Wykeham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Wykeham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Inspection report

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121526 Unique Reference Number North Yorkshire Local Authority 314024 Inspection number 16 April 2008 Inspection date Clive Petts 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 45 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Janet Crossley Chair Mrs Clothier Headteacher 5 July 2004 Date of previous school inspection Wykeham School address Scarborough North Yorkshire YO13 9QB 01723 862413 Telephone number 01723 862413 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 16 April 2008 Inspection date 314024 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

Wykeham is a very small school situated near Scarborough. The 45 pupils on roll are taught in two mixed-age classes. All pupils in the school are of White British heritage. Currently a below average proportion of pupils have learning difficulties and/or disabilities and there are no pupils with a statement of special educational need. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is below average. On entering school, children have skills that are broadly average, although this varies from year to year, as does the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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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: Wykeham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 16 April 2008

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Grade: 2

This school gives pupils a good education. The personal development of pupils is good with some exemplary features because the school provides excellent pastoral care to ensure that individual needs are met. Parents appreciate what the school offers, especially the high quality of care and support provided for their children. The view of one parent typifies that of most: 'My daughter was unsettled at first but with the help of the headteacher she loves it here now and has made many friends.' The achievement of pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, is good as a consequence of teachers making learning interesting and providing effective, well-targeted learning support. Although standards vary year to year, at the end of Year 6 they are normally above average. In view of the average range of skills and experiences with which most children enter school, the positive start they receive and the consistent rate of progress they make in

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Grade: 2

the two classes, this represents good achievement. Teaching and learning are good and this produces confident pupils who are keen to learn. Regular marking provides positive encouragement but does not always provide sufficient guidance as to exactly how to improve. A good curriculum ensures that links are made between subjects and skills are used across the curriculum. Good enrichment is provided through a wide range of collaborative work to make sure needs are met; for example, there are mathematics workshops for the gifted and talented in a nearby secondary school. High quality care and support is underpinned by a strong family ethos. This is reflected in the happiness of pupils, their respect for others and their eagerness to be with their friends. Consequently, their personal development is good. Their behaviour in lessons is excellent. Nearly all adopt very safe attitudes in and around school. They are considerate and polite,

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Grade: 2

particularly when helping younger pupils in lessons. Although pupils' enjoyment of school is evident, overall attendance is satisfactory rather than good. This is a consequence of the high absence rates of a very small number of pupils, and happens despite the hard work of staff to promote the value of good attendance. A broad range of experiences of other cultures, for example visits to a mosque and a Sikh temple, helps pupils develop tolerance and respect. This prepares them well for life in a diverse society. Leadership and management are good. Most parents have positive views of the school and take advantage of opportunities to be involved in their child's education, for example by joining in the school visits and helping with clubs. The headteacher works hard to ensure that all pupils achieve well regardless of background or experience. Governors play an active part, checking what is happening and adding strong support in order to sustain improvements. Good progress

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Grade: 2

has been made since the last inspection in extending cultural awareness and improving provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Grade: 2

The quality of provision in the Foundation Stage is good. Although one or two children have no pre-school experience, most arrive from a range of pre-school settings. They settle quickly in their mixed-age class with pupils from Years 1 and 2 because of the warm, welcoming and purposeful atmosphere and the excellent attitudes of older pupils towards them. Outdoor provision has been imaginatively developed since the last inspection and opportunities for all 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Wykeham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 16 April 2008 areas of learning are being systematically developed outdoors. Good opportunities are provided for children to develop confidence and initiative so that they can learn for themselves. Children make good progress, especially in their communication and personal skills. By the end of Reception most children achieve the learning goals expected for their age in all areas of learning.

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Grade: 2

Good leadership and management ensure that lessons are well structured and that support for individual learning needs is effective. Assessment is accurate and used well to check children's progress and match tasks to need.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that pupils know exactly how to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good and pupils attain above average standards. Pupils enter school with a broadly average range of skills and experiences. They make good progress in the two mixed-age classes. Although comparisons are difficult to make because some pupils join the school at different times and the size and composition of each cohort vary year on year, assessment data point to standards a little above average at the end of Year 2. This represents good progress. Test results at the end of Year 6 have fluctuated as the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities has varied: for example, in the 2007 national tests, two thirds of pupils had learning difficulties and/or disabilities, resulting in average standards overall. Inspection evidence and the school's assessment data confirm that good progress is made in Year 3 to Year 6. Current Year 6 pupils are on target to reach above average standards. Pupils

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Grade: 2

with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress because their learning and emotional needs are quickly identified and they receive effective support. Excellent use is made of specialist outside agency support to boost confidence and skills.

