Churchfield CofE (C) Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 17 Oct 2007

Churchfield CofE (C) Primary School Inspection report - amended

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124271 Unique Reference Number Staffordshire Local Authority 314869 Inspection number 16 °17 October 2007 Inspection dates John Eadie 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 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 189 School The governing body Appropriate authority Michael Newman Chair Linda Hack Headteacher 6 May 2003 Date of previous school inspection Sandy Lane School address Rugeley WS15 2LB 01889 256106 Telephone number 01889 256106 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 16 °17 October 2007 Inspection dates 314869 Inspection number

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Amended Report Addendum

Report amended due to a change to the report following a complaint

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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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Churchfield CofE (C) Primary School was a junior school until September 2005 and this is the first year that it has had pupils in all primary year groups. There has been considerable disruption to staffing in the last couple of years through reorganisation and staff absence because of illness or maternity leave. There have been further complications as building work was going on in the school for the whole of the academic year 2005/06. The headteacher joined the school in April 2005 and the deputy headteacher started in September 2005. Numbers of pupils in each year group vary widely as the local structure has not yet settled down. There are also more pupils than usual who join in year groups other than the Nursery or leave before the end of Year 6. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage and very few do not speak English at home. There are areas of economic disadvantage in the locality.

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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: Churchfield CofE (C) Primary School, 16 °17 October 2007

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Grade: 3

The school has experienced challenging circumstances recently, but it has come through smiling and is a satisfactory and improving school. Parents appreciate the improvements made, particularly in the buildings and pupils' behaviour, saying such things as, 'The school is now a much better environment for the children, behaviour is better and the children know what is expected of them'. Staff and governors have worked hard to gain the support of parents, who are very positive about the school. This is a change since the previous inspection, when an issue was to build stronger links with parents. The principal reason for the improvements is the good leadership. The headteacher gives very clear direction and she is most ably supported by the deputy headteacher. Together with the senior management team, they have put in place a number of initiatives which have raised standards and improved pupils' progress so that it is now satisfactory. This satisfactory progress

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Grade: 3

is a recent improvement. A year ago the majority of pupils were underachieving and their progress was inadequate. Part of the reason for this was that poor behaviour was affecting many lessons and pupils were unable to learn effectively. This has been dealt with very well and classrooms are now calm, orderly places, in which pupils can learn well. Pupils' behaviour is good and their enjoyment of school is very evident. As a parent typically said, 'There is always something going on for the children to get involved in and they love coming to school'. Last year, almost all pupils made good, and many made outstanding, progress. This has returned their standards to where they should be. However, standards in mathematics are much weaker than those in English, and have been for a few years. One of the reasons for this is that teachers do not always provide a sufficient range of activities to suit the wide variation in ability of

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Grade: 3

pupils in their classes. The Nursery and Reception classes have only been running for two years and they were not in their permanent rooms during the building work. Despite this, provision for these children is good and they are making good progress. A major focus in these classes is children's personal and social development. This continues through the school and the high levels of pastoral care result in pupils' good personal development. The support provided is appreciated by pupils and parents alike. Pupils say they feel safe and cared for well, and parents say, for example 'The school is very supportive of both children and parents'. Good systems have been started for pupils' academic support and guidance. For example, their progress is checked regularly and those in danger of falling behind are identified and supported well. Teachers have begun to set targets to help pupils improve their work but these targets are not consistent between

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Grade: 3

subjects. For example, those for writing are clearly aimed at taking pupils on to the next level, but are not always written in language that pupils can understand. The targets in mathematics are very clear to pupils, but they do not show how pupils can move up a level. Targets are not always used well by teachers, particularly when they mark pupils' work. The school has started extra activities in a range of subjects for pupils who have been identified as being gifted or talented. However, there is not often sufficiently challenging work for the most able in lessons, so these pupils do not always make the best possible progress. With the progress that the school has made recently, the drive and determination of leaders to continue this process, and the teamwork evident amongst all staff and governors, the school is well placed to continue its upward momentum. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Churchfield CofE (C) Primary School, 16 °17 October 2007

