Thorngumbald Primary School

Thorngumbald Primary School Inspection report

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135077 Unique Reference Number East Riding of Yorkshire Local Authority 319609 Inspection number 16–17 October 2008 Inspection dates Kathryn Dodd 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 250 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 Mrs Linda Sharp Chair Ms Julie Ellis Headteacher Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Plumtree Road School address Thorngumbald East Riding of Yorkshire HU12 9QQ 01964 623 402 Telephone number 01964 626 645 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 16–17 October 2008 Inspection dates 319609 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: Thorngumbald Primary School, 16–17 October 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Almost all the pupils at this larger than average sized village school are from White British family backgrounds. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average, as is the proportion entitled to free school meals. The school opened in September 2007, following the amalgamation of Thorngumbald Infant School and Thorngumbald Junior School. The headteacher has been in post since January 2008. The school makes provision in its Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) for Reception aged children. The school has recently been accredited with the Investors in People and Healthy Schools Awards.

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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: Thorngumbald Primary School, 16–17 October 2008

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Grade: 3

Thorngumbald Primary is a satisfactory school providing satisfactory value for money. It has some good features, such as pupils’ good personal development, the quality of pastoral care and the wealth of activities that enrich pupils’ learning. In this happy, friendly, safe and welcoming setting, pupils behave well, have good attitudes to learning and speak knowledgeably about how to keep healthy. Pupils are especially keen to contribute positively towards their school and local community. These personal qualities provide a positive platform upon which to improve their academic achievement, and prepare them to become responsible citizens of tomorrow. Most parents are pleased with the school. They particularly appreciate the quality of communication and close partnership between home and school. Many say that their initial doubts about the amalgamation of the two schools have been put to rest. Learning gets off to a successful start in the EYFS, where children make good progress. As a

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Grade: 3

result of teaching and learning and a curriculum that are satisfactory, pupils between Years 1 and 6 make satisfactory progress. No nationally published data to confirm the standards reached in national tests and teacher assessments is currently available. Inspection evidence indicates, however, that pupils are reaching standards by Year 6 that are typical for their age. In English, standards in reading are higher than they are in writing. Although a clear plan to bridge this gap has recently been devised in Years 1 and 2, this is yet to extend to Years 3 to 6. As a result, progress has yet to show signs of accelerating. Although there are examples of good teaching and learning, the quality of teaching across the school is variable and, consequently, learning is uneven. As a new school, procedures for collecting information from assessing pupils are still developing. Pupils are making the quickest

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Grade: 3

learning gains where teachers are already using this information to provide work that challenges them to achieve well, especially the more able pupils. These good practices are not used consistently well in all classes and, as a result, learning is satisfactory. Leadership and management, including governance, are satisfactory. Relentless efforts in recent times, particularly by the headteacher, have steered the school successfully through the many challenges that the amalgamation initially presented. Consequently, the school runs smoothly from day-to-day. Pupils work in a setting that is conducive to learning, and the school plays a very active role in the community. However, leaders, managers and governors, many of whom are new to their posts, have an over generous view of the school’s effectiveness. This is because they are still developing the skills necessary to find out how quickly pupils are progressing, for

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Grade: 3

checking the quality of provision, and finding out whether the quality of provision is good enough in all classes. Nevertheless, there is a sensible and realistic view of the way forward and a strong determination amongst staff to rise to the remaining challenges. The capacity to improve is satisfactory.

