Stukeley Meadows Primary School

Stukeley Meadows Primary School Inspection report

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110772 Unique Reference Number CAMBRIDGESHIRE LA Local Authority 310416 Inspection number 6 °7 March 2008 Inspection dates David Speakman 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 373 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr S Maylor Chair Mr P E Leverett Headteacher 15 September 2003 Date of previous school inspection Wertheim Way School address Stukeley Meadows Huntingdon PE29 6UH 01480398060 Telephone number 01480398061 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 6 °7 March 2008 Inspection dates 310416 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

This is a larger than average primary school. It serves a community with relatively advantaged social circumstances and the proportion of pupils who take free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is broadly average. The number of pupils who do not speak English as their first language is rising. Currently forty pupils speak English as an additional language. Fifteen are from Eastern Europe and most of these are in Year 1 and the Foundation Stage. The proportion of pupils identified with learning difficulties or disabilities is close to the national average, as is the number with a statement of special educational need. The attainment of children starting in Reception is generally average. A high proportion of pupils joins and leaves the school other than at the usual times of the year. The school has accreditation as a Healthy School.

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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: Stukeley Meadows Primary School, 6 °7 March 2008

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Grade: 3

The school's effectiveness is satisfactory. Amongst this overall satisfactory picture, there are strengths in pupils' personal development, the care and guidance shown for pupils and the start children are given in the Foundation Stage, all of which are good. Overall achievement is satisfactory. Pupils reach average standards by the time they reach the end of Year 6. Inspection evidence shows that standards are average again this year. However, there are indications that attainment is better at the end of Year 2. Assessment of these pupils' work shows that their attainment is currently above average, an improvement on previous years. Standards in Year 5 also show improvement and are above those nationally expected for pupils of their age. The school shows good care for all pupils, who feel secure and enjoy attending. They show exceptionally positive attitudes and their behaviour in lessons and around the school is

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Grade: 3

exemplary. Their personal development is good, as are all elements of their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The quality of education provided is satisfactory. Although there are some strong features to the curriculum, namely the level of enrichment and the breadth of learning opportunities provided, it does not yet ensure good progress in English, mathematics and science in all year groups. The school works well with other establishments to support pupils' well-being and curriculum enrichment. Through these links, staff are able to offer pupils experience of six foreign languages and a good range of physical activity. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Although the school tracks pupils' progress and sets targets for their attainment, information is not used well enough by teachers to ensure pupils at all levels of attainment are sufficiently challenged to do as well as they can. This is

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Grade: 3

particularly so for higher attaining pupils. Leadership and management are satisfactory; there is an accurate view of what is happening in the school. Governors support and challenge the school well and their work gives them a full and realistic picture of school performance. Leaders are aware of the need to improve achievement and raise standards by the end of Year 6 but too little emphasis has been given to it. The school has recently put into place a number of initiatives to try to achieve this. These are relatively new and have not yet had an impact on attainment in the current Year 6, but some improvement has already shown itself in Key Stage 1 and Year 5. The school shows a satisfactory capacity to sustain further improvement.

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Grade: 2

Provision in the Reception classes is good and enables children to progress well. There is a strong focus on children learning through play, discovery and a practical approach. The good curriculum planning ensures there is an effective balance between teacher-directed activities and those chosen by children themselves. Furthermore, a lot of attention goes to acknowledging children's interests and using these to develop many positive learning opportunities. Consequently, children find learning interesting and enjoyable. Carefully planned activities encourage children to interact with each other and with adults. Teachers and teaching assistants work well together and they keep careful watch on children's learning so they have a clear idea of how well each individual is doing and what their particular needs are. Classrooms and 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Stukeley Meadows Primary School, 6 °7 March 2008

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Grade: 2

workspaces are well resourced and planned effectively to provide good opportunities for children to learn through play, both in and out of doors.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve systems for checking how well the school is doing so that there is a much stronger focus on raising pupils' achievement. ■ Extend the improvements in achievement already made in some year groups and ensure they are sustained over time. ■ Make more effective use of information on how well pupils are doing, to set challenging targets and tasks in lessons that are matched well to pupils' different abilities, particularly for the more able. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged to be 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 progress well in Reception and by the time they transfer into Year 1, most achieve the nationally recommended levels, and a significant number exceed them, particularly in their language and personal development. Progress throughout the rest of the school is satisfactory. Standards have been broadly average for some time at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and in mathematics, but this year they are above average. At the end of Year 6, attainment in English, mathematics and science is average. Pupils are prepared adequately for the next stages of their education. Not enough of those pupils capable of doing harder work reach the higher levels and the number of pupils gaining the higher levels is greater at Year 2 than it is at Year 6. Pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities achieve satisfactorily. Pupils with English as an additional language soon learn enough English to enable them to make satisfactory progress

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Grade: 3

in other subjects. Some have moved into the extension groups for higher attaining pupils.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Pupils like coming to school and get on well with each other and with adults. They say they feel safe and are confident that adults are easily approachable and will always lend a sympathetic ear to their concerns. Attendance is average and punctuality very good. Pupils have developed high levels of mutual respect, which is very evident to visitors. Pupils from overseas integrate well because of the school's inclusive ethos and because of the very good relationships between pupils. Pupils show willingness to take on responsibility by supporting younger children as play leaders and by becoming enthusiastic members of the school council. They have recently been involved in fund-raising for a number of charities and events and in proposals to improve the school environment. Extensive participation in a wide range of after school clubs enriches pupils'

