All Saints' CofE School

All Saints' CofE Primary School Inspection report

p.1

112272 Unique Reference Number Cumbria Local Authority 325565 Inspection number 23–24 October 2008 Inspection dates David Earley Reporting inspector

p.1

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.

p.1

Primary Type of school Voluntary controlled School category 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 213 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 Mr Bruce Avery Chair Mrs Nicola Smallwood Headteacher 1 June 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Slatefell Drive School address Cockermouth Cumbria CA13 9BH 01900 325938 Telephone number 01900 325938 Fax number

p.1

3–11 Age group 23–24 October 2008 Inspection dates 325565 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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: All Saints' CofE Primary School, 23–24 October 2008

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

This is an average sized primary school on the outskirts of Cockermouth. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is average. Most pupils are of White British origin and a small proportion of pupils learn English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or difficulties is above average. There is a Strategic Resource Facility within the school for pupils from this and other schools who have learning difficulties within the autistic range. The school has achieved the Activemark and Healthy Schools awards. The headteacher was appointed to the substantive position in February 2008.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: All Saints' CofE Primary School, 23–24 October 2008

p.3

Grade: 2

This is a good and improving school with some outstanding features. It gives good value for money. Inspirational leadership by the headteacher and a shared determination to improve standards and achievement are significant factors in this. Rigorous evaluation of performance enabled the school to take decisive action to remedy a dip in achievement and standards in Key Stage 2 in 2007. Standards are now average and achievement is good. The rate of progress of most pupils is good and improving, although there is a need to accelerate the progress of higher ability pupils in Key Stage 2 in English and mathematics. Personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is outstanding. Behaviour is exemplary and pupils enjoy school. They have a good understanding of how to lead healthy lifestyles and keep safe and fit. Attendance is good. Pupils make an excellent contribution to the school and wider communities and have lots of opportunities to take the

p.4

Grade: 2

initiative and act responsibly. They are well prepared for the next stage in their education. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and tasks are well matched to pupils’ abilities. They manage pupils well and present lessons in interesting ways so that pupils are fully engaged in their learning. Relationships are excellent and pupils are confident to ask and answer questions. Although some good examples of marking were seen during the inspection, this is inconsistent and results in some missed opportunities to extend learning. The curriculum is good, with outstanding enrichment. There are lots of clubs and visitors and opportunities for all pupils from Year 2 to Year 6 to go on residential visits. Music is a strong feature of the curriculum and there are opportunities for pupils from Year 2 onwards to learn French. There is a good focus on the skills of literacy, numeracy and information and

p.4

Grade: 2

communication technology (ICT) and the school makes good use of the local environment and practical activities to stimulate learning and give it a relevance and purpose. Care, guidance and support are good overall. Pastoral care is excellent. A very strong family atmosphere helps pupils to feel safe and well cared for. The school does all that it can to ensure that pupils are safeguarded. There are very good links with parents and they are extremely pleased with the care shown by the school. Speaking for many, one parent commented that the school fulfils, ‘The true meaning of every child matters.’ Good systems of assessment and tracking help to ensure that pupils have clear targets for improvement. Leadership and management are good. Teachers and governors share in a systematic evaluation of performance and realistic development planning leading to improving progress and provision. The promotion of community cohesion is good. Governance is good. Governors support the

p.4

Grade: 2

school well and play an important role in helping to steer its educational direction.

p.4

Grade: 2

Provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is good. There is a wide range of ability on entry to the nursery but attainment is generally below what is typical for this age. Children achieve well and by the time they start in Year 1 they have made good progress and most pupils reach the goals expected for their learning. This is enhanced by the carefully planned wide range of activities, indoors and out, which are available in all weathers. These help to develop children’s skills and promote their enjoyment of learning. The school ensures that skills from 4 of 11 Inspection Report: All Saints' CofE Primary School, 23–24 October 2008 different areas of the curriculum are woven together in order to make learning interesting. Teachers keep a close check on individual progress so that the next steps in their development are carefully targeted. Personal development and well-being are enhanced by the very warm

p.4

Grade: 2

relationships between children and staff and by the many opportunities for them to work independently and together. Children learn to take turns, persevere with their tasks and make choices about their activities. Children are well cared for and good contacts with parents help them to settle in very quickly. Leadership and management are good and good links with Key Stage 1 help to promote the continuity of learning.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

■ Accelerate the progress of more able pupils in Key Stage 2 in English and mathematics.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the consistency of marking so that pupils know clearly what they need to do in order to improve.

p.5

Grade: 2

Achievement is good overall. Standards are average. In 2007, teachers’ assessments at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics were average. The provisional results in 2008 were similar. Results in the national tests in 2007 at the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science were significantly below average. This represented a substantial dip from the previous year when they were significantly above average overall. This was caused by staffing turbulence and cohort differences. The school took swift and decisive action to address this issue and provisional results in 2008 are very much better. Pupils in the current Year 2 and 6 are on track to reach broadly average standards. This represents good and improving progress for most pupils including the high proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those with English as an additional language. However, the progress of some

p.5

Grade: 2

of the more able pupils at Key Stage 2 in English and mathematics is not yet rapid enough.

