Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School

Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School Inspection report

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114519 Unique Reference Number East Sussex Local Authority 311630 Inspection number 25 °26 June 2008 Inspection dates Michael Burghart 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 controlled School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 438 School The governing body Appropriate authority Gary Barrett Chair Patrick Fleming Headteacher 20 September 2004 Date of previous school inspection High Street School address Westham Pevensey BN24 5LP 01323 762269 Telephone number 01323 760924 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 25 °26 June 2008 Inspection dates 311630 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 large primary school drawing pupils from a wide area. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is about average. Nearly all pupils are of White British heritage. Virtually all speak English as their first language. A small group of pupils are from Traveller families. They attend for extended periods when not on the road, but were not present during the inspection. The school has had a stable staff for a period of years but four key staff, including the deputy headteacher, are to leave at the end of this term.

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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: Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School, 25 °26 June 2008

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school. There are strengths in how successfully pupils' personal development is fostered by very good pastoral and physical care. Pupils are happy, obviously feel safe, and know who to turn to if there is a problem. Consistently good relationships, good behaviour and pupils' positive attitudes make a successful contribution to learning. Pupils make the most of the clubs and activities which give good enrichment to the curriculum. Children in Reception get off to a secure start because they are well cared for and provision is effective. They make satisfactory progress from average starting points to reach most of what is expected of this age by the time they enter Year 1. As a result of recent improvement, pupils make sound progress in Years 1 and 2 to reach broadly average standards in reading and mathematics. Writing, although improved to slightly below average, remains an area for further

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Grade: 3

development already identified by the school. Progress is satisfactory in English and science in Years 3 to 6 where standards are broadly average. In mathematics, standards are below average. For the majority of pupils progress is satisfactory, but some more able pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Even so, achievement overall is satisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory overall, based on sound curriculum planning. There are good features, for example in the quality of questioning and the use of learning objectives, in each lesson. However, some lessons lack pace and there are inconsistencies in how well pupils are challenged and supported in order to do their best. This is the result of assessment not being used effectively enough to set targets that clearly show how improvements can be made. In turn, this reflects a lack of monitoring by senior leaders and middle managers of pupils' performance

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Grade: 3

and the school as a whole. In part, this has been due to lack of time for monitoring which was the result of budgetary problems. The school does have educational direction derived from plans for each subject but does not have a clear picture of the reasons for success or areas of weakness that can be used to plan for improvements. The school correctly judged its overall effectiveness as satisfactory and accurately noted positive elements in management, for example in literacy, numeracy, the Foundation Stage and in the good contribution of governors. There are strengths in financial management which have successfully addressed a substantial budget deficit. The school is oversubscribed and has a very good reputation locally. Parents show strong support, particularly valuing how their children are treated and the quality of teaching. The overall profile of leadership and management is satisfactory, rather than the school's own judgement of good, with more to do to make aims

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Grade: 3

clearer, set the school more challenging targets and involve staff at all levels in school development planning.

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Grade: 3

Children join the school with abilities broadly in line with levels expected for their age. There are some weaknesses in aspects of language and mathematical development but, equally, some strengths in personal development. Children make satisfactory progress and most achieve the expected levels by the start of Year 1, with some exceeding this, especially in physical and personal development. Sometimes, the pace of learning is not brisk enough and this restricts progress. Children enjoy school; they play and work productively and often independently. They understand the school's routines and behave well. Children are carefully managed and 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School, 25 °26 June 2008 cared for by the staff, whose teaching is satisfactory with some good features. Staff know their children well and relationships are very strong. Work in the afternoons is often based on children

