Leadenham Church of England Primary School

Leadenham Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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120604 Unique Reference Number LINCOLNSHIRE LA Local Authority 313690 Inspection number 27 March 2008 Inspection date Keith Edwards 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 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 45 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Chris Matthews Chair Mr Jonathan Austin Headteacher 9 June 2003 Date of previous school inspection Main Road School address Leadenham Lincoln Lincolnshire LN5 0QB 01400 272702 Telephone number 01400 272702 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 27 March 2008 Inspection date 313690 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 serves the village of Leadenham. Although most all of the children live locally, an increasing number is drawn from further afield. All of the pupils are of White British heritage. Attainment on entry to the school is broadly typical of children of this age, although each intake reflects a wide range of ability. The range of socio-economic circumstances is broad but the percentage of free school meals is below average. The proportion of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average. Pupils are taught in three classes in the morning and two classes in the afternoon. Children in the Foundation Stage are taught in the same class as those pupils in Years 1 and 2.

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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: Leadenham Church of England Primary School, 27 March 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with some outstanding aspects. It has made excellent progress since the last inspection, particularly since the appointment of the current headteacher, and is well set to maintain its momentum and capacity to improve. All of the key issues have been addressed and the school has made significant strides in improving the quality of education, particularly teaching and the monitoring of progress. Teaching and learning are good and standards are rising. The children really enjoy coming to school because the curriculum is well matched to their needs and because, as one pupil commented, 'Our school is special because the adults make it special for us.' The school provides an outstanding level of care and ensures pupils feel safe and secure. It is at the heart of its local community and works well with other schools. Standards in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 are broadly average. By the end of Key

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Grade: 2

Stage 2, standards are well above average, not only in the core subjects but also in music. The quality of the pupils' singing is a notable feature of the school. Pupils' achievement is good by the time they leave because they are well taught, particularly in the older classes. Boys and girls achieve equally well. Because they are well supported, both by teachers and by the dedicated teaching assistants, those pupils who find learning difficult make good progress. In Key Stage 2, all pupils are challenged to reach their potential through work that is carefully matched to their ability, particularly in mathematics. The vibrant curriculum captures the pupils' interest and motivates them. Pupils now have a clear understanding of what they need to do to improve; consequently their attitudes to learning are positive and their achievement good. Standards in English, mathematics and science in the national assessments for pupils in Year 6 have risen

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Grade: 2

markedly since the last inspection and the school's tracking and assessment data indicate that this trend is set to continue. The personal development and well-being of all pupils is exemplary. The children really enjoy coming to school and attendance rates are above average and improving. Staff respect and value the pupils and consequently pupils develop self-confidence, self esteem and self-discipline; their behaviour is outstanding. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and they respond very well to the many initiatives encouraging them to adopt healthy lifestyles. They work hard and play well together, forming excellent relationships with one another and with adults in school. The headteacher has been the key catalyst behind school improvement. The school's leadership has systematically improved teaching and learning, pupils are very well cared for throughout the day and their academic guidance is excellent. The school's view of itself is accurate and has

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Grade: 2

identified appropriate areas for further improvement. The role of the governors has developed well and they provide good support for the work of the school.

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Grade: 3

The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The school has established good links with parents, allowing children to settle quickly into school routines. The good ratio of adults to children also ensures that those children in most need feel secure because they receive one-to-one attention. However, the monitoring of children's progress and planning for the next stage of their development lacks the rigour seen in other year groups. Opportunities to develop the children's skills outdoors are limited 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Leadenham Church of England Primary School, 27 March 2008 by the lack of a discrete play area. Otherwise, the curriculum is satisfactory, and, together with the secure environment and sound teaching, ensures that children are soundly prepared for the next stage of their education and make satisfactory progress.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that the very good teaching seen in individual classes is present consistently across the school. ■ Raise the quality of the provision in the Foundation Stage to promote good progress.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good and standards are high. Children in the Foundation Stage make satisfactory progress and reach standards that match national expectations. The skills that the children acquire in the Reception class provide them with a secure footing for future learning in Key Stage 1 and positive attitudes towards school. In Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are broadly average. In Year 6, standards in English and mathematics are well above average. Pupils make good progress in Years 3 to 6, ensuring that overall achievement is good. Standards are rising, reflecting improved performance of the pupils in the national tests in 2007, particularly in mathematics and science at the end of Key Stage 2. In science, pupils benefit from the exciting investigative approach to learning with strong links to other subjects and an increasing proportion of pupils are set to achieve the higher levels. Standards

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Grade: 2

in information and communication technology (ICT) are improving through enhanced resourcing and training for staff.

