity events. During the inspection they took responsibility for organising a successful 'Lemonaid' activity, which they

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Grade: 2

said was not only tremendous fun, but had an important purpose. Pupils develop a good understanding of life in other places, which they show for example in thoughtful art work depicting the dignity of customs and everyday work in an African village. They are well involved in school life and say that their ideas are listened to. In addition to their skills in key subjects, pupils are prepared well for their future by learning to work in teams and to take responsibility for projects. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Keep Hatch Primary School, 8 °9 November 2007

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Grade: 3

Teachers set out their learning objectives clearly and check that pupils understand what they have to do. They also make clear their expectations for effort and behaviour and generate good relationships. However, pupils do not always listen carefully enough to each other when sharing ideas. Teachers and teaching assistants work well together, although assistants are not always fully active in their support of pupils. Teachers carefully plan their lessons. They usually allow sufficient time for pupils to recap on their learning at the end of lessons. Some teachers involve pupils very well in their own self- assessment and ensure that all know how well they are doing, but others do not. In some classes, marking gives pupils a clear and relevant indication of how to improve their work. In others, comments are too brief and general to be helpful.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a good curriculum. There is a particular strength in the quality of creative subjects. The school is successful in its aim of using these experiences to build up pupils' personal, social and emotional development. They increase their range of skills, boost their confidence and encourage their appreciation of important concepts such as beauty and harmony. Pupils benefit from being able to learn to play a variety of musical instruments. A good range of additional activities, including well-attended clubs, enriches the curriculum. Pupils go out of the school on visits that are planned to enhance their classroom learning. The benefits of high quality accommodation are beginning to be felt. There is, for example, an excellent computer suite, and the school is quickly improving its planning for pupils to have opportunities to use computers to enhance their work in all subjects. It is developing an integrated curriculum

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Grade: 2

to make work more interesting and meaningful, and to provide opportunities for pupils to use their different skills in real life situations.

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Grade: 3

The quality of day-to-day care for pupils is good and the school is a safe place for children. Child protection and health and safety procedures are clearly understood by all and any pupils at risk are quickly identified and supported effectively. As a result, pupils feel safe and secure and know whom to turn to if necessary. Parents are generally supportive of the school's work to help their children. One described it as a very happy and caring school and said, `My child bounces into school every morning!' Support for pupils with learning difficulties overall is satisfactory. At Key Stage 1, pupils are particularly keen, for example, to meet the targets set for them, by gradually turning a model caterpillar into a butterfly. The school has developed satisfactory procedures for tracking the progress of pupils. It uses assessment information to set targets for pupils to aim for, but their ongoing use by staff is inconsistent and pupils do not always understand their purpose.

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Grade: 3

6 of 11 Inspection Report: Keep Hatch Primary School, 8 °9 November 2007

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. A strength is that the Foundation Stage is managed well. Senior managers have initiated curriculum development that is increasingly ensuring its interest and relevance to pupils and making good provision for their personal development. They are reasonably accurate in their self-evaluation, but the evidence is not always provided to back up their judgements. The regular monitoring of lessons gives teachers points for development, but is not robust enough to ensure sustained improvements in the quality of teaching and the consistency of pupils' progress. The school improvement plan lacks a review of previous planning and its new developments are not set in the context of current performance. It does not show sufficiently the extent to which improvements are expected to impact on achievement and standards. This detracts from the guidance needed by staff on the focus of

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Grade: 3

the school's work, and does not provide governors with a sharp enough tool for monitoring school improvement. The governing body, nevertheless, works well with the school and is committed to driving it forward and raising achievement. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Keep Hatch Primary School, 8 °9 November 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: Keep Hatch Primary School, 8 °9 November 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? NA Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

3 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 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 extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 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: Keep Hatch Primary School, 8 °9 November 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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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: Keep Hatch Primary School, 8 °9 November 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

20 November 2007 Dear Children Inspection of Keep Hatch Primary School,Wokingham,RG40 1PG Thank you for making us welcome and for helping us when we visited your school. We enjoyed talking to you about your work and finding out what you think about school. Keep Hatch Primary is a satisfactory school. These are the things we liked best about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Children get a good start to school in the Reception class and in Years 1 and 2.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You enjoy school and want to do your best.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The school listens to you when you suggest things to make it better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You think about others who are less fortunate; you did well to organise 'Lemonaid'.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your school is a safe place and you are well looked after. We did like your new buildings.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You enjoy all the opportunities you have for different sports. This is helping you to keep get on well with each other and to keep physically active. ■ You have good opportunities in creative subjects, such as art and music. A great deal of thought has gone into your pictures of Africa. These are the things that we think should be better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The school has plans to help you all do even better. It must check that these plans are carried out well. ■ You need to work harder at your writing. Talking through your ideas and listening carefully to each other would help. ■ Teachers must make sure that the work they give you to do in lessons is just right for each one of you so that you all do as well as possible. Thank you again. Yours sincerely Peter Thrussell Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Keep Hatch Primary School, 8 °9 November 2007

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