Chapel Haddlesey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Chapel Haddlesey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Inspection report

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121556 Unique Reference Number North Yorkshire Local Authority 314036 Inspection number 24 June 2008 Inspection date Lesley 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 26 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Alison Parker Chair Mrs Mary-Jane Murray Headteacher 26 April 2004 Date of previous school inspection Chapel Haddlesey School address Selby North Yorkshire YO8 8QF 01757 270282 Telephone number 01757 270282 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 24 June 2008 Inspection date 314036 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. 24 June 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one Additional Inspector. The following issues were investigated: pupils' achievement, especially in English; provision in the Foundation Stage; pupils' personal development and well-being; the quality of teaching and learning; the care, support and guidance given to pupils and whether the school's self-evaluation was accurate. Evidence was gathered from observation of lessons, pupils' work, discussions with staff, governors and pupils, and a scrutiny of school documents and questionnaires. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspector found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

This very small school serves the village of Chapel Haddlesey and neighbouring West Haddlesey. Most pupils are of White British heritage with a small number from mixed White Asian heritages. A large proportion of pupils are identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities but very few have significant learning problems. Attainment on entry to the Foundation Stage is broadly average. The headteacher started in September 2006 following an unsettled period of leadership and management. She has a teaching commitment equivalent to three days a week. Two-thirds of the staff have joined the school in the last two years.

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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: Chapel Haddlesey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 24 June 2008

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Grade: 3

This school gives pupils a satisfactory education. It has gone through a troubled patch in the last three years from which it is now recovering. More remains to be done to consolidate new developments and build on the school's strengths. The aim: 'happily learning in a caring Christian environment' is evident at the start of every day during morning prayers. Pupils have a good awareness of the importance of exercise to maintain health and really enjoy and benefit from the very wide range of sports offered by the school. Every morning many of them change their shoes and run four times round the school field, affectionately known as 'the kilometre club'. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory. They generally reach the levels expected of them. Their rate of progress, however, does vary significantly, as does the quality of teaching they receive. While most teaching quality is satisfactory some is good, especially in Key Stage 2. Weaknesses

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Grade: 3

in the way early reading and writing skills are taught hampers pupils' progress in Key Stage 1. In addition, pupils' progress slows when they spend too much time listening to adults rather than working independently and practising new skills. Pupils make faster progress in Years 3 to 6 than in Years 1 and 2. This is because lessons, for older pupils, are planned more effectively to ensure that pupils have time to learn on their own and to work together independently in groups. As a result, pupils learn actively and ask sensible and astute questions. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used effectively to provide additional challenges for more able pupils in these year groups. Throughout the school, teachers use up-to-date technology well to make teaching points clear and to engage pupils in their learning. Standards are close to average. Results in national tests at the end of Years 2 and 6 fluctuate

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Grade: 3

between above average and average depending on the mix of pupils and the size of year groups which can be particularly small. In 2007, results were below average in English at the end of Years 2 and 6, especially in writing where the substantial dip compared to previous years triggered additional support from the local authority. Year 6 pupils are now on track to reach their challenging targets. This is because work is suitably matched to the full range of learners' needs so all can succeed. Their progress has accelerated because they have extensive opportunities to write for many different purposes. Furthermore, they are fully involved in assessing their own learning and checking whether they have fulfilled agreed writing criteria. This aids the progress of more able writers, in particular. In Key Stage 1, standards in writing are well below average because pupils are not given step-by-step guidance to help them build up skills systematically. Teachers do not use

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Grade: 3

assessment well enough to help them to decide what to teach next. This has an impact particularly on lower and average achievers and so their progress slows. Marking is detailed but hard for Key Stage 1 pupils to read and understand, so, for example, they struggle to write accurately because they do not know how to improve their work. Standards in reading are close to average across the school. Recent interventions to improve pupils' reading skills are proving successful. Standards in mathematics and science are generally higher than those in English. This is because these subjects are particularly well taught. Year 6 pupils rightly say, 'we learn to make more conjectures in our work', and they have lots of opportunities to use their mathematical skills when solving problems or interpreting graphs on the computer. A similarly practical approach to learning in science also aids pupils' progress as they learn effectively through investigating and finding things out for themselves.

