Marsworth Church of England Infant School

Marsworth Church of England Infant School Inspection report

p.1

110454 Unique Reference Number Buckinghamshire Local Authority 310312 Inspection number 18 November 2008 Inspection date Steven Hill Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

p.1

Infant Type of school Voluntary aided School category 4–7 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 37 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mr P Egan-Carter Chair Mrs Y Goodwin Headteacher 14 March 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Vicarage Road School address Marsworth Tring HP23 4LT 01296 668 440 Telephone number

p.1

4–7 Age group 18 November 2008 Inspection date 310312 Inspection number 01296 668 440 Fax number

p.1

4–7 Age group 18 November 2008 Inspection date 310312 Inspection number .

p.2

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.

p.3

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. 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Marsworth Church of England Infant School, 18 November 2008

p.3

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors. The inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues:

p.4

Introduction

■ the various elements of pupils' personal development

p.4

Introduction

■ how the school uses the tracking of pupils' progress and the monitoring of provision to bring about improvements ■ how well the school is meeting the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements, in particular with regard to a balance of activities provided. Evidence was gathered from:

p.4

Introduction

■ observations of lessons, assembly and break times

p.4

Introduction

■ discussions with school staff, the vice-chair of governors and pupils

p.4

Introduction

■ the school's documentation, particularly records of pupils' progress

p.4

Introduction

■ questionnaires returned by parents; and examples of pupils' work.

p.4

Introduction

Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

p.4

Description of the school

This is a very small village infant school. There are two classes, one for Key Stage 1, and the other for Reception aged children in the EYFS. Reception pupils start in the school part-time at different stages of the school year depending on their ages, and go on to attend full-time as they get older. In the afternoons of the autumn and spring terms, Year 1 pupils work with the older Reception children, after the younger children have gone home. The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage, with a small proportion from a variety of minority ethnic groups. The vast majority of pupils have English as their mother tongue, and none is at the early stages of learning the language. Children's attainment when they start in Reception varies, but overall is better than that found in most schools. There have been major staffing changes this term. The headteacher has a heavy teaching commitment, mostly in the EYFS.

p.4

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Marsworth Church of England Infant School, 18 November 2008

p.4

Grade: 2

The school provides a good education for its pupils. They achieve well and their personal development is excellent. This is largely because, as one parent accurately wrote, 'The most outstanding feature of Marsworth School is its warm and inclusive ethos. Every child is treated as an individual.' The high levels of pastoral care mean that pupils thoroughly enjoy their time in the school. This is reflected in their very high attendance, and in the enthusiasm they display at work and at play. Asked to consider what the best thing was about the school, one pupil in Year 2 replied, 'Everything!' Pupils' behaviour is excellent, they concentrate well in class and are keen to succeed, all of which contributes to their consistently good progress. Pupils all get on extremely well together and positive relationships, with each other and with staff, underpin much of the school's success. Boys and girls play together cheerfully and throw themselves happily into physical activities,

p.5

Grade: 2

a good contribution to their healthy lifestyles. They also enjoy physical education, and are particularly keen on their swimming lessons. They show a very good understanding of keeping safe, so this enthusiasm is kept within sensible bounds. When minor accidents occur or pupils are upset, their classmates are quick to sympathise, offer help and make sure adults are involved if needed. Pupils have a secure understanding of healthy eating, although the extent to which this is shown in their packed lunches is variable. Pupils' very caring attitudes to each other, as well as their enthusiasm for contributing to those less fortunate than themselves, reflect their excellent social and moral development. In an assembly, their respectful and focused attitudes when considering complex values demonstrated their outstanding spiritual development. Their cultural development is now good, an improvement since the last inspection. They are much more aware of the variety of cultures

p.5

Grade: 2

around the world, for example through the boxes they have put together for needy children in Africa. This wider dimension to their understanding adds to their strong contribution to the village community, particularly through the church. They contribute well to the school community, for example in giving their ideas through the school council. They are able to point to improvements in the school to which their ideas have contributed. These elements, along with excellent provision to ensure equal opportunities, mean the school is making good provision for cultural cohesion. Standards have been significantly above average overall for several years, with some variations because of variations in the initial attainment and abilities in these small year groups. Pupils' good progress is based on good teaching and a good understanding of individuals' needs. Pupils like and trust their teachers, and work hard to please them. Lessons have a good pace, and

