Cinnamon Brow CofE Primary School

Cinnamon Brow CofE Primary School Inspection report

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111381 Unique Reference Number Warrington Local Authority 310585 Inspection number 16 January 2008 Inspection date Paul Bamber 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 aided School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 366 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Mervyn Ward Chair Mrs Lesley Sweeney Headteacher 6 December 2004 Date of previous school inspection Perth Close School address Fearnhead Warrington Cheshire WA2 0SF 01925 821108 Telephone number 01925 811267 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 16 January 2008 Inspection date 310585 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 one Additional Inspector. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: pupils' achievement, especially that of more able pupils; how well pupils understand how to improve their work; and the quality and impact of leadership and management. Evidence was gathered from: national published data; the school's own documentation; observation of the school at work; discussions with senior leaders, parents, governors and pupils; the parental questionnaires. 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 the self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in the report.

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Description of the school

This is a larger than average size urban school. Many pupils come from relatively disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. Much lower than average proportions are from a minority ethnic background or speaks English as an additional language. The proportion claiming a free school meal, or with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, is broadly average. The school is very active in seeking awards and has Healthy School status, a Primary Quality Mark, Activemark, Investors in People status and is acknowledged for its work in promoting an appropriate work/life balance. The headteacher has recently returned from a term's secondment and the Key Stage 2 leader is currently seconded to another school.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Cinnamon Brow CofE Primary School, 16 January 2008

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school that provides excellent value for money. Because pupils feel very safe, extremely happy and have super attitudes to all that the school offers, they make excellent progress and attain above average standards overall by the time they leave Year 6. This represents outstanding achievement given their weak skills in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development when they enter the Nursery. Central to pupils' success is a highly effective leadership team, vibrantly led by the headteacher. They constantly review the school's provision and pupils' achievements in order to identify good practice or any relative weakness. Although generally accurate in their views of the school's effectiveness, leaders and governors are slightly modest about some of its achievements. For example, they have rightly identified that a few of the more able pupils have not attained the

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Grade: 1

higher levels in the Year 2 teacher assessments and this affected their judgement about pupils' overall achievement. In fact, achievement is excellent. An apt comment sums up how many parents feel about the school: 'I believe my child benefits from a dedicated, highly motivated staff, led by an inspirational headteacher.' Pupils love school. They respond extremely well to the consistently good and often outstanding teaching. They enjoy their lessons immensely, describing them as 'fun', 'exciting' and 'really interesting.' Pupils learn particularly well when they are actively involved in research, drama, using or responding to computer software and when they work in pairs and groups. Examples of this were demonstrated in two Year 6 lessons. In one, pupils acted out their feelings and emotions to help them better to 'get inside' characters they were inventing for a piece of creative writing. In the other, the use of video to recreate the game of 'Countdown' highly

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Grade: 1

motivated pupils to calculate rapidly in a mathematics lesson. Pupils' excellent personal development helps them to become confident learners, not afraid to take risks in their learning or to admit mistakes. Pupils know that if they encounter difficulties with their work or personal problems they will be sensitively supported and given helpful guidance. They feel very safe around school, develop warm and lasting relationships and are extremely keen to take on responsibilities. The school council has considerable influence on decision making. It has a role in interviewing candidates for teaching and ancillary posts and makes personal representation to the governing body to lobby for funds to improve playground facilities. Older pupils write applications for appointment to jobs to help in the smooth running of the school. For example, they apply to be monitors, selling snacks at breaktime, to be play leaders or buddies to younger children or

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Grade: 1

to answer the telephone and take messages at lunchtime. All of these responsibilities prepare them very well for future life. Pupils enjoy a very interesting curriculum that has excellent features. The needs of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, those who are vulnerable or who have average ability are extremely well met. These pupils achieve outstandingly well. The school has recently mapped out its provision for those pupils who have special gifts or talents and their needs are being met increasingly well. More able pupils in Key Stage 2 also achieve very well. This is partly because they are taught in ability groups for English, mathematics and science. However, the school is only just beginning to address the fact that a small proportion of more able pupils in Key Stage 1 do not achieve as well as they should. It is taking steps to help these pupils achieve better but this remains a relative weakness in otherwise excellent provision. The very practical,

