Ropley CofE Primary School

Ropley Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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116312 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 312254 Inspection number 18 June 2008 Inspection date Graham Stephens 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 170 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr James Crowley Chair Mrs Clare Molyneux Headteacher 13 September 2004 Date of previous school inspection Church Street School address Ropley Alresford SO24 0DS 01962 772381 Telephone number 01962 772520 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 18 June 2008 Inspection date 312254 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 an Additional Inspector. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: the impact of leaders and managers on the quality of teaching in Key Stage 2, in particular in accelerating progress in mathematics; the quality of care, support and pupils' personal development and learning; the progress of pupils in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. Evidence was gathered from visits to lessons, sampling pupils' work, discussion with pupils, staff and governors, the school's documentation and assessment information and the inspection questionnaires returned from parents. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspection 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.

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Description of the school

Pupils in this smaller than average primary school come from a variety of backgrounds. Many travel some distance to school. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is below average. The proportion with statements of educational need is above average. The percentage entitled to free school meals is less than in most schools. The school has Healthy School status, the Investors in People award and the Activemark.

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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: Ropley Church of England Primary School, 18 June 2008

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Grade: 2

Ropley is a good school that continues to improve under the outstanding leadership and management of the headteacher and her deputy. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. Those arriving with their children in the morning were keen to praise it, 'This is a great school, we're very pleased - you're going to have a super day.' Children enter the Reception class with standards in all areas of learning that are broadly in line with expectations for their age. They make good progress because of good teaching, work well matched to their needs and very high expectations. This continues across the school and so by the end of Year 2 standards are above average. Reading is given a very high priority and pupils achieve very well. Teachers in Key Stage 1 are also very skilled in creating opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical skills. At the end of Year 6, standards in English, science

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Grade: 2

and information and communication technology (ICT) are very high. This is because pupils have many opportunities to apply their writing skills in subjects across the curriculum and ICT is used effectively by both teachers and pupils to enhance and enrich learning. Standards in mathematics, however, have remained broadly average for two years because too few pupils attained the higher levels. The school recognised progress in mathematics had been too slow for older pupils and standards were not high enough. They have taken effective action to accelerate progress. For example, the teaching of mathematics was monitored and detailed feedback given. These continuous observations confirm that the teaching of mathematics is now good and sometimes outstanding throughout the school. Mathematics lessons observed during the inspection were good. The school has focused on improving pupils' mental mathematics skills and has also engaged the parents by explaining methods so that they can

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Grade: 2

work with the school and offer help to their children at home if necessary. As a result, records and pupils' work show that progress in mathematics in Key Stage 2 is beginning to accelerate and standards are rising with more attaining very high standards. The school acknowledges that this work needs to continue to ensure that good progress is maintained. The care, support and guidance given to pupils is outstanding. Consequently, an ethos conducive to learning exists in which adults are very good role models in terms of relationships and pupils are therefore able to give of their best. Pupils feel happy and secure and this is reflected in their good attendance. They appreciate that their views and opinions are sought and valued. This is one of the school's strengths. Pupils are fully included in the decision making process with school councillors being involved in lesson observations and discussions about what makes

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Grade: 2

lessons exciting and learning fun. As one said 'with trust comes freedom, with freedom fun and fun inspires our work.' High expectations from all staff and clear protocols ensure that behaviour all around the school is outstanding. This is illustrated by mature, thoughtful and polite responses to adults and each other. Thorough and comprehensive assessment informs the school very well of the progress of individuals and indicates where additional support and guidance is required. Pupils' close involvement with the evaluation of their own progress gives them a good understanding of what they need to do in order to improve. As a result, there is a buzz of industry in the classrooms as pupils cooperate on tasks that are matched appropriately to ability using well-prepared resources. Pupils are very well prepared for later life because of the standards they attain and the opportunities they have to show initiative and plan and work together.

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Grade: 2

Pupils who find aspects of English and mathematics challenging, receive very good support 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Ropley Church of England Primary School, 18 June 2008 from learning support assistants who know them well and consequently they make good progress. This is particularly the case regarding the support of vulnerable pupils who need more frequent support and guidance. Very good links with local schools provide more able and gifted pupils with further opportunities to be challenged in their work and the opportunity to adapt to different learning environments and working with different groups. The recent successful introduction of three foreign languages has also benefited from the support of the local secondary school. Links with both the local and wider community are strong through involvement in local events, fund raising activities and the close links established with a school in Ghana

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Grade: 2

that enable pupils to learn about different cultures through direct contact. The elected Eco Committee is very active, caring for the school environment, encouraging energy saving, gardening, recycling and composting. Pupils talk confidently about what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. The school is well led and managed. Subject leaders, strongly supported by the headteacher and deputy, are developing their role in self-evaluation very well. Safeguarding procedures are robust and securely in place. Governance is outstanding. Governors know the school very well. They hold it to account by monitoring progress and standards very closely, rigorously discharge their statutory duties and are ambitious for its future success. The school has an outstanding capacity to improve further.

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Grade: 2

Good curriculum planning and assessment procedures underpin the good progress that the children make. Although assessment procedures are effective, their further refinement is a priority as the school is anxious to seize every opportunity to note, record and celebrate the children's progress. Children actively engage with the wide range of well-prepared and interesting resources. One, busy building a transformer, was keen to explain how it would be 'automatically protected' if it crashed into the sea. There is an appropriate focus on the teaching of basic skills. Relationships with adults and each other are strong and consequently children interact well and respond confidently to questions and new challenges. Children receive very good support and independent learning is encouraged. Although the immediate outdoor area is small, the much larger playground area is often used especially for wheeled vehicles. Climbing apparatus has

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Grade: 2

been adapted so that it can be used safely and give them more opportunities to climb, stretch, jump and crawl. Most of the children enter Year 1 having attained the expected standards and many exceed them.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Further raise standards in mathematics by the end of Key Stage 2 by ensuring that more pupils consistently attain the higher levels. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Ropley Church of England Primary School, 18 June 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: Ropley Church of England Primary School, 18 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? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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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 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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Ropley Church of England Primary School, 18 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 2 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Ropley Church of England Primary School, 18 June 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

30 June 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Ropley Church of England Primary School,Alresford,SO24 0DS Thank you all for the warm welcome I received when I visited your school. I enjoyed meeting and talking with you and finding out about all the exciting things that you do. You go to a good school. This is a list of some of the things I liked best.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You work hard and do well in your work.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your School Council and Eco Committee work very well with all the staff to make Ropley School even better. ■ Your behaviour is excellent, you are very polite and you care for each other very well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your teachers are very good at planning and are always looking for more interesting things to teach you. ■ All the adults in your school make sure that you are really well looked after.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your headteacher and the other people who help run your school are doing a good job.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Every school, even one as good as yours, have things that could be better. I think that your knowledge and understanding of mathematics and how it can be used to help you solve problems could improve still further before you leave school. With very best wishes for your future success. Yours sincerely Graham Stephens Lead Inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Ropley Church of England Primary School, 18 June 2008

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