Winwick CofE Primary School

Winwick CofE Primary School Inspection report

p.1

111365 Unique Reference Number Warrington Local Authority 310579 Inspection number 19 March 2008 Inspection date Dee Brigstock Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Primary Type of school Voluntary aided School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 186 School The governing body Appropriate authority Canon R Lewis Chair Mr G Martin Headteacher 4 May 2004 Date of previous school inspection Myddleton Lane School address Winwick Warrington Cheshire WA2 8LQ 01925 630995 Telephone number 01925 628599 Fax number

p.1

4-11 Age group 19 March 2008 Inspection date 310579 Inspection number .

p.1

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.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one Additional Inspector. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues in depth: achievement and standards; pupils' personal development and well-being; their care, guidance and support; and provision in the Foundation Stage. Evidence was gathered from visiting lessons, discussions with pupils, staff and governors, looking at pupils' work and analysing data on pupils' progress. School documents and parental questionnaires were also analysed. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspector found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

p.3

Description of the school

Winwick C of E Primary School is a small school in a semi-rural area. The great majority of pupils are White British and very few pupils are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average. Fewer than usual pupils are entitled to a free school meal. The school has the following awards: Investors in People, Basic Skills Quality Mark, Activemark, and the DCSF International School Award. Parts of the school building are currently being demolished and new classrooms built.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: Winwick CofE Primary School, 19 March 2008

p.3

Grade: 2

This is a good school with some outstanding features. It provides good value for money. The school has a strong community spirit and a growing popularity. The overwhelming majority of parents have very positive views about the school and this is seen in the increasing numbers who choose the school for their children. Pupils join Winwick Primary with the skills that are generally expected for their age and achieve well over their time in school, some making outstanding progress, particularly in mathematics. Achievement is good in Key Stage 2 and satisfactory in Key Stage 1. This is due to some past disruption to teaching in Year 1 which affected pupils' progress. However, in Year 2 pupils' progress picks up rapidly, particularly in reading. Over the past two years progress in writing and mathematics has been satisfactory. Standards in 2007 in Key Stage 1 were average, with reading being the strongest subject. In Key Stage 2 standards in the 2007 national tests were

p.4

Grade: 2

above average in English and mathematics. This is reflected in the work in pupils' current books. Standards were average in science in 2007. Leaders have rightly recognised that there was more to do to improve standards in science and in response, the school has adapted the science curriculum to provide more opportunities for pupils to design and carry out their own experiments and this is helping to raise standards. Pupils say they have lots more experiments now and these add interest and fun to learning. Pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding. They are happy in school and take great pleasure in learning. Pupils say their teachers are good and that they make lessons 'really fun'. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent, as is pupils' understanding of how to become and stay fit, healthy and safe. Parents, some of whom are also health professionals, have influenced the change to healthy snacks extremely well. Pupils'

p.4

Grade: 2

behaviour is good, although some of the older boys tend to dominate the restricted playground space during play and lunchtimes. The headteacher has plans to partition this area and is proactive about improving this space for the pupils. Attendance is average but the school is meeting its attendance targets. Improving attendance further is being impacted by a small number of parents taking their children on holidays in term time, but the school constantly works hard to try and overcome this. The curriculum is good. Enrichment opportunities are extensive, with a varied range of workshops including dance, drama and African drumming. Visits, including residential experiences for pupils in both key stages, visitors and an excellent range of extra sporting clubs all add to pupils' learning experiences and well-being. On occasions, the whole school works together successfully on a project - such as the one centred on a book, 'The Tin Forest' - which produced

p.4

Grade: 2

high quality art and writing. The school works in outstanding partnership with the local community, including the church, to promote pupils' well-being. Pupils make an excellent contribution to the local and wider community and older ones are intensely proud of the work they are doing in making a Church Guide, which includes videos and photographs. Pupils throughout the school take part in many fundraising events. They are developing good economic awareness for their age. For example, they held a Fairtrade week, learning about how to make people's lives more tolerable, and hosted coffee mornings for parents. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers provide stimulating lessons and show they value their pupils' work through creating colourful displays which make the classrooms bright and 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Winwick CofE Primary School, 19 March 2008 inviting places in which to learn. Pupils' writing books show that the school's marking policy

p.4

Grade: 2

is not applied consistently. Consequently, some pupils, particularly in Key Stage 2, get extremely accurate pointers on how to improve their writing further, resulting in a quickening of progress, but other pupils do not benefit from such explicit guidance. This is why pupils' academic guidance and support are good rather than outstanding. Pastoral support is of high quality. The school stands firmly by its principles that each child should grow 'in mind, body and spirit'. Systems to ensure pupils' safety and well-being are robust. Throughout the school, pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities benefit from having work planned for them which focuses clearly on their targets for improvement, and their achievement is good. Leadership responsibilities are distributed effectively and the school thrives because of this. School leaders are passionate about school improvement and the quality of care that pupils

p.5

Grade: 2

receive. The school's evaluation of its performance is very rigorous, although aspects of its provision are slightly optimistic in terms of pupils' overall achievement. Governors too are fully involved in this process and are as determined about school improvement as the headteacher and other school leaders. Challenging targets are set to raise standards. Extensive tracking of pupils' progress from the time they enter school pinpoints where pupils are not moving forward as fast as they could. This information is used well to target extra support and guidance to those who need it to boost achievement. The good progress that the school has made since the last inspection is demonstrated by the higher standards now being attained, particularly in English and mathematics. The school has good capacity to improve further.

p.5

Grade: 2

Children enter the Reception class from a range of Nursery settings with overall skills that are broadly average. They make good progress in all aspects of their learning, including their speaking, listening and mathematical skills. By the time they leave the Reception class most children are meeting expectations for their age. The teacher works in close partnership with parents and plans a good balance between informal and more directed learning for children. The curriculum is well planned but access to the outdoor classroom is restricted. Parents report how well their children settle into school and how happy they are to learn. Leadership is good. The coordinator has a good understanding of how children learn and, as a senior member of staff, is involved in whole-school development and the place of the Foundation Stage within this.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

■ Apply the marking policy consistently so all pupils are clear about how to improve their work further. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Winwick CofE Primary School, 19 March 2008 .

p.5

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. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: Winwick CofE Primary School, 19 March 2008

p.6

Inspection judgements

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

p.7

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 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

p.7

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 disabilities make progress

p.7

learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 1 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.7

and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.7

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 of 9 Inspection Report: Winwick CofE Primary School, 19 March 2008

p.7

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 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Winwick CofE Primary School, 19 March 2008

p.8

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Winwick C of E Primary School, Warrington, WA2 8LQ Thank you for talking to me when I visited your school recently. I realise it was the last day of your term and there was a lot for you and your teachers to do. By the way, I thought those knitted chicks with eggs in them that you had made were great! I also appreciated all the hard work you put into your project on 'The Tin Forest.' I really enjoyed the conversations I had with some of the school council members and other older pupils. You were keen to tell me what you thought about your school, your teachers and your headteacher. I was impressed with your artwork, the extra clubs you enjoy after school and with all the fundraising you do. I agree with you that you go to a good school, have a good education and that you are learning well. You are learning well and you have really good attitudes to your lessons and teachers. Your headteacher and other staff have some good ideas on how to make your school even better,

p.9

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

for example through splitting the playground so that when the older pupils play football, the rest of you do not have to stay on the sides. To make the school even better, I have asked your headteacher to make sure that when teachers mark your work you are all given clear pointers on how to improve it. You have all my best wishes for the future and I sincerely hope you stay as fit, positive and healthy as you are now. 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Winwick CofE Primary School, 19 March 2008

p.9