p.5

Grade: 1

Personal development and well-being, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is outstanding. Pupils enjoy school and their behaviour is excellent. This makes a very positive contribution to progress and achievement. Pupils say they feel safe and well cared for. Pupils have a very good understanding of how to stay healthy and keep fit. Excellent relationships with each other and with adults underpin their confidence and high self esteem. Together with their good achievement this prepares them well for the next stage in their education. Attendance and punctuality are good and this has a positive impact on learning. There are many opportunities to take on responsibilities through buddy systems, the school council and acting as mentors. Pupils know that their voice is heard and make an outstanding contribution to their local and wider community. A parent commented that pupils leave the school as, ‘Well rounded, responsible

p.5

Grade: 1

young persons’. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: All Saints' CofE Primary School, 23–24 October 2008

p.5

Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and occasionally outstanding. Lessons are usually lively and interesting and teachers have good subject knowledge. Most lessons are challenging but in Key Stage 2 the work set for the more able pupils is not fully extending them in English and mathematics. Teaching assistants are used effectively, particularly in support of pupils with learning difficulties and for those for whom English is an additional language. The excellent teaching seen in the Strategic Resource Facility was stimulating and engaging and captured the imagination of these pupils. This helped them to progress at the same rate as their peers. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on their own and others’ learning and this gives them an insight into how well they are doing. Some good examples of marking were seen during the inspection but this is not used consistently enough throughout the school to ensure that

p.6

Grade: 2

pupils know what they need to do in order to improve.

p.6

Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. It is enriched by an excellent range of visits, visitors, after school activities and instrumental and choral music. When pupils work with artists or Indian dancers or visit the Tate Gallery, their horizons are widened and learning is extended. There is a good focus on the skills of literacy and numeracy and these are further developed by opportunities for pupils to use them in other subjects. For example, in Year 3 pupils linked history with physical education when in costume they practised ancient Greek athletics skills. The curriculum is generally well planned to take into account the previous learning of pupils and their backgrounds so that they build well on what has gone before. This is especially helpful in meeting the needs of the pupils with learning difficulties but less effective for the more able pupils in Key Stage 2.

p.6

Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good overall. Pastoral care and support are outstanding. This is a very caring school with an excellent family atmosphere where all are valued. Safeguarding procedures are rigorous. Pupils’ needs are identified at an early stage and very good relationships with outside agencies ensure that vulnerable pupils are well supported and settle well in school. The overwhelming majority of parents is extremely positive about the care provided by the school. A parent of a pupil in the Strategic Resource Facility said that, ‘this is a fantastic school’. The school has good systems for assessing and tracking pupils’ academic progress and this is used effectively to provide additional support and help pupils to improve.

p.6

Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides excellent leadership. She has a very clear vision for improvement, building on the school’s existing strengths. The headteacher is well supported by the leadership team, staff and governors who share her commitment to 6 of 11 Inspection Report: All Saints' CofE Primary School, 23–24 October 2008 set challenging targets and provide the best for each pupil. Performance is evaluated rigorously and this leads to a clear development plan focused on raising standards and improving provision. This led to the timely implementation of successful strategies which helped to put standards and achievement back on track after a dip in 2007. This is a very inclusive school. For example, pupils from the Strategic Resource Facility and those who learn English as an additional language are very well integrated into the life of the school. The promotion of community cohesion is

p.6

Grade: 2

good and pupils have good links with their local community and with children in schools in other countries. Governance is good. Governors know the school well and play an important role in providing support and challenge. Good progress has been made since the previous inspection. The clear and shared commitment of staff and governors to raise standards and improve provision gives the school good capacity to improve further. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: All Saints' CofE Primary School, 23–24 October 2008 .

p.7

Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: All Saints' CofE Primary School, 23–24 October 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

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? 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

p.9

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?

p.9

Achievement and standards

2 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 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress

p.9

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: All Saints' CofE Primary School, 23–24 October 2008

p.9

learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 1 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.10

learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.10

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 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 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: All Saints' CofE Primary School, 23–24 October 2008

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

27 October 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of All Saints' CofE Primary School, Cumbria, CA13 9BH Thank you for your warm welcome when we came to visit your school. Your school is good and some parts are excellent. We were impressed by the way you know about the importance of eating healthily and keeping fit. We enjoyed talking to you because you had lots to tell us about how you enjoy coming to school and because you were very polite and courteous. We think that the school council, buddies and mentors do a super job in helping others and helping to make the school a better place. These are some of the things your school does well.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your learning is good and you are making better progress.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You get off to a good start in the Nursery.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Lessons are interesting and you have lots of trips and visitors and this helps you to learn better. ■ The school takes good care of you and keeps a good check on how well you are doing.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your school is like a big happy family!

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

These are some of the things we have suggested to help your school to get better.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We would like more pupils in Key Stage 2 to reach above the level expected for their age in English and mathematics. ■ We would like marking to help more of you to know what to do in order to improve your work. Thank you again for making us welcome. We want you to know that we really enjoyed your singing and drumming. David Earley Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: All Saints' CofE Primary School, 23–24 October 2008

p.11