Knightlow CofE Primary School

Knightlow CofE Primary School Inspection report

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130910 Unique Reference Number Warwickshire Local Authority 315653 Inspection number 15 April 2008 Inspection date Jane Melbourne HMI 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 184 School The governing body Appropriate authority Graham Robinson Chair Jill Vavasour Headteacher 2 February 2004 Date of previous school inspection Hill Crescent School address Stretton-on-Dunsmore Rugby CV23 9NF 02476 543751 Telephone number 02476 545801 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 15 April 2008 Inspection date 315653 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 of Her Majesty’s Inspectors. The inspection evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: • Does the school effectively involve governors and staff in its self-evaluation? • Is the quality of provision, particularly in respect of teaching and learning, consistent across the school? • Are all pupils making sufficient progress and achieving as well as they can? • Is there is a consistent approach to behaviour management across the school? Evidence was gathered from direct observations in lessons and around the school, discussions with the headteacher, members of staff, the chair of governors, pupils, and from the parental questionnaires. The school’s self-evaluation documents and related information were scrutinised and samples of pupils’ current and previous work were examined. Other aspects of the school’s work were not investigated in detail, but

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Introduction

the inspector found no evidence to suggest that the school’s own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation form, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

Knightlow C of E (VA) is an average-sized primary school. Pupils are from a range of backgrounds but represent the White European, English-speaking make-up of the locality. They enter the school with broadly average skills and understanding, although this varies each year. There is a slightly lower than average proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, but a higher than average number with statements of special educational need. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. Very few pupils leave or join the school during each academic year. The school has an Activemark award for pupils' involvement in sports and fitness.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: Knightlow CofE Primary School, 15 April 2008

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Grade: 2

Knightlow C of E (VA) is a good school. Owing to the continued commitment of the staff and governors, there is no risk of complacency. The headteacher, who has been at the school for fifteen months, has brought stability into the school and has been instrumental in bringing about many positive changes. Everyone works hard as a team to make sure the school and the standards pupils achieve keep getting better. Whilst there was a slight decline in 2006, standards rose significantly in 2007, surpassing those of previous years. School data shows that pupils are on course to meet or exceed their targets in 2008. The school ensures that 'Every Child Matters' and works effectively with a range of professionals outside the school to achieve this. As a result, pupils make particularly good progress in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and have a high level of understanding about how to lead a healthy lifestyle. Most pupils enter the Reception class with skills and knowledge

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Grade: 2

that are typical for their age, although some do not progress enough to reach local and national expectations by the end of the Reception year. Pupils all make good progress in Years 1 and 2 and by the end of Key Stage 1 are achieving standards which are above the national average. They continue to make very good progress in Years 3 to 6 so that by the end of Key Stage 2 they are achieving standards which are well above the national average. The school is beginning to track pupils' progress more thoroughly and to match guidance and support even more carefully, ensuring that every child, including those capable of attaining higher levels, achieves as well as they can. Standards of teaching are predominantly good, with some outstanding lessons, although this is not yet consistent across the school. The learning environments are stimulating. Pupils are clear about what they are going to learn and are motivated towards their individual, group and

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Grade: 2

class targets for their personal development, literacy and numeracy. In the satisfactory lessons, pupils spend too long listening before beginning to engage in active learning. Overall, the work set is usually stimulating and challenging. It is particularly exciting in the outstanding lessons, where all pupils enthusiastically participate and staff are very perceptive of the way in which pupils learn best. The provision for information and communication technology (ICT) has improved since the last inspection and the good provision for extra-curricular activities has been sustained. Academic guidance, for example, in the marking of work, is mainly of high quality and pupils know what they need to do to improve. The school has worked hard to ensure this. Attendance is slightly above the national average. The senior leadership team and governors are setting a clear direction, which is linked to the school's development plan. The monitoring of teaching and learning is becoming more rigorous,

