Turners Hill CofE Primary School

Turner's Hill CofE Primary School Inspection report

p.1

126010 Unique Reference Number West Sussex Local Authority 315393 Inspection number 12 June 2008 Inspection date Chris Grove Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Primary Type of school Voluntary controlled School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 125 School The governing body Appropriate authority Pippa Price Chair Anne Mudd Headteacher 25 May 2004 Date of previous school inspection Church Road School address Turners Hill Nr Crawley RH10 4PA 01342 715412 Telephone number 01342 715412 Fax number

p.1

4-11 Age group 12 June 2008 Inspection date 315393 Inspection number .

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

The school is situated in a village near Crawley and is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is about average. The school holds awards for Healthy Schools, Investors in Health and Eco-Schools ° Green Flag.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Turner's Hill CofE Primary School, 12 June 2008

p.3

Grade: 3

Turner's Hill Primary is a satisfactory school. The headteacher and other leaders have developed a positive ethos which is reflected in the school's inclusive atmosphere. Relationships between pupils and the teaching and support staff, and between the pupils themselves, are an important strength. Many parents are enthusiastic in their view of the school. One respondent to the parental questionnaire said that the family had moved here because 'I wanted my children to go to a small, friendly school.' Pupils' enjoyment of their education is accordingly good. The good personal development of pupils results from the good quality of pastoral care which is provided. The parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire were unanimous in the view that children felt safe and were well cared for. Older pupils, in particular, show good levels of confidence and maturity, not least in their care for younger pupils. Pupils display

p.4

Grade: 3

positive attitudes to learning, and their behaviour in classrooms and around the school is mostly good. Pupils' overall spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils' progress and achievement are satisfactory. When children enter the Reception class, their attainment is broadly that which is expected for their age. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils' standards have been below average in reading and writing, and especially in mathematics. However, results in 2008 show an improvement on the previous year in all subjects. In recent years, standards have been broadly average in English, mathematics and science at the end of Key Stage 2, and predictions anticipate similar outcomes in 2008. Although pupils' overall achievement is satisfactory, their progress across the school is not consistent, although there has been some improvement. Pupils make better progress at some points in Key Stage 2 than

p.4

Grade: 3

elsewhere in the school. An important factor in pupils' variable progress lies in the quality of teaching and learning, which is satisfactory overall but is not consistent. The best teaching builds on good planning, which includes setting appropriately challenging tasks that are well matched to the wide span of ages and the different abilities in all classes. Good challenge in the teaching and good classroom organisation, including productive use of time, then lead to good learning. However, not enough teaching has these positive characteristics, so that the pace of learning is slower, notably at Key Stage 1. The curriculum is satisfactory, but there are weaknesses in the balance between subjects, leading to uneven coverage. Care, guidance and support are satisfactory overall. Although the pastoral care of pupils is good, the academic guidance provided is only satisfactory. The school's systems to assess pupils, and the use of data to track their progress, are not sufficiently robust. As a

p.4

Grade: 3

result, the arrangements for setting individual pupil targets are not always well enough related to the next steps in their learning, and therefore do not have enough impact. Leadership and management, and governance, are satisfactory. The senior leadership has been successful in setting a clear direction in terms of pupils' personal development and their pastoral care. Activities to monitor the quality of teaching, and particularly of the curriculum, have not always had sufficient impact, leading to some weaknesses in provision. The use of challenging targets to raise standards for pupils is inadequate. For example, the statutory targets set in 2007 were not sufficiently ambitious, and hence were all considerably exceeded. The partnership with others is satisfactory, and with parents it is good. The school's capacity to improve is satisfactory. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Turner's Hill CofE Primary School, 12 June 2008

p.4

Grade: 3

Provision for pupils in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Staff have a good knowledge of their pupils because of the good induction procedures. This ensures that pupils settle well and enjoy their learning. Adults have high expectations of behaviour, provide clear routines and enable children to build strong, positive relationships. The quality of teaching and support provided by staff is satisfactory. There is a satisfactory range of planned activities within the class which support pupils' academic and personal development. The extent to which teaching promotes children's language development and their early literacy and numeracy skills is also satisfactory. The indoor area stimulates children's interest well, and provides an appropriate focus on personal development and basic skills, as well as on the wider curriculum. The outside area offers only limited opportunities and does not provide the same level of stimulation and

p.5

Grade: 3

challenge. Pupils make satisfactory progress in the Foundation Stage, and join Year 1 with standards which are average.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

■ ■ Raise pupils' attainment and improve their progress, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics at Key Stage 1. ■ Ensure that the school's monitoring and evaluation activities have greater impact on improving the quality of teaching, and on providing more balanced coverage of the curriculum. ■ Improve the rigour of the school's use of assessment and tracking information in order to ensure more effective target-setting for pupils and for the whole school. 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.

