Grundisburgh Primary School

Grundisburgh Primary School Inspection report

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124584 Unique Reference Number Suffolk Local Authority 314972 Inspection number 25 November 2008 Inspection date Ian Jones Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 115 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Rev Clare Sanders Chair Mrs Rosemary Scott Headteacher 29 November 2004 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Alice Driver Road School address Grundisburgh Woodbridge IP13 6XH 01473 735281 Telephone number 01473 735126 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 25 November 2008 Inspection date 314972 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. 2 of 10 Inspection Report: Grundisburgh Primary School, 25 November 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors. Inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: achievement and standards; behaviour; safeguarding procedures; the quality of academic guidance and how well leadership impacts on school improvement. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but inspectors 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. Observations of lessons and pupils' work, discussions with the headteacher, governors and pupils, the parental questionnaires and school self-evaluation documents provided inspection evidence.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average sized primary school serving the village of Grundisburgh and surrounding villages. Attainment on entry varies from year to year due to the small numbers involved, but is generally a little above that normally expected for children of their age. The proportion of pupils claiming a free school meal is below average. Children start school in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in the term following their fourth birthday. The proportion of pupils identified with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including those with a statement of special educational needs, is average. Identified learning difficulties include speech and language, social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The number of pupils coming from minority ethnic backgrounds is less than in most schools and no pupils are at the early stages of learning English. The school has achieved the Active Sports Mark for its effective delivery

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Description of the school

of the National Sports Strategy. The school has close links with a separately run pre-school setting situated adjacent to the school.

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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: Grundisburgh Primary School, 25 November 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. It has moved forward at a rapid pace in the last year, under the clear direction of the headteacher. She has made significant improvements since her appointment in 2007, successfully raising the standard of behaviour to a good level, improving the quality of teaching and learning to be consistently good and engaging with parents to restore their confidence in the work of the school. Prior to her appointment, the school had suffered a period of significant turbulence including a large budgetary shortfall and significant changes to the senior leadership. She has swiftly and successfully taken action to address these problems. Under her careful guidance, and with the full support of all those concerned with the school, the rate of progress made by pupils has improved and is now consistently good. Pupils' attitudes to learning have improved significantly since the previous inspection. Adults support pupils'

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Grade: 2

good personal development well and there is a good focus on making learning enjoyable. Teachers plan exciting activities that bring subjects alive. This means that pupils thoroughly enjoy school and arrive each day with smiling faces. Good teaching means that pupils' achievement is good. Teachers are hard working and enthusiastic. They manage pupils' behaviour well and make good use of resources such as interactive whiteboards to teach new skills. A wide range of visits and visitors enhance the good curriculum and contribute extremely well to pupils' outstanding enjoyment of school. For example, pupils talked excitedly about their Ugandan visitors as part of the recent Africa Week, and older pupils eagerly anticipate their annual residential visit to France. In the EYFS, differing needs are met well ensuring that children make good progress and this means that standards are above average by the start of Year 1. Although there is some variation from year to year,

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Grade: 2

pupils reach standards that, by Year 6, are currently well above average, reflecting good progress from their starting points for most pupils, including those who need additional support or who find learning more difficult. Pupils make the best progress in science and mathematics because they get many opportunities to investigate and explore in practical ways with work that is well matched to their learning needs. Progress in English, although good overall, is more variable, particularly in reading. The school has recognised this and brought about improvements by raising the consistency and quality of teaching to good levels and by provision of better resources to support learning. Music is a significant strength of the school, and pupils of all ages thoroughly enjoy the many opportunities provided to practice their skills. The quality of care, guidance and support is good. All adults in the school give the pupils'

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Grade: 2

pastoral support the highest priority and do this well. Appropriate safeguarding and child protection procedures are in place and meet current legislative requirements. Although the standard of academic guidance supports good progress overall, marking is not well developed in all subjects and not always linked to pupils' personal targets or learning objectives. As a result, pupils are not always clear about what they should do to improve. The introduction of nurture groups is particularly effective in caring for pupils' pastoral needs. Pupils enjoy harmonious relationships with each other and with adults. As one pupil said, 'At Grundisburgh we all get on well together.' Pupils are polite and courteous and generally behave well. They are enthusiastic in lessons and work hard. Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe and healthy, and they keenly take responsibility outside lessons by taking on roles