p.5

Grade: 2

teachers provide interesting activities that engage pupils and result in good levels of concentration. Teachers explain things well and demonstrate tasks clearly, so pupils are clear about what they are doing and make good progress. Work is well matched to pupils' needs. This is partly a result of the regular monitoring of progress and the frequent and effective informal exchange of information among the staff. Marking is good, indicating to pupils why they have succeeded and, particularly in English, how they can improve. The skilled teaching assistants make a strong contribution to learning. The school makes very good use of the relatively high number of adults per pupil to ensure that their learning is closely supported when needed. A wide and interesting curriculum, with extensive enrichment through visits and visitors, also contributes to good achievement. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Marsworth Church of England Infant School, 18 November 2008

p.5

Grade: 2

The school is led and managed well. Links with parents are very strong, and they are overwhelmingly appreciative of the school, and of what it provides for their children. The long-established and greatly respected headteacher provides a very good lead and role-model to colleagues, and clear educational direction to the school. A flexible organisation of groupings in the afternoons makes the most of the skills of staff available to help pupils learn. The school is outward looking and, in particular, makes very good use of links with other local schools to widen the experiences of pupils and enhance the skills of staff. Staff have extensive opportunities for professional development, ensuring their skills and knowledge are up to date. Despite many recent changes, teamwork is strong and staff work together well. Good systems are in place to assess the progress of each pupil and to make sure that none falls

p.6

Grade: 2

behind. Teachers make good use of this information in supporting individuals. However, the information is not organised to give a clear overview to staff of how individuals or groups of pupils are doing over the longer term. This makes it harder to spot any overall trends and take appropriate action. Similarly, while regular monitoring takes place of different aspects of provision, the information gathered is not kept in a form that gives a clear overview to managers. Good arrangements to safeguard pupils are in place. Governors have good systems to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school, and provide a good balance of support and challenge to the staff. The school has made good progress since the last inspection and is well placed to improve further.

p.6

Grade: 2

Children get off to a good start in the Reception class. Staff are very skilled at helping them settle in happily, establishing positive relationships from the start. This means children feel safe and secure, thoroughly enjoy learning and achieve well. Although all children have a 'key person' who takes a lead in promoting their learning and well-being, all the EYFS staff have good relationships with all the children, who are happy to work with any of the adults or seek their help if they need to. Many of the strengths reported in the school as a whole, particularly in terms of personal development and teaching, apply equally to these younger children. As a result, children achieve well, and make exceptionally good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. Attainment at the end of Reception is significantly higher than that in most schools. The lively, practically based curriculum shows a good balance between activities directed by

p.6

Grade: 2

adults and those children choose for themselves. The teaching of early literacy and numeracy skills, and in particular of how letters link to sounds in words, is given appropriately strong emphasis. However, the outside area is rather limited, as it is shared with the rest of the school and has only a very small, rather exposed covered section. The adults make good use of what is available to provide interesting and engaging activities for children. However, the fact that equipment has to be set up anew on a daily basis, and the limitations imposed by the weather, make it difficult to plan for a free-flow of activities between the indoor and outdoor settings. Staff and governors have clearly identified this problem, and are considering how improvements can be made in the context of other planned changes to the accommodation.

p.6

What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve how records are kept of the tracking of pupils' progress and the monitoring of provision, to give a clearer overview to managers. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Marsworth Church of England Infant School, 18 November 2008 ■ Improve the outside area for the EYFS, so that it can be used more effectively whatever the weather. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Marsworth Church of England Infant School, 18 November 2008 .

p.6

What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Marsworth Church of England Infant School, 18 November 2008

p.8

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.9

needs of learners?

Yes 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 capacity to make any necessary improvements

p.9

EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

p.9

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/or disabilities make progress

p.9

Achievement and standards

1 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: Marsworth Church of England Infant School, 18 November 2008

p.9

learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 1 The attendance of learners 1 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

p.10

learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.10

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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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: Marsworth Church of England Infant School, 18 November 2008

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

01 December 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Marsworth Church of England Infant School,Tring,HP23 4LT Thank you for all your help and your friendly welcome when we visited your school. We enjoyed talking to you and watching you at work and at play, and we could see how much you enjoy being there. We think that Marsworth is a good school, which is helping you to grow up into caring, thoughtful and sensible people. These are some of the best things about it.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are making good progress because your teachers are good at helping you to learn and you all work hard. ■ The adults keep a careful eye on how you are doing, and make sure that you get work that is interesting and is just right for you. ■ Your behaviour is very good and you get on very well with each other and with the adults.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The adults organise the school well and are always trying to make things better.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We have agreed with your teachers that, to make things even better, they are going to try to do two main things.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Organise the information they have about how you are doing, so they can help you learn even more. ■ Try to improve the outside area for the Reception class, so children can still do lots of interesting things even when the weather is bad. You can help by carrying on being so well behaved and working hard. We hope you continue to enjoy your school. Yours sincerely, Steven Hill Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Marsworth Church of England Infant School, 18 November 2008

p.11