Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School

Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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121496 Unique Reference Number North Yorkshire Local Authority 314009 Inspection number 15 July 2008 Inspection date Andrew Clark 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 controlled School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 29 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Ian Schofield Chair Mrs Judith Borthwick Headteacher 26 April 1999 Date of previous school inspection Hackforth School address Bedale North Yorkshire DL8 1PE 01748 811698 Telephone number 0 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 15 July 2008 Inspection date 314009 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

The school is much smaller than average. The school takes pupils from the local villages and also from the army garrison at Catterick. The percentage of pupils eligible for a free school meal is below average but varies significantly from year to year. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average. The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage. Many of the pupils do not start or finish their primary education at the school because of changes to their parents' army postings. The school has achieved the Activemark, Healthy School's Status and the North Yorkshire Health and Safety Silver Award for Outstanding Success.

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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: Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School, 15 July 2008

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Grade: 2

Hackworth and Hornby Church of England Primary is a good school. The school's friendly family character encourages all pupils to aim high and achieve well. Pupils' personal development is good and they are well prepared for their future education. The headteacher and her staff lead and manage the school well. The parents hold the school in very high regard and work very closely with the school to support their children. 'I am delighted with the well-rounded education my son receives', is typical of the parents' comments. Many pupils join the school at different points in their education and previously have attended a number of different schools; a lot of pupils do not complete their primary education at this school. Although standards by the end of Year 6 are often below average, it is clear that pupils of all abilities make good progress from their earlier learning and fulfil their potential well. The

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Grade: 2

school's detailed tracking of pupils' achievement shows that they often make better progress than that normally expected in English and mathematics, and reach the challenging targets set for them during the time they spend in this school. Those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities also make good progress within the nurturing environment of this small school. Pupils' personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Behaviour is outstanding and attendance and punctuality are good. The school is very orderly reflecting the pupils' tolerant attitudes and friendly nature. Pupils' knowledge of healthy living is good and they are very involved in growing their own vegetables and take responsibility for recycling paper and other school waste. Their roles of school councillors and playground leaders are taken seriously and this has a good impact on school

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Grade: 2

life. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers involve pupils well in their own learning through the detailed targets which are set and shared with them and their parents. Lessons are fun because they often involve pupils in solving problems and investigations. Teachers make good use of information and communication technology to bring learning to life. Well trained teaching assistants make a good contribution to pupils' achievement, particularly those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The curriculum is satisfactory. The school offers a good range of after-school activities including mathematics, computers and sports, the take-up of these activities is very good. Good use is made of visits and visitors, including residential visits, to enliven pupils' learning. The quality of care, guidance and support is good. There are suitably robust procedures to safeguard pupils and this is acknowledged in the achievement of the local authority's silver

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Grade: 2

health and safety award. There are outstanding procedures for recording pupils' personal development and these underpin the pupils' good sense of well-being and self-confidence. The procedures for tracking pupils' academic development have improved well since the last inspection and make a good contribution to pupils' achievement. However, teachers through their marking do not always provide pupils with enough guidance on how to improve their work. The headteacher establishes a calm yet challenging ethos for improvement which makes full use of the benefits of the school's small size. All teaching staff make an important contribution to the good leadership and management. There are good links with neighbouring schools and good support from the local authority. The governing body has a very good understanding of the school's strengths and shortcomings and manages finances well. In light of all of this, the

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Grade: 2

4 of 11 Inspection Report: Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School, 15 July 2008 improving pupils' achievement and the strong impact of the leadership's good self-evaluation, the school has a good capacity to improve further.