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Grade: 3

having choices in their activities, especially outside. This gives teachers opportunities to work with smaller groups and carry out assessments. However, the outside area does not allow for a free flow of activities from class to outdoors, neither is it possible to leave equipment in place during the day because this area is a thoroughfare. The lack of a canopy further restricts outside use.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards at the end of Year 6, ensuring that in mathematics in particular, more able pupils reach the levels that they are capable of. ■ Improve the quality of pupils' writing and develop its use in other subjects.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the ways in which leaders and managers monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the school's provision and plan for further development. ■ Improve ways in which assessment information is used to set targets for individual pupils and for the school as a whole. A small proportion of schools whose overall effectiveness is judged 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

Pupils' progress is satisfactory overall. This builds on the sound start children get in Reception. In Years 1 and 2, this marks an improvement on 2007 when some pupils underachieved. At the end of Year 2 this year, standards are slightly above average in reading and mathematics and slightly below in writing. This equates to broadly average overall. Standards in English and science at the end of Year 6 are broadly average. They are down slightly on last year because fewer pupils reached above average levels, but pupils' achievement is nevertheless satisfactory. The majority of pupils make appropriate progress in mathematics. However, standards are below average because some more able pupils are achieving less well than last year and less well than in the other two subjects assessed. Records show that support for Travellers and those pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is effective in helping them to make the same

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Grade: 2

Personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is a strength of the school. Acts of collective worship contribute significantly to pupils' good spiritual development and reflect the school's strong Christian ethos. Pupils are developing a good awareness of other cultures through links with International Partnership schools. Their understanding of life in a culturally diverse Britain is satisfactory but an area for further development. Pupils enjoy school and show very positive attitudes. Comments like, 'Teachers are friendly and make lessons fun!' are typical. Pupils are polite and considerate and readily accept responsibility. Older pupils are particularly proud of how they look after younger children and help them sort out any problems. Class councils give pupils the chance to air their views, but pupils feel that a full school council would take this to another level. Pupil councillors were

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Grade: 2

pleased to have the opportunity to interview candidates for the deputy headteacher's position. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School, 25 °26 June 2008 Pupils understand the importance of keeping fit and maintaining healthy lifestyles. They show a good awareness of how to keep safe. Behaviour is good. Class councillors are adamant that there is no bullying and that any anti-social behaviour is quickly sorted out. Pupils are suitably prepared for life in general in terms of literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology (ICT) and good working together skills. Attendance is average, but unauthorised absence is above average mainly due to the school's consistent stance that holidays should not be taken in term time.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Teachers use questioning well to engage pupils and extend their learning. Teachers use interactive whiteboards well to maintain pupils' interest. Teaching assistants work closely with teachers and make a strong contribution to the support for those who do not learn as quickly as others. Relationships are good. Whilst learning objectives are made clear in most lessons, teachers do not always use assessment information effectively enough to check pupils' progress and to ensure that learning builds on what pupils already know. This most obviously results in a lack of challenge for more able pupils. The quality of marking is satisfactory but variable. Pupils are not always shown how they can make improvements and, in some cases, their targets are too vague. The monitoring of teaching and learning is not rigorous enough. It has not been completed regularly enough or in sufficient

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Grade: 3

depth to have fully identified weaknesses to support improvements.

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Grade: 3

The satisfactory curriculum is enriched by a good number and range of out of class activities. All required subjects are covered. Pupils gain extra skills in sport, music and creative pursuits. Planning usually details work for a range of abilities, but this is less effective in providing extension opportunities to challenge more able pupils. Some of the most successful lessons are when teachers make links between subjects, a good example being in a Year 5 lesson history where pupils wrote Sir Francis Drake's diary. However, in general, subjects are taught in isolation and opportunities are missed to make full use of, and develop, skills. ICT provision has been improved with the addition of laptops and increased assessment, sometimes involving pupils in evaluating their own progress. A good programme of personal, social and health education gives good support to pupils' personal development. Curriculum provision for pupils with additional learning needs, Traveller

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Grade: 3

children, and the few pupils for whom English is not their first language, is satisfactory. Themed weeks, such as the very recent China Week, give pupils good opportunities to take part in whole-school projects. A good range of visits, such as the residential trip to the Isle of Wight, enhances pupils' learning.

