St George's CofE Controlled Primary School

St George's CofE Primary School Inspection report

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112860 Unique Reference Number Derbyshire Local Authority 325703 Inspection number 29–30 June 2009 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 Voluntary controlled School category 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 205 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 Denys Holland Chair Mrs Sue Brindley Headteacher 13 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 Church Street School address Church Gresley Swadlincote Derbyshire DE11 9NP 01283 217199 Telephone number 01283 551980 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 29–30 June 2009 Inspection dates 325703 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: St George's CofE Primary School, 29–30 June 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller-than-average primary school. It serves an area that has experienced economic hardship following the closure of local industries. Pupils come from a wide range of backgrounds. Children currently entering the Early Years Foundation Stage have levels of skills, knowledge and understanding close to those expected of this age, though some have weak early language and literacy skills. Virtually all pupils are from White British backgrounds and all speak English as their first language. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including those with a statement of special educational needs, is below average and the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is low. The school has received Activemark, Walk to School Bronze Award and Basic Skills Quality Mark Award 2 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: St George's CofE Primary School, 29–30 June 2009

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory level of education. Pastoral care is good and contributes strongly towards pupils' good personal development and well-being. The school has continued to promote the caring ethos reported at the previous inspection. The very recently appointed headteacher is successfully guiding the school out of an unsettled period that has seen many staffing changes, particularly at leadership level. Permanent appointments for the forthcoming academic year provide encouraging signs that the school is heading in the right direction. Despite its difficulties, the school has been able to move forward and initiatives, such as those to raise standards in writing and science, have seen a recent upturn in standards. The school has addressed the issue from its previous inspection, relating to raising standards in writing well. The school has rightly recognised that raising standards in mathematics, particularly of

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Grade: 3

more able pupils from Reception to the end of Year 4, is its next priority for development. Staff are resolute in their determination to bring about improvement. Whilst justifiably expressing concern about the recent upheaval, parents have remained steadfastly loyal to the school. A comment typical of many is, 'The school has a really friendly atmosphere and I feel my child is doing well.' Overall, pupils make satisfactory progress and reach above average standards by the time they leave at the end of Year 6. In classes where there has been staffing instability, the rate of progress has been satisfactory rather than good. Pupils in Year 6 make good progress through high quality teaching. The overall quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teachers and teaching assistants show the highest commitment to their pupils. Lessons are fun and promote pupil's enthusiasm for school very effectively. However, there are inconsistencies when it comes

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Grade: 3

to evaluating how much pupils learn in lessons. In some classes, assessment information is used very effectively to help pupils improve. In other classes, it is not yet embedded firmly enough. The curriculum is in the process of review and is currently satisfactory. Pupils find activities interesting, motivating them to want to succeed. Links with partner schools for projects such as 'Love Your Park' successfully bring the curriculum alive and develop good working relationships. The introduction of Spanish and French in Years 3 to 6 has been very well received by pupils. Out of school clubs, combined with effective use of visits and visitors, greatly enrich pupils' learning. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The school has a sound understanding of its strengths and weaknesses, but is over generous in its view of pupils' progress, the quality of teaching and the curriculum. Staff and governors have shown loyalty and dedication during

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Grade: 3

difficult times. The new headteacher's strong leadership has brought a corporate commitment towards consistency in achievement and standards. The school's capacity to improve is satisfactory. However, staff with management responsibilities do not have a prominent enough role in monitoring or evaluating the impact of the school's work. Similarly, governors, although very supportive, do not always have enough first hand knowledge about the school to enable them to hold the school to account for what it achieves.

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Grade: 3

Overall, children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make a satisfactory start in their education. Children enter Year 1 close to expected levels of knowledge and understanding. The school 4 of 11 Inspection Report: St George's CofE Primary School, 29–30 June 2009 successfully builds on the close links it establishes with parents and carers, encouraging them to become involved in their child's education right from the start. Strong relationships ensure children settle quickly. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. All staff place effective emphasis on developing personal and social skills and, as a result, children make good progress in this area of learning. Children gain confidence through working and playing together. Although activities are always enjoyable, some independent tasks lack purpose and challenge, particularly for the more able. Appropriate arrangements are in place to ensure the safety of children and

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Grade: 3

healthy lifestyles are promoted satisfactorily. Staff keep a regular check on how well children are progressing. Support for individual children who find learning difficult or who are potentially vulnerable is good, enabling them to enjoy success. Plans are at an advanced stage to provide a more effective outdoor learning environment. The current layout restricts opportunities for children to choose on a regular basis whether to work indoors or outside.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise the standards achieved by higher attaining pupils, and particularly in mathematics, between Reception and the end of Year 4. ■ Ensure teaching is of a consistently good or better quality throughout the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure teachers use assessment information effectively to match future work to pupils' needs and abilities. ■ Strengthen leadership and management by ensuring all staff with leadership responsibilities, and the governors, play a more prominent role in monitoring and evaluating the quality of provision. 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

Pupils make satisfactory progress overall. There are fluctuations in standards because of the small number of pupils involved in each year group. Nevertheless, pupils in Year 2 typically reach average standards. The 2008 teacher assessments showed pupils made good progress in writing, as a direct result of effective whole school initiatives. The 2009 assessments indicate that standards are not quite as strong, particularly at higher levels in mathematics. In Key Stage 2, the trend of pupils' progress over time is satisfactory and improving. However, the rate of progress of pupils in one or two year groups has sometimes been slowed by staffing instability. Although progress begins to stabilise in Year 5, it is not until Year 6 that pupils make consistently good progress and reach above average standards. Initiatives designed to raise standards in science in Key Stage 2, through the introduction of more investigative activities,

