Worstead Church of England Primary School

Worstead Church of England Primary School Inspection report

p.1

121066 Unique Reference Number Norfolk Local Authority 313862 Inspection number 23 °24 June 2008 Inspection dates Martin Newell Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Primary Type of school Voluntary controlled School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 93 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Graham Smith Chair Mr James Clayton Headteacher 24 May 2004 Date of previous school inspection Lyngate School address Worstead North Walsham Norfolk NR28 9RQ 01692 536309 Telephone number 01692 536309 Fax number

p.1

4-11 Age group 23 °24 June 2008 Inspection dates 313862 Inspection number .

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by an Additional Inspector.

p.3

Description of the school

This is a smaller than average sized primary school. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The percentage of pupils with additional needs in literacy and numeracy is below that found nationally, as is the percentage of pupils with a statement of special educational need. Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds and of the small number of pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds, none is at an early stage of acquiring English. The substantive headteacher is currently absent from his duties and an acting headteacher has been in post since January 2008.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Worstead Church of England Primary School, 23 °24 June 2008

p.3

Grade: 2

This is a good school. It enables all pupils to achieve well and leave school as well rounded individuals, well equipped with skills and qualities to face their next challenges. The school enjoys good support from parents. However, a number of parents registered their concern about being without a permanent and full-time headteacher. During the headteacher's absence, the acting headteacher, with the support of staff and governors, has ensured that the school has not stood still but is always looking to move forward. When children start at the school attainment covers a wide spectrum of ability and is broadly average. By the end of Year 6, standards are often well above average, although a little lower in writing. Consistency of progress is the key feature in pupils' good achievement. Much of this is due to strengths in effective teaching, the good curriculum, leadership and the good contribution pupils make to the school's success. Teaching pushes pupils' learning on at a

p.4

Grade: 2

speedy rate and many lessons are challenging yet fun for pupils of all abilities. Relationships are good and teaching assistants add much to help provide a learning environment where pupils flourish. The curriculum on offer is stimulating, covers many subjects in depth and effectively meets the individual needs of pupils. It promotes a real sense of enjoyment and achievement for pupils. This is helped in no small measure by the wide array of enrichment activities. In contrast, the school does not yet make enough of opportunities to develop pupils' key skills, particularly writing, across different subjects or other exciting curriculum projects. This is a school that recognises the individuality of pupils and this is reflected in good levels of pastoral care. Pupils have a genuine voice in the life of the school that builds up their confidence and self-esteem. Pupils' personal development is good. They know their individual

p.4

Grade: 2

targets well but their progress toward National Curriculum target levels is not reviewed regularly or robustly enough in order for them to make even greater progress. A strength of the school is undoubtedly the pupils. They behave well and enjoy school. Pupils are confident and articulate if at times more ready to talk than listen! Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay fit, and, importantly, they practise what is needed to follow healthy lives. Their sense of social responsibility is strong. They make important and much appreciated contributions to both the school and local community. Plans are in hand to extend this further. The school continues to function well, despite some parental anxieties around the absence of the permanent headteacher. Well-established routines, practices, systems and procedures have contributed much to this. Add to this the commitment of staff and the good contributions of

p.4

Grade: 2

the acting headteacher and it is evident why pupils continue to achieve well and enjoy their learning. The acting headteacher values the enthusiasm and contributions made so far to school development by the subject leaders. However, there is a shared recognition that monitoring of teaching and progress by subject leaders needs more of a cutting edge to have an even bigger impact on pupil achievement.

p.4

Grade: 2

Children do well in the Foundation Stage. This is because effective teaching ensures that they are given a good range of opportunities to learn through both child-initiated and adult led activities. Occasionally activities would benefit from a sharper focus so that children get just what they need to make the next steps in their learning. Children are constantly encouraged 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Worstead Church of England Primary School, 23 °24 June 2008 to become good independent learners. Adults work together well and relationships between adults and children are a strength. Provision is well organised and plans are in hand to improve the outdoor accommodation to enrich children's learning still further.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

■ Provide consistent opportunities for pupils to develop key skills, particularly writing, across different subjects and other exciting curriculum projects. ■ Ensure pupil targets are set more frequently for pupils and their progress checked at regular intervals. ■ Enable subject leaders to play a more proactive and rigorous role in monitoring teaching, standards and achievement.

p.5

Grade: 2

From broadly average starting points, children get off to a good start in the Foundation Stage and achieve well. This good progress, for pupils of all abilities, continues across the school. As a result standards are above average at the end of Year 2 and well above average by the end of Year 6. Writing standards, although still above average, lag a little behind other subjects. Pupils' good progress owes much to the quality of teaching and pupils' desire to do well. In order to set the bar of expectation even higher, the school has accurately identified the need to increase the regularity of target setting and scrutiny of pupils' progress towards these targets. The strong emphasis that the school gives to other subjects is reflected in the quality work seen in subjects such as information and communication technology, foreign languages and in performance in drama and singing.

