Corringham CofE VC Primary School

Corringham CofE VC Primary School Inspection report

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120568 Unique Reference Number LINCOLNSHIRE LA Local Authority 313675 Inspection number 10 °11 December 2007 Inspection dates Glynn Storer 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 80 School The local authority Appropriate authority Mrs Elizabeth McCaffery Headteacher 30 November 2005 Date of previous school inspection Middle Street School address Corringham Gainsborough Lincolnshire DN21 5QS 01427 838270 Telephone number 01427 838433 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 10 °11 December 2007 Inspection dates 313675 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

This small rural school serves the village of Corringham and outlying communities. All pupils are from White British backgrounds. Children's attainments on entry are below those that are typical of four-year-olds nationally. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below the national average. An average number of pupils has learning difficulties and/or disabilities, although the number with a statement of special educational need is high for a school of this size.

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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: Corringham CofE VC Primary School, 10 °11 December 2007

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Grade: 2

Corringham CofE Primary is a good school. Under the excellent leadership of the headteacher, the school has maintained the good rate of improvement identified in the inspection in November 2005. As a result, standards are rising and pupils throughout school are making better progress than they have in recent years. The school has the strong approval of most parents, one of whom commented: 'I particularly like the high expectations with regard to work and behaviour and the whole school family ethos.' Pupils of all ages and abilities achieve well. Children get a good start to their education in their Reception year and gain the attitudes and skills they need to learn effectively. Pupils make good progress in Years 1 and 2, where above average standards in reading, writing and mathematics are the norm. Until recently, there was evidence of underachievement in Key Stage 2. However, there is now an established upward trend in achievement and standards.

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Grade: 2

Current standards in all core subjects are broadly average but this represents good achievement in relation to below average starting points in Year 3. Pupils achieve well because teaching and the curriculum are good. Though some variations in quality remain, senior staff have used their monitoring of teaching and learning to build consistency in the way teachers use performance information to plan activities. These are well matched to the needs of pupils of all abilities, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. As a result, tasks are generally challenging, make pupils think and promote progress effectively. Recent curriculum developments are now beginning to have a beneficial impact. A thematic approach to planning makes pupils' learning relevant and appealing and a good range of visits, visitors and special events promotes enjoyment and effective learning in equal measure.

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Grade: 2

However, pupils are not yet able to derive full benefit, because current resources and facilities for information and communication technology (ICT) are barely adequate. Consequently, pupils do not have enough access to computers and other devices to aid their learning across the curriculum as a whole. The school provides effective care, guidance and support for pupils, which result in good levels of personal development and well-being. Pupils thrive in the school's strong family atmosphere, through which pastoral care and procedures for safeguarding pupils are robust and effective. Staff promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development to a very high standard. Pupils receive a good grounding in how to be safe and to have healthy lifestyles, and make a good contribution to school life and to the wider community. Positive attitudes and values, along with sound basic skills, prepare pupils satisfactorily for their ongoing education and for their

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Grade: 2

lives as young adults. The school has a good capacity to improve further and gives good value for money. Governors discharge their duties well and take seriously their supervisory role. The school is going from strength to strength because everybody is pulling in the same direction. This is partly because they share the headteacher's vision, but also because the school has developed the role of senior staff effectively and put in place rigorous management systems. As a result, school self-evaluation is accurate, targets for raising attainment are challenging and improvement initiatives are building consistency in all aspects of the school's work. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Corringham CofE VC Primary School, 10 °11 December 2007

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Grade: 2

Children's attainments on entry to the Reception class are somewhat below those normally expected of four-year-olds. They make good progress because staff promote personal development effectively and so children quickly learn to work and play well together. Teaching is good. There is a good emphasis on the development of communication, language and literacy skills. As one parent said, 'My child didn't speak very much and could not spell when he started in September. He now speaks well and can write his name on his own.' Although Reception children are taught with those in Years 1 and 2, their curriculum is in most respects appropriate. It provides a balance of teacher-directed and child-initiated activities, with regular opportunities for play. However, current outdoor facilities are inadequate and, while staff do the best they can, outdoor learning is under-represented in the Foundation Stage curriculum. Nevertheless,

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Grade: 2

by the time children transfer to Year 1, most attain the early learning goals and some exceed them.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve outdoor facilities for children in the Foundation Stage and ensure that outdoor activities are fully represented in all areas of learning. ■ Improve resources for ICT and ensure that pupils have regular access to ICT as an aid to learning in all subjects.

