Endon Hall Primary School

Endon Hall Primary School Inspection report

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124146 Unique Reference Number Staffordshire Local Authority 314821 Inspection number 6 March 2008 Inspection date Doris Bell 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 214 School The governing body Appropriate authority Andrew Church Chair Ian Goodwin Headteacher 9 February 2004 Date of previous school inspection Hillside Avenue School address Endon Stoke-on-Trent ST9 9HH 01782 502645 Telephone number 01782 505219 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 6 March 2008 Inspection date 314821 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, who evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: The effectiveness of what the school has done to improve pupils' writing skills. Whether the ways in which teachers assess and guide pupils' learning are helping pupils to make better progress. How well senior managers check teaching and learning and help teachers to improve. Outcomes of the parents' questionnaires, especially the comments made by some parents about how well the school is led and managed and about pupils' behaviour. Evidence was gathered from observations, from looking at pupils' work, from discussions with staff, governors and a large number of pupils, from parents' questionnaires, and from documentation held in school. 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

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Introduction

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

Whilst a wide range of ability is represented, attainment on entry to this school is, overall, as expected for the children's ages. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average, as is the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. A very small number of pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds. All are fluent English speakers. The school has had a new headteacher and deputy headteacher since the previous inspection. It has achieved Healthy Schools and Activemark awards.

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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: Endon Hall Primary School, 6 March 2008

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Grade: 2

Pupils receive a good education at this well led and managed school. They achieve well and standards are above average. The results of national tests have been significantly above average in both Year 2 and Year 6 for a number of years, and pupils' progress has been consistently good. There was a slight downturn in progress for pupils in Year 6 last year, partly because of high mobility in the year group. There were also some weaknesses in pupils' writing, which the school is addressing well. Provision and progress are good in the Foundation Stage, setting children up well for their work in Year 1. Pupils in Year 2 read and write well, often using a range of punctuation beyond that expected for their age. They construct sentences well and sequence them logically to compose or to re-tell stories. Their speaking and listening skills are good. By Year 6, they write in styles suitable for purpose and audience. They present their work well, using techniques

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Grade: 2

such as paragraphs correctly and engaging the reader with a good range of imaginative vocabulary. The headteacher has given a strong lead on how to improve teaching by encouraging teachers to make the best use of assessment information to plan and to set targets for pupils. Teachers have responded well. As a result, pupils' work is usually closely matched to their individual learning needs. Teachers help pupils understand how well they are doing and how to improve their work. The annotations on teachers' planning show clearly how they build pupils' learning up lesson by lesson. More able pupils in year groups through the school work alongside older pupils, enabling them to learn at higher levels. However, they do not have enough opportunities to make decisions about how to organise their learning for themselves. Older pupils know the National Curriculum levels at which they are working and all pupils know and understand their

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Grade: 2

targets and what they need to do to reach them. The school helps parents understand all of this too. Pupils reported that 'teachers tell mum and mum helps at home and that helps us learn quicker'. All of this is improving pupils' overall progress, and especially their progress in writing. The well-planned curriculum identifies a good range of opportunities for pupils to write at length in different subjects. However, in some classes, these opportunities are limited. This is because worksheets sometimes need only short answers, for example in history and geography, or pupils are required to stick pictures in their books and write a short caption underneath, as in religious education. Additionally, teachers' marking does not always focus pupils on their writing targets, especially when they write in other subjects. Most parents are highly satisfied with the school, describing it as 'well run', with staff that are

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Grade: 2

'friendly and approachable', a place where children 'grow in confidence' because there are 'lots of learning opportunities' which they enjoy. However, a significant minority expressed their dissatisfaction with everything the school does. Most comments centred on leadership and management, pupils' behaviour and the school's response to unacceptable behaviour. Because of this, aspects of leadership and management were explored in even greater depth, pupils' behaviour was observed particularly closely throughout the school day in and out of class, and a large number of pupils were asked about their perceptions of school. Nothing was found to justify the often strongly negative comments. Procedures for safeguarding pupils are robust, ensuring that they work and play in a happy, safe and well-ordered environment. They enjoy school very much and their attendance is above 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Endon Hall Primary School, 6 March 2008

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Grade: 2

average. They behave well in class and around the school. When asked if there was any bullying, their spontaneous response was 'not that we know of'. They know what to do should any occur, secure in the knowledge that the school deals promptly and effectively with any untoward behaviour. They admit that play can sometimes become boisterous in the playground but report that the 'buddy' system works well and they help each other to overcome problems. They understand and appreciate the school rules, which they helped to draw up. They commented that lessons are interesting because 'teachers come up with fun ways to learn', therefore they 'work harder and learn more'. Pupils understand that actions have consequences, they know how to keep themselves and others safe, and they readily accept responsibility, for example as school councillors. Pupils are proud of their contribution to the life of the school and they know their views are

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Grade: 2

valued. Their good understanding of healthy living is evident in their eating choices and in the high rate of participation in the wide range of sporting activities during and beyond the normal school day. Pupils contribute well to the community. The school identifies opportunities for pupils to learn about the different cultures in Britain today, but their knowledge of these cultures and their impact on people's lives, is relatively weaker than other aspects of their personal development. Overall, however, pupils leave the school well prepared for their future. Governors are knowledgeable about the school. They ask the right questions about pupils' progress and the trend in the school's results, and they support the school well. The school knows its strengths and the school improvement plan has a manageable number of clearly stated priorities to help improve pupils' learning and personal development. Subject leaders

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Grade: 2

carry out their responsibilities well, checking carefully that when subjects are linked, the content that pupils are expected to learn in each is not compromised. The school successfully includes all pupils in all that it has to offer, and it makes good provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Improvements in planning, in pupils' progress, in assessment procedures and in the promotion of basic skills throughout the curriculum, give the school good capacity for further improvement. The school's own evaluation of its effectiveness is accurate and well founded.

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Grade: 2

Well-established routines and good induction procedures ensure that children settle quickly into school life. Children leave Reception working securely within, and sometimes exceeding, the nationally expected early learning goals. Personal, social and emotional skills are given high priority, resulting in children being able to take turns when answering questions, and to listen to each other and to adults. The focus on teaching children to link sounds and letters and on speaking and listening is successfully improving their literacy skills. This was particularly evident in their responses to an engaging session comparing aspects of Victorian life with their own. The curriculum covers all areas of learning well. It is based securely on a practical approach to learning and there is a good balance between adult-led and child-initiated activities. There are regular planned opportunities for Reception children to play and learn indoors and outside.

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Grade: 2

However, access to spontaneous outdoor learning is restricted because the area doubles as the Reception and Year 1 playground and there is no covered area to allow its use during inclement weather. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Endon Hall Primary School, 6 March 2008

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Maximise the opportunities for pupils to write at length in different subjects and ensure teachers show pupils how to improve their written work in all subjects. ■ Improve pupils' awareness of the richness and diversity of culture in Britain today.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Find ways to communicate information to all parents about the good provision made for all pupils. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Endon Hall Primary School, 6 March 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: Endon Hall Primary School, 6 March 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?

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?

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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Endon Hall Primary School, 6 March 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Endon Hall Primary School, 6 March 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

7 March 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Endon Hall Primary School, Stoke-on-Trent ST9 9HH Thank you for the warm welcome you gave me when I visited your school. It was good to be able to talk to so many of you and to find out what you think about the school and your work there. You told me that you enjoy school very much and that you want to do well. Your pride in the school shone through your comments and you and most of your parents are right in thinking you go to a good school. Those responsible for leading and managing the school do their job well. Staff care deeply for you and they work very hard to help you learn as much as you can. You told me your teachers find ways to make learning fun. You are right here, too. They teach you in different ways and help you to understand how to improve your own work. The comments in your books, and your use of sad to smiley faces, show that you are becoming increasingly able to do this. You also

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

know what a healthy lifestyle is and how to keep yourself and others safe. You clearly have every confidence that the staff would deal quickly and effectively with any unacceptable behaviour. You told me how the buddy system works and how it helps you begin to be able to resolve conflict yourselves. This is all part of what is making you mature young people by the time you are in Year 6. Your good behaviour and attitudes to learning contribute greatly to the good progress you make in your learning. They help you to reach good standards in your work. Within all of its good work, there are three things the school could do to help you make even better all-round progress:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make best use of all the opportunities there are for you to write in different subjects, and make sure that teachers mark your writing well whatever subject you are working in. ■ Improve your knowledge and understanding of the different cultures in Britain today.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Find ways to show those of your parents who are not pleased with the school all of the good things it does for you and how they help you to learn and develop. You can help by continuing to work hard and by telling your parents how much you enjoy school, and I hope you will continue to do so in the future. Yours sincerely Doris Bell Additional Inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Endon Hall Primary School, 6 March 2008

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