Feniton Church of England Primary School

Feniton Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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113433 Unique Reference Number Devon Local Authority 325820 Inspection number 18 November 2008 Inspection date Mark Lindfield HMI 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 231 School (total) 21 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 David Lanning Chair G R Rowland Headteacher 12 September 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Station Road School address Feniton Honiton EX14 3EA 01404 850303 Telephone number 01404 850939 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 18 November 2008 Inspection date 325820 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 9 Inspection Report: Feniton Church of England Primary School, 18 November 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and an Additional Inspector. The inspectors evaluated the extent of pupils' personal development and well-being, the school's curriculum and the level of care, guidance and support, verified the current standards of teaching and learning, and determined the overall effectiveness of leadership and management. Evidence was gathered from the school's self-evaluation (SEF), performance data and other documentation, discussions with senior staff, pupils and a governor, and by sampling lessons and pupils' work. Parents' responses to questionnaires also informed judgements. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

Feniton Church of England Primary is an average size primary school where all the pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well below average, whilst the proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs is average. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. The school offers Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provision in its Reception class.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: Feniton Church of England Primary School, 18 November 2008

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Grade: 1

In this outstanding school, excellent leadership, high quality teaching and excellent guidance contribute to pupils' outstanding achievement. Parents are wholeheartedly supportive, appreciate all that the school has to offer, and are aware of the difference it makes to their children. The words of one parent echo the sentiments of the overwhelming majority: 'This is a wonderful school, very open and welcoming and I'm pleased with the progress my child is making.' Pupils arrive in Year 1 at a level expected for their age and they make good progress in Years 1 and 2. Standards are above average in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2; the proportion of pupils achieving the higher National Curriculum Level 3 is above average, and significantly so in mathematics. The progress of all pupils increases in Years 3 to 6, and they reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science year after year. Senior

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Grade: 1

leaders lack complacency and are currently focusing on raising the high standards in English. Strategies to improve writing are making an impact through closer pupil tracking, increased levels of support and greater challenge. The school has worked extensively to develop effective strategies to raise the achievement of boys in writing and this is having an impact on raising the proportion that achieve higher levels. Pupils enjoy their learning because teaching is strong throughout the school and in the words of one, 'lessons are fun'. Teachers and support staff have very positive relationships with their classes, set high expectations for behaviour, and consistently apply good strategies for managing pupils so lessons proceed at a good pace. Detailed lesson planning meets the different needs of all the pupils, and learning intentions are made clear to all. There is plenty of challenge and pupils feel stretched academically. Pupils with specific learning difficulties receive outstanding

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Grade: 1

support in class and in their withdrawal groups so that they make similar progress to their classmates. The school is quick to identify any pupils who may be falling behind in their work and responds through the flexible deployment of additional well-trained support staff. As a result, these pupils too make excellent progress during their time at the school. Pupils have a good understanding of how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve through target setting and oral feedback via pupil conferences. However, written feedback does not consistently give pupils clear indications of the next steps for improvement. The strong curricular focus on the core subjects of English, mathematics and science has resulted in outstanding progress in these key subjects, but to a degree this has been at the expense of the rest of the curriculum. Provision is less pronounced in other subjects, particularly geography and in aspects

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Grade: 1

of design and technology, and although progress is still good in these subjects they do not feature enough on the timetable. Information and communication technology (ICT) skills are developed purely through access to a computer suite although opportunities to use computers to facilitate learning in other subjects are limited. There are many extra activities and clubs to enable pupils to develop their talents and interests. Pupils have the opportunity to learn a modern foreign language and from a young age greet each other confidently in French and German. However, the imbalance within the main curriculum means that pupils' education is not as well-rounded as it could be. High quality care, guidance and support are evident in pupils' very good achievement, attitudes and excellent personal development. Adults know the pupils extremely well and willingly listen and respond to their concerns and anxieties. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils are robust.

