Wincanton Primary School

Wincanton Primary School Inspection report - amended

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123667 Unique Reference Number Somerset Local Authority 314662 Inspection number 30 °31 January 2008 Inspection dates Michael Burghart 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 291 School The governing body Appropriate authority Alan Watson Chair C Glen Headteacher 2 February 2004 Date of previous school inspection South Street School address Wincanton BA9 9DZ 01963 32132 Telephone number 01963 31900 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 30 °31 January 2008 Inspection dates 314662 Inspection number

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Amended Report Addendum

Report amended due to factual inaccuracy

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Amended Report Addendum

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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Amended Report Addendum

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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an above-average-size primary school. Most pupils are of White British heritage. They are drawn from a wide area, parts of which are recognised as being socially disadvantaged. Pupils are taught in ten mixed-age and mixed-ability classes. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average overall, but in several year groups it is above average. A below-average proportion of pupils speaks English as an additional language. Attainment when children enter Reception is below what is expected at this age.

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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: Wincanton Primary School, 30 °31 January 2008

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Grade: 3

Pupils' achievement dropped in the two years following the last inspection. This situation has been addressed and the school now provides a satisfactory standard of education. Throughout the school, pupils make satisfactory progress. This builds on the sound start children get in the Foundation Stage, where provision is satisfactory, despite difficulties with access to, and use of, a dedicated outdoor area. Although standards are still below average in English and mathematics, they are improving. There are weaknesses in writing where few potentially more able pupils reach above- average levels, and in problem solving in mathematics. These are being successfully overcome and standards are on track to be close to average at the end of Year 6 this year. In science, standards are average. Improvements to pupils' achievement are the direct result of good leadership and management, strong teamwork, a good, well-planned, interesting

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Grade: 3

curriculum, and rigorous self-evaluation. Teaching is satisfactory. It is being systematically improved through lesson observations and staff professional development. Good features in teaching, which include strong relationships, good pace to the best lessons, good management of mixed-age classes and perceptive use of questioning, have positive effects on pupils' learning. There is good guidance to show pupils how they can improve their work. Target setting for individuals and the school as a whole are securely rooted in accurate assessment. This process is effective in raising expectations. However, the impact of this is limited by inconsistencies in how information about pupils' progress is transferred from Years 1 and 2 to Years 3 and 4. Support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and for those who speak English as an additional language is good. It enables these pupils to make the same overall progress as others in their age groups. Pupils of all

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Grade: 3

abilities and backgrounds are satisfactorily prepared for the future. Personal development is good because pupils are well cared for. 'I like this school, the teachers listen to you!' was the comment of a Year 4 boy, echoed by others on the school council. Pupils enjoy school and behave well. Although some pupils lack confidence, attitudes are good. The take-up for the many extra-curricular activities on offer is high. Pupils show good consideration for their own and others' safety. They work well together and are keen to play their part in school and community life. For their ages, pupils have good awareness and understanding of different cultures and backgrounds. They are actively involved in work towards the Healthy School award. The attendance of most pupils is good but overall it is satisfactory because of illness and unauthorised holidays taken in term time. The management structure, introduced 18 months ago, is proving particularly effective in

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Grade: 3

ensuring that monitoring and analysis are rigorous and lead to changes for the better. Governors are supportive. Their governance is satisfactory. Staff play a full part in how the school is run and in identifying priorities for development. Its recent track record and the quality of forward planning show the school has a good capacity to improve.

