Wingham Primary School

Wingham Primary School Inspection report

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118403 Unique Reference Number Kent Local Authority 312924 Inspection number 7–8 October 2008 Inspection dates Richard Blackmore 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 214 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 Stephen Sheath Chair Linda Taylor Headteacher 13 June 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection School Lane School address Wingham Canterbury CT3 1BD 01227 720277 Telephone number 01227 720071 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 7–8 October 2008 Inspection dates 312924 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 11 Inspection Report: Wingham Primary School, 7–8 October 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This school is slightly smaller than the average size for a primary school. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. The school's Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides for children aged four and five who are taught in the Reception class. There is a Breakfast and an After School Club for children aged four to eleven. The school has gained the Activemark and Investor in People Award.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Wingham Primary School, 7–8 October 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. Pupils attain above average standards. The school's leadership team has an accurate picture of the school's strengths and been successful in ensuring improvement. Recognising weaknesses in the teaching of mathematics, the school has taken positive action to improve upon previous results. The headteacher and subject leaders have implemented changes to ensure that pupils have a better understanding of basic calculating. They receive flexible and well-targeted support and benefit from improved teaching. The school tracks pupils' progress very closely and the systems used are sharper and more accurate than before. This helps teachers to quickly identify any pupils who are not progressing at the expected rate and put in place additional support. Consequently, pupils are making more rapid progress than previously and closing gaps in their learning. As a result, standards are much improved. There

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Grade: 2

is a strong commitment to meet the needs of individual pupils. Pupils' achievement is good. However, the progress of higher attaining pupils do not always progress as quickly as might owing to insufficient challenge in some lessons. The majority of parents appreciate the school's many qualities. One reflected the feelings of others by writing, 'My child is very happy at school and is always excited to go to her class in the mornings.' Pupils thoroughly enjoy school, and this is evident in the way they enthusiastically talk about the activities provided. They particularly enjoy the wide range of sports and musical activities, provided as part of an enriched curriculum. Pupils are keenly aware of how important a balanced diet is in adopting a healthy lifestyle. As a result of outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development pupils are able to take turns, share, cooperate with others and develop

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Grade: 2

into responsive citizens. They concentrate well in lessons and like learning. Behaviour is outstanding and bullying is very rare. Any problems are, according to the pupils, quickly and fairly dealt with by staff. Pupils are given opportunities to help and be responsible, enabling them to develop thoughtful and sensitive attitudes towards others within the school and wider community. Nonetheless, pupils would welcome more opportunities and challenge in their roles as school councillors. Pupils showed much interest in and empathy towards the school being supported through a harvest celebration in a African village of Twambuku. The good curriculum and teachers' planning ensure good continuity in learning and links between subjects. In Year 2 the story of 'Katie Morag' was linked effectively when pupils studied the story from a literacy perspective and its geographical location on a map. However, the planning of learning opportunities for higher attaining pupils is not always challenging and

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Grade: 2

therefore progress of these pupils slows. The curriculum is broadened by activities outside the classroom. A recent visit to Dover Castle brought to life aspects of history studied by the pupils. Good teaching, which is sometimes outstanding, means pupils are well motivated to learn. The refined systems for assessing and monitoring pupils' progress mean that any underachievement is identified and additional support provided. However, marking of pupils' work is not consistently used to show pupils how they might improve. The good leadership of the headteacher has resulted in a team with a common sense of purpose. Sustained efforts by all, especially managers at all levels, have resulted in a clear focus on increasing the rate of pupil progress. Subject leaders demonstrate accurate prioritising and good knowledge of how to improve their subjects and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning. Governors, ably led by their chair, are caring and supportive and are actively involved

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Grade: 2

in shrewd evaluations themselves and identifying priorities to improve further. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Wingham Primary School, 7–8 October 2008

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Grade: 2

Children start in Reception with a range of skills and understanding that is broadly average for children of their age group. They make good progress so that by the end of Reception, the majority of children are working within national expectations. Children are confident and happy and receive good levels of care and support from the staff. This reassures them and helps to settle them into the daily routine. Children are encouraged to discuss their work, such as their completed drawings, which helps them develop good communication skills. Robust procedures keep children safe and healthy. Carefully organised learning areas, including sand, modelling and role-play activities, ensure good use and access to resources. Children play and behave well, individually and in groups, undertaking activities with enthusiasm. However, there is an imbalance of child-led and adult-directed activities, which does not allow some children to fully

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Grade: 2

develop independence. The spacious outdoor environment supports children's play opportunities, which they enjoy considerably. The capable leadership of the EYFS has made notable efforts to improve the quality of provision, which is beginning to have a positive effect.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that higher attaining pupils are set sufficiently challenging work.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Give pupils clearer guidance through marking so they know how to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

From broadly average starting points, pupils now achieve well throughout the school. Pupils have caught up much of the shortfall caused by some slower progress in former years, although mathematics is the area where standards are lowest. Effective assessment and high quality focused support for pupils who find learning difficult are starting to make a positive difference. This is a key reason why, overall, pupils' progress is speeding up. Support programmes that tackle individual needs and gaps in pupils' learning have boosted standards in mathematics. However, these are yet to be fully implemented and fully established throughout the whole school. The school has set itself challenging yet realistic targets for this academic year. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress because they receive well-planned support from teaching assistants. However, progress varies because of the lack

