Madley Primary School

116708 Unique Reference Number Herefordshire Local Authority 312375 Inspection number 21 °22 November 2007 Inspection dates Gerald Griffin 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 Community School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 171 School The governing body Appropriate authority Michael Williams Chair Lee Batstone Headteacher 7 July 2003 Date of previous school inspection Madley School address Hereford HR2 9PH 01981 250241 Telephone number 01981 250241 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 21 °22 November 2007 Inspection dates 312375 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Madley Primary School is smaller than the average primary school. There are six classes, three of which have pupils of mixed ages. No pupils are from minority ethnic groups. Pupils' skills and experiences on entry are generally average but do vary from year to year. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below the national average.

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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: Madley Primary School, 21 °22 November 2007

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Grade: 2

Madley is a good school. Achievement is good and standards are above average. Progress in English and science are consistently good. Progress in mathematics is also good, especially for current Year 6 pupils, but slower in other years because pupils' knowledge and understanding of some aspects of the curriculum, such as shape and space, are underdeveloped. The school is improving under the resolute and effective leadership of the headteacher who is providing the school with a clear direction and sense of purpose. Children now make good progress in Reception as the result of improvements in their provision. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school and they are confident that it provides a good quality of education. They appreciate the improvements made to procedures for parental consultation and school security. Pupils' personal development is good and they thrive in the school's happy atmosphere. They

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Grade: 2

behave well, are polite, good humoured and confident. They feel very safe, and really enjoy school. Staff have a very detailed knowledge of the needs of every child which ensures they are very well looked after. Care, guidance and support are good overall. Teaching and learning are good. In lessons, relationships are very positive and work is interesting. As a result, pupils are keen to learn and work hard. The rate of pupils' learning occasionally slows when teachers do not plan work that matches the needs of more able or less able pupils. When this happens, some pupils are not fully challenged. Although there are some shortfalls in the mathematics programme, the curriculum is good overall. The school makes good use of its stimulating outdoor environment to engage pupils and extend their learning. The wide range of popular sports and other after school clubs broadens pupils' experiences and raises aspirations.

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Grade: 2

The staff enthusiastically share the headteacher's drive to improve the quality of education provided and there is a strong sense of team spirit. He is well supported by senior staff and leadership and management are good overall. While the school has a clear overall grasp of its strengths and areas for development, the procedures to check pupils' progress are not yet robust enough to enable its leaders to analyse and evaluate achievement in detail. The recent record of improvements shows that the school is well placed to get even better.

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Grade: 2

Children make a good start to their life in school and make good progress overall in the Reception Year. Most children reach the expected levels by the time they start Year 1 and many exceed them. Parents are happy with the well-structured measures that help children settle into school. Children's progress is carefully and accurately measured and parents value the regular updates they get on their child's work. Teaching and learning are good and relationships in the bright and stimulating classroom are happy and positive. The curriculum provides an appropriate balance of child-led and adult-led activity. The outdoor learning area is satisfactory rather than good because the area is not covered and this restricts access and sometimes limits children's opportunities to gain independence in wet weather.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure pupils have a full knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the mathematics curriculum. 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Madley Primary School, 21 °22 November 2007 ■ Ensure teachers plan work that consistently challenges all pupils.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Implement effective procedures to check pupils' progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' achievement is good overall, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Current standards in English, mathematics and science are above average in Year 6, which is an improvement over the test results of 2007. Pupils make good progress in Years 1 and 2. Boys and girls make similar progress. Progress in English is consistently good. This is the result of the effective measures introduced to improve the quality of sentence construction. Pupils link sentences together well in longer written pieces, such as stories, to give their work clear meaning. Progress in mathematics is good but more variable. Pupils have a good grasp of number but applying this knowledge to solve problems and their understanding in some areas, such as naming shapes and drawing them in three dimensions, is not secure. This is because they have too few opportunities to learn about and practise this work. Progress in science is good and has improved with the

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Grade: 2

provision of more opportunities for pupils to carry out practical work and investigations.

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Grade: 2

Pupils have very positive and mature attitudes towards school. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They respect each other, adults and the world around them. A strong moral code underpins their good behaviour, although occasionally they lose concentration and fidget towards the end of lessons. They work well in teams and readily share apparatus. They are respectful towards people of different cultures and religions. Pupils really enjoy lessons, the many educational visits and being with their friends at school. This is reflected in their above average attendance. There is almost no bullying and they feel safe in the knowledge that the rare incidences that occur are quickly and effectively resolved. They largely know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils mostly do their best to keep themselves healthy by eating a balanced diet and keeping fit. They are keen to take responsibility as 'peer

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Grade: 2

mentors' and as part of the new school parliament. They readily contribute to the wider community by collecting for charity and participating in village events. Above average standards and good attitudes are preparing pupils well for secondary school and future employment.