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Grade: 3

Provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. The children are taught in a class of mixed ages from Reception to Year 2. Many children come and go during their time in the Foundation Stage. Generally children start school with a very wide range of skills and abilities and make satisfactory progress because of satisfactory teaching. However, they make good progress in early reading and writing skills because of well planned activities and established assessments in this area of learning. Children are well cared for and their personal development is good. The good induction procedures and excellent relationships with parents help them settle in quickly, no matter when they start. Lessons are fun with good use made of interactive whiteboards, as seen, for example, when the children were fully engaged in creating a rainforest garden for a story. The teacher and teaching assistants question children well to ensure understanding and give them good

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Grade: 3

opportunities to explain their reasoning. However, children spend too long on activities which are directed by teachers and not enough time learning through self-chosen tasks. This restricts their ability to learn independently. There are, however, good opportunities for children to use their emerging writing skills. Good use is made of the outside area. Children's progress is tracked accurately at key points but systems for regular first-hand observations of their progress are not fully embedded. Leaders and managers are working closely with the local authority adviser to develop the curriculum and assessment procedures. There have been good improvements to the accommodation in the Foundation Stage for outdoor provision.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve opportunities for children to learn through self-chosen activities in the Foundation Stage and develop the use of first-hand observations to assess their progress. ■ Ensure teachers use marking effectively to provide pupils with guidance on how to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

The outcomes of National Curriculum tests and teacher assessments vary significantly from year to year at Years 2 and 6, partially due to the very low numbers of pupils involved. This is because one or two children can make a considerable difference to the overall results. Standards by the end of Year 6 are often below average, however, from the school's robust progress tracking it is clear that all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, make good progress and that the targets set for them to achieve are challenging. The school identifies and challenges well the more able pupils and those who are gifted or talented in order that they also achieve well. This is clearly illustrated by the most recent end of Key Stage 1 assessment results. Pupils' achievement has improved since the last inspection because their progress is more closely monitored resulting in pupils having detailed individual learning

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Grade: 2

programmes and targets which are shared with parents. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School, 15 July 2008

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Grade: 2

Pupils are very courteous and thoughtful towards others. In discussions with teachers and conversations amongst each other they listen very well and allow others the space and time to express their views. This contributes well to the progress they make. They enjoy close relationships with all staff, have a good enjoyment of school and develop very good levels of self-confidence and general maturity. They feel well prepared for secondary school and have no fears of working in a larger setting. They take good levels of responsibility through the school council. For example, in selecting and organising charitable events such as 'Fruity Friday' and participating in 'interviewing' new staff. Pupils make good use of a 'suggestion box' for expressing concerns or giving ideas for school development. The pupils do take some leadership responsibility and, occasionally, are involved in activities involving handling finances, but overall,

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Grade: 2

these aspects of citizenship are at an early stage of development. Pupils' spiritual development is good as they regularly reflect on the world around them and their achievement. 'We are very happy at school because we know what is expected of us', is a typical pupil's comment. Moral development is very good and pupils have a strong understanding of the need for fairness and tolerance. They have a good understanding of global issues such as world poverty and racial injustice. Pupils take full advantage of opportunities to develop their health through weekly swimming lessons at all ages and regular sporting activities.

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Grade: 2

Teachers plan lessons well with clear purposes, which are shared well with the pupils. In many lessons, pupils record the lesson objective in their books which helps put the learning in perspective. They use a good range of strategies to interest pupils. For example, teachers use role play and drama regularly. Moreover, well trained teaching assistants make a good contribution to many aspects of teaching. Teachers make good use of displays relating to literacy and numeracy to help pupils learn. A good feature of lessons is the emphasis given to the skills required to learn. They talk about the importance of good teamwork, for example, and the need to approach work in a logical way. A daily starter activity uses the interactive whiteboard to prepare pupils mentally and physically for the day. Very occasionally, the teacher spends too long talking to the pupils. The teachers make very good use of homework to extend