p.5

Grade: 3

At Key Stage 1, standards in mathematics in particular have been below average for several years, but are higher in 2008. In 2007, results in reading and writing were also below average, but these too have improved this year. The proportion of pupils who gain the higher Level 3 standard in reading, writing and mathematics remains below average. Boys and girls reach similar standards, except in writing, where girls' standards are higher. At Key Stage 2, although overall standards are broadly average, an above average proportion of pupils attained the higher Level 5 standard in English and mathematics in 2007. Girls scored higher than boys in these subjects, but in science, boys' scores were higher. All pupils made average progress in English, as did the great majority of pupils in mathematics. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, of which those with specific learning difficulties constitute the highest proportion,

p.5

Grade: 2

Pupils' moral and social development is good, and is demonstrated in their mature attitudes and sense of responsibility for others and for the environment. Cultural development is well supported by pupils' work in art and music where they develop creativity well. However, spiritual 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Turner's Hill CofE Primary School, 12 June 2008 awareness is less well developed, because of limited opportunities for reflection, including consideration of Christian values. Pupils feel safe at school, and know how to ensure their own safety. They have a good understanding about healthy lifestyles, resulting from participation in physical education activities and from experiences such as growing their own vegetables and rearing chickens. For instance, young children can explain why it is important to eat fruit. Pupils welcome newcomers, and help them settle quickly. They make good contributions, especially

p.5

Grade: 2

through the school council. Pupils take their wide range of responsibilities seriously, for instance to monitor the amount of energy generated by the wind turbine, as part of their outdoor education. Pupils' satisfactory skills in literacy and numeracy equip them soundly for future economic well-being. Although pupils enjoy school, this is not fully reflected in their levels of attendance, which are below average.

p.6

Grade: 3

Pupils make good progress where teachers set high expectations for their work and make good use of time. A Year 5/Year 6 lesson about multiplying decimals provided a good instance of such effective teaching. However, there are also occasions when pupils spend too much time listening, or do not have enough opportunity to develop their understanding, for example by answering questions, or enough time to undertake sufficiently challenging learning tasks. In these circumstances, they make only satisfactory progress. Teaching assistants work well with groups of pupils, but do not always have a positive role during whole-class work. Teachers' marking of pupils' work does not sufficiently indicate the next steps in their learning.

p.6

Grade: 3

Satisfactory provision is made for English and information and communication technology. Provision for mathematics has improved because the scheme that has been adopted helps pupils to make better progress. The strong focus on art, physical education and environmental education supports pupils' personal development well. However, coverage of the curriculum is uneven. Subjects such as history and geography, for instance, receive less attention. The provision to support pupils with special educational needs through individual education plans and the teaching assistants is satisfactory. At Key Stage 2, Spanish has been introduced, and is taught by a specialist teacher. There is satisfactory enhancement of the curriculum through visits, visitors and clubs.

p.6

Grade: 3

The staff and governors take effective steps to ensure that pupils are safe. Staff are regularly trained in child protection procedures. Health and safety requirements are met, and rigorous risk assessments are conducted. There has been no exclusion of pupils. There are good links with the on-site nursery, which ensure an easy transition for children into the Reception class. However, the arrangements for target-setting are not sufficiently consistent or robust, with the result that pupils do not understand well enough the next steps in their learning or what they need to do to improve their work. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Turner's Hill CofE Primary School, 12 June 2008

p.6

Grade: 3

Checking activities are undertaken by school staff, but until recently they have not focused well enough on pupils' standards and progress, especially at Key Stage 1, or on the balance of time given to different subjects in the curriculum. The new mathematics coordinator has had a positive impact. She has accurately diagnosed the causes of weaknesses in pupils' outcomes in this subject. Subsequent action is leading to an improvement in standards. The school's self-evaluation is satisfactory overall. However, data is not used sufficiently well to inform the school's monitoring. Governors fulfil their legal responsibilities. They show a good understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses, but their role as a 'critical friend' is not yet well developed. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Turner's Hill CofE Primary School, 12 June 2008 .

p.7

Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Turner's Hill CofE Primary School, 12 June 2008

p.8

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

learners?

3 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

p.9

and interests of learners?

3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.9

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: Turner's Hill CofE Primary School, 12 June 2008

p.9

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 4 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Turner's Hill CofE Primary School, 12 June 2008

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

16 June 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Turner's Hill C of E Primary School, Crawley RH10 4PA We would like to thank all of you, and your teachers, for your help during the inspection. We enjoyed seeing you in your classrooms and talking to you at playtimes and lunchtimes. Turner's Hill Primary is a satisfactory school and a happy place for children. One of your parents wrote that she chose Turner's Hill because she wanted her children to go to a small, friendly school. There are plenty of positive things about your school. These are the most important ones:

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your school has a happy atmosphere about it.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You enjoy school, and your behaviour in lessons and at playtimes is good.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have very good relationships with each other, and with the teachers and other adults. They take good care of you. ■ Your personal development is good.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are making satisfactory progress in your learning.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The teaching in your school is satisfactory, and sometimes good.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your mums and dads are pleased with the school.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your school has good relationships with your parents.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Your headteacher and other leaders have worked hard to improve your school, but some other things need to be better. The school needs to:

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ raise your standards and improve your progress, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics at Key Stage 1, so that you achieve better; ■ make sure that the checking-up that your school leaders do leads to better teaching and an improved curriculum for you; ■ make better use of information about how well you are doing to set better targets for you, and also for the whole school. You can help too by continuing to work hard and taking advantage of the improvements, which your teachers will be making. We really enjoyed our time in your school. We wish you every success in the future. Chris Grove Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Turner's Hill CofE Primary School, 12 June 2008

p.11