Wetwang Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Wetwang Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Inspection report

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117997 Unique Reference Number East Riding of Yorkshire Local Authority 312774 Inspection number 22 November 2007 Inspection date Eric Jackson 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 42 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Jean Louden Chair Mrs Anne O'Connor Headteacher 1 June 2003 Date of previous school inspection Pulham Lane School address Wetwang Driffield YO25 9XT 01377 236679 Telephone number 01377 236679 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 22 November 2007 Inspection date 312774 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.

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Description of the school

The school is much smaller than average, and serves a small village. The proportion of girls to boys is above average. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is broadly average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average, as is the percentage of pupils from minority ethnic groups. All pupils speak English as their first language. There is a part-time local authority Nursery on site. Reception children are admitted in the term they become five; during the inspection there were only two on roll.

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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: Wetwang Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22 November 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school with some good features. There have been effective improvements since the last inspection and the school is in a good position to continue to improve. Pupils are well cared for, and academic guidance and support for them are sound. Standards have risen well since the last inspection, especially in English, to be broadly average by Year 6. Taken over three years, achievement is satisfactory compared to that of similar pupils in other schools, again much improved since the last inspection. This is a tribute to the staff and pupils who have worked with four different headteachers since then. However, too few pupils have reached the higher standards in national tests in Years 2 and 6 in recent years. Leadership and management are satisfactory. There has been considerable disruption due to staff absence, but the new headteacher has begun to build effectively on earlier positive

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Grade: 3

changes. The headteacher’s clear evaluation of the improvements required, confirmed by a recent external review, has given staff and governors a sharper focus on improving standards and progress. Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good: pupils are safe, behave well, have good attitudes to learning, and say that they enjoy school. Almost all parents feel that the school has a good family atmosphere, agreeing with one who said, ‘There is a strong sense of community within the school and the village.’ There are also good links with the parish and other local schools. Attendance is average. Pupils are involved well in helping each other and undertaking school responsibilities sensibly. They develop good understanding of how to live healthy lifestyles, enjoying healthy meals and taking full part in physical exercise. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, and pupils have a good sense of right from wrong. Older

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Grade: 3

pupils say that they have noticed that their work has recently become more challenging and enjoyable. They are prepared satisfactorily for the next stage of their education. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Most lessons are carefully planned to cover the wide age-range in each class, although pupils sometimes work with the teacher as a whole class for too long. This lessens unnecessarily the time they have to complete subsequent tasks and, occasionally, not enough is expected of them. Staff are deployed effectively. The staff team develops teaching plans as a close unit, important as classes are shared flexibly at different times of the day. Older pupils say that their work is more challenging and enjoyable since the headteacher’s arrival. The curriculum is satisfactory, and currently staff are reviewing how to help the pupils develop the required skills and understanding more effectively. The staff regularly

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Grade: 3

attend extra training to keep themselves updated and there have been good recent innovations in the teaching of Spanish and physical education (PE).

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Grade: 3

Children make satisfactory progress during their time in Reception in all areas of learning. The teaching is satisfactory and teaching assistants make an important contribution to the children’s progress, especially in the mornings. Although the numbers of children in the Foundation Stage are low, the provision for them is suitably planned and effectively managed. Because the children work in the same class as pupils in Years 1 and 2, they learn how to make a fitting contribution to the school community and how to stay safe and healthy. The school works well in partnership with parents to ensure that the children settle well and enjoy their schooling. 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Wetwang Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22 November 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve pupils’ achievement in English, mathematics and science across the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Give pupils enough time to complete their written and other tasks and expect them to produce sufficient quantity in the time given. 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

Achievement is satisfactory and standards are average at end of each key stage. Caution is required in comparing data from the school’s test results with national averages as year groups in the school are typically very small. At the end of the Foundation Stage, children reach the levels of development expected for their age. They make satisfactory progress in Key Stage 1 and standards at the end of Year 2 are average. Pupils continue to make satisfactory progress in Key Stage 2 and reach broadly average standards by the end of Year 6. This was again the case in 2007, although the Year 6 pupils did particularly well in reading. The results over a longer period of time show that more able pupils do not always attain the standards of which they are capable. The school generally meets its targets, and predicts higher results for the following years. The school’s current analysis of pupils’ progress suggests that there is some