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Grade: 2

personal development well. They eat healthily and take regular exercise. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Stukeley Meadows Primary School, 6 °7 March 2008

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teachers work well in teaching teams for each year group to make sure that pupils of the same age in different classes experience very similar learning opportunities. However, they do not sufficiently challenge those pupils capable of doing harder work. Some teachers show a lack of understanding of how to plan work at different levels so that it meets the learning needs of the whole range of pupils in their class. In addition, pupils' work in books is not always properly checked and important mistakes are not picked up soon enough to make sure that problems are overcome as they emerge. Lessons are interesting and generally move at a brisk pace, holding pupils' attention and enthusiasm. Where possible, teachers link subjects and use visits and visitors to make learning more enjoyable and relevant. The staff have received training from the local authority to make them better

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Grade: 3

aware of the difficulties overseas pupils face and to suggest teaching strategies to help. Some staff are currently learning Polish so that they can provide better support for pupils and their families. Teachers celebrate pupils' achievements well and tasteful displays of pupils' work help create a colourful and exciting backdrop to learning and strengthen pupils' enthusiasm to do well.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is broad, balanced and interesting. Although there are strong features in curriculum enrichment, the curriculum is satisfactory in terms of it promoting adequate overall progress across the school. One of the six modern foreign languages offered as tasters in Years 5 and 6 is Polish and meets the needs of the growing number of Eastern European children. Pupils enjoy an extensive range of after school clubs that meet a broad range of interests. A large number attends one or more of these clubs. An increasingly broad range of support groups provides assistance for pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities. Personal, social and health education and social and emotional aspects of learning are well planned. These ensure pupils are aware of health and safety issues and make a strong contribution to the development of their moral and social skills.

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Grade: 2

Pupils receive good care, guidance and support. There are robust procedures for child protection and the school places great emphasis on health and safety. There are arrangements, including visits from outside agencies, to ensure pupils have the knowledge to stay healthy and safe. Adults work very hard to ensure that pupils can work and play in a caring and secure environment. The school actively elicits the views of pupils and encourages them to take responsibility. There is a very successful behaviour policy, which is well understood by both staff and pupils and is consistently applied. Those at early stages of learning English receive good support because of the school's inclusive approach and because adults use innovative ways to make them welcome. There are Polish words on display in classrooms for example. Systems for tracking the pupils' progress are in place but they are not yet used effectively to

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Grade: 2

ensure pupils receive good guidance on how to improve their work or to plan well for those who could do better. Overseas pupils are assessed on arrival and their progress in English 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Stukeley Meadows Primary School, 6 °7 March 2008 monitored further. To enable better access to the mathematics curriculum there are group sessions to teach key words.

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Grade: 3

The effectiveness of leadership and management is satisfactory in terms of its impact on raising achievement. Leaders at all levels, including some subject leaders who are new to their responsibility, have accurately identified strengths and areas that need improving. There are plans for raising achievement, some of which are in place and some planned for future implementation that need to gather momentum. Senior leaders have made a start on holding teachers to account for the performance of pupils in their classes through regular pupil performance discussions, where the progress of individual pupils towards meeting their targets is reviewed. Targets set are challenging and have helped bring about early signs of improvement. Governors are organised well. They have a good level of involvement in monitoring and evaluating the school's performance and have a refreshed focus on questioning and challenging

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Grade: 3

their own work and that of the school. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Stukeley Meadows Primary School, 6 °7 March 2008 .

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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: Stukeley Meadows Primary School, 6 °7 March 2008

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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? 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 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? 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 extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 3 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

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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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Stukeley Meadows Primary School, 6 °7 March 2008

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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: Stukeley Meadows Primary School, 6 °7 March 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

10 March 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Stukeley Meadows Primary School, Huntingdon, PE29 6UH Thank you very much for making us so welcome when we visited your school recently to find out how well you are learning. At present, your school provides a satisfactory quality of education. Children in the Foundation Stage get a good start to school life. The school takes good care of you all, resulting in your growth into sensible and mature young people. You say you enjoy school and have good friends. You are happy that you feel safe in school and talk with confidence about staying healthy, making sensible choices about your diet and about taking part in many sports activities. We think you have excellent attitudes towards school and your behaviour in class and around school is exemplary. This is important and your high levels of cooperation with the staff form a very strong base on which the school can move forward.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

There are a number of things that we feel could be improved. We have asked your headteacher, teachers and governors to place a much stronger focus on your progress in their systems for checking how well the school is doing. We have asked them to make sure that they build on the improvements already made, so that good progress in the Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Year 5 is sustained over time. We have also asked your teachers to make more effective use of information on how well you are doing, to set challenging targets and tasks in lessons so that you all reach your potential, particularly those of you capable of doing harder work. Your teachers and other adults will be working very hard to improve these areas. You can help by continuing to behave extremely well in class and making a big effort to improve your work. We wish you all the best for the future. David Speakman Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Stukeley Meadows Primary School, 6 °7 March 2008

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