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Grade: 3

Provision is satisfactory overall. There are good features in how young children are introduced to learning and school routines. Strong relationships between children and staff help children to feel safe and enjoy themselves. Staff expectations are high and children respond well with good behaviour and a willingness to join in. Progress is satisfactory overall, with good features 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Wincanton Primary School, 30 °31 January 2008 in personal and emotional development. Children are considerate, get on well together and are prepared to take turns and share. By the end of Reception, most children reach most of the goals expected of this age, except those for communication, language and literacy skills, and aspects of mathematical development. Teaching is satisfactory, with good features in how staff support those with additional needs. Outdoor provision has been improved since it was an issue

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Grade: 3

in the last report, but it still falls short of what would fully support all that is expected of the Foundation Stage. The fabric and décor of corridor working areas are uninspiring, and restricted access to the outdoor learning environment means staff have to work hard to compensate to ensure children have sufficient opportunities to learn through play.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in writing, providing more challenge and support for more-able pupils.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in mathematics, developing skills that will improve pupils' ability to solve problems. ■ Improve the quality of the Foundation Stage learning environment, developing access to, and use of, outdoor space. ■ Strengthen the process of transferring information about pupils' performance between Years 1 and 2 and Years 3 and 4. A small proportion of 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

Following a period where achievement was inadequate, pupils now make satisfactory progress throughout the school. Reassuringly, in a variety of lessons observed, progress was good. Pupils build on the sound start they make in Reception. Better planning, teaching and use of assessment information are all having positive effects, but gaps in previous learning have to be overcome before pupils can catch up. Standards are improving but are still below average in English. This is most notable in writing, where sentence construction, use of vocabulary and spelling are weaknesses. More-able pupils do less well in English than in mathematics. Mathematics standards are below average, with problem solving the least successful aspect. However, they have been raised this year to much closer to average because of the school's determined efforts to improve numeracy. Standards in science are average, with pupils achieving satisfactorily. Pupils with

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Grade: 3

learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language progress at similar rates to other pupils.

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Grade: 2

A continued strength of the school is pupils' good personal development. Pupils enjoy school. They pay good attention to their own and others' safety. Attendance has been improved and this year is in line with the national average. The school works hard to discourage holidays in term time. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils know right from wrong. They work well with others, even with those they would not necessarily have chosen, as seen in a Year 5 and 6 ICT lesson! Behaviour is good, despite the few pupils who can, and sometimes do, present problems. Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay healthy. Discussions with pupils show that they appreciate different cultures and lifestyles, not 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Wincanton Primary School, 30 °31 January 2008 only around the world but also in the United Kingdom. Pupils readily take on responsibility as

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Grade: 2

part of school routines, for example, as monitors in classes and with older pupils supporting Reception children with reading and playground games. Community involvement is good, with pupils taking part in local events and fund raising for charity. Pupils' preparation for the next stages of their learning is satisfactory. However, it is somewhat restricted by below-average standards in literacy and numeracy and because some pupils lack of confidence in their own ability.

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Grade: 3

The decline in standards and pupils' achievement in the interim period since the last report was in part due to some expectations not being high enough. In the last 18 months, this has been overcome through rigorous monitoring of teaching and effective guidance. Teaching is now typically satisfactory, with a variety of good features. Consequently, pupils' achievement is improving, but it is still too soon to see the full impact in test results. Strengths in teaching included good quality of planning, strong relationships and in how staff question pupils to probe for understanding. Teachers manage mixed-age classes well and ensure that pupils know the point of lessons. They make good use of the newly introduced target-setting system to raise pupils' awareness of how well pupils are doing. Learning support assistants make a strong contribution to pupils' learning, especially in support for those whose first language is not

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Grade: 3

English and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Big improvements to mathematics this year are the result of teaching based on a good analysis of what pupils already know and are capable of. Weaknesses in teaching include some lessons when more-able pupils are not challenged enough. Currently, this most affects writing, where very few pupils reach above-average levels.

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Grade: 2

Much work to improve planning and develop ways that link subjects together is proving successful, for example, geography projects using the Internet for research. Although there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to work independently in a few lessons, there is now a good, well-balanced curriculum. This effectively supports personal, social and health education and provides a good basis for teaching skills and knowledge, as well as making learning enjoyable. This good provision underpins the school's capacity to make improvements. The school has been well supported by the local authority in developing opportunities for learning, and this has paid dividends in improvements to mathematics. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities, visits and visitors, and provision is further enriched with French and the chance to learn to play a musical instrument.

