Maynards Green Community Primary School

Maynards Green Community Primary School Inspection report

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114407 Unique Reference Number East Sussex Local Authority 311586 Inspection number 14 October 2008 Inspection date Jacquie Buttriss Reporting inspector

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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.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 175 School (total) 26 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 Gino Di Francesco Chair Verity Poole Headteacher 1 June 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Maynards Green School address Heathfield TN21 0DD 01435 812622 Telephone number

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4–11 Age group 14 October 2008 Inspection date 311586 Inspection number 01435 813944 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 14 October 2008 Inspection date 311586 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. 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Maynards Green Community Primary School, 14 October 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors, who evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school. They particularly investigated the teaching of mathematics to pupils in Years 1 and 2 and the degree of challenge for more able pupils of all ages. Inspectors met with pupils, staff and governors. Parts of some lessons were observed and inspectors looked at pupils' work. School information, such as evidence of pupils' progress and the school improvement plan, was scrutinised. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessment, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average primary school in a rural area. Fewer than average pupils are eligible for free school meals. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average, as are the numbers of pupils with English as an additional language and those from minority ethnic groups. There is Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provision in the Reception class.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Maynards Green Community Primary School, 14 October 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. It has some outstanding features, principal among which is pupils' excellent personal development and well-being. Relationships are very strong throughout the school, so that adults and pupils all care for each other well. This contributes strongly to pupils' great enjoyment of school and their highly positive attitudes to their learning. As a result of their excellent enjoyment, pupils' attendance is improving and their behaviour is exemplary, as endorsed by one parent's comment: 'I am extremely impressed at how well the children all behave.' Pupils of all ages talk animatedly about the importance of adopting healthy lifestyles and they have an excellent understanding of how to stay safe. They contribute strongly to their local community, taking part in events and inviting residents in to visit the school. Pupils acquire a good range of skills to help prepare them for their future lives. Spiritual, moral, social and

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Grade: 2

cultural development is good overall, but awareness of other cultures is underdeveloped. Teaching is predominantly good through the school. Most lessons are characterised by dynamic pace, a good degree of challenge for all abilities and high expectations of what pupils can do. This results in pupils making good progress in nearly all year groups. In a few classes pupils make excellent progress. Pupils' attainment when they start in Reception is broadly typical for their age. Pupils achieve well overall. By the time they move on to their secondary schools, standards are well above average. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are given good support by experienced teaching assistants, enabling them to achieve well compared with their starting points. The lively curriculum, well enriched by an interesting variety of additional activities, visits and visitors, motivates pupils of all ages to work hard and do their best. There

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Grade: 2

is slower progress amongst some younger pupils in mathematics and these pupils are not sufficiently challenged. However, the picture changes as pupils move through the school and experience a more exciting curriculum and some particularly good teaching which enables learners to reach far above average standards in mathematics by the time they leave the school. As one Year 6 pupil said, 'Maths is more fun to do now – even algebra!' Pastoral care is a strength of the school, providing good support for pupils' enjoyment, achievement and well-being. As one parent said, 'This school is always striving to give the best possible care and educational provision.' Child protection and safeguarding procedures are fully in place. Assessment of pupils' progress is extensive and is used effectively to ensure that work is well matched to their needs. However, other aspects of academic guidance are not so strong. In

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Grade: 2

particular, although some teachers mark pupils' books very constructively with suggestions for improving their work, this is inconsistent throughout the school, and at the time of the inspection, pupils did not have individual learning targets to help them aim higher in their learning. Good leadership and management are characterised by the clear direction for improvement set by the headteacher and the strong leadership team. As one parent noted, 'The school is constantly developing and improving.' Self-evaluation processes Inspection Report: Maynards Green Community Primary School, 14 October 2008 5 of 11 are good and the analysis of pupils' progress is exceptionally strong, with the result that the school is well equipped to identify areas for development. An example of this is the recent good work done on improving writing skills across the school, with the result that pupils' progress has accelerated

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Grade: 2

and standards are now rising. This demonstrates the school's good capacity for continued improvement. Challenging targets are set for school improvement and most have been met in recent years. Very good partnerships exist with other schools and pre-school settings to ensure good induction and transition processes. Community cohesion is good overall, especially in relation to equality of opportunity within the school. Its involvement in the local community 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Maynards Green Community Primary School, 14 October 2008 is excellent. For example, pupils visit pre-school settings to read books they have made especially for these younger children. However, although wider links are planned, the school does not yet have active links with schools in different UK areas or abroad. Governors fulfil their roles effectively through a range of monitoring activities to ensure that they have a good knowledge

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Grade: 2

of the school's strengths and are able to explore areas for development. The great majority of parents are very supportive of the school and what it does for their children. 'I am thrilled with the school and am very pleased to be part of the school community,' commented one parent, reflecting the responses of many.

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Grade: 2

Good introductory processes help children to settle quickly into the Reception class. As one parent commented, 'We were amazed at how much thought went into helping him get ready for big school.' Children are well cared for and relationships are supportive, so that learners make good gains in their personal and social development and are keen to learn. Children therefore enjoy their school experiences and behave well. The good Reception teaching ensures that children develop independence and make good progress across the areas of learning, so that by the time they enter Year 1 most children achieve above average standards. Careful analysis of children's progress ensures that work is well matched to learners' needs. Good assessment procedures effectively identify the next steps in learning. Provision for learning inside the Reception classroom is good, but there is not currently a separate outside area to

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Grade: 2

stimulate children's active learning out of the classroom. The adjacent playground is not sufficiently used by the Reception class for physical and creative activities and this hampers the delivery of some areas of the curriculum.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Help pupils to know how well they are doing and how to improve their work by ensuring greater consistency in teachers' marking and by setting all pupils individual learning targets in literacy and numeracy. ■ Ensure that pupils in the EYFS have more frequent use of improved outside facilities to extend their learning and physical development. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Maynards Green Community Primary School, 14 October 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: Maynards Green Community Primary School, 14 October 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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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

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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?

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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

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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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Maynards Green Community Primary School, 14 October 2008

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learners?

2 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 The extent to which 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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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?

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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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Maynards Green Community Primary School, 14 October 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

16 October 2008 Dear Children, Inspection of Maynards Green Community Primary School, Heathfield TN21 0DD Thank you for being so friendly, polite and helpful when we came to inspect your school. You made us feel very welcome. We enjoyed talking with you. Yours is a good school. It helps you to do good work and cares for you very well. These are the things we especially like about your school:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You make good progress and achieve well in your work. Well done!

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have excellent relationships and you look after each other well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have an excellent understanding of how to be healthy and stay safe.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have good teachers who work hard to make your lessons exciting and fun.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You enjoy school very much and are keen to do your best. Keep it up!

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your headteacher, teachers and governors are leading the school well and are working hard to make it even better. ■ Your parents and carers tell us that they are very pleased you come to this school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

This is what I think your school could do even better:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The teachers could help you to know how well you are doing and how to improve your work by making sure they all mark your work with suggestions for improvement and helping you to use learning targets. ■ The school could improve the outside learning area for the Reception class.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You could help by continuing to work hard and enjoy your lessons. I would like to wish you lots of success in your future learning. Keep up the good work! Jacquie Buttriss Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Maynards Green Community Primary School, 14 October 2008

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