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Grade: 1

The personal development and well-being of pupils are outstanding. Pupils really enjoy school, quickly becoming confident, enthusiastic learners. Teachers trust pupils and consequently pupils build up self-confidence and self-discipline. Pupils respond very well to the many initiatives encouraging them to adopt healthy lifestyles. They make an outstanding contribution to the school community through, for instance, the work of the school council. They contribute very well to the wider community through fund-raising and value the strong links with the local church. Pupils successfully acquire the essential skills that equip them for the next stages of education and adult life. The school makes an excellent contribution to pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils' grasp of cultural diversity is achieved by celebrating key events and festivals throughout the year and by enriching the curriculum through visits

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Staff work well as a team. Much of the teaching in the junior classes is outstanding, particularly in mathematics. In the Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1, teaching sometimes lacks the flair and rigour seen in older classes but a common feature in all classes is the warmth of the relationships and the success of all staff in motivating pupils to behave well and do their best. Throughout the school, teachers 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Leadenham Church of England Primary School, 27 March 2008 and teaching assistants work very effectively together to provide pupils with a good level of support to develop their independent learning skills. Particularly in Key Stage 2, teachers have high expectations of pupils' academic progress and this promotes good achievement. Because the work set is designed to encourage the pupils to think and is closely matched to the range

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Grade: 2

of ability in each class, learning is fun and the pupils make good progress. Interactive whiteboards are used successfully to demonstrate new techniques and teachers ensure that the pace of learning is good. Teachers provide good feedback to the pupils.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is structured effectively to support learning in the mixed-age classes, particularly in Key Stage 2. There is an appropriate focus on promoting skills in literacy and numeracy. The curriculum strongly supports the pupils' personal development, containing many valuable opportunities to promote their well-being. A key strength of the curriculum is the strong contribution of the school's rural traditions and links with the community, particularly the church. Music plays a key part in the life of the school and strongly supports the pupils' personal development. A further strength is the programme of well-chosen visits, visiting speakers and the range of activities beyond the school day.

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Grade: 1

The quality of care and guidance is outstanding. The warmth of the welcome made to children and their parents at the start of every day has strengthened relationships and makes the school a happy and inviting place in which to learn. There is a strong emphasis on nurturing and developing each child as an individual. Pupils feel safe in school and are confident in the knowledge that adults will help them with any problems. Adults provide excellent role-models and this encourages pupils to care for and support each other. Arrangements to ensure pupils' safety and well-being are securely in place and understood by all staff. Pupils of all abilities are very well supported academically because there are good procedures for checking and tracking their progress. The school has an excellent system for setting and reviewing personal and group targets and this gives pupils a clear understanding of how they can improve their

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Grade: 1

work. The school works very closely with parents and support agencies to ensure that pupils who need extra help receive the necessary support to help them to do as well as they can.

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Grade: 2

The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher leads from the front and has been resolute in his drive for excellence. He has nurtured a strong team spirit and the staff are taking an increasingly effective role in monitoring standards and improving pupil's performance. There has been outstanding progress in recent years and every aspect of school life has shown improvement. Consequently, the pupils are highly motivated and standards have risen to well above average. The leadership team have accurately identified those few areas that require further refinement and continue to strive for further improvement. The governing body is fully involved in strategic development and has become confident in its ability to hold the school to account, particularly in terms of understanding school effectiveness. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Leadenham Church of England Primary School, 27 March 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. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Leadenham Church of England Primary School, 27 March 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? 3 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 1 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?

1 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: Leadenham Church of England Primary School, 27 March 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 1 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: Leadenham Church of England Primary School, 27 March 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

28 March 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Leadenham CE Primary School, Lincolnshire. I really enjoyed my visit to your school this month because everybody was so helpful and friendly. I was very pleased to be able to work with you in your classrooms, join in with your assembly, listen to your singing and meet the school council. I can understand why you enjoy your school so much as there are so many things that make your school very special. Here are some of them.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You clearly want to do your best to learn in lessons and you are very successful at mathematics and science. ■ Everybody understands the school rules and your behaviour is wonderful.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Everybody is so polite, friendly and helpful. Well done!

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The staff work hard to help you enjoy school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The school provides a good range of activities and visits to keep you interested.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are clearly successful at music and know how to stay fit and healthy.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Mr Austin is an inspiring headteacher.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You are very fortunate to be able to attend Leadenham School. Your school is improving rapidly because your headteacher and his staff really understand how to make learning fun and are working hard to help you. It is really important that you remember to thank them and continue to do your best. I know that you achieve well but even so I am asking your teachers to help you do even better in the Reception by improving the teaching further. Yours sincerely Keith Edwards Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Leadenham Church of England Primary School, 27 March 2008

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