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Grade: 1

4 of 10 Inspection Report: Cinnamon Brow CofE Primary School, 16 January 2008 experienced-based nature of the science curriculum means that pupils attain high standards by the time they leave Year 6. An example of the impact of senior management's constant review of provision is its recognition that Year 5 and Year 6 pupils' attainment in aspects of music was below that expected. As a result, all pupils in those year groups now have free instrumental tuition. This has raised pupils' attainment and their interest in music. The leaders and managers ensure that improvement is continuous. They have very successfully improved attendance from below average to slightly above average since the last inspection. This has been achieved by vigilant and systematic procedures to make pupils and parents acutely aware of the importance of regular attendance. Most unauthorised absence is now due to parents taking holidays during term time. The school has been extremely active in raising pupils'

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Grade: 1

awareness of the multicultural society in which we live. They now have much more appreciation of different faiths and cultures since the time of the last inspection. Governors are knowledgeable about the school's performance and contribute well to school improvement. For example, they successfully proposed further improvements to the information and communication technology equipment and they provide specialist expertise in the areas of finance, marketing, and health and safety. The very strong partnerships the school has developed with the church, local community, nearby schools, outside providers of services and with the local authority make significant contributions to pupils' excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils have an evident appreciation of living an active, healthy lifestyle as a result of excellent provision that has been recognised by the awards such as Healthy School and the Activemark.

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Grade: 1

Given the school's outstanding effectiveness and its significant improvement since the last inspection, it has an excellent capacity to improve further.

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Grade: 1

Children enter the school with skills that are below expectations overall. However, their ability to communicate and their understanding of number are particularly weak. They make a cracking start in the Nursery as a result of excellent provision. Children are encouraged to become independent very quickly, to take responsibilities for choosing some activities and for collecting and putting away resources. They soon learn to follow routines such as sitting on the carpet, taking turns, moving sensibly around the classroom and outdoors and working cooperatively. Adults vigilantly record their progress to enable them to provide children with tasks that match their needs extremely well. This excellent provision continues in the Reception class and children thoroughly enjoy opportunities to role play in stimulating areas dedicated to aspects of their learning. They continue to flourish personally and by the time they enter Year 1 many reach expected levels

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Grade: 1

in their knowledge and understanding of the world and in their creative and physical development. They make very good progress in communication, language and literacy and in their mathematical development. However, given their very low starting points, their overall attainment in these two areas of their learning is below that expected. The Foundation Stage is extremely well led and managed and is a model of good practice which attracts attention from the local authority and from other schools. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Cinnamon Brow CofE Primary School, 16 January 2008

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What the school should do to improve further

■ To ensure that a higher proportion of more able pupils in Key Stage 1 reach the higher levels in the Year 2 teacher assessments in reading, writing and mathematics. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Cinnamon Brow CofE Primary School, 16 January 2008 .

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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. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Cinnamon Brow CofE Primary School, 16 January 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? 1 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

1 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 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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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 2 The attendance of learners 1 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

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and interests of learners?

1 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Cinnamon Brow CofE Primary School, 16 January 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 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Cinnamon Brow CofE Primary School, 16 January 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for your warm welcome when I visited your school recently. Everywhere I went I was treated very politely and learnt so much about your school because you were so open and friendly. You were very keen to tell me how much you loved being at your school which gives you an excellent education. You make lots of progress with your work because your lessons are so interesting and taught at a fast pace. Many of you commented that there were lots of after-school clubs for all age groups to join and how much you enjoy the visits you make out of school and the interesting visitors who come in; for example, 'The Roman soldier'. I was very impressed with the way the school council is organised and how much say it has in the running of the school. Many more of you clearly enjoy taking on responsibilities around the school to help it run smoothly and to look after each other. Your parents confirm your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

opinion that all the adults in school look after you extremely well and do all they can to make sure you are safe and understand how to look after yourselves. The adults who run the school work extremely hard to make it better for you. There were very few things I could suggest to them to improve things even more. However, I have asked them to make sure that a few more of you in Years 1 and 2 who find learning a bit easier than most do a bit better with your work. Thank you again for such an enjoyable day. I hope you carry on working really hard and enjoy school. 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Cinnamon Brow CofE Primary School, 16 January 2008

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