Renishaw Primary School

Renishaw Primary School Inspection report

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112545 Unique Reference Number Derbyshire Local Authority 325629 Inspection number 2–3 December 2008 Inspection dates Kathleen Campbell 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 153 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 Kath Gardner Chair Mr John Dickinson Headteacher 3 November 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Hague Lane School address Renishaw S21 3UR 01246 432366 Telephone number 01246 432366 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 2–3 December 2008 Inspection dates 325629 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: Renishaw Primary School, 2–3 December 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors

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Description of the school

Renishaw is a smaller than average primary school. It is situated in an area that has faced severe economic difficulty following the closure of local industries. Pupils come from a wide range of social and economic backgrounds that overall are broadly average, as is the proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals. Assessment results fluctuate from year to year because of the small numbers of pupils involved. Currently, children entering the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) have levels of skills, knowledge and understanding typical of those expected for this age. Almost all pupils are of white British descent with none speaking English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is slightly above average. The school has received an Activemark award in recognition of its work.

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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: Renishaw Primary School, 2–3 December 2008

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Grade: 3

Renishaw is a satisfactory school with features that are good. There is a real sense of community that promotes pupils' good personal development and well-being. The headteacher and staff provide good levels of pastoral care, enabling pupils to develop as confident, mature individuals. Pupils enjoy their time here and display positive attitudes to learning. Parents think highly of the school and of the headteacher in particular. This comment is typical of many; 'The headteacher is always positive, welcoming and highly visible.' Children in the EYFS make steady progress through satisfactory teaching, and attain many of the targets expected of five-year-olds. In most years, standards have been average at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2. Results in the 2008 teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 show that standards were close to the national average, and above average in writing. Achievement throughout the school is satisfactory overall. However, the picture is not entirely consistent.

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Grade: 3

In Key Stage 2, the school's unconfirmed results of the 2008 national assessments indicated a dip in the proportion of pupils reaching higher levels, particularly in mathematics. Standards in science were below those of English and mathematics and tracking systems had not been used rigorously enough to measure progress or identify potential underachievement. The school uses tracking information more effectively now and is starting to address inconsistencies with a sense of urgency. Teaching, learning and the curriculum are satisfactory. Teachers and other staff work well together as a team and have very good relationships with pupils, ensuring a good climate for learning. They offer much encouragement and praise, making learning enjoyable. However, the quality of teaching is inconsistent, and sometimes does not provide enough challenge to the more able pupils. Not all teachers use assessment information well enough to plan for the

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Grade: 3

needs of different ages and abilities. Recent improvements to the curriculum, such as better physical education provision, do much to promote pupils' enjoyment. Further work remains to be done, however, to ensure that the curriculum provides enough balance of subjects to meet pupils' needs. Robust procedures for safeguarding pupils are the basis of good pastoral care. Academic guidance for pupils is less effective. Target setting is developing satisfactorily but teachers' marking and the discussions they have with pupils do not always give them a clear enough understanding of how to improve. Leadership and management, including governance, are satisfactory. The headteacher and newly formed senior management team have created a school where pupils' welfare is paramount and personal and social development is a priority. They have a sound understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. They monitor the work of the school satisfactorily, although

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Grade: 3

not always with enough rigour. Subject leaders are not sufficiently empowered to monitor and evaluate achievement and standards in their subjects in order to quicken improvement. The satisfactory progress the school has made demonstrates that it is soundly placed to improve further.

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Grade: 3

Sound provision, care and leadership ensure that children settle quickly and become familiar with school routines. There is close liaison between school staff and parents, sharing information about progress and building good partnerships through home visits. These links support 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Renishaw Primary School, 2–3 December 2008 children's first weeks in school effectively. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Teachers and support staff give particular emphasis to developing personal and social skills and, as a result, children make good progress in this aspect of learning. They work and play confidently and happily, cooperating well with each other. Learning in the EYFS is purposeful and based on practical activities. There are good opportunities, both indoors and outside, for Nursery children. However, the positioning of the new Reception classroom restricts opportunities for these children to choose on a daily basis whether to work indoors or out.

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Grade: 3

Good arrangements exist to ensure the safety of children and healthy lifestyles are promoted satisfactorily. Staff plan a suitable range of activities to meet children's needs and regularly check how well they are doing. However, children are not involved in deciding which activities will be available each day and opportunities for them to record and evaluate their choices are limited. Overall, children make satisfactory progress in the Foundation Stage. From their starting points, most children reach average standards by the time that they move to Year 1.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve achievement and raise standards, especially in science, by ensuring that the quality and consistency of teaching meets the standards set by best practice. ■ Improve academic guidance so that all pupils know exactly how well they are progressing and how to improve their work. ■ Strengthen school improvement planning by giving staff with leadership roles at all levels a more prominent role in checking how successful the work of the school is. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged 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

Strategies implemented to develop knowledge of letters and sounds have proved effective in developing confident, independent writers in Key Stage 1. There was a rise in standards at both key stages between 2005 and 2007, to some extent because class sizes were smaller, allowing pupils more individual support. In 2007, Key Stage 2 results were above average in English and mathematics and pupils' overall progress was good. There is, however, some variation in the rates of progress between year groups, key stages and subjects. For example, achievement in writing is good in Key Stage1 but satisfactory in Key Stage 2. Standards in science remain below those of English and mathematics. Science has not been a high profile subject in recent years. Recently, initiatives have been introduced to improve achievement and raise standards but it is too early to assess their impact. The school measures progress with far greater rigour than

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Grade: 3

in the past, but further fine-tuning is required to ensure greater consistency across year groups and subjects. Pupils who find learning hard make as much progress as everyone else through good quality individual support.