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Grade: 1

Daily routines are well organised to promote pupils' well-being. Pupils are caring of one another. Relationships are very good, and pupils feel confident that they can turn to adults if they have 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Feniton Church of England Primary School, 18 November 2008 any problems. Pupils' behaviour and concentration in lessons are outstanding, and they show kindness and common sense around school and in the playground. The numbers of pupils in a limited space here and in certain classrooms, a product of the success of the school, is a concern for a few parents. Pupils welcome opportunities to take on responsibility through the school council. They have a very good awareness of how to live a healthy lifestyle. Parents confirm that their children are always happy to come to school, and their attendance is consistently above the national average. Excellent literacy, numeracy and social skills mean that pupils are

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Grade: 1

very well prepared for secondary school life. The very effective systems for self-evaluation give the school clear direction with a relentless focus on continual improvement – or in the school's words, 'even better if'. The school sets itself and achieves challenging targets. Outstanding systems for tracking pupils' progress and monitoring mean that the senior leadership team has been able to maintain consistently high standards of teaching. The success of the school is down to excellent leadership and management. Subject leaders are involved in driving up and maintaining standards in their areas, and leaders new to their roles are well supported. There is an excellent commitment to the local community but less so with respect to the wider global community. Governors have a clear insight into the workings of the school and provide good support. The secure systems for self-evaluation mean that the school has outstanding capacity for further improvement.

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Grade: 2

Children make good progress from their starting points during their time in Reception. Through good teaching within a warm and supportive atmosphere, children achieve well. This is because teachers have good systems for assessing the children from the moment they arrive. There is a strong focus on developing children's reading skills and this is proving successful. The children develop outstanding social skills thanks to the good examples set by staff. For example, in an excellent role-play session children learnt how to use certain words and a 'gentle' voice to encourage a 'shy' toy hedgehog to join the class. Consequently, the children are very caring and considerate towards others, and are willing to share and take turns. All staff have developed good partnerships with parents, so that any welfare concerns can be quickly resolved. Staff provide the children with a suitable range of activities in all areas of

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Grade: 2

learning although opportunities for music and cultural development are more limited. There is a good balance between activities led by adults and those initiated by children, and this helps children to become increasingly independent learners. Leadership of the EYFS participates in local authority training and makes contact with other settings and is always looking to improve. The outdoor area has developed since the time of the last inspection but staff recognise that it does not currently provide enough opportunities for children to develop across all areas of their learning.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that the curriculum is better balanced so that pupils have the opportunity to develop their skills really well in all subjects, and not just in English, mathematics and science. ■ Make better use of the outdoor facilities in the EYFS to encourage children's independence and to help them make the best possible progress across all the areas of learning. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Feniton Church of England Primary School, 18 November 2008 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: Feniton Church of England Primary School, 18 November 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? 1 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

1 How well do learners achieve? 1 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Feniton Church of England Primary School, 18 November 2008

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 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 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? 1 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 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Feniton Church of England Primary School, 18 November 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

19 November 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Feniton Church of England Primary School, Feniton EX14 3EA Thank you very much for the warmth of your welcome. We enjoyed meeting you and looking around the school with some members of the school council. We found that you are polite, friendly and really well behaved and that you regularly do your best in lessons. You make fantastic progress in English, mathematics and science as you move through the school and this is because of a number of reasons. Your teachers plan very carefully to make sure that your lessons are varied to suit each of you and with just the right amount of difficulty so that you all learn really well. Your headteacher and deputy headteacher, along with governors and senior staff, work hard to make sure that the school is improving all the time. We were impressed by the work that some of you are doing in small groups to improve your writing, and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

from talking to one group we saw how much this is helping you make progress. Staff and governors all help to make the school a warm and friendly place in which to work and learn, and the many adults in the school give you support and encouragement to do well. We noticed that you spent a lot of time on English, mathematics and science during your school week and this helps you to do so well. We have asked all staff to make sure that you make the same outstanding progress across the other subjects that you learn. You can help by doing your very best in every subject. Thank you once again. Mark Lindfield Her Majesty's Inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Feniton Church of England Primary School, 18 November 2008

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