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Grade: 2

of challenge for some pupils and the inconsistent use of effective marking.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are outstanding because staff emphasise the importance of reflecting on the lives of others, in thought-provoking assemblies and topic work. Pupils really enjoy school and this is reflected in their good attendance. Behaviour is exemplary, both in lessons and around the school. The good care that staff show towards the pupils is echoed in the way pupils treat each other. For example, older pupils support the younger children by playing with them on the playground and helping them during lunchtimes. Pupils talk knowledgeably about health, eating healthy lunches and taking an active part in sports in and out of school. Pupils feel very safe in school and say bullying is very rare, and that if it does occur, it is dealt with firmly by teachers. Pupils raise money for charities at home and abroad and take part in community events, such as singing for the elderly and at annual

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Grade: 2

5 of 11 Inspection Report: Wingham Primary School, 7–8 October 2008 fairs. Pupils happily contribute to school life, for example, being monitors and school councillors. Pupils are highly responsible but have too few opportunities for taking on greater responsibilities within the school community. Although standards in mathematics are lower than other subjects, above average standards overall help pupils prepare for the next stage of their education and their future lives.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good overall, although individual lessons vary from satisfactory to outstanding. Consistent systems for managing behaviour, coupled with positive relationships between staff and pupils, lead to orderly classrooms where pupils work hard and are keen to succeed. Lessons are less effective in the minority of cases when the pace slows and tasks are not matched to pupils' abilities. Carefully planned activities build effectively on previous knowledge and move learning on quickly. Good use is made of information and communication technology (ICT) to focus pupils' attention and generate excitement. However, teachers' expectations are not always consistently high enough to challenge pupils of all abilities, particularly for those who are higher attaining. Guidance by teachers does not sufficiently extend pupils' thinking or illustrate how they need to improve the quality of their work.

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Grade: 2

Pupils benefit from a rich and broad curriculum. Good links are made across subjects and this helps to make learning relevant and fun, although sometimes opportunities are lost to challenge higher attaining pupils. The use of ICT enhances learning and develops good ICT skills. For example, Year 2 pupils included digital photographs in their 'Welcome to Wingham' leaflet that they produced on the computer for new children. Music is a strength of the school, with many pupils learning a musical instrument or taking part in the choir or string group. There is a high take-up of the wide range of enrichment activities and this adds interest to learning, particularly in art and sport, strengthening pupils' personal development. Exciting opportunities to experience at first hand what has been learnt in school is provided by trips which include a Year 6 residential experience.

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Grade: 2

Pastoral care is very strong and there are established procedures in place to promote the safety and well-being of pupils. Pupils confidently approach staff to express their concerns and are confident that any issues will be resolved. Through effective links with external agencies and specialists, pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are well supported. As a result, they make good progress and are included in all the school has to offer. Tracking of pupils' progress is regular and thorough, and additional intervention programmes are in place to help those who are at risk of underachievement. However, the quality of frequent academic guidance through marking of pupils' work is inconsistent. Subsequently, pupils are not always clear about what they need to do to improve their work. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Wingham Primary School, 7–8 October 2008

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Grade: 2

The headteacher's determination to improve the school's effectiveness is shared by the staff and governors. There are good systems in place to check the quality of the school's provision and pupils' progress. The school evaluates its own performance accurately and knows the priorities for improvement. This has led to the current focus on raising standards in writing and mathematics. However, subject leaders do not yet ensure that successful procedures in raising attainment and progress are applied across the school. As yet, leaders at all levels are not fully proactive in ensuring strategies to raise standards are robustly delivered in all classes. Governors, ably led by the chair, fulfil their roles well. They are well informed about the school and they take a lead in, and challenge, some strategic decisions about how to improve further. Given the good quality of the provision and the good progress now made by pupils, the school has a

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Grade: 2

good capacity for further improvement. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Wingham Primary School, 7–8 October 2008 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Wingham Primary School, 7–8 October 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? 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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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/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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Wingham Primary School, 7–8 October 2008

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learners?

1 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 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Wingham Primary School, 7–8 October 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

9 October 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Wingham Primary School, Canterbury CT3 1BD Thank you for helping us when we visited your school. We enjoyed talking to you and you all helped us get to know your school really quickly. Your school gives you a good education. You make good progress because you are taught well and what you learn is interesting and fun. I really enjoyed your assembly when you saw photos of the school in Africa you are helping and I was impressed with your singing and recorder playing. Your behaviour is outstanding – well done! Your attendance is good and part of the reason for this is that you told us how much you really enjoy coming to school and the range of clubs on offer, many of which help you keep fit and healthy. Your knowledge of healthy eating is good. We also think that you have a good awareness of how to stay safe. You play an important role in organising the school through your elected school council and the jobs you do to help each

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

other in the school. We have asked the adults to do some things to make the school better. We have asked the staff to make sure that you always have activities that are at just the right level so you always learn quickly, and to tell you more clearly how to improve your work. You can help too by letting teachers know if you do not understand how to improve your work. We enjoyed our visit to your school. Thank you once again. Best wishes for the future, Richard Blackmore Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Wingham Primary School, 7–8 October 2008

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