Wootton St Andrew's CofE Primary School

Wootton St Andrew's C of E Primary School Inspection report

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118038 Unique Reference Number North Lincolnshire Local Authority 312789 Inspection number 25 April 2008 Inspection date Kathryn Dodd 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 aided School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 40 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Steve Wash Chair Mrs Val Marchant Headteacher 1 July 2005 Date of previous school inspection 6 High Street School address Wootton North Lincolnshire DN39 6SG 01469 588361 Telephone number 01469 588361 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 25 April 2008 Inspection date 312789 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 progress that pupils make from their different starting points, particularly between Years 3 and 6; how well teachers use assessment data to provide work that matches pupils’ varying learning needs; and how well subject leaders and governors are involved in self-evaluation, monitoring and review of the school’s performance. Evidence was gathered from the school’s self-evaluation documentation, nationally published assessment data, the school’s records of pupils’ progress, observations of lessons, and the school’s plans for further improvement. Discussions with staff, pupils and governors were held, and questionnaires returned by parents were considered. Other aspects of the school’s work were not investigated in detail, but the inspector found no evidence to

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Introduction

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

Almost all of the pupils at this small school are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is below average, as is the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Pupils are taught in three mixed-age classes. The school has been accredited with the Healthy Schools Award, Activemark, and Basic Skills Quality Mark.

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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: Wootton St Andrew's C of E Primary School, 25 April 2008

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Grade: 2

This good school has an accurate view of its own effectiveness and provides good value for money. Some aspects of the school are outstanding, such as the very high quality of education received by children in the Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception class) and the excellent standard of care and nurturing of pupils across the whole school. Pupils achieve well and their personal development, including their behaviour, is outstanding. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Relationships between staff and pupils are extremely positive. Pupils learn in a very warm and caring setting, where they are strongly encouraged to achieve well, to do their best and to ‘have a go’. As a result, pupils learn and play together in harmony and feel very safe and happy. Pupils are extremely knowledgeable about how to keep their bodies and minds healthy. From a very young age, they play a very active part in the

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Grade: 2

life of the school and their community. As a result, they grow in confidence and mature into responsible citizens, well prepared for their secondary education. Parents think very highly of the school. They particularly appreciate the friendly family atmosphere, the warm welcome they receive and the hard work and dedication of staff, all of which ensure that their children enjoy school and achieve well. Between Years 1 and 6, pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, achieve well. Very small numbers of pupils in each year group mean that overall standards vary greatly from year to year but they are generally above average. In 2007, standards at the end of Year 6 fell slightly in comparison with previous years. This reflected the higher than usual proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities in that year group. The situation is likely to be reversed this year, with the current Year 6 pupils well on target to attain above

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Grade: 2

average results. In Key Stage 1, standards have been rising for several years, so much so that, in 2007, standards in Year 2 were significantly higher than the national average. Contributing to this improving picture is the strength of provision in the Foundation Stage, as well as successful efforts since the previous inspection to improve provision in Years 1 and 2. Pupils make good progress as a result of good quality teaching and learning, and a good curriculum. Very positive relationships, skilful questioning that keeps pupils on their toes, good use of the computerised teaching boards, along with interesting and purposeful activities that provide ample opportunities for pupils to become actively involved are strong features of lessons. More sophisticated procedures for recording small steps in individual achievement are evolving but, at the moment, learning tasks do not always closely match the extremely wide

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Grade: 2

range of ages and capabilities of pupils in each class. Nevertheless, staff understand the personal needs of pupils well, and this helps them to provide very caring and sensitive support, when necessary, at the right time. Pupils are increasingly being helped to understand how well they are getting on, for example, through accurate marking of their work and discussions with staff. However, pupils are not sufficiently aware of their learning targets and how to improve in order to reach them. Pupils’ good academic achievement and their outstanding personal development reflect the good quality of leadership, management and governance. The headteacher’s vision for making sure the pupils achieve well in a very warm, caring, safe and friendly setting is at the very heart of the school. Effective partnerships beyond school, including those with parents, other nearby schools and external agencies, all contribute to the good quality of education and pupils’