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Grade: 3

4 of 10 Inspection Report: Chapel Haddlesey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 24 June 2008 Pupils' personal development is satisfactory and they are given satisfactory care support and guidance. The democratically elected school council represents pupils' views and make a valued contribution to fundraising and the school community. Pupils feel safe because adults in school know them well; 'worry and suggestion' boxes mean they can discuss any concerns in privacy. Pupils are adequately prepared for their future lives. They have a good understanding of different communities through their links with a school in Ghana. Procedures to ensure pupils' safety meet current government guidelines. Pupils who have social, emotional and behavioural problems are given good support. As a result, behaviour is satisfactory, however some still need a few reminders to work and play sensibly, and attendance

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Grade: 3

is above average. Provision of support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is satisfactory. While there are strengths in the support given to vulnerable pupils, the identification of pupils who have learning difficulties, as distinct from those who have gaps in their knowledge, is not precise enough. This means that too many pupils are identified as having learning difficulties and individual education plans are not used well enough to accelerate pupils' progress. Leadership and management are satisfactory with strengths, recognised by parents, in improving behaviour and creating a happy environment for learning. As a result, pupils are now very clear about what is acceptable behaviour and comment, 'our lessons are better with teamwork, they are more fun'. The headteacher has limited time in which to manage the school. The school's self-evaluation, while rightly assessing all areas as satisfactory, does not give a sufficiently

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Grade: 3

balanced view of the school, focusing mainly on strengths and acknowledging few weaknesses. This, in turn, is reflected in the school improvement plan, which lacks a clearly defined strategic overview based on priorities for improvement. For example, a planned audit of English has yet to be carried out because of the limited time made available to the subject leader. Governors have a realistic view of the school. Their developing awareness of their roles and responsibilities means they are beginning to ask the right sort of questions to move the school forward. Capacity to improve further, therefore, is satisfactory.

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Grade: 3

Children are taught alongside pupils in Years 1 and 2 but have lots of opportunities to learn on their own, with freedom to choose different activities both indoors and outside. This helps them to develop into confident, independent learners who work and play well together. From broadly average starting points, most children are working within expected levels in most areas of learning by the end of the Reception year. However, activities are not always well thought out to develop the early skills of writing to stimulate curiosity. Adults sometimes miss opportunities to extend learning through purposeful talk and play and so children tend to move from one activity to another in quick succession. Achievement, therefore, and the quality of teaching and learning are satisfactory. The leadership and management are satisfactory with strengths in the outdoor provision and in the care and support given to children. Observations

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Grade: 3

of what children know and can do are not always used sufficiently well to plan the next stage of their learning or to develop a clear profile of achievement.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in writing in Key Stage 1 and ensure marking is at the right level to help pupils know how to improve their work. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Chapel Haddlesey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 24 June 2008 ■ Improve the use of assessment in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 so that what is taught is based on what pupils know and understand and identifies what pupils need to learn next in order to raise the achievement of average and less able learners. ■ Develop the role of the special needs coordinator to ensure that learning difficulties are accurately identified and individual education plans are used to accelerate progress. ■ Develop a strategic overview based on accurate evaluation of strengths and weaknesses indicating what needs improving and how and when this is to be achieved. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which

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What the school should do to improve further

have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Chapel Haddlesey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 24 June 2008 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Chapel Haddlesey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 24 June 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 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?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 3 The behaviour of learners 3 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Chapel Haddlesey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 24 June 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Chapel Haddlesey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 24 June 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Chapel Haddlesey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Selby, YO8 8QF I enjoyed spending a day with you in your school and watching you work and play. My special thanks to the school council and to the four boys in Class 2 who spent time talking to me and showing me their work. I am glad you see so many improvements in your school and that you think behaviour has definitely improved and that 'lessons are better and more fun'. I really enjoyed seeing the 'kilometre club' and seeing how much you value being on the top table at lunchtimes. Your school gives you a satisfactory education. This means that it does some things well but there are others, which it needs to improve. Your school takes care of you and your teachers try to make lessons interesting for you. I especially liked some of the writing Years 5 and 6 were doing on the computer, creating stories around their 'fantasy landscapes'. Your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

behaviour is satisfactory although, some of you need a few reminders to work and play sensibly. This is what I have asked you school to do next.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your writing, especially in Years 1 and 2, is not as good as the work you do in mathematics and science. I have asked your teachers to concentrate on helping younger pupils to learn to write well and to make sure that their marking can be read and understood by younger pupils. ■ Teachers should decide exactly what children know and can do and then use this information to help them decide what to teach them next. This will help Reception children and pupils in Years 1 and 2 to make better progress, especially those who do not find learning very easy. ■ I have asked for pupils who have learning difficulties to be given individual work to help them to learn better. ■ I have asked your headteacher to spend some of the time when she is not teaching to work out exactly what the school needs to do to improve and how this is going to be achieved, so that everyone has a very clear plan of action. 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Chapel Haddlesey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School,

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