Pebworth First School

116715 Unique Reference Number Worcestershire Local Authority 326432 Inspection number 3 June 2009 Inspection date Alison Grainger 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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First Type of school Community School category 4–10 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 46 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 Pam Veal Chair Tara Collins-Bullock Headteacher 1 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 Pebworth School address Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 8XA 01789 720726 Telephone number 01789 720726 Fax number

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4–10 Age group 3 June 2009 Inspection date 326432 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: Pebworth First School, 3 June 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

All pupils in this small school are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities fluctuates. Currently, it is broadly average in most year groups. These pupils' needs are varied and are mainly moderate learning difficulties or problems with speech and communication. The school has three classes, each comprising of two year groups of pupils. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in a combined Reception and Year 1 class. Before entering this class, most children attend the privately run pre-school provision that shares the school's site in the mornings.

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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: Pebworth First School, 3 June 2009

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school. It ensures that pupils make satisfactory progress and it does some important things well. Parents are rightly pleased with the quality of pastoral care and the way in which the school ensures their children's personal welfare. As one parent commented, reflecting the views of many, 'I firmly believe the school is a safe, secure and happy environment.' The school works well in partnership with outside agencies and parents. One parent observed that, 'The teachers become like your family and friends and nothing is a problem for them.' Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. As a result of the school's warm, family atmosphere and the approachability of all staff, pupils feel safe and confident at school. Pupils enjoy school a good deal, as shown by the above average attendance rate. In particular, they value the wide range of activities provided in addition to their daily lessons, such as clubs, visits

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Grade: 3

and visitors. One pupil noted that, 'Whatever you want to do, there is usually a club for it.' Pupils have a good understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, responding enthusiastically to the many opportunities provided for sport and physical activity. They know a good deal about the importance of a well balanced diet and are pleased to gain points for eating healthily. They contribute well to the school by taking on responsibilities and through the school's 'pupil voice' arrangements. They are also active in the local community and, for example, do much to raise funds for charities. Across the school, standards are broadly average. These standards represent satisfactory achievement in relation to pupils' starting points in Reception which are close to the expected level overall. Achievement is satisfactory because teaching, the curriculum and the academic guidance given to pupils are satisfactory. While there are good features to teaching, a main

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Grade: 3

factor preventing achievement from being better is that not all lessons proceed at the right pace. As a result, not all pupils are given the consistent challenge necessary to move learning on at a good rate. Some shortcomings in the academic guidance also prevent pupils from progressing more quickly. All teachers mark pupils' work regularly and pupils have individual targets. Even so, pupils are not well enough informed of the next steps that they need to take to improve their performance. They are not as well involved as they might be in reviewing their progress and this prevents them from taking real responsibility for their learning. Leadership and management are satisfactory. There are good features such as the positive relationships with parents and the focus on pupils' personal welfare. Since the last inspection, the headteacher has established stronger teamwork of staff and created a firmer commitment

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Grade: 3

to raising standards. The school has a sound capacity to improve. It is already, for example, working to sharpen the use of assessment to meet pupils' needs in lessons, having developed better systems for tracking their progress. The staff team is not, however, carefully analysing how well the school's provision, particularly teaching, has an impact on pupils' progress within individual lessons and over time. This is preventing it from moving forward more quickly and meeting pupils' needs more effectively.

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Grade: 3

Induction arrangements are good and enhanced by strong links with the pre-school group on the school's site. Good efforts are also made to support children who attend other pre-school 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Pebworth First School, 3 June 2009 settings. As a result, children settle well and make good strides in their personal development. They are happy, confident and independent, behave very well and form positive relationships. Children make satisfactory progress in their learning so that, in most years, they transfer to Year 1 with broadly average standards. They have access to a wide curriculum that covers all the areas of learning indoors and outside. The outdoor area is currently being developed to provide more opportunities for learning outside. However, the school does not have large wheeled toys, such as tricycles, or equipment for climbing, balancing, pushing and pulling to support aspects such as physical development and learning early scientific concepts. Visitors

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Grade: 3

and visits, including regular trips to a local forest and a nearby farm, enhance children's knowledge and understanding of the world. Teaching is satisfactory. There are good features, including focused teaching of phonics. However, as in the rest of the school, not all lessons and activities have the pace and challenge necessary to move learning on quickly. Assessment procedures are thorough and careful records are kept of children's development. These assessments are not used fully, however, to meet children's individual learning needs. The provision for Reception children is satisfactorily led and managed.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that lessons always proceed at the right pace and provide sufficient challenge for all pupils. ■ Provide all pupils with clear guidance on how they can improve their performance and involve them more in reviewing their progress. ■ Carefully analyse how well the school's provision, particularly teaching, contributes to pupils' progress and involve all teachers in this process. 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 and standards are usually broadly average at the end of Years 2 and 5. All in all, pupils' development of basic skills in literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology (ICT) prepares them satisfactorily for their future lives. There are examples of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities moving on well. However, not all pupils are consistently challenged, particularly those of average and higher ability.

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Grade: 2

The spiritual, moral and social aspects of pupils' development are good. The outcomes are seen in pupils' good behaviour, sensible attitudes and awareness of the needs of others. Pupils work together well, such as when gathering information from the internet or when discussing issues in pairs. By showing consideration for others and moving sensibly about classrooms and the building, pupils help to make the school a safe place. They contribute well to their school and were, for instance, fully involved in the school's work towards Green Flag status. They care about the environment and have made many suggestions to help the school become more 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Pebworth First School, 3 June 2009 environmentally friendly. Pupils are also active in the local community and, for example, perform for senior citizens at Christmas. Cultural development is not as strong as the spiritual, moral and social aspects. The school is

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Grade: 2

actively seeking means of extending pupils' awareness of the diversity of modern multi-