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Grade: 2

When children join the Reception class, their skills are broadly typical for their age. The warm and caring relationships between adults and children, along with the bright and lively learning environment, ensure that they quickly develop a sense that learning is fun. As a result of good teaching and learning and an effective curriculum, children make good progress. By the time they start Year 1, most are working beyond the levels expected nationally for this age. Teachers 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Thorngumbald Primary School, 16–17 October 2008 and support staff, from both Reception classes, work together closely. This helps to provide effective continuous support through the many activities on offer. Staff record carefully children’s small steps in their learning and plan future activities based on this knowledge. Consequently, learning builds effectively on what children can already do. Children’s personal,

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Grade: 2

social and emotional development is notable. Adults make the most of every opportunity to help children to get along well together, to talk about learning with one another and with adults and to develop independence. Consequently, children are confident and behave well. Leadership and management are good. The EYFS leader ensures that the curriculum enables achievement to be boosted where it is needed most. Advanced plans are in place to provide further opportunities for learning numeracy skills, and to extend provision for learning outdoors.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Address weaknesses in pupils’ writing consistently across the school, so that standards improve. ■ Ensure that work is always matched tightly to pupils’ varying abilities, particularly the most able pupils. ■ Ensure that leaders, managers and governors review the school’s performance and monitor provision more effectively. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged as 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

As a new school, there are no nationally published figures on the school’s performance. Inspection evidence, along with the schools own records, including the provisional results of Year 6 national tests in 2008, indicates that standards in Year 2 are above average, and in Year 6 are average. Given the starting point to school in the EYFS, pupils’ achievement overall is satisfactory. However, in Year 6, the proportion of pupils reaching a level higher than expected for their age is lower than the national average, in both English and mathematics. In English, standards are higher in reading than they are in writing, both at Year 2 and 6. Although an action plan has recently been devised in order to bridge this gap in Years 1 and 2, the plan is yet to extend into Years 3 to 6. Inspection evidence shows that since the school opened, most pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 3

Good progress in information and communication technology (ICT) reflects the wide range of exciting opportunities for pupils to practise skills across curriculum subjects and consistently across classes.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good. Pupils learn in a happy and harmonious environment, where an atmosphere of purposeful activity pervades. Pupils are polite and courteous and their behaviour is good. They devise their own codes of conduct, and this has a positive impact on how well they relate to one another. Pupils say that they feel safe and that incidents of bullying are rare. They have a keen awareness of why it is important to keep their minds and bodies healthy. They regularly take vigorous exercise in the playground ‘energy zones’. Pupils enjoy working 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Thorngumbald Primary School, 16–17 October 2008 collaboratively and contributing to making their new school a happier, safer and healthier place to learn. They take on responsibilities such as being ‘health inspectors’, `E squadies’, school

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Grade: 2

councillors and play leaders, with enthusiasm. Pupils enjoy the many opportunities they have to become involved in local community life, such as a harvest musical performance for senior citizens. Attendance is satisfactory. Although most pupils attend school regularly, a number of parents take their children on holidays during term time. Pupils’ good personal and social skills, along with satisfactory progress in literacy and numeracy, prepare them soundly for their future.

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Grade: 3

Pupils make satisfactory progress as a result of satisfactory teaching and learning. Interesting and purposeful activities, good organisation, warm relationships and effective encouragement from support staff are strong features of most lessons. There are examples of good teaching and learning. In these lessons, teachers’ high expectations, effective questioning that keeps pupils on their toes, regular opportunities for pupils to talk together about learning and to review how they are getting on, all make a strong contribution to pupils’ progress. These good practices are however, are not applied equally well across all classes. Procedures to collect information from assessing pupils are still developing. At present this information is not always used sufficiently well to ensure that planned work matches pupils’ differing learning needs, particularly to extend their thinking and challenge the more able pupils.

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Grade: 3

The satisfactory curriculum enables pupils to make steady progress. It has some good features, such as the strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development and well-being that enables pupils to enjoy learning. This is seen in the good balance of opportunities to be creative, take part in musical and physical activities and in a wide range of extra-curricular activities, such as the well attended early morning judo class. In Years 1 and 2, plans are now in place address weaknesses in pupils’ writing, although these are yet to extend into Years 3 to 6. Pupils have advanced skills in ICT which reflects the good range of interesting and exciting learning opportunities on offer from a very young age. An appropriate range of support programmes for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities enables them to make satisfactory progress. Opportunities to extend and challenge the thinking of the more able pupils beyond the classroom are, at

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Grade: 3

present, being developed. Opportunities to do so as part of day-to-day lessons are, however, sometimes overlooked.

