Foxmoor Primary School

Foxmoor Primary School Inspection report

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115572 Unique Reference Number Gloucestershire Local Authority 311983 Inspection number 19 November 2008 Inspection date Rowena Onions 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 265 School (total) 0 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 Martin Kavanagh Chair N Maycock Headteacher 25 April 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Hunters Way School address Cashes Green Stroud GL5 4UJ 01453 757251 Telephone number 01453 758190 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 19 November 2008 Inspection date 311983 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. 2 of 9 Inspection Report: Foxmoor Primary School, 19 November 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors. The inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: the progress made by children in the Reception year, the combined effect of teaching and the curriculum on pupils' learning and attitudes; and the quality and impact of school self evaluation and development in the maintenance of high standards. Evidence was gathered from observation of lessons; scrutiny of pupils' work in class; discussions with pupils, the staff and two governors; and a scrutiny of school documents and parent questionnaires. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation form, were not justified. These have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

In this above average size school, almost all pupils are of White British origin. Most live in the area around the school, but a sizable minority are brought to the school from further afield. During the course of a year, the school provides for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in the Reception class and in a mixed Reception and Year 1 class.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: Foxmoor Primary School, 19 November 2008

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Grade: 1

Foxmoor is an outstanding school. Attainment on entry is at the national expectation and by Year 6, standards are amongst the highest in the country. Almost all pupils attain the expected Level 4 and in 2008, sixty percent of pupils attained the higher Level 5 in mathematics, eighty-six percent did so in English and a hundred percent attained this level in science. From the EYFS onward, pupils make very rapid progress and standards at the end of Reception and at the end of Year 2 are well above those seen nationally. The outstanding leadership of the headteacher has created a school in which a combination of elements assists pupils to progress successfully. Her energetic and determined leadership ensures the school is a self-evaluative and forward thinking place. There is a strong sense of teamwork at all levels and an attention to detail that underpins success. Excellent teaching and a stimulating and exciting curriculum encourage pupils' learning. Pupils are encouraged to be

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Grade: 1

thoughtful, self-motivated learners. They report liking school and high attendance at the large number of voluntary activities demonstrates this well. Parents are overwhelmingly pleased with the standards their children reach and with the range of opportunities open to them. However, a minority feel that communications with parents could be improved. Pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding. They work hard, enjoy what they do and are very confident in both giving opinion and in respecting that of others. Behaviour is exemplary. Excellent teaching is characterised by very high expectations of the pupils. Because relationships are strong, pupils try hard to live up to these expectations. Pupils report being happy to seek personal or academic advice and help when they need it. Very good systems are set up in the school to encourage this. There is, for example, a daily teaching assistant 'drop

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Grade: 1

in' session for Year 6 pupils who feel they need a little more help with something they are learning. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and healthy and the enthusiasm with which they take part in voluntary sporting activities is evidence that many take action to do this. It is the belief of all staff that pupils should be given opportunities to promote their skills in a wide range of fields. Skills in sports, the arts and music, for example, are as highly valued as those in English, mathematics and science. This not only promotes high achievement for example, in sports and music, where the school is very successful in competition with other schools, but also ensures the good self-esteem of the vast majority of pupils. Pupils' achievements are assessed and tracked comprehensively. These assessments are used to identify any difficulties pupils have and very successful action is taken to address these. Thus, all pupils, including

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Grade: 1

those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are helped to progress. Pupils are well aware of how to improve their work through both the marking of their work and the targets set for them. Equal thought is given to the pastoral care of pupils and each is known and valued as an individual. Every attention is given to pupils' safety. The curriculum is extensively enriched, for example, through the use of specialist teachers and visitors. Pupils take part in a wide range of before and after school clubs and greatly enjoy them, although they did comment that there was so much they wanted to do that they sometimes had difficulty finding time to do homework! The curriculum has a strong emphasis on the development of basic skills but these are often taught and practised in a meaningful way through the linking of subjects. Pupils making chutney in a food technology lesson read the recipe, weighed ingredients, translated imperial into metric measures, costed the chutney

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Grade: 1

for the sale at the school fair and wrote a flow chart to show the process undertaken. All classes 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Foxmoor Primary School, 19 November 2008 make, cost and sell items at the fair and this, together with high standards and the way pupils learn to work cooperatively and independently, prepares them very well for the future. There is evidence of teamwork and a sense of community at all levels in the school. Pupils know the expectations and benefits of being part of the school community. They learn to extend this knowledge to a wider community, learning for example, about the cultures and traditions of others, locally and further afield and about conservation issues. Teachers work as a team with teaching assistants, using their very good skills to the great benefit of the pupils. At leadership and management level, the sense of team is very strong. Teachers and leaders work together

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Grade: 1

to identify even the smallest aspects of the school's work that would benefit from development. In mathematics, for example, the school has taken on a new initiative that it hopes will help potentially higher attaining girls do even better. It is this attention to detail, which is expected equally of the pupils, that ensures that the school maintains and where possible continues to improve, already very high standards. Governors are very well informed and proactive in supporting the school's work and in holding it to account for outcomes in both standards and in pupils' personal development. The school is outward looking, making strong partnerships with others, both in undertaking new initiatives that make it forward thinking and in helping to train a future generation of teachers. Overall, the school demonstrates outstanding capacity for sustaining high standards and for making improvement.

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Grade: 1

Children make outstanding progress and by the end of Reception, they have developed skills and work habits that enable them to continue to make rapid progress in Year 1. Outstanding teaching by a team of teachers and teaching assistants ensures that children settle quickly and learn to make choices, to work well alongside each other and to concentrate well. Expectations are high and children live up to these. Assessment is comprehensive and ensures that activities are matched carefully to the developing needs of the children. These activities ensure the best possible progress. The leadership of the EYFS is strong. Considerable effort has gone into developing the new classroom and outdoor area into a stimulating environment in which the children can learn well. There is a very good balance between focused adult led teaching, which helps the children to develop skills and knowledge, such as those linked with early reading and

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Grade: 1

writing and opportunities for children to choose what they will do. The high quality of these opportunities, both indoors and out means that children are interested and absorbed in what they are doing. High quality care is taken to ensure the children's well-being. This includes close partnerships with parents and when there is a need, with other professionals.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Seek ways to strengthen communication with parents. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Foxmoor Primary School, 19 November 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. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: Foxmoor Primary School, 19 November 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? 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

1 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 1 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 1 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 1 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

1 How well do learners achieve? 1 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/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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Foxmoor Primary School, 19 November 2008

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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 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 1 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? 1 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 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 1 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Foxmoor Primary School, 19 November 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

20 November 2008 Dear Children Inspection of Foxmoor Primary School, Stroud, GL5 4UJ We really enjoyed our day at your school and would like to thank you for your help and very friendly conversations. I know you will be pleased to know that we think yours is an outstanding school. This is what we liked most about your school:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The rapid progress you make in learning to read, write and do maths and the high standards you reach. ■ That you enjoy school and try so hard to learn.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The high expectations the teachers have for you and the way you try hard to live up to these.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The way you are helped to know how to improve your work.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The range of exciting activities provided for you by all the staff.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The way teachers plan for you to learn and to practise what you have learned in lots of different ways. ■ That everyone in your school, including you, are working together to make it even better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We think your headteacher deserves congratulations for everything that she has done for you all. To make things even better, this is what we have asked your school to do now:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Find ways to communicate a little better with your parents.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You can help the teachers to keep your school an outstanding one by continuing to work hard and make the best of the time you have in school. Yours faithfully Rowena Onions Lead inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Foxmoor Primary School, 19 November 2008

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