Scotton Lingerfield Primary School

Scotton Lingerfield Community Primary School Inspection report

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121413 Unique Reference Number North Yorkshire Local Authority 313983 Inspection number 21 °22 May 2008 Inspection dates Bernard Jones 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 71 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Rosanna Burns Chair Mrs Michelle Moore Headteacher 1 March 2004 Date of previous school inspection Market Flat Lane School address Lingerfield Knaresborough North Yorkshire HG5 9JA 01423 862209 Telephone number 01423 862209 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 21 °22 May 2008 Inspection dates 313983 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Scotton Lingerfield is a smaller than average primary school. It serves families in the local village and some who live in or near one of five other villages, or in Knaresborough itself. Pupils come from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds and almost all come from White British backgrounds. The percentage of pupils entitled to a free school meal is very low compared to the national average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is broadly average. Due to small numbers in each age group, the range of ability on entry to the school varies from year to year. The headteacher was appointed in September 2007 on a part-time contract.

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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: Scotton Lingerfield Community Primary School, 21 °22 May 2008

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school and gives satisfactory value for money. The quality of pupils' personal and social development is good. There is an emphasis on developing pupils' sense of responsibility and this is reflected in their good behaviour. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the changes made by the new headteacher; they describe their satisfaction with the work of the school and their appreciation for the loyalty and hard work of the staff. Pupils are confident and enjoy school as a result of the good pastoral care they receive. They are outward looking and show a positive and friendly approach to visitors. Pupils make informed choices about healthy lifestyles. They are well prepared in Year 6 to move on to secondary education. Standards at the end of Year 6 are broadly average, reflecting satisfactory achievement in relation to pupils' starting points on entering the school. There are weaknesses in aspects of

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Grade: 3

pupils' writing skills, for example, sentence construction and accurate use of punctuation. Similarly, pupils' calculation skills are not sufficiently developed, and this impacts upon their standards in numeracy. However, this is an improving school and pupils are starting to make better progress. This is partly because pupils' achievement is now monitored more rigorously and measures, such as targeted support have been put in place to help them make the progress of which they are capable. Nevertheless, these improvements are at an early stage and the use of assessment data on which the system is based is not yet sufficiently developed. As a result, pupils do not know well enough what they need to do to improve and take the next steps in their learning. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Teaching assistants make a sound contribution, particularly in encouraging and giving general support to pupils of lower ability

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Grade: 3

and helping them with their learning. The school's evaluation of teaching has not until recently been sharp enough to identify and spread the good practices that exist. This situation is now improving. The curriculum is satisfactory and is extended by a good range of well-supported extra-curricular activities. Good links with local schools, outside agencies and the community further enrich the curriculum. Visitors to school and visits out of school are used effectively to enhance pupils' learning. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The new headteacher provides good leadership in establishing a clear vision for the school's development. She has ensured that all staff are positive about the changes taking place and further changes needed. Senior staff and middle managers make a satisfactory contribution. Self-evaluation is satisfactory. Pupils' progress is now checked and charted carefully in English and mathematics and challenging

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Grade: 2

On entry, most children have skills that are typically expected for their age. Numbers are small and standards vary considerably over different years and within each year group. Currently, children make good progress in all aspects of their learning and most children start Year 1 with broadly average standards with some exceeding expectations for their age. Leadership and management provided by the new coordinator are good and new systems to assess and record children's progress are effective. Children benefit from sharing their day with older pupils in Year 1. They make accelerated progress in developing their language skills. Staff provide work 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Scotton Lingerfield Community Primary School, 21 °22 May 2008 to stimulate children to learn well across all areas of their development. Planning is linked closely to children's interests and develops well their mathematical skills and their knowledge

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Grade: 2

of the world around them. It also ensures that the play element of their daily experience helps them to develop physically and creatively. Children enjoy their learning. For example, they enjoyed exploring the different sensations when dipping their hands into wallpaper paste, jelly, spaghetti and cornflour. This reinforced their language skills as they described the odd sensations and discovered 'adjectives'. It also encouraged self-chosen as well as adult-led activities that increased their social and independent skills. Classroom routines are taught exceptionally well. This aids children's personal development and is reflected in their excellent behaviour and the ways in which they cooperate, share and take turns. Teaching assistants make a good contribution. The good levels of care ensure that children grow in self-confidence and self-esteem ready for later stages in their education.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve writing skills throughout the school, particularly relating to sentence construction and accurate use of punctuation. ■ Improve pupils' calculation skills to raise numeracy standards across the whole age-range.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Make better use of assessment data to inform pupils about how well they are doing and the next steps needed to improve further. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

In Year 2, pupils achieve satisfactorily. They are largely on track to meet the school's targets and many are achieving well in response to the good teaching they receive. Standards at the end of Year 6 are broadly average, reflecting satisfactory achievement. Pupils' achievement in English is satisfactory overall, and most are meeting targets in the subject due to the confident teaching they receive and the enthusiasm this engenders. Many achieve well in reading, but their skills in sentence construction and the accurate use of punctuation are weak areas. Achievement is satisfactory in science. In mathematics, pupils make satisfactory progress overall, but calculation skills are relatively weak. From Year 1 to Year 6, all groups of pupils, including the most able and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make sound progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They respect the friendliness of their teachers and respond by behaving well in classrooms and around the school. Pupils are keen to do well and their good attendance rates reflect this. They have a pride in their school and are keen to take responsibility. For example, around a fifth of the pupils help to improve the school's environment by participating in the initiative 'Do It Yourself Improvement'. Older pupils act successfully as mentors to younger children and pupils throughout the age range take part in the school council, which they see as making a difference. Pupils are happy to take on responsibility for their own learning. They work very well in classrooms in pairs and small groups and express their views in a thoughtful and articulate way. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They learn about living in a multicultural society, which enables them to