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Grade: 2

Teachers' good subject knowledge and their expert use of resources, such as the interactive whiteboards, ensure pupils are engaged well in lessons and enjoy their work. Teachers' class management is good and pupils generally behave well in lessons. Teachers do not always plan class discussions and group activities well enough to match the learning needs of each pupil. As a result, some pupils find tasks too easy and finish early while others struggle with work that is too difficult for them. Teaching assistants play a valuable role in accelerating learning, especially for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Madley Primary School, 21 °22 November 2007

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Grade: 2

The curriculum supports pupils' personal development well. For example, well-structured assemblies explore challenging spiritual and moral questions. Healthy living is promoted well in lessons such as personal and social education and swimming. The information and communication technology (ICT) provision has improved and is being used effectively by pupils in exciting projects such as producing and editing videos. The curriculum is extended well by many educational visits and visitors to school. For example, an African drumming group was in school to broaden pupils' musical experience during the inspection. However, pupils' knowledge of the main religions and cultures found in Britain is underdeveloped.

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Grade: 2

Parents rightly say that most aspects of pastoral care are outstanding. One summarises their views by writing, 'It is a very caring school with an excellent community spirit.' Pupils are very well supported and can readily turn to an adult in school knowing their concerns will be sympathetically and effectively resolved. Sensitive support ensures pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make the same good progress as their peers. The school works effectively with outside agencies and other schools to promote pupils' welfare. For example, it is working with experts to develop strategies to better manage difficult behaviour to ensure there are no exclusions. Child protection procedures and health and safety matters are robust and regularly reviewed. Academic guidance is variable. In English, it is good. Here, teachers' marking and other feedback show pupils very clearly what they need to do to improve their work. The guidance in

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Grade: 2

mathematics is less robust and is only satisfactory. As a result, pupils are less clear as to how they can make their work better.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher's impressive drive for continuing improvement and his high expectations that provide challenging targets are enthusiastically shared by the staff. Regular monitoring and evaluation are providing the school with a largely accurate picture of its strengths and areas for development and this is being used well to secure many improvements. However, the current procedures do not provide a clear enough picture of the standards and progress of each pupil to furnish school leaders with a detailed analysis of achievement or enable them to regularly track the progress of individuals to ensure that it is good or even better. Middle managers are providing the headteacher with effective support. This has been most successful in securing improvements in English, ICT and in the Foundation Stage. The school uses staff well, especially teaching assistants, to ensure pupils get much individual help. This

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Grade: 2

has been most successful in raising standards in writing. Governance is good. Governors are very supportive and work hard on behalf of the school. They have a clear overall grasp of the standard of education the school provides. Their improving understanding of data is helping them to challenge the school rigorously over its performance. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Madley Primary School, 21 °22 November 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Madley Primary School, 21 °22 November 2007

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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 2 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?

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 2 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Madley Primary School, 21 °22 November 2007

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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 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: Madley Primary School, 21 °22 November 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

25 November 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Madley Primary School, Madley, HR2 9PH We enjoyed our visit to your school. You were very polite and friendly and you made us feel most welcome. We enjoyed the discussions we had with you about the work and activities you do at school. You clearly get on with each other and the adults in school well and you are rightly proud of the school's happy atmosphere. We think Madley is a good school. We also think it is improving. Here are some of our findings.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You make good progress throughout the school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The good teaching helps you to reach above average standards in English, mathematics and science. ■ You really enjoy school and feel very safe and secure.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have good relationships with your teachers and you work hard for them.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The curriculum provides many activities that extend your ideas well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Adults in the school look after you very well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The headteacher leads the school well and teachers are working hard to make sure the school gets better. We have asked the school to do three things to help it improve further.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Improve teaching so that you all make good progress.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure the adults keep detailed records of the work you do so they can follow your progress more carefully. You can help the school by continuing to behave well and try your best in lessons. We wish you all success in the future. Yours sincerely Gerald Griffin Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Madley Primary School, 21 °22 November 2007

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Annex B

Inspection of Madley Primary School, Madley, HR2 9PH

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Annex B

We enjoyed our visit to your school. You were very polite and friendly and you made us feel most welcome. We enjoyed the discussions we had with you about the work and activities you do at school. You clearly get on with each other and the adults in school well and you are rightly proud of the school’s happy atmosphere. We think Madley is a good school. We also think it is improving.

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Annex B

• You make good progress throughout the school. • The good teaching helps you to reach above average standards in English, mathematics and science. • You really enjoy school and feel very safe and secure. • You behave well. • You have good relationships with your teachers and you work hard for them. • The curriculum provides many activities that extend your ideas well. • Adults in the school look after you very well. • The headteacher leads the school well and teachers are working hard to make sure the school gets better.

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Annex B

We have asked the school to do three things to help it improve further.

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Annex B

• Help you improve your mathematics. • Improve teaching so that you all make good progress. • Make sure the adults keep detailed records of the work you do so they can follow your progress more carefully.

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Annex B

You can help the school by continuing to behave well and try your best in lessons.

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