Hunwick Primary School

Hunwick Primary School Inspection report

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114054 Unique Reference Number Durham Local Authority 325932 Inspection number 3–4 February 2009 Inspection dates Margaret Shepherd 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 167 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 Father Stewart Irwin Chair Mrs Susan Smith Headteacher 16 May 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 Lane School address Hunwick Crook County Durham DL15 0JX 01388 602150 Telephone number 01388 602150 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 3–4 February 2009 Inspection dates 325932 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 10 Inspection Report: Hunwick Primary School, 3–4 February 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school serves the village of Hunwick and the surrounding area. The social and economic circumstances are broadly average. Pupils are predominantly White British, with a very small proportion of pupils with English as an additional language and an equally small proportion of Traveller pupils. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average. The school has just moved from mixed age to single age classes this academic year. There have been two new teachers to the school, including the deputy headteacher.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Hunwick Primary School, 3–4 February 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school, which has some outstanding features. Since the previous inspection the headteacher, staff and governors have all worked hard to develop provision, resulting in raised standards. Achievement is good, as is teaching and learning and the curriculum. By the end of Year 6 standards are significantly higher than average, with a much larger proportion of pupils reaching higher levels than expected for their age. This is due to consistently good teaching and learning throughout Key Stage 2, a well focused curriculum and high expectations of every pupil in Year 6. Progress is not as rapid in Key Stage 1 because, although teaching is satisfactory in this key stage, pupils spend too long in whole class sessions and do not talk about what they are learning often enough. The well-organised provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities ensures that these pupils achieve well, as do the Traveller pupils.

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Grade: 2

A key strength of the school is pupils’ personal development and well-being, which is excellent. The school takes community cohesion very seriously and pupils thoroughly enjoy contributing to both their own and the local community. They relish the opportunities to contribute towards the global community through the school’s partnerships with schools in Africa and India. This also contributes very effectively to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, which is outstanding. The school council works very well. Pupils relish the opportunities to organise themselves in activities such as fundraising. Together with their high levels of basic skills, which include information and communication technology (ICT), this prepares them very well for their future lives. Behaviour is excellent, with older pupils supporting younger ones sensitively. Attendance levels are higher than average, which reflects pupils’ very positive attitudes to

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Grade: 2

school. They enjoy their learning in class and respond very enthusiastically to the many out of school clubs. They have a very good understanding of how to keep healthy. The good care, support and guidance ensures that they feel very safe, which parents appreciate. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher is determined to improve provision. She works very effectively with the senior leadership team, who monitor the school’s work systematically, as do the subject coordinators. Governance is good. The school has a good capacity to improve in future.

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Grade: 2

Levels on entry to the school vary from year to year. In the majority of years children enter the school at levels that are expected for their age, although in some year groups these levels are lower then expected. Children achieve well, making consistently good progress through the year because the learning and development is effective. In some aspects, such as imaginative development and communication children make very good progress because the teacher provides very exciting contexts for this learning. Staff provide high levels of welfare and are particularly skilful in supporting children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Children’s personal development is outstanding. They greatly benefit from opportunities to take the initiative and make choices. Outdoor learning is outstanding when activities are led by adults, but the opportunities for independent learning are not as good outdoors as they are indoors. The

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Grade: 2

coordinator has an extremely clear vision of how she wants the provision to develop and this, together with her very good subject knowledge ensure that leadership and management are outstanding. 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Hunwick Primary School, 3–4 February 2009

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Increase the rate of progress in Key Stage 1 by developing a wider range of teaching and learning methods and matching the curriculum more closely to pupils’ needs.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good. From average starting points pupils make good progress to reach significantly higher than average standards by the time they reach Year 6. Progress is most rapid in Year 6. In 2006 the national tests showed that standards at the end of Year 6 rose to significantly higher than average and in 2007 these standards were sustained. The inspection confirms these high standards, with a much larger proportion of pupils reaching the higher Level 5. Progress and standards in Key Stage 1 are not as strong as they are in Key Stage 2. Progress through the school in ICT is good and standards are higher than expected for their age. Progress of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is good. This is reflected in the national tests in 2008 when all pupils reached the expected level for their age. Traveller pupils make good progress because their individual needs are well met.