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Grade: 2

personal development. Priorities for improvement are well chosen and carefully planned to give the school a good capacity to keep improving. Middle leaders and governors, some who are 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Wootton St Andrew's C of E Primary School, 25 April 2008 new to their roles, are keen and enthusiastic. Leaders continually strive to find out how provision can be fine-tuned. They are well aware, however, that they need to develop a better understanding of data about pupils’ performance so that they can make a fuller contribution to the school’s self-evaluation and to influence the way forward.

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Grade: 1

Children make rapid progress in the outstanding Foundation Stage. Most children enter the Nursery with skills that are broadly typical for their age. By the time they transfer into Year 1, the majority exceed the levels expected for their age in all areas of learning and in their personal development. They do so because adults work together closely to make sure that children learn and play happily together in a particularly warm and caring setting. The very wide range of opportunities for establishing helpful links with parents and children before they join Nursery helps children to settle very quickly into school routines. The classroom and outdoor area are bright and attractive. Children are safe, secure and well cared for at all times. Outstanding teaching provides lively and stimulating activities that fire children’s imaginations and curiosities, so that they develop a real thirst for learning. No opportunity is overlooked to promote children’s

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Grade: 1

personal development. Staff continually encourage children to talk about their learning, work together and behave politely. Expectations are very high. The daily assessments of each child’s achievements are recorded meticulously. As a result of the very close communication between staff, children’s individual learning needs are met fully. Inspirational leadership ensures there is no complacency, with staff constantly seeking new ways of promoting children’s learning and personal development.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Make better use of assessment data to make sure that pupils’ work is more closely matched to individual capabilities. ■ Ensure that pupils know what they need to do to improve in their work. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Wootton St Andrew's C of E Primary School, 25 April 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: Wootton St Andrew's C of E Primary School, 25 April 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? 1 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?

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?

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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Wootton St Andrew's C of E Primary School, 25 April 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 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Wootton St Andrew's C of E Primary School, 25 April 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

28 April 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Wootton St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, North Lincolnshire, DN39 6SG. Thank you so much for the very warm welcome you gave me when I inspected your school. You were extremely polite, very keen to talk to me and answered my questions thoughtfully. Your behaviour was excellent, and it is good to hear that you feel so very safe and happy in school. All the adults care about you a great deal. I particularly enjoyed joining in the `Wake and Shake’ session and seeing everyone ° staff, pupils and visitors ° all smiling and having great fun together. I was impressed with how much you know about keeping your bodies healthy and how this helps you to learn. It was also pleasing to see how enthusiastically you carry out various jobs around the school; for example, as `playleaders’. This is helping to make your school a happier, safer and healthier place to be.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Not only do these activities help you to enjoy school, but they also help you become more and more confident as you grow older. This is one of the reasons why you are well prepared for going to secondary school. It is easy to see why you told me that you enjoy school so much, and why your parents say they are pleased with the school, too. Everyone is very proud of your achievements. Well done! Your school is a good school. By the time you leave at the end of Year 6, the standard of your work is better than it is for many pupils in the country. The rate at which you are learning is also faster and it is particularly fast in the Nursery and Reception class. Your headteacher, staff and governors work very hard together to improve your school. Here are the things I have asked the school to do to make your school even better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make more regular checks to find out and record how much you are learning, so that the work that teachers give you is not too hard or too easy. ■ Make sure that you know what you need to do to improve in your work and reach your learning targets. You can help your school by always telling your teacher if the work you are given is too easy or too hard. You should also make sure that you always check what else you still have to do to reach your learning targets. Of course, you should continue to try your best in everything that you do! I wish you all every success for the future. Yours sincerely Kathryn Dodd Lead inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Wootton St Andrew's C of E Primary School, 25 April 2008

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