Lake View Primary and Nursery School

Lake View Primary and Nursery School Inspection report

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122674 Unique Reference Number Nottinghamshire Local Authority 319518 Inspection number 17 °18 June 2008 Inspection dates Roy Bowers 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 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 231 School The governing body Appropriate authority Dr Jackie Moulton Chair Mr Dennis Hoult Headteacher 24 April 2007 Date of previous school inspection Rainworth Water Road School address Rainworth Mansfield Nottinghamshire NG21 0DU 01623 401404 Telephone number 01623 401406 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 17 °18 June 2008 Inspection dates 319518 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 and one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

The school is average in size and serves local pupils nearly all of whom are of White British backgrounds. No pupils have English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is average. Attainment on entry to the Nursery is below that expected for children of this age and is well below in the skills of communication, language and literacy. The proportion of pupils who have additional learning needs is above average and currently, there is one pupil with a statement of special need. The school has gained the awards of Investors in People, FA Charter Mark, Healthy Schools Gold, Active Mark and Eco School Silver in recognition of its achievements in these areas.

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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: Lake View Primary and Nursery School, 17 °18 June 2008

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Grade: 3

In accordance with section 13 (5) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement. The school provides a satisfactory standard of education. It has an accurate view of its strengths and weaknesses and knows what to do to improve. Parents say that their children enjoy school and this is reflected in pupils' positive attitudes to learning and the good relationships between teachers and pupils. The school has consistently given high priority to pupils' personal, social and emotional development, and provides good pastoral care and support. Consequently, pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Pupils behave well, take good care of each other and respect their teachers and friends. Although there is some inconsistency between year groups, standards are broadly average and are beginning to improve after a period of decline. At the time of the last inspection, standards

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Grade: 3

in English were exceptionally low and pupils' progress was unsatisfactory. Over the past year, the school has successfully implemented a number of initiatives to raise pupils' achievement, especially in writing. Currently, pupils are making satisfactory progress in all subjects. Although there are some instances of good teaching, there is not enough to raise achievement further. Learning is good when work is well matched to the needs of all pupils. However, in some classes, assessment information is not used well enough to ensure that the work challenges all pupils, especially the more able. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils understand clear moral and social codes, and older pupils respond well to the opportunities given to support the younger ones. Pupils elected onto the school council speak proudly of the school's contribution to recycling and environmental issues. These positive social attitudes, together with their

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Grade: 3

achievement in lessons, give pupils a satisfactory grounding for their future learning. The curriculum offers a good range of experiences, after school activities, visits and visitors. However, the curriculum is only satisfactory because some of the work given to pupils does not provide enough challenge. Pupils show a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe and know how to maintain good health through correct eating habits and exercise. Although attendance is slightly below average, the school is doing all it can to ensure that pupils come to school regularly. In the Nursery and Reception classes, are planned to address all the areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum. However, the outdoor areas are not used well enough to support children's learning. The academic guidance pupils receive is satisfactory. Most pupils know their targets and say that they help them to improve. In some classes, learning in lessons and marking of pupils'

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Grade: 3

work are clearly linked to pupils' targets. However, this good practice is not secure in all classes and consequently some pupils do not make the progress they could. Changes to the leadership team and a renewed emphasis on improving standards and achievement have provided a fresh impetus to the school. Information on pupils' progress is beginning to be used to hold teachers to account for the achievement of pupils in their care. However, all leaders are aware that this information is not yet used carefully enough to monitor progress made by classes and groups of pupils over time. Through their visits, lesson observations and analysis of data, governors have an increasing knowledge of the school and are now providing a good level of challenge to the headteacher and senior staff. Although leadership at all levels has improved, it has yet to have a significant impact on standards and achievement. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Lake View Primary and Nursery School, 17 °18 June 2008

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Grade: 3

Consequently, leadership and management remain only satisfactory. Improvements since the last inspection, capacity to improve further and value for money are all satisfactory.

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Grade: 3

From their low starting points, children make satisfactory progress, but many do not achieve the expected goals by the end of the Reception year. Children often make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development because of the positive relationships they develop with adults and other children. They grow into confident individuals as they learn to play and work together. Improved teaching of letters and sounds is helping children become more confident writers. Teachers and teaching assistants work closely together to plan a curriculum that children find interesting and which helps them to develop independence. However, the outdoor areas are not used well enough to enrich children's learning in all areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards and achievement in English, mathematics and science by ensuring that work is closely matched to the needs of all pupils, especially the more able. ■ Ensure that leaders at all levels use the information on pupils' achievement more carefully to monitor the progress made by all classes and groups of pupils as they move through the school. ■ Improve the use made of the outdoor areas to support children's learning in all areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum. A small proportion of schools whose overall effectiveness is judged to be 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

The 2008 end of Key Stage 2 test results have not yet been received, but the 2007 results showed that standards had declined from broadly average in 2005 to below average in 2007. Standards in 2007 were low in science and exceptionally low in English, with very few pupils reaching the expected levels in writing. Pupils' progress in Key Stage 2 was below average in all subjects. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2007 showed a similar decline overall. Currently, the inspection evidence shows that the decline in standards over recent years has been halted and achievement is improving in all subjects. Achievement is now broadly average in nearly all year groups and pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the school. Pupils who find learning difficult also make satisfactory progress and some achieve well. However, the proportions of pupils who reach the higher levels in all year groups remain too low.