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Grade: 2

The attention paid to pupils' personal development and ensuring that pupils are well cared for is very good. Pupils feel safe and secure and parents are obviously very pleased with the very good level of care provided. 'The atmosphere is friendly and the team easy to approach,' was 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School, 25 °26 June 2008 a typical comment. All procedures relating to safeguarding pupils, child protection, health, safety and first aid are robust. The school takes particular care that pupils' access to the Internet is carefully regulated. Strong links with outside agencies help provide additional support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, pupils from Traveller families and the few pupils for whom English is an additional language. Guidance for pupils' academic development is satisfactory. Targets are set and are in the main effective, but not all pupils are sure what they are. Processes used for setting them are not

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Grade: 2

consistent throughout the school, some targets are inappropriate and others are not phrased in child friendly language. Targets for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are not sharply focused and success criteria are not always clearly identified. Nevertheless, support for such pupils is effective and helps them to make progress.

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Grade: 3

On a day-to-day basis the school is well run. As a result, its ethos is good and pupils are well behaved and happy. Improved, and now good, financial management has overcome a deficit budget without having to reduce staff. Governors are well informed and give the school very positive support. Their governance is good. Despite excelling in terms of managing how the school cares for pupils and promotes their personal development, the school's leadership and management are satisfactory rather than good. Senior and middle managers have not monitored the impact of provision on the school's performance systematically enough. School development planning does not always take sufficient account of the contributions of subject and phase leaders, and does not always use challenging targets effectively to drive up standards. There are positive initiatives in hand, designed to give staff more opportunities for monitoring and

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Grade: 3

to define their roles more clearly. It is too soon to see the effect of these but, together with the better elements of leadership and management already in place, they underpin a satisfactory capacity for future development. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School, 25 °26 June 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: Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School, 25 °26 June 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? 3 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 2 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: Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School, 25 °26 June 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 4 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: Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School, 25 °26 June 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Dear Pupils Inspection of Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School, Eastbourne BN24 5LP Thank you for your warm welcome when we visited your school. We were very pleased with the help the class councillors gave us, and that all of you we spoke to were keen to tell us about the school. We found that the school gives you a satisfactory education. This means that some things are good, most things are as they should be, and some important things need to be improved. Here are some of the highlights.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You obviously enjoy school. You get on well with staff and each other.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Staff take excellent care of you and help you to grow up as responsible young people.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The school helps you to see that it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ There is a good range of clubs, activities and school trips.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

This is what the school needs to do to improve.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Raise standards, helping all of you (particularly those in top groups) to do as well as you should, especially in maths. ■ Help you to improve your writing.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Improve the way leaders and managers find out about how the school is doing and then plan how it can be even better. ■ Make sure that that you know your targets and that they clearly show how you can improve your work. You can help by continuing to pay attention, working hard and keeping up the good behaviour. Best wishes Yours sincerely Mike Burghart Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School, 25 °26 June 2008

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Annex B

Inspection of Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School, Eastbourne BN24 5LP

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Annex B

Thank you for your warm welcome when we visited your school. We were very pleased with the help the class councillors gave us, and that all of you we spoke to were keen to tell us about the school. We found that the school gives you a satisfactory education. This means that some things are good, most things are as they should be, and some important things need to be improved.

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Annex B

• You obviously enjoy school. You get on well with staff and each other. • Staff take excellent care of you and help you to grow up as responsible young people. • You behave well. • The school helps you to see that it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle. • There is a good range of clubs, activities and school trips.

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Annex B

This is what the school needs to do to improve.

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Annex B

• Raise standards, helping all of you (particularly those in top groups) to do as well as you should, especially in maths. • Help you to improve your writing. • Improve the way leaders and managers find out about how the school is doing and then plan how it can be even better. • Make sure that that you know your targets and that they clearly show how you can improve your work.

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Annex B

You can help by continuing to pay attention, working hard and keeping up the good behaviour.

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