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Grade: 1

Personal development and well-being are outstanding, as are pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils have very positive attitudes towards their work and make excellent contributions to the school, local and global community. They are keen to take up responsibilities and the school council works very effectively. Pupils work gladly in devising projects, events and competitions to generate profit for the benefit of pupils in other countries with whom they are in regular contact. They understand the needs of others very well and are very aware of issues of right and wrong, both in school and beyond. This results in high standards of behaviour. Pupils are active in planning events to raise funds and managing money, costings and profit distribution. Along with their very good standards in basic skills, including ICT, this prepares them very well for their future lives. Attendance levels are higher than average. Pupils have a

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Grade: 1

very good understanding of how to achieve a healthy lifestyle and are very aware of a range of situations in which they need to ensure their own safety, such as their use of the Internet and road safety.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. The management of behaviour is very effective, resulting in calm and purposeful contexts for learning. Teaching and learning are consistently good in Key Stage 2. Teachers work at a fast pace, they identify key learning for the lesson well and support pupils effectively in evaluating their own learning through the session. Pupils receive high levels of challenge, particularly in Year 6 and they do their best to achieve the lesson’s objectives. Teaching and learning are satisfactory in Key Stage 1. Teachers spend too long in whole-class sessions and do not provide enough time for pupils to carry out independent tasks. There are not sufficient opportunities for pupils to talk about what they are learning. All teachers work 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Hunwick Primary School, 3–4 February 2009 well with their teaching assistants, which supports the pupils with learning difficulties and/or

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Grade: 2

The quality of the curriculum is good. Statutory requirements are met and there is an appropriate balance across different subjects. The school analyses curriculum provision carefully to identify whole-school needs and then responds well. For example, daily spelling sessions have been introduced. The curriculum for ICT is a key strength through the school. In Key Stage 1 the curriculum does not fully meet this age group’s needs. In particular the planning places too much emphasis on writing. The curriculum for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well organised. There is a strong emphasis on the personal and social curriculum, which is outstanding. The school provides a wide range of interesting and well attended clubs, which enriches pupils’ opportunities for learning very well.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good with some very strong features, which parents appreciate. One commented, ‘Hunwick Primary School is providing an excellent nurturing education for my child.’ Pupils talk about the kindness of their teachers giving them a sense of confidence should they wish to turn to an adult for help or support. Arrangements for safeguarding meet requirements. Risk assessments are effective and the school works well with appropriate agencies in support of the most vulnerable children. Guidance for personal development is outstanding. The school is working hard to extend and improve their good quality academic guidance. The oldest pupils really appreciate the opportunities to assess their own work. They have a clear sense of a partnership with their teacher in understanding what to do to improve, but this is not as consistently outstanding throughout the school.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher is determined to improve the quality of provision and has ensured that issues from the previous inspection have been addresses thoroughly. This has resulted in good improvement, with a rise in academic standards, and the pupils’ outstanding personal development being sustained. The senior leadership team work well together and have a good understanding of the needs of the school. Coordinators are keen to develop their subjects and monitoring systems work well. This was a weakness in the previous inspection. The school sets a high priority on promoting community cohesion and has worked hard to extend its provision to the global community. There is a good range of tracking systems and data for individual pupils but it does not relate this closely enough to whole class outcomes or national data. Governors play an active role in the school and have a good understanding of the school’s provision. The school’s improvement

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Grade: 2

since the last inspection and its commitment to development indicate that there is a good capacity to improve in future. The school provides good value for money. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Hunwick Primary School, 3–4 February 2009 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Hunwick Primary School, 3–4 February 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? 2 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? 1 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 1 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

2 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 2 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Hunwick Primary School, 3–4 February 2009

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learners?

1 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 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

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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?

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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 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Hunwick Primary School, 3–4 February 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

5 February 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Hunwick Primary School, Durham, DL15 0JX Thank you very much for welcoming Mr Watson and me so warmly when we inspected your school. We really enjoyed talking to you and looking at your work. We are writing to tell you what we found out about your school. You go to a good school. When you start in Reception your teacher makes sure that everyone looks after you very carefully and the staff give you some fascinating things to do. I particularly enjoyed looking at the dragon world you made. By the time you leave the school your standards are significantly higher than average and this is because the teaching and the curriculum in Key Stage 2 are good and help you to make good progress as you move through the classes. When you get to Year 6 your progress gets even faster. You are all very confident in working with ICT, both in lessons and in your clubs. Your headteacher, staff and governors are all working

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

hard together to make your school an even better place for you to learn. Your personal development is outstanding. You thoroughly enjoy contributing to your own school community and your school council works very well. You have a very good understanding of life and schools in other countries and Mr Watson thoroughly enjoyed listening to your singing of Swahili songs. Your behaviour is excellent and you have a very good understanding of how to keep safe and healthy. To help you to make even better progress we have asked your school to think of and use more ways to help you to learn in Year 1 and 2 classrooms and to check that every pupil is given tasks that help them to do their very best. We wish you all the best for your future lives and we hope that you will continue to work hard in your lessons and to look after each other around your school. Yours sincerely Margaret Shepherd Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Hunwick Primary School, 3–4 February 2009

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