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory. A strong commitment to providing for pupils’ welfare is highly evident and pastoral care is good. Relationships between adults and pupils are warm and supportive. Pupils are confident that someone is always available to help them overcome difficulties, and they say that they feel safe. Appropriate procedures for safeguarding pupils are in place. Effective partnerships with nurseries and secondary schools help to ease pupils’ transition, so they settle quickly into their new surroundings. Procedures to spot peaks and troughs in pupils’ learning are still developing. Although their progress is now assessed 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Thorngumbald Primary School, 16–17 October 2008 regularly, the targets set are not always challenging enough. Pupils are starting to become involved in understanding how well they are getting on. This includes an awareness of their

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Grade: 3

learning targets, teachers’ marking that indicates how to improve, and opportunities for pupils to assess for themselves how well they are doing. At present however, these practices are not used consistently well across classes.

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Grade: 3

Leadership, management and governance are satisfactory. In the short time since her appointment, the headteacher has worked relentlessly to steer the school through many initial difficulties following the amalgamation. Parents are impressed with her leadership, and staff welcome her warm, supportive and open approach. Hard work and commitment from staff have helped to quickly establish smooth day-to-day running of the school within an environment that is conducive to learning. Ensuring that all staff work together with a shared and strong sense of common purpose, however, remains high on the agenda. Self-evaluation is satisfactory overall. With many staff new to their posts, leaders, managers and governors are developing ways to monitor the school’s performance more effectively, for example through monitoring pupils’ rate of progress and checking the quality of education across all classes. Nevertheless,

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Grade: 3

the early priority placed on promoting pupils’ personal development is evident in the pupils’ good attitudes to learning, their good behaviour and enjoyment of school. These aspects now provide a sound platform upon which to build pupils’ academic achievement. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Thorngumbald Primary School, 16–17 October 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: Thorngumbald Primary School, 16–17 October 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?

NA 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: Thorngumbald Primary School, 16–17 October 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 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

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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: Thorngumbald Primary School, 16–17 October 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Dear Pupils Inspection of Thorngumbald Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU12 9QQ Thank you so much for the warm welcome you gave me and my colleague when we inspected your school. You were polite, keen to talk to us and answered our questions thoughtfully. Your behaviour was good, and it was pleasing to hear that you feel safe in school because there is always someone on hand if you need help. You helped us to understand how grown up you can be when doing your special jobs, such as being health inspectors and school councillors. You clearly enjoy making your school and local community a happier, healthier and safer place to be. We particularly enjoyed hearing some of you performing your harvest celebration concert to some of the senior citizens in the village. You get lots of chances to take part in fun and exciting activities, such as the judo club, so that you enjoy school. Most of your parents are pleased with your school. It is a satisfactory school. Your learning

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

gets off to a good start in the Reception classes. Overall, between Years 1 and 6, the rate at which you are learning is similar to that in many other schools. By the time you leave at the end of Year 6, you reach the expected standards for your age. The standards you reach in reading, however, are higher than in writing, and few of you reach a level higher than expected for your ages. Your headteacher and all other staff are working really hard to make sure that any problems that arise because your school is so new get sorted out quickly. There are, however, some things that we think could be better still. To help you further, I have asked your school to make sure that:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ staff make more effective checks that you are all doing as well as you can

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you reach higher standards in writing in all classes

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the work that you are asked to do challenges all of you equally.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You can help your school by making sure that you tell your teachers if your work is too easy, by making sure that you know how well you are getting on, and by always checking what you still have to do to reach your learning targets. Of course, you should continue to try your best in everything that you do. Kathryn Dodd Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Thorngumbald Primary School, 16–17 October 2008

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