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Grade: 2

Children in the Nursery and Reception are provided with a good foundation for future learning. When children start in the Nursery, their skills and knowledge are below those expected at that age. They make good progress over the two years in the Foundation Stage, although this progress is better in the Nursery than the Reception class. By the time they start in Year 1, most have just achieved the expected learning goals. However, they are still some way behind in some areas of their literacy and numeracy. All children benefit from the caring, supportive environment and the structured learning opportunities provided. Teachers have a good understanding of the needs of these children and provide a good variety of activities to meet these needs. The leadership of the Foundation Stage is good, with good support provided for less experienced members of staff, so that children are given a good balance between adult-led and child-inspired activities.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in mathematics by ensuring that pupils are always given work that is appropriate to their abilities. ■ Ensure that the targets that are set for pupils to improve their work are consistent between subjects and that they are used well by teachers, particularly when they mark pupils' work. ■ Raise levels of challenge for more able pupils in all lessons, so that they are achieving to the best of their ability. A small proportion of the 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

From their below average starting points when they join the school, pupils make satisfactory progress and, by the time they leave, they have almost reached average standards. However, these standards are considerably better in English than in mathematics, where they have been well below average for two or three years. The school is well aware of this and a range of procedures was put in place last year to improve the situation. The effect of these was not seen in the national test results in Year 6 in 2007. However, pupils are now much closer to expected standards.

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Grade: 2

Pupils say, 'We like school because we have lots of friends and it is fun'. Staff work hard to build pupils' self-esteem and confidence. This is done well through the medium of music. All pupils have been given the chance to learn to play a musical instrument. They appreciate this and talk enthusiastically about, 'our fantastic steel band'. All pupils enjoy good relationships with classmates and adults. Pupils know about healthy and safe lifestyles. They enjoy taking part in the many opportunities for physical exercise and generally play safely. However, they are not always following a healthy lifestyle in their eating habits. For example, many lunch boxes include crisps and chocolate bars. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Churchfield CofE (C) Primary School, 16 °17 October 2007 Assemblies contribute well to pupils' good spiritual, moral and social education. However, their understanding of cultures other than their own is weak. Pupils contribute well to the running

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Grade: 2

of their school and they readily take on responsibility. The house captains have a big role in organising duties such as helping to organise lunchtimes and covering office duties. Pupils learn community responsibility through the Junior Street Warden scheme and they thoroughly enjoy planning and preparing for the Rugeley Charter Fair. All these responsibilities ensure that pupils are making a good contribution to their community and help prepare them for the world of work satisfactorily.

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Grade: 3

The behaviour policy is applied consistently and promotes an environment in which pupils can learn well. Leaders have also worked hard to improve the quality of teaching and teachers are now generally building well on pupils' previous learning. However, this is not always the case, particularly in mathematics, where pupils are not always given work appropriate to their abilities. Teaching assistants play a strong role in many classrooms, particularly when they are supporting pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. They enable these pupils to make similar progress as their classmates. Teachers use a variety of methods to interest and engage pupils, including discussions and use of interactive whiteboards. However, some of these are in their early stages of development and are not always used effectively enough. For example, a paired discussion is used when a one word answer is all that is required.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum meets the needs of most pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. However it does not cater successfully for the more able, who do not always make the progress that they should. There is an effective programme of personal, social and moral education, which starts in the Nursery and is a major reason for pupils' good personal development. A modern foreign language has been taught for a few years. Provision for extra-curricular activities is good with particularly high participation in the many sporting clubs. The school uses visits out of school and visitors to the school well to support learning. They have been particularly successful in identifying extra provision for gifted and talented young artists. The school has run successful residential programmes; pupils appreciate the opportunities to take part and become more independent. As one boy reported, 'Staying away helped me to