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Grade: 2

Overall, pupils' personal development and well-being are good, and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Attendance is satisfactory. The concerted efforts of the school have improved attendance from below average. The current problem is caused by the persistent absence of a very small number of pupils and is no reflection of pupils' attitudes to school, which are very good. Relationships with staff are excellent and pupils respond positively to the care and support they receive. Pupils say they enjoy being with their friends and feel safe in school. They are confident that staff are always available to listen to any concerns or worries and know that the very few incidents that occur are dealt with swiftly. Pupils display a good awareness of the consequences of failing to adopt a healthy lifestyle. They accept responsibility, show initiative and value the opportunities open to them, through the recently

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Grade: 2

elected school council, to make decisions to improve the school. Thought-provoking assemblies, underpinned by Christian values, make a significant contribution to their excellent spiritual development. The strong emphasis on basic skills and team working prepares them well for the future. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Wykeham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 16 April 2008

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Lessons are well structured, tasks effectively differentiated and explanations clear. The good teaching is rooted in the excellent relationships and positive climate for learning. Teachers use their good subject knowledge to ensure that tasks are successfully matched to age and ability to ensure good progress. Staff display an intimate knowledge of individuals' needs and their rate of progress. They use this information efficiently to build on pupils' learning, for example by providing opportunities to extend skills and talents. Pupils are expected to work hard and enjoy their learning. However, in a few cases, targets are not challenging enough. Good oral feedback ensures that pupils know what they need to do to improve but marking is not always related to targets and does not always explain how these can be achieved. Effective use is made of learning support to ensure pupils with learning

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Grade: 2

difficulties and/or disabilities or vulnerable pupils make good progress.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good with a very good range of enrichment activities taking full advantage of the excellent partnerships with local schools, parents and the local community, including the church and local estate. This range of learning experiences enables pupils to achieve well and develop their personal skills. Successful strategies to improve writing are being embedded across the curriculum to improve achievement. Subject days and workshops with other schools are used to establish links across subjects to help make learning more meaningful for pupils. Effective use is made of the local estate to promote environmental awareness. Good opportunities are taken to enrich learning with contributions from visitors, such as the Archbishop of York, and visits to local places of interest. There is good provision for literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT). Over the last two years

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Grade: 2

strengthened provision for ICT has enabled pupils to enhance the quality of their work, for example when presenting newspaper articles that combine graphics and text in sophisticated ways.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good overall, and the quality of pastoral care is excellent. Pupils who need extra support are quickly identified. Highly successful work with external agencies and targeted staff training add to the quality of care and support, especially when staff are managing pupils whose behaviour can be challenging. Procedures to safeguard children, with established routines for child protection and health and safety, are in place. Pupils say that they feel well supported in their learning and most are aware of their targets. Although assessment information is used to check progress carefully, pupils are not always given enough specific guidance to help them develop greater autonomy in their own learning. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Wykeham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 16 April 2008

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides excellent vision and drive and she is well supported by staff and by governors. There is a shared determination to continue to improve and all work extremely hard together. This is demonstrated in the way in which the protected Victorian site has been imaginatively developed. This has benefited teaching, learning and the curriculum. The school's self-evaluation accurately identifies strengths and weaknesses, though is a little generous when judging personal development. Priorities for development reveal a flexible and adaptable response to changing pupils' needs. The headteacher makes a positive contribution to the local network of village schools and has taken full advantage of the additional opportunities to share expertise and resources. Governance is good. Governors know the school well because they are proactive and never afraid to ask the question, 'Why?'

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Grade: 2

They make sure the school provides good value for money. The excellent partnerships demonstrate the school's resolve to remain outward-looking. This, combined with good progress since the last inspection, gives it a good capacity to continue to improve. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Wykeham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 16 April 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: Wykeham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 16 April 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 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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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

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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 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 3 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: Wykeham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 16 April 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: Wykeham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 16 April 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

I really appreciated your friendly, warm welcome when watching you all work and play and when talking to you. I also enjoyed speaking with your headteacher, staff, governors and parents. I was impressed by your considerate, helpful attitudes, especially towards younger children in lessons. I really enjoyed talking to the members of the school council. I agree that you go to a good school. Here is a reminder of a number of the many things that make Wykeham a good school:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ your good achievement, because your teachers make learning interesting

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ your excellent relationships with staff

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ your headteacher's determination to change and adapt the school to make sure your needs and interests are met ■ your excellent behaviour in lessons and when you visit other local schools

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ your good preparation for the next stage of education and later life.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

To make your school even better and raise achievement even higher I have asked your school to do two things. First, I have asked the school to work more on improving attendance. Second, I have asked teachers to make certain you are given more guidance about how you can improve the quality of your work. This will mean that you play a bigger part judging the quality of your work and working on your own. You all have an important part to play improving your school. You can help by continuing to listen carefully to staff and trying extra hard in lessons to produce the best work you can. I hope the school will continue to build on its success. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Wykeham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 16 April 2008

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