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Grade: 2

Pupils pay close attention to their teachers, they appreciate the help and support they receive and work hard to achieve individual targets. They know adults in the school care about them and are confident someone will listen if a problem arises. Pupils have particularly well developed social skills and a keen sense of right and wrong. They care about each other and the world in 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Lake View Primary and Nursery School, 17 °18 June 2008 which they live. Through their charity work, pupils have a good understanding of the lives of people who are less fortunate than themselves. They are enthusiastic about the school's re-cycling schemes and energy generating turbine, and are proud of their contribution to environmental issues.

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Grade: 3

Teachers enjoy good relationships with their pupils and this promotes a positive attitude to learning. Throughout the school, teachers manage pupils' behaviour well which leads to calm, orderly classes. In the best lessons, work is well matched to the needs of all the pupils and meaningful activities are taught at a brisk pace. For example, Year 2 pupils practice counting, organising data and recording evidence to help the school purchase the precise number of counting cubes. However, this good teaching is not consistent and, in less successful lessons, pace is often slow and pupils' work is not sufficiently challenging, especially for the more able. In many lessons, teaching assistants are deployed well to support pupils who find learning difficult. However, in some lessons, their time is not managed effectively.

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Grade: 3

Improved curriculum planning ensures pupils receive an appropriate balance of learning experiences in all subjects. The schools' emphasis on improving pupils' literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology (ICT) skills is supported through opportunities to use these skills in other subjects. For example, whilst investigating the impact of the proposed closure of their local swimming pool, pupils in Year 3 recorded interviews and wrote letters and e-mails to their local newspaper and Member of Parliament. However, the curriculum is not consistently well matched to pupils' ability and more able pupils are often not challenged well enough. The school makes good use of professional coaches to develop pupils' sports skills and encourage them to keep healthy through exercise.

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Grade: 3

Arrangements for keeping children safe are thorough and implemented consistently. The school works well with other schools and outside agencies to provide pupils with a good level of personal support. Links with the local secondary school are particularly strong and enable pupils to feel confident about the move to the next stage of their education. Pupils who find learning a particular challenge are identified early and support is provided for them in lessons or small groups. Robust systems are in place to encourage attendance and punctuality. Teachers' marking of pupils' work is sometimes well matched to pupils' targets and provides clear guidance on how to improve. However, this is inconsistent and marking in some classes provides little support for pupils' academic progress. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Lake View Primary and Nursery School, 17 °18 June 2008

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Grade: 3

Since the last inspection, the responsibilities of all leaders have been redefined, with a much greater emphasis now placed on improving standards and achievement. Senior leaders are becoming actively involved in checking the progress made by pupils and monitoring areas for improvement. Consequently, they know the school well and understand what needs to be improved. Procedures for tracking pupils' progress provide leaders with adequate information to monitor achievements of pupils. However, the information is not used well enough to analyse the progress of classes and groups of pupils as they move from year to year. Governors now have a good understanding of how to interpret the information on pupils' progress. They know the school well and are effective in providing challenge to the school for improving standards and achievement. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Lake View Primary and Nursery School, 17 °18 June 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: Lake View Primary and Nursery School, 17 °18 June 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 3 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 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 3 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: Lake View Primary and Nursery School, 17 °18 June 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 3 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: Lake View Primary and Nursery School, 17 °18 June 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

19 June 2008 Dear Children Inspection of Lake View Primary and Nursery, Rainworth, NG21 0DU Thank you for making our recent visit to your school such a pleasant experience. We enjoyed visiting your lessons, looking at your books, and talking with you and some of your parents. We were very impressed with your attitudes and behaviour. You are polite, well mannered and get on well together. The teachers and other adults care for you well. They are very kind and helpful, and want you all to be safe, healthy and happy. We were pleased to find that the school has improved since the last inspection. Most of you are making satisfactory progress in your literacy, numeracy and science. However, some of you, especially those who are already doing well could do even better. I have asked the headteacher to ensure that the work you are set is matched very carefully to what you have already learned so that you can make even better progress.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Some more experienced teachers take on extra responsibilities in the school. I have asked them to look very carefully and regularly at the progress you make and ensure that the teachers help you if you are falling behind with your work. Those of you in the Foundation Stage are lucky to have such lovely outdoor areas. I have asked the headteacher to make sure that you use them even more to help your learning. We shall take away many good memories of your happy school and have very much enjoyed the time we have spent with you. Thank you again for being so helpful and friendly. Yours sincerely Roy Bowers Her Majesty's Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Lake View Primary and Nursery School, 17 °18 June 2008

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