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Grade: 2

enabling staff to clearly identify their strengths and points for development. This has also helped to identify where learning is not well enough matched to the quality of the teaching. Governors are also now beginning to take a role in this, helping to monitor achievement and standards across the school more rigorously. Plans for subject coordinators to directly monitor their different subject areas and lead their subjects forward, contributing to raising standards further, are in place. The headteacher has been very effective in rebuilding a team whose members support each other and work together very well. The majority of parents are overwhelmingly positive about the work of the school. A small number raised concerns regarding some pupils' behaviour and minor incidents of bullying. The school has already begun to address the important issue of the consistency of behaviour management across the school as a matter

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Grade: 2

of priority. A small number of parents raised concerns regarding their child's lack of progress 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Knightlow CofE Primary School, 15 April 2008 in some classes and the quality of discussion regarding this. The school is determined to ensure that all parents are satisfied with the school's communication about their children's progress by continually reviewing the ways in which it approaches this.

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Grade: 3

The provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory, with some good elements. The classroom and outdoor environments have been set up effectively for stimulating learning. Children are settled and happy, engaging in a range of activities. Teaching is at least satisfactory and staff work well together. They are beginning to track pupils' progress effectively but are not yet using this data sufficiently to help them to plan specifically to meet children's needs. Individuals and groups of children in the Foundation Stage who need more help are well supported, but sometimes the choice of activity does not ensure a learning objective is met or that children are suitably challenged. Consequently, not all children reach the early learning goals expected for their age by the end of the Reception year.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that all teaching at the school is consistently good.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Develop the roles of the subject coordinators to ensure they are leading effectively and contributing towards raising standards. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Knightlow CofE Primary School, 15 April 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. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: Knightlow CofE Primary School, 15 April 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

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?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Knightlow CofE Primary School, 15 April 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Knightlow CofE Primary School, 15 April 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

16 April 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Knightlow C of E (VA) Primary School, Stretton-on-Dunsmore, Warwickshire CV23 9NF Thank you for being so kind and helpful when I visited your school recently, including those of you who came up to me in the playground and those who volunteered to meet with me. I enjoyed talking to you about your work and what you think of your school. I agree that it is a good school. Your teachers and helpers work very hard and Mrs Vavasour does a good job in leading the school. Your classrooms and displays look lovely. On the day of the inspection, you behaved really well. This is important and you must all continue to help those children who sometimes need reminding of this. You all listened well when your teachers were talking and settled down to work quickly. This means that you are ready to learn, which is also important. You do good work and do well in your tests but I think

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

some of the younger children could do even better. I have asked your teachers to make sure that they always plan interesting and exciting things for you to do which make you think for yourselves. I loved how some of you do actions and use your bodies when you count forwards and backwards! I also thoroughly enjoyed reading Year 6's super poems on spells. You nearly all know about your own targets and those for your class. This helps you understand what you each have to do to get better. I want your teachers now to check your different lessons and what you are actually learning in them a little bit more. Yours sincerely Jane Melbourne Her Majesty's Inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Knightlow CofE Primary School, 15 April 2008

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Annex B

Inspection of Knightlow C of E (VA) Primary School, Stretton-on- Dunsmore, Warwickshire CV23 9NF

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Annex B

Thank you for being so kind and helpful when I visited your school recently, including those of you who came up to me in the playground and those who volunteered to meet with me. I enjoyed talking to you about your work and what you think of your school. I agree that it is a good school. Your teachers and helpers work very hard and Mrs Vavasour does a good job in leading the school. Your classrooms and displays look lovely.

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Annex B

On the day of the inspection, you behaved really well. This is important and you must all continue to help those children who sometimes need reminding of this. You all listened well when your teachers were talking and settled down to work quickly. This means that you are ready to learn, which is also important. You do good work and do well in your tests but I think some of the younger children could do even better. I have asked your teachers to make sure that they always plan interesting and exciting things for you to do which make you think for yourselves. I loved how some of you do actions and use your bodies when you count forwards and backwards! I also thoroughly enjoyed reading Year 6’s super poems on spells.

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Annex B

You nearly all know about your own targets and those for your class. This helps you understand what you each have to do to get better. I want your teachers now to check your different lessons and what you are actually learning in them a little bit more.

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