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Grade: 2

The school takes good care of all its pupils. As a result, personal development is good and pupils make satisfactory progress. Checks on staff, equipment and accommodation are rigorously carried out and ensure that the school is a safe place. Support for medical needs, first aid and for pupils with disabilities is good and much appreciated by parents and pupils alike. Pupils 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Wincanton Primary School, 30 °31 January 2008 new to the school (and in some cases new to the country) are well supported and fully included in all activities. Guidance to show pupils how to improve their work has been a recent school focus. Day-to-day support through teachers' marking is now good. There are secure assessment procedures, and good tracking of pupils' progress is used effectively to generate targets for individuals and the school in general. However, this process has not had time to have a full

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Grade: 2

impact on standards, and information is not always passed on efficiently from Years 1 and 2 to Years 3 to 4.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher and deputy headteacher give strong leadership and manage the school well. They effectively encourage staff teamwork and mutual support. That standards declined in past years was not the result of a lack of commitment. However, it is clear that there was a lack of focus in monitoring. The use of assessment to analyse the reasons for the lack of success was not understood well enough by classteachers. This was put right 18 months ago with a complete restructuring of staff management responsibilities. There is now a well-established system of team leaders with clearly defined roles. They respond very well to being accountable and make good use of their authority to influence and support staff in order to improve provision. There is good monitoring and analysis of strengths and weaknesses. Self-evaluation is accurate. The senior leadership team effectively evaluates decisions taken in terms of the

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Grade: 2

impact on pupils' progress. The school is beginning to make good use of assessment information to set challenging targets and this is raising standards. The success of this management model is most evident in mathematics. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Wincanton Primary School, 30 °31 January 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: Wincanton Primary School, 30 °31 January 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

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 3 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?

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: Wincanton Primary School, 30 °31 January 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: Wincanton Primary School, 30 °31 January 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

1 February 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Wincanton Primary School, Wincanton, Somerset BA9 9DZ Thank you for your warm welcome. We were impressed that you obviously enjoy school and that your behaviour is good. Wincanton Primary gives you a satisfactory education (which means that it does its job!) We can see that the school has improved and is still improving. We found a mixture of some strengths and some things that need attention. Here are some of the highlights.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are being helped to grow up as healthy, considerate and sensible people.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The school takes good care of you and makes sure that you are safe.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Teachers show you how you can improve your work.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The curriculum is well planned to make work interesting. You have the chance to join in lots of clubs and activities. ■ The school is well run. The headteacher and staff are good at identifying what is going well and deciding how improvements can be made. In order to be even better the school should:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ help you to improve your writing, especially those of you who are in top groups

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ help you to improve the skills which will make it easier for you to solve problems in maths

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ make it easier for Reception children to learn and play outdoors

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ ensure that teachers share all the information that they have collected about how well you are doing with your next class teacher. Best wishes for the future. Yours sincerely Mike Burghart Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Wincanton Primary School, 30 °31 January 2008

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Annex B

Inspection of Wincanton Primary School , Wincanton, Somerset BA9 9DZ

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Annex B

Thank you for your warm welcome. We were impressed that you obviously enjoy school and that your behaviour is good.

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Annex B

Wincanton Primary gives you a satisfactory education (which means that it does its job!) We can see that the school has improved and is still improving. We found a mixture of some strengths and some things that need attention.

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Annex B

• You are being helped to grow up as healthy, considerate and sensible people. • The school takes good care of you and makes sure that you are safe. • Teachers show you how you can improve your work. • The curriculum is well planned to make work interesting. You have the chance to join in lots of clubs and activities. • The school is well run. The headteacher and staff are good at identifying what is going well and deciding how improvements can be made.

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Annex B

In order to be even better the school should:

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Annex B

• help you to improve your writing, especially those of you who are in top groups • help you to improve the skills which will make it easier for you to solve problems in maths • make it easier for Reception children to learn and play outdoors • ensure that teachers share all the information that they have collected about how well you are doing with your next class teacher.

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