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Grade: 2

such as play leader or monitors. In the best lessons, pupils' independence is developed well because they get ample opportunities to think for themselves, to reflect on their work and to try out their own ideas. The curriculum is well planned and organised. It supports the good 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Grundisburgh Primary School, 25 November 2008 progress made by learners and governors and staff are working hard to develop the school environment, such as in the creation of a pond to support environmental studies. Pupils make a good contribution to the community by raising funds for charities, through the strong links with the church and through the hard working school council. This gives pupils a good voice and contributes well to school development. Playground helpers carry out their roles conscientiously and help to make playtimes a calm time when pupils of different ages play together happily. Activities such as these, as well as their generally good confidence and

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Grade: 2

self-esteem, ensure that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education and later life. The school has rightly been focusing on teaching pupils about their place in the wider world and this has ensured that its contribution to community cohesion is good. Pupils take a good part in local events and have a good knowledge of life in multicultural Britain. Leadership and management are good, reflecting the good progress made. The well-respected headteacher is doing the right things to improve the school. Her commitment to ensuring that pupils are happy at school is reflected in all aspects of its work. The school has shown in the way that it has raised standards and made improvements since the last inspection that there is a good capacity to improve further. The recent emphasis on personal learning targets in English and mathematics is helping pupils to gain a better insight of how to improve their work,

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Grade: 2

but this practice is not embedded in all subjects. Teachers are making sharper use of information about how well pupils are doing to help plan appropriate and challenging activities although there is room for further refinement to provide even better support for the wide range of ability levels in each class. The school has good systems for evaluating its effectiveness. It has improved considerably following a difficult period and leaders and managers at all levels are committed to raising standards further. Governors are supportive and have developed their own monitoring systems to effectively challenge the school and make it accountable. There is a strong partnership between home and school and good links with outside agencies. Parents hold the school in high regard and make a significant contribution to its work by raising funds and helping their children at home. Parents typically say of the school that 'Grundisburgh offers excellent teaching

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Grade: 2

and pastoral care. The dedication and enthusiasm of the staff motivates the children in a wide range of educational topics,' and 'My child has made great progress this year. She brings creativity and enthusiasm from lessons to home where she is eager to continue learning thanks to the motivation of her teacher.' Comments such as these successfully capture the main strengths of this good school.

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Grade: 2

Children enter the EYFS in the term following their fourth birthday, and so some are in the Reception class for only one or two terms. Despite this, skilled teaching, combined with sensitive care, ensures that most children make good progress and reach above average standards by the time they enter Year 1. This provides a secure basis for children's social and emotional development, and they are confident, friendly and enthusiastic learners. The EYFS team works very well together to plan an interesting range of activities that cover all areas of learning. Leadership and management of this key stage are good, and good induction arrangements prepare children well for their first days in school. There is a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities, and children enjoy learning through 'hands on', practical activities. However, children are not always encouraged to move freely between indoor activities and the

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Grade: 2

5 of 10 Inspection Report: Grundisburgh Primary School, 25 November 2008 outdoor learning area. This means that some exciting learning opportunities are missed. Plans to address this are already in hand.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Use the increasingly good standard of tracking information to more precisely support learning for all pupils. ■ Improve marking to more closely link it to specific lesson objectives and to the personal learning targets of pupils. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Grundisburgh Primary School, 25 November 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: Grundisburgh Primary School, 25 November 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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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 capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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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/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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: Grundisburgh Primary School, 25 November 2008

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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 1 The extent to which 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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: Grundisburgh Primary School, 25 November 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

26 November 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Grundisburgh Primary School, Grundisburgh, IP13 6XH Thank you for helping me to find out about your school. I enjoyed watching lessons and talking to some of you. You attend a happy and friendly school. Good things about your school include the fact that:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you really enjoy school and all the exciting activities your teachers plan for you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ there is a good partnership in place between the school and your parents

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you concentrate and behave well in lessons

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the school leaders have good ideas about ways to improve the school

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ teaching is good and the teachers work hard to make lessons interesting

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ staff care for you really well and listen to you thoughtfully.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

I have asked your school to look at how they can make things even better. The most important things are to:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ use information about how well you are doing to help you make even better progress

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ improve marking to help you to understand more clearly how well you are doing and what you need to do next ■ ensure the youngest children can move freely between indoors and outdoors so they do not miss exciting activities. Keep working hard to meet your targets and enjoy all the things you are learning at school. Yours sincerely Ian Jones Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Grundisburgh Primary School, 25 November 2008

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