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Grade: 2

5 of 11 Inspection Report: Scotton Lingerfield Community Primary School, 21 °22 May 2008 respect the views and practices of others. They also learn about life in other societies which helps them value cultures other than their own. Assemblies offer time for reflection and pupils clearly understand the difference between right and wrong. Pupils have a good understanding of how to live and eat healthily and stay safe. They quickly grow in confidence and are polite and courteous to adults. Average levels of skill in literacy and numeracy mean that pupils' preparation for the next stage in their education and later life is satisfactory.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory and leads to pupils making sound progress. Classes are managed well. Positive relationships between staff and pupils result in pupils taking responsibility and gaining in confidence. There is some good teaching and examples of outstanding teaching of the younger children. Here, pupils' progress is accelerated and their early independence is fostered very successfully. Teachers generally use questioning techniques well, but opportunities are missed to help pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills. When marking exercise books, teachers are positive and encouraging, which motivates pupils to improve. The best practice informs pupils about the next steps they need to take to improve further, but this is not uniformly the case. Throughout the school, teachers ensure that pupils enjoy their work. Teachers plan well to meet the needs of pupils of different ages and levels

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is sufficiently broad and is planned carefully to meet requirements. Overall, the curriculum makes a satisfactory contribution to the development of pupils' skills in literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology (ICT). Curriculum enrichment is good. The introduction of French has added further variety and experience to pupils' learning. The residential experience for pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 provides a good extension to their learning opportunities. Visits out of school and visitors to school extend the curriculum and help pupils gain further insight into the wider community. Extra-curricular sporting activities in particular add to the fun that pupils describe as being part of their regular school experience. Good links with other schools widen and enrich pupils' learning.

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Grade: 3

The quality of pastoral care and support is good. Teachers know well the individual pupils throughout the school and use this to build positive relationships where mutual respect between staff and pupils features strongly. Health and safety procedures are in place and pupils say they feel safe and well cared for. Support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is sensitive and effective. Guidance and support for pupils' academic progress is satisfactory. Systems have recently been put in place to check, chart and track the progress pupils make. The systems are informed by assessment procedures that are good in the early years, but there are weaknesses in the use of assessment to inform pupils how to improve further. The impact of these new arrangements is starting to be reflected in better progress, particularly by pupils 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Scotton Lingerfield Community Primary School, 21 °22 May 2008

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Grade: 3

in the early years; their impact is not yet as pronounced in Key Stage 2. Appropriate targets are set to encourage pupils to achieve to the best of their ability.

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Grade: 3

The quality of leadership and management is satisfactory and systems have recently been put in place to ensure satisfactory capacity to improve further. The acting headteacher has made some significant changes in the current academic year. In a period of significant staff turnover, it has been a mark of the headteacher's approach that changes have been embraced and staff morale raised. At the same time, parents have felt involved and give their wholehearted support. Governors fulfil their responsibilities well. The headteacher has also brought clarity of vision that puts raising pupils' achievement at the centre of the school's activities. As a result, this is an improving school where there is a clear ambition among staff, governors, parents and pupils to drive up standards. The part-time nature of the headteacher's appointment has not proved to be any encumbrance to the efficiency she has brought to the post because she is in school

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Grade: 3

each day. The arrangements whereby the deputy headteacher is responsible for the school's management in her absence are satisfactory. Aspects needing improvement are being tackled systematically, but there is some way to go. For example, checks on the quality of teaching do not focus sufficiently on the progress pupils make. Senior and middle managers are new to their posts. They are developing their roles and provide satisfactory leadership. Leaders have a largely accurate view of the school's strengths and weaknesses, and self-evaluation is satisfactory. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Scotton Lingerfield Community Primary School, 21 °22 May 2008 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Scotton Lingerfield Community Primary School, 21 °22 May 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? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

3 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 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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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

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and interests of learners?

3 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: Scotton Lingerfield Community Primary School, 21 °22 May 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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 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: Scotton Lingerfield Community Primary School, 21 °22 May 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Scotton Lingerfield Community Primary School, Knaresborough, HG5 9JA Thank you all for the warm welcome when I visited your school. I enjoyed talking to you, reading your work and watching and listening to you in lessons. I really enjoyed your singing in assembly. At all times, including during break and lunchtimes, I found you to be very helpful and friendly to me and kind to each other. I judge your school to be satisfactory. It is good in the way teachers help you to take responsibility and ensure that you to enjoy your time in school. Please thank your parents and carers for all their letters and for taking the time to talk to me. You obviously like coming to school and this shows in your good attendance and your good behaviour. You told me that you like your teachers and the way they take good care of you and teach you to think of others. You take responsibility well and I was particularly impressed

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

by the way older pupils help younger children. You are taught well to take a pride in your school and to take care of your environment. Classrooms and the hall reflect this with their colourful and interesting displays. These show that you study a wide range of topics and learn how to live healthily and safely. I appreciate how well your school helps you to develop into mature young people, ready to progress to your next stage at secondary school. To make things even better, I have asked your headteacher and teachers to help you to develop better some of your writing and numeracy skills. I would also like to see changes in the way teachers mark your work so that you know what steps you need to take to improve your work further. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Scotton Lingerfield Community Primary School, 21 °22 May 2008

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