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Grade: 2

Pupils achieve well throughout the school. Standards in Key Stage 1 have been consistently above the national average in recent years. Since 2005, there have been considerable improvements in standards of reading and writing, which were significantly above average in 2007. Current Year 2 pupils are making good progress in all core subjects. All are on course to attain expected levels for their age and some are set to exceed national expectations. Standards in Key Stage 2 have risen steadily over the last three years and in 2007 were close to the national average. The majority of pupils who spent the whole of Years 3 to 6 in the school made better than the expected rate of progress and their progress in writing was particularly good. The school has worked hard to improve teaching and this work is now having a beneficial impact on rates of progress. Progress is now good in reading and writing throughout

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Grade: 2

Key Stage 2. Progress in mathematics is also improving but more slowly than in English.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. They say that they enjoy school because lessons are interesting. This reflects in above average attendance rates. Pupils get on well with staff and with one another. They behave well in lessons and around school. A few parents worry about pupils' behaviour, but inspection evidence does not support their concerns. Pupils adopt safe and healthy lifestyles. There is a good take-up of extra-curricular sport and they enjoy healthy snacks and nutritious school meals. By the time that they leave, many develop conscientious working habits. However, their preparation for secondary education and the world of work remains satisfactory because basic skills are average and pupils have limited opportunities to reinforce ICT skills. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Corringham CofE VC Primary School, 10 °11 December 2007

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Grade: 2

outstanding. Pupils are sensitive to things of beauty; they value singing and the arts, have good insights into human emotions and act on an understanding of what is right. Their involvement in the local community, and work on different cultures and faiths, prepares them to be good citizens in a multi-cultural society.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Teachers generally use their new interactive whiteboards well to add impact to their teaching. In most lessons, teachers have suitably high expectations of pupils' behaviour, response and capacity to cope with challenging work. They plan tasks that are closely matched to pupils' different abilities, make them think hard and promote good progress across the ability range. This has been a key factor in accelerating older pupils' progress and senior staff are, rightly, making it a focus of ongoing monitoring in order to build consistency throughout the school. Teaching assistants give good support to pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. As a result, these pupils make good progress. In a minority of lessons, teachers do not make the best use of the time available and this adversely affects pupils' progress.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. The basic curriculum fully meets National Curriculum requirements and is extended by the provision of French in Key Stage 2. There is a consistent emphasis on promoting literacy and numeracy skills, but there are too few opportunities for pupils to apply ICT skills throughout the curriculum. The school has come a long way since its last inspection, but current ICT resources are insufficient to give pupils the regular access that they need in all subjects. The school also has a strong focus on creative and aesthetic subjects. For example, work in music results in good standards, especially in singing. The school has strengthened cross-curricular links in order to make pupils' learning more relevant and appealing. The school enriches its basic curriculum with a good range of educational visits, visitors and special events, which bring learning to life and add much to pupils' academic and personal development.

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Grade: 2

The overall quality of care, guidance and support for pupils is good. Parents value this small school's family atmosphere and speak appreciatively about the quality of care for pupils with learning difficulties or for those who become ill. Pastoral care is strong because staff know pupils and their families well and are prompt to respond to those who are in any way troubled. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities play a full part in school life and good support ensures they, too, make good progress. Procedures for safeguarding pupils are thorough. Checks on the suitability of adults who work with pupils and arrangements for child protection fully meet current requirements. Training for staff and governors on these and related matters is up to date. The guidance that pupils receive about their work is satisfactory. Though some inconsistencies remain, teachers' marking is generally constructive and helps pupils to improve

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Grade: 2

their work. However, pupils are not fully conversant with their main targets and this limits their capacity to be independent and to take responsibility for their own learning. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Corringham CofE VC Primary School, 10 °11 December 2007

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are effective. The headteacher is an excellent leader. Her vision, along with her rigorous monitoring of standards and quality, has been central to building a consistency of expectation and approach that has improved the quality of teaching and learning. She motivates staff by giving them all a real part to play in improving the school. The roles of senior leaders are clearly defined and result in accurate school self-evaluation, challenging targets and well-focused planning for school improvement that give the school a good capacity to improve further. Governors support the school well. They are increasingly effective in holding the school to account for what it achieves. There is, however, scope for governors to gather more first-hand evidence to increase their authority with staff and other stakeholders. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Corringham CofE VC Primary School, 10 °11 December 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. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Corringham CofE VC Primary School, 10 °11 December 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? 3 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 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Corringham CofE VC Primary School, 10 °11 December 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Corringham CofE VC Primary School, 10 °11 December 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

12. December 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Corringham CofE VC Primary School, Gainsborough DN21 5QS You may remember that I visited your school before the Christmas holiday. Thank you for making me so welcome and for taking time to talk to me and to answer my questions. I particularly enjoyed seeing part of your Christmas concert. I thought that the acting and singing were great. Perhaps you would like to hear what I found out about your school. There are many good things happening in your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Almost all of you are making good progress and overall standards are getting higher.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You enjoy school because teachers, educational visits, visitors and special events make learning interesting and enjoyable. ■ You get on well with one another and your behaviour is good.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your teachers and other adults help you when you have problems and make sure that you are safe and well cared for. ■ Mrs McCaffery, the staff, governors and pupils work hard to make your school a better place.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

In order to make things even better, I have asked Mrs McCaffery to do two things in addition to pressing on with all of the improvements that are already taking place.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make an exciting outdoor area especially for the children in the Reception class.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Provide more computers and other ICT equipment to help your learning in all subjects.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

I hope that you have all had a wonderful Christmas holiday and are ready to do your very best in the coming year. With best wishes Glynn Storer Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Corringham CofE VC Primary School, 10 °11 December 2007

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