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Grade: 2

Pupils mature well and develop good attitudes towards learning. They show pride in their work and achievements. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The moral and social strands of pupils' development are particularly strong, with pupils displaying a keen sense of right and wrong about issues such as fair play. Behaviour is good and pupils treat other with 5 of 11 Inspection Report: St George's CofE Primary School, 29–30 June 2009 respect. They develop a positive commitment to equality. Pupils display a satisfactory understanding of how to keep safe and are well informed about internet safety. They say that they are untroubled by bullying, harassment or racism. Pupils thoroughly enjoy school and attendance rates are above average. Their understanding of healthy lifestyles is reflected in a keen sporting interest. Prefects, school councillors, buddies and eco-team members show great

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Grade: 2

maturity and there is a very strong sense of community. Involvement in numerous local events, such as the 'Festival of Leisure', enables pupils to make a good contribution to the community beyond the school gates. By the time they leave, pupils are well prepared, both socially and academically, for the future.

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Grade: 3

Classrooms are purposeful, orderly learning environments where pupils want to learn. Good working relationships enable lessons to run smoothly. Planning is detailed and teachers use interactive whiteboards effectively to bring subjects alive. Most pupils find activities interesting and lively. Teaching assistants make a positive contribution, particularly towards the achievement of those who find learning difficult. In the best lessons, learning is fun, expectations are very high and pupils rise to the many challenges on offer. In these classrooms assessment information is used very effectively to help pupils improve. At other times, however, when introductions are lengthy, pupils have too little time to complete their work. Variations in the quality of mathematics teaching, particularly during periods of staffing instability, have sometimes slowed the pace of pupils' learning. This is particularly the case in classes where there is an over reliance

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Grade: 3

on worksheet and workbook based activities.

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Grade: 3

The statutory curriculum is in place and the school is ahead of the deadline by providing modern foreign language learning in Years 3 to 6. A range of practical and investigative activities in science, promotes good progress in these subjects, particularly in upper Key Stage 2. Pupils use their rapidly improving computer skills to aid learning in other subjects. The school's involvement in the 'Learning Platform' project has raised the profile of information and communication technology significantly. The school has recently strengthened its provision for promoting social and emotional aspects of learning but this provision has not yet been in place long enough to impact further on pupils' personal development and well-being. The school enriches the curriculum well with educational visits to places such as museums, and out of school activities that include art and gardening. These are beginning to broaden pupils'

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Grade: 3

Pupils' pastoral care is good. Staff share a strong commitment towards providing good personal care for all pupils, and particularly for those who are potentially vulnerable. As a result, the school has had notable success in integrating pupils with profound social or learning needs. Consistent expectations and the effective use of rewards and praise build pupils' self-esteem. Links with support agencies are effective and play a key role in raising attendance and in 6 of 11 Inspection Report: St George's CofE Primary School, 29–30 June 2009 supporting pupils who find learning difficult. Arrangements to ensure pupils' safety and well-being meet current requirements. Staff training on child protection and first aid is up to date. However, academic guidance, though satisfactory, is not as strong. The school does not always use the assessment information it gathers from its good tracking systems with enough

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Grade: 3

consistency or rigour to guide pupils to their next steps in learning.

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Grade: 3

In a very short period of time, the new headteacher has set about the task of providing much needed stability through her clear vision and dedicated commitment. Her moves to stabilise teaching, review the curriculum and monitor the consistency of pupil's learning have brought a fresh impetus to the drive to raise standards. She is seeking to distribute management roles more widely. However, senior managers and subject leaders do not currently have a prominent enough role in assessing the impact of initiatives on standards. Work has already begun to improve the consistency with which teachers track pupils' progress, in order to set more challenging targets. It is still too early to assess the impact on achievement across the school. Strategies to develop community cohesion are satisfactorily planned and audited. The school has strong local links and good involvement in community projects. These links have a positive

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Grade: 3

impact on pupils' personal development. However, the school acknowledges more needs to be done to widen pupils' horizons at a global level. Governance is satisfactory. Governors are supportive and have a satisfactory understanding of strengths and weaknesses. There is, however, scope for governors to take a more active role in monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of the school's work. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: St George's CofE Primary School, 29–30 June 2009 .

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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: St George's CofE Primary School, 29–30 June 2009

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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? 2 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: St George's CofE Primary School, 29–30 June 2009

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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 3 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: St George's CofE Primary School, 29–30 June 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

1 July 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of St. George's C of E Primary School, Church Street, Church Gressley, DE11 9NP Thank you for looking after Mr Storer and me so well when we visited your school. You made us feel very welcome with your happy, smiling faces. We liked coming into your classrooms. We enjoyed talking to you about your work and watching you play together. Your school provides you with a satisfactory quality of education. These are the things we liked most about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You enjoy school a great deal and know that the adults care about you.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You care about each other and work and play together well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

In Year 6 you work very hard and make good progress. These are the things we have asked Mrs Brindley and your other teachers and governors, to do to make your school better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Give those of you who are good at numeracy in Reception class to Year 5 more difficult work so that you can reach higher standards. ■ Make sure you are all taught well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure that your teachers tell you what your next steps in learning are when they mark your work. ■ Make sure staff who are subject leaders and governors check up on how well the school is doing so that they can help Mrs Brindley to improve the school. You can help by behaving as well as you do now and by always trying to do your best. Best wishes to you all. Kath Campbell Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: St George's CofE Primary School, 29–30 June 2009

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