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Grade: 3

underachievement and there are active plans to improve progress and standards.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. Pupils say that they really enjoy the school’s family atmosphere and older pupils take their responsibilities for younger ones seriously. Bullying is rare, and pupils feel safe because there is always a caring adult to turn to if they are in difficulties. The atmosphere in the school is friendly and welcoming: pupils behave well and play cheerfully together at play and lunchtime. Pupils readily accept the need to live healthy lifestyles, attested by the Healthy School award. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, reinforced by good links with the local parish. As the age groups are mixed flexibly during the day, pupils are skilled in working in different age and social groups. However, pupils are not always given sufficient responsibility for aspects of their own learning, such as fetching and returning resources. They are confident and sensible, but their average levels of basic skills

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Grade: 2

equip them only satisfactorily for the next stage in their education and future work.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory and occasionally good. Teachers and support staff collaborate effectively to ensure that all groups of pupils are challenged at the right level most of the time. Occasionally, pupils work together as a whole group for too long so that the pitch of the work is not right for all of them, and there is insufficient time to complete tasks. Additionally in such lessons, pupils are not always expected to do enough work in the time available. The school uses its budget effectively to teach pupils in small groups as often as 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Wetwang Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22 November 2007 possible. For example, the two Reception children have a teaching assistant working with them each morning, and Years 3 and 4 and Years 5 and 6 are taught by two teachers in separate classrooms for this time. Teachers work hard to cover all subjects between them, occasionally

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Grade: 3

using specialist knowledge across the school well. Marking is sound, and often good in pupils’ extended writing books, although pupils are not always expected to correct their work.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory with good features in PE. As in most small schools, coverage of all the areas of learning and subjects with three or four year groups in a class is demanding. The staff cope effectively with this, although the headteacher’s recent analysis rightly puts curriculum review and development high on the agenda. There is an appropriate concentration on the core subjects, and unusually good access to computer technology. Good use is made of the nearby Village Hall, and learning is enhanced by visits and visitors, such as when the vicar takes assembly.

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Grade: 3

Care is good and guidance and support are satisfactory. All required safeguarding and child protection procedures are in place. Pupils are safe and know that they can speak to helpful staff if they have a problem. The staff’s good example contributes well to pupils’ personal development. Academic support and guidance are satisfactory overall. There are simple tracking systems to monitor progress, but the headteacher rightly feels that these are not yet sufficiently focused on ensuring that all pupils achieve as well as they can.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory, including governance, but improving under the headteacher’s clear direction. Her recent analysis of the school and how it could improve are accurate. Actions taken are recent and there has not been time for them to have a measurable impact on achievement. The school runs smoothly and is soundly organised. Links with parents are good, and parents say that the staff are friendly and approachable. The school has raised standards since the last inspection, and a dip in its effectiveness due to staffing instability has been reversed. There is a clear focus on standards and achievement in all aspects of learning, and a willingness amongst staff and governors to tackle required improvements. The school is well-placed to continue its improvement. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Wetwang Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22 November 2007 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Wetwang Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 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? 3 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 2 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?

3 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: Wetwang Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 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 3 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Wetwang Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22 November 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

25 November 2007 Dear Children Inspection of Wetwang Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire, YO25 9XT Thank you for your warm Wetwang welcome when I visited your school recently. You will remember that my visit was to check how well your school looks after you and helps you to learn. You and your parents told me that the school has a good family atmosphere and that you are safe and well cared for. I agree, and feel that the staff support you to develop your personal and social skills well. It was good to hear you describe enthusiastically the different aspects of school life that you most enjoy. You certainly behave well and look out for one another sensibly. The skill some of you show in skipping whilst bouncing on those balance boards is amazing! In my view, yours is a satisfactory but improving school with some good features. The school is going to help more of you reach higher standards in your work, and you can help by

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

concentrating and stretching yourselves. The school will be giving you more time to complete the tasks and activities that help you make progress in your learning. Thank you again, and I wish you success for the future. Yours sincerely Eric Jackson Additional Inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Wetwang Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22 November 2007

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