p.5

Grade: 2

Pupils are confident and enthusiastic learners who behave well. They are motivated and show a thirst for new knowledge. Their obvious enjoyment of school is reflected in the above attendance rates. Pupils are eager to make oral contributions in lessons but are less accomplished at listening to the contributions of others. Pupils have a good awareness of what is needed to keep safe, fit and healthy. Their work towards Eco school status adds to what is already a deep-rooted commitment to preserving the environment. Pupils contribute well to the school and local community and relish opportunities to take on responsibility. They are more than ready and able to contribute even more. Pupils' good sense of social, moral and cultural awareness, together with their acquisition of key skills, means that they leave the school well prepared for the next challenges in their lives.

p.5

Grade: 2

Teaching and learning is consistently good across the school. The teaching styles of individual teachers are very different but all equally effective in providing a wide array of learning experiences that add much to pupils' achievement and enjoyment. Relationships are good as is behaviour management. Occasionally however, the importance of good listening is not stressed enough. Teaching assistants play a significant and valued role in supporting learning. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Worstead Church of England Primary School, 23 °24 June 2008 A good emphasis is given to pupils learning through investigation and enquiry and they enjoy nothing more than rising to the challenges set. Work is generally well matched to the wide ability range of pupils. The best examples of marking are seen in literacy where the pointers for improvement are made crystal clear.

p.5

Grade: 2

The good progress pupils make in English, mathematics and science is not at the expense of other subjects. This is because the school provides a broad and rich curriculum. Basic skills are covered well whilst still giving a good emphasis to computer work, physical education and modern foreign languages. Less well established are innovative ways to ensure pupils' key skills, particularly writing, are developed across all subjects and embedded as part of different curriculum projects. Due to the input of a talented teaching assistant, singing is outstanding. Good enrichment opportunities through visits, visitors and after school clubs certainly bring another dimension to the quality of pupils' learning. The school is rightly seeking to embed Social, Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) in order to take pupils' engagement in their own learning to the next level.

p.6

Grade: 2

The welfare of pupils is given a high priority and staff know the social, academic and personal needs of pupils well. This helps pupils feel safe and valued and they have a voice that is listened to and respected - often through the work of the school council. Pupils are keen to point out that there is always someone to turn to if they have any worries. Procedures for safeguarding pupils are robust. Good links with outside support agencies enable the school to tap into additional sources of help for pupils when needed. Pupils have a good awareness of their individual targets and older pupils play an active role in setting and reviewing their own targets. However, the school does not set interim National Curriculum levels for pupils in their quest toward end of year targets and this reduces its ability to pick up any dips in progress at an earlier stage.

p.6

Grade: 2

Well established routines and procedures, together with the commitment of all the staff, has enabled the school to function well in the absence of the headteacher. Consequently the quality of education remains at a good level. The situation has been helped by the efforts of the acting headteacher who has quickly gained a good grasp of the school's strengths and areas for development. These are articulated well in the accurate and effective school self-evaluation. She has effectively monitored teaching and learning and continued to carry out a rigorous analysis of test and assessment data to identify priorities for improvement. Subject leaders are enthusiastic and keen to develop their skills further and have had a few opportunities to observe lessons. As yet their role in rigorously evaluating the performance of pupils is not yet established enough to raise progress even further. Governance is good because it is both challenging and

p.6

Grade: 2

supportive and some governors are regular visitors to school. They are right in their aspiration to take a more proactive role in how the school is held to account. Effective steps have been 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Worstead Church of England Primary School, 23 °24 June 2008 taken to secure improvements since the last inspection. Given the school's good track record on development it has a good capacity for further improvement. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Worstead Church of England Primary School, 23 °24 June 2008 .

p.6

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: Worstead Church of England Primary School, 23 °24 June 2008

p.8

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

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 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

p.9

and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.9

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: Worstead Church of England Primary School, 23 °24 June 2008

p.9

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: Worstead Church of England Primary School, 23 °24 June 2008

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

25 June 2008 Dear Children Inspection of Worstead CE Primary School, Worstead, NR28 9RQ You will probably remember that I visited your school not too long ago and I am now writing to let you know what I found out. Before I do, I would first like to thank you for making me feel so welcome. I have told your teachers how you were all so helpful and polite. Through my discussions with you, it was great to hear how much you enjoy coming to school. It was also good to hear about how safe you feel in school, that bullying is not an issue and that there is always someone to talk to if you are worried. I found many positive things about Worstead School. These helped me to believe yours is a good school. Your teachers and other staff help you to achieve well because of their good teaching. The curriculum, clubs, visits and visitors are strengths. They are the ways in which the school helps you to keep safe and healthy. The school is well led and managed and all the

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

staff and governors help make the school a good place to learn. There is a further strength of the school that I have not mentioned yet. That is you - the children. Many of you behave well and you show lots of enthusiasm. You know and practise a lot about keeping healthy and safe and you make a real difference to the life of the school. Well done! Even good schools like yours can improve. I have asked your school to help you put your skills such as writing to the test across different subjects and other exciting curriculum projects and to set targets for you to reach more regularly. I have also asked teachers to check more closely on how well you are doing in different subjects. Mrs Eagle, the staff and governors want the school to become even better and I know you will play your part by all behaving well, working hard, and always listening to what others have to say. I wish you every success in your future.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

It was a pleasure to meet you. Martin Newell Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Worstead Church of England Primary School, 23 °24 June 2008

p.11