Cambridge Primary School

Cambridge Primary School Inspection report

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134117 Unique Reference Number Cumbria Local Authority 316240 Inspection number 13–14 November 2008 Inspection dates Andrew Saunders 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 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 222 School (total) 35 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 Mrs Susan Benson Chair Mrs Linda Dean Headteacher 1 June 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Cambridge Street School address Barrow-in-Furness Cumbria LA13 9RP 01229 894625 Telephone number 01229 894619 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 13–14 November 2008 Inspection dates 316240 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 11 Inspection Report: Cambridge Primary School, 13–14 November 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an average sized primary school located in the town of Barrow-in-Furness. There is Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provision in the Nursery and Reception classes. There is a high proportion of girls in some year groups, although this is variable. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well above average. There are very few pupils from minority ethnic groups or with English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is very high, and in some year groups is extremely high. The school has the Activemark, the Healthy Schools award, the Eco-schools bronze award and is recognised as a ‘Change School’ in the Creative Partnerships scheme.

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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: Cambridge Primary School, 13–14 November 2008

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school where many pupils are helped to overcome significant barriers to learning. The personal development of pupils is good, because of the strong pastoral support they receive from staff who care about them a great deal. Pupils enjoy celebrating their own and each others’ success, because of the way they are encouraged by the staff. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Children enter the EYFS with capabilities well below the level typically expected for their age and make good progress throughout Nursery and Reception, although most do not reach all the goals set for children of that age. The rate of progress is satisfactory in Key Stages 1 and 2. Results in Key Stage 2 national tests have been below average in recent years. Standards are strongly influenced by the very high proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities in some year groups. Work scrutiny shows an improving

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Grade: 3

picture, albeit lower in English, particularly writing, than in mathematics and science. Pupils who find learning more difficult are suitably supported by the school and make satisfactory progress. Pupils are friendly and chat confidently to adults. They enjoy using the grounds and resources outside of lessons. Most pupils enjoy learning, behave well and are happy to come to school. However, the quality of teaching and learning is inconsistent and, in some lessons, pupils are not sufficiently encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning. They are caring and like taking on responsibilities. They know how to stay healthy and keep themselves safe. While there are a few pupils who do not always find it easy to behave appropriately, the school manages any challenging behaviour very well. Most parents feel that the school takes good care of their children and that the teachers have a great knowledge of and interest in the pupils

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Grade: 3

in their care. As one parent said, ‘I have total confidence in the staff to provide my child with the right environment for their development.’ Another parent wrote, ‘Children look forward to exciting events that parents are well informed about.’ The academic support and guidance pupils receive are satisfactory. Pupils do not always have opportunities to respond to marking so that they can improve their work, and this slows their progress. The curriculum is satisfactory with good enrichment. The new approach to planning work around topics, such as a visit to some woodlands, is providing enjoyable and stimulating lessons. This helps pupils to see the relevance of their learning. Good links with other schools help to ensure a smooth transition to the next stage of their education. Senior leaders have developed effective systems to encourage good behaviour. The school has established a good range of partnerships outside the school that benefit learners, such as

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Grade: 3

businesses, churches and representatives of other faiths. Governors are supportive and help the school to tackle some of the difficult issues it faces. The track record of improvement, including the development of mathematical thinking, the improvement of behaviour and attendance, and the more effective use of systems to track pupils’ progress, indicates a satisfactory capacity to improve further.

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Grade: 2

Provision in the EYFS is good. Attainment on entry to the Nursery is generally well below typically expected levels. Children achieve well and, by the time they start in Year 1, they have made good progress, particularly in communication, language and literacy and personal 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Cambridge Primary School, 13–14 November 2008 development, although most do not reach the goals expected for their age. Teaching is good and activities are well planned to develop their interests and skills and help them enjoy learning; they are well cared for. There is a good focus on personal development and well-being so that children work happily alongside each other and grow in confidence and independence. Children learn to take turns and accept responsibility when using equipment and resources in the happy, stimulating environment, both indoors and out. This is enhanced by the good balance between

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Grade: 2

teacher-directed and child-initiated activities, and by the very warm relationships between children and staff. Rigorous assessment procedures enable teachers to keep a careful track of individual progress and provide tasks which challenge each child at the appropriate levels of difficulty. There are close links with parents and children’s wider welfare is promoted well. Staff work closely with Key Stage 1 staff to enhance the continuity of learning. Leadership and management are good.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure pupils are provided with opportunities to respond to marking so that they maximise their learning. ■ Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better, particularly with regard to helping pupils work independently.