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Grade: 2

The school promotes pupils' good personal development and well-being effectively because all staff have high expectations of their behaviour. From their first days in school, children learn to share and cooperate. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, including behaviour, is good. Pupils celebrate a rich diversity of cultures and are well prepared for life in a 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Renishaw Primary School, 2–3 December 2008 multi-cultural society. They enjoy lessons and their attendance is broadly in line with the national average. Pupils develop a good understanding of how to stay healthy and safe because of the good information provided for them. They make a positive contribution to community life. Within the school there is an effective school council and older pupils accept responsibility readily. In the wider community, pupils enjoy sharing values through working with senior

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Grade: 2

members of the village and publishing books about local life. By the time they leave, most pupils have acquired sound academic skills. However, opportunities for them to take responsibility for their learning are more limited. They take part in fund-raising activities with enthusiasm, but the charities supported tend to be selected by adults. Pupils' progress in English and mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT), combined with a willingness to work well together, provide a satisfactory basis for the next stage of education and their future lives.

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Grade: 3

Good relationships and effective behaviour management ensure that classrooms are purposeful learning environments. Lessons throughout the school are enjoyable and make good use of interesting and exciting resources that successfully engage pupils' interest. Teachers' planning is satisfactory and sometimes good when it pays careful attention to detail. Teachers use ICT well and successfully motivate pupils to learn when presenting lessons. When teaching is good, pupils of all ages and abilities are absorbed in their work and want to succeed because they rise to the challenge. Occasionally, even in satisfactory lessons, teachers' expectations are not high enough. Sometimes, not enough time is left for pupils to practise skills. Assessment is satisfactory overall but use of assessment information is inconsistent. Consequently, some work is not matched closely enough to pupils' abilities or previous learning and opportunities are

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Grade: 3

sometimes missed to explain to pupils what they need to do next to improve.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is suitably broad and covers all required aspects. The balance however, is only satisfactory, because some subjects, such as design and technology, are given minimal teaching time in some years. There is a strong, effective emphasis on the development of literacy and numeracy skills in English and mathematics lessons. However, opportunities for pupils to practise these skills in other subjects are sometimes missed. A strong personal, social and health education programme enables pupils to understand the importance of staying healthy and keeping safe. There are good opportunities for curriculum enrichment through, for example, French, violin and sports tuition. There is also a good range of clubs and extracurricular activities, especially considering the school's small size. However, opportunities for trips and visits to enhance pupils' learning are variable and there are no residential visits to develop their

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory overall. Pastoral support is good and contributes to pupils' good personal development and well-being. Systems for safeguarding pupils are 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Renishaw Primary School, 2–3 December 2008 suitably robust and underpin the school's caring approach. Pupils are confident they can confide in an adult if problems arise and parents value the care shown to their children. The school works well with parents and other agencies to ensure that pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities are identified early and given appropriate support. Teaching assistants work effectively to ensure that these pupils have full access to the range of activities the school provides. Academic guidance is satisfactory and improving. The school does not yet use the assessment information it gathers from its new tracking systems with enough consistency or

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Grade: 3

rigour to guide pupils to the next step. Although targets are set, individual pupils do not always know whether they are making enough progress.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher and senior leadership team have a strong commitment to improvement and provide a clear view of the way forward. Self-evaluation is largely accurate but overgenerous in some aspects. Initiatives, such as those to develop younger pupils' confidence in writing, have proved very successful. However, further work remains to be done to evaluate the impact of all the school's work on pupils' achievement. Middle managers do not have a clear enough overview of achievement and standards when prioritising areas for development. Consequently, school improvement planning is not always based on the most significant needs. Although some aspects of teaching are good, the school has yet to find effective ways to improve its consistency and quality if good learning is to be the outcome. The school's contribution to community cohesion is developing well, but only at a local level so far. Pupils have a clear

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Grade: 3

understanding of life within the village through their involvement in numerous local activities and their successful interactions with people within the community. These links have a strong positive effect on their personal development. Governors are very supportive and well organised. They have a satisfactory understanding of strengths and weaknesses. There is, however, greater scope for governors to hold the school to account by becoming more actively involved in monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of its work. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Renishaw Primary School, 2–3 December 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: Renishaw Primary School, 2–3 December 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?

3 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 3 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 3 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 3 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: Renishaw Primary School, 2–3 December 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: Renishaw Primary School, 2–3 December 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

4 December 2008 Dear Children Inspection of Renishaw Primary School, Renishaw, S21 3UR Thank you for looking after Mrs Barnes and me so well when we visited your school. We enjoyed talking to you and watching you work and play together. We wish you good luck when you perform your nativity play. These are the things we liked most:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Lots of you told us how much you enjoy school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Older children really enjoy looking after younger ones.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Most of you work hard and try to do your best.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

These are the things we have asked Mr Dickinson and your teachers to do to make your school better:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Give some of you harder work, especially in science.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Ask the teachers to tell you exactly what you need to do to improve your work

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Ask all your teachers to look at how well you are doing so that they can help you to improve.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Have a Happy Christmas and good wishes to you all. Kath Campbell Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Renishaw Primary School, 2–3 December 2008

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