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Grade: 2

the pupils' learning. Regular and detailed targets for the pupils to reach in English and mathematics are set and shared with parents. These have a good impact on learning but opportunities are missed by the teachers to link them to pupils' daily work through their marking.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum meets statutory requirements and provides well for pupils' personal, emotional and social development ensuring that they know well how to keep healthy and safe. The school is making good use of the new national strategies for literacy, numeracy and for the Early Years to teach the basics of reading, writing and numeracy. However, whilst there are some opportunities for pupils to develop these basic skills through other subjects such as science and history, teachers' planning does not consistently ensure pupils build these skills 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School, 15 July 2008 systematically. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is good. Pupils are identified at an early stage and teachers and teaching assistants are well trained in supporting them. The small clubs offer many after-school activities throughout the year which pupils take

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Grade: 3

full advantage of. The curriculum is further enriched by the regular teaching of French at both key stages, weekly swimming lessons and specialist teaching of physical education.

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Grade: 2

There are very good procedures for integrating pupils to the school regardless of which point in the year they start. The headteacher's commitment to this process is a key factor in the excellent relationships established with parents. 'We have felt totally supported and listened to by all the staff who are always approachable no matter how busy they are', reflects the views expressed by many parents. Procedures to safeguard the pupils and to promote their health and well-being are appropriate and record keeping is good. Good monitoring of behaviour combined with very effective procedures to support pupils identified with emotional and behavioural difficulties contribute to the very high standards of behaviour. The systematic tracking of pupils' progress is good. As a result, teachers are able to identify pupils who are not achieving well enough and so provide well matched support. However, teachers' marking

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Grade: 2

across all subjects is inconsistent and does not always provide guidance to pupils on how to improve their work to ensure even better progress. There are exceptionally detailed records of pupils' personal development which contribute to the progress made by all pupils particularly those with learning or emotional difficulties. The school encourages pupils to have high aspirations and uses rewards and certificates well to promote this.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher provides a good clear sense of direction for the school and this is shared by staff, pupils, parents and the governing body. There has been good improvement to the procedures for tracking pupils' progress and in the impact of the role of subject leaders since the last inspection. Support from the local authority is good and the leadership is working hard with them to improve Foundation Stage provision. Close links with neighbouring schools have contributed to training and resources. Self-evaluation is good and the school sets itself high expectations. Governance is good. The governing body is well informed and provides good levels of challenge and support through its committee system. There have been good improvements to outside accommodation since the last inspection supported by good parental contributions. The good leadership and management of the school ensure that the school provides good value for money.

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Grade: 2

7 of 11 Inspection Report: Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School, 15 July 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: Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School, 15 July 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 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?

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 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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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: Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School, 15 July 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 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: Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School, 15 July 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School, Bedale, DL8 1PE Thank you for the warm welcome you gave me when I inspected your school. The pupils from the school council made very good tour guides when they showed me around the school and grounds. It was good to see how proud you are of it. I would like to tell you about the findings from my inspection. You go to a good school. You make good progress and reach your targets, which you all know well. You are very happy at school and your personal development is good. You are especially proud of your knowledge of healthy living, your good gardening skills and the many opportunities for keeping fit. Your attendance is good and behaviour is outstanding. Children make a satisfactory start in the Reception class. However, the curriculum for the youngest children needs some improvement to allow them to learn through activities they have chosen

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

for themselves. I also found that the systems to measure how well the Reception children are doing could be improved. The quality of teaching you receive is good. The teachers expect you to work hard and you do. They make learning fun with the use of computers, drama and role play, which you used well in your own Macbeth plays. You have lots of clubs and visits to make learning exciting. You are well cared for and that is why you feel safe and valued. Teachers track your progress carefully and this helps you to improve. However, sometimes, teachers miss the chance when marking your work to show you how to improve it. The headteacher and all her staff lead the school well. Your parents are very proud of your school and give you good support. I have asked the school to improve the assessment processes and children's opportunities for choosing their own learning activities in Reception. I have also asked your teachers to improve

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

their marking to guide you more effectively on how to improve your work. You can help by continuing to be happy in your work and trying your very best. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School, 15 July 2008

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