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Grade: 3

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Standards are below average. Children enter Year 1 with skills and knowledge below those expected for their age. In Key Stage 1, progress is satisfactory. In 2008, pupils improved on the previous year in all areas, to reach standards which were broadly average in writing and mathematics. In the 2007 Year 6 national tests in English, mathematics and science, results were below average overall and particularly so in writing. Provisional results for 2008 are similar. However, this represents satisfactory achievement for both groups of pupils, given the large number of pupils with learning difficulties. Compared to similar groups of pupils, they made satisfactory progress. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the very few with English as an additional language make similar progress to their peers because of the focused support they receive.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well-being, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are good. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep fit and stay healthy, as evidenced by the school’s Activemark and Healthy Schools awards. They say that they feel safe and well cared for, and are confident to approach an adult should they have any problems. Most pupils enjoy coming to school. They have positive attitudes to learning and behaviour is generally good. A minority of pupils display challenging behaviour, but this is managed well. Pupils have many opportunities to accept responsibility and help with the smooth running of the school, for example, through the eco and creative councils. Attendance is good and pupils make a good contribution to the local and wider communities. They contribute to local events and a wide range of charities. Pupils acquire a good range of life skills, which together with their satisfactory

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Grade: 2

progress in literacy and numeracy skills, prepares them appropriately for the next stage in their education. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Cambridge Primary School, 13–14 November 2008

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Grade: 3

Teaching is satisfactory and sometimes good but learning is satisfactory at present, as learners are not yet sufficiently independent to make the most of their opportunities. The school’s tracking system has been refined and is helping to ensure that work is matched more accurately to pupils’ widely varying needs. Teaching in the best lessons is brisk, lively and confident; in other lessons, the pace is not always maintained. Marking is consistently positive across the school, but is not yet being used effectively to help children to reflect on how they can improve. Teaching assistants support groups effectively although the challenge for more able pupils is not as well planned as that for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school is using new target setting strategies to set specific learning goals for individual pupils so as to enable them to manage their own learning better. This new initiative has not yet had sufficient

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Grade: 3

time to show that it is effective in raising standards.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. Enrichment is good, helped by a wide range of visits, visitors and extra-curricular activities. For example, when pupils visit the fire station, enjoy an army day visit or work alongside authors and musicians, their horizons are widened and learning is extended. Pupils learn French and develop their awareness of how to live alongside others when they go on residential visits. There are increasing opportunities to use the skills developed through literacy, numeracy and information and communications technology (ICT). The creative approach to curriculum planning also helps to extend learning and give it purpose and relevance. Recent curricular initiatives are starting to have a positive impact on the quality of writing. A good programme of personal, social and health education gives pupils a good understanding of how to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory overall. Pastoral care is good. This is a very caring school and parents appreciate the care provided for their children. Each pupil is valued and the school is very supportive of pupils and families who may be experiencing difficulties at home. Good relationships in school contribute well to pupils’ personal development and progress. There is good support for vulnerable pupils. This is enhanced by strong links with outside agencies and other schools, so that these pupils progress at the same rate as their peers. The school does all that it can to ensure that pupils are safeguarded, and systems meet current statutory requirements. There are satisfactory systems for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress in order to set challenging targets for improvement. However, pupils are not consistently encouraged to respond to the marking of work in order to accelerate the rate of progress.

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Grade: 3

Consequently, academic guidance is satisfactory rather than good. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Cambridge Primary School, 13–14 November 2008

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher has been rigorous in identifying and tackling the most appropriate issues to help pupils reach higher standards, including overcoming some difficult barriers to learning. Following analysis of data, the school has taken on board strategies to raise standards in writing, but it is too early to be certain of the impact of these. Senior and middle managers are developing their roles and becoming effective in helping bring about improvements. They are extending their skills towards playing a greater role in monitoring and improving teaching and learning. The governing body fulfils its statutory requirements and governance is satisfactory. Governors appreciate being well informed by the headteacher and they are starting to provide more challenge alongside their loyal support, with a clear intention of raising standards further. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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Grade: 3

The impact of provision to promote community cohesion is satisfactory overall, although stronger within the local communities. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Cambridge Primary School, 13–14 November 2008 .

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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: Cambridge Primary School, 13–14 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? 3 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

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/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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Cambridge Primary School, 13–14 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 2 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? 3 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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Cambridge Primary School, 13–14 November 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

17 November 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Cambridge Primary School, Cumbria, LA13 9RP Thank you for the warm welcome you gave the inspectors when we visited your school. We enjoyed chatting to so many of you and looking at the work you are doing. Your school provides you with a satisfactory standard of education. This means that it does some things well, but that there are also some things it could do better. The good things include the start you have in Nursery and Reception. In addition, the school looks after you well and helps you to grow into confident young people. There are some exciting parts to your curriculum. Most of you work hard in lessons and enjoy the work you are given. Your progress is satisfactory. Almost all of you behave well at school; the few of you who find this more difficult are helped by the teachers and the other children to improve your behaviour. Your teachers are helping

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

many of you to make the progress you should in lessons. However, to help you do even better, we have asked the school to do the following things:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Help you to do better in your writing. You can also help by using all the ideas your teachers give you, to do the best writing you can. ■ Offer you the chance to respond to the marking and comments the teachers give you, so that you can improve your work. ■ Make sure that all of the teaching is as good as it can possibly be, to help you reach higher standards. I hope that you continue to enjoy learning and keep working together to help make your school the best it can be. Yours sincerely Andrew Saunders Lead inspector (on behalf of the team) 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Cambridge Primary School, 13–14 November 2008

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