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Grade: 3

There is a strong commitment to care for all pupils. It is effective because all adults have a good understanding of pupils' pastoral needs and so are able to respond quickly to any concerns. Child protection procedures are secure and health and safety procedures are good. Vulnerable pupils are quickly identified and supported well and the learning mentor plays an important part in this work. Pupils' views are listened to, respected and acted upon. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Churchfield CofE (C) Primary School, 16 °17 October 2007 The school has adequate procedures for assessing pupils' academic needs but these measures are new and have not yet had time to make a real difference to pupils' progress. Teachers' marking is inconsistent across the school and little reference is made to targets or improvements that pupils could make to their work. The school provides sound support for pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities and good guidance for pupils with behavioural problems.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher and deputy headteacher have a very clear view of the strengths and weaknesses of their school, which is shared well with all staff. This has been established through thorough monitoring and self-evaluation procedures, which have involved governors and staff at all levels. The governors are particularly well involved in this process, having set up working groups for each aspect of self-evaluation. The clear view gained has led to the improvements that have been made over the last year or so, particularly in pupils' behaviour and progress. The good working partnership that has been established with parents is another example of the effectiveness of leadership and management. Good links have also been established with outside agencies. For example, the local authority has been particularly supportive in the school's drive to raise standards in mathematics. Although the school has set satisfactory targets, not

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Grade: 2

only for pupils' progress but also for the progress of the school, these are not yet sufficiently challenging, particularly for more able pupils. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Churchfield CofE (C) Primary School, 16 °17 October 2007 .

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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: Churchfield CofE (C) Primary School, 16 °17 October 2007

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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

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 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 3 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?

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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Churchfield CofE (C) Primary School, 16 °17 October 2007

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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 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: Churchfield CofE (C) Primary School, 16 °17 October 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

18 October 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Churchfield CofE (C) Primary School, Rugeley, WS15 2LB Thank you so much for welcoming Mrs Robertson and me to your school recently. We really enjoyed our time with you and particularly appreciated how polite and well behaved you are and how hard you are working. We were also delighted to hear everything that you told us about your school and how much you enjoy it. It is giving you a satisfactory education at present and is improving. We thought that these are the best things about your school:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The improvements in your behaviour and the progress that you have made over the last year.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are developing well into sensible and responsible young people.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You make a good start in the Nursery and Reception classes.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your headteacher and teachers know exactly what they need to do to make your school even better. ■ All adults look after you really well and you told us that you feel safe and secure.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We have told your school that the following things need improving:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are not doing as well in mathematics as you are in English because you are sometimes given work that is too difficult or too easy. ■ The targets you are given are not used in the same way in different subjects and teachers do not always use them well to help you improve your work, particularly when they are marking your books. ■ Some of you who find work quite easy are not given really challenging work often enough.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

I am sure you will continue to work hard and help your headteacher and teachers make your school even better. Yours faithfully John D Eadie Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Churchfield CofE (C) Primary School, 16 °17 October 2007

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Annex B

Inspection of Churchfield CofE (C) Primary School, Rugeley, WS15 2LB

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Annex B

Thank you so much for welcoming Mrs Robertson and me to your school recently. We really enjoyed our time with you and particularly appreciated how polite and well behaved you are and how hard you are working. We were also delighted to hear everything that you told us about your school and how much you enjoy it. It is giving you a satisfactory education at present and is improving.

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Annex B

We thought that these are the best things about your school:

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Annex B

• The improvements in your behaviour and the progress that you have made over the last year. • You are developing well into sensible and responsible young people. • You make a good start in the Nursery and Reception classes. • Your headteacher and teachers know exactly what they need to do to make your school even better. • All adults look after you really well and you told us that you feel safe and secure.

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Annex B

We have told your school that the following things need improving:

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Annex B

• You are not doing as well in mathematics as you are in English because you are sometimes given work that is too difficult or too easy. • The targets you are given are not used in the same way in different subjects and teachers do not always use them well to help you improve your work, particularly when they are marking your books. • Some of you who find work quite easy are not given really challenging work often enough.

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Annex B

I am sure you will continue to work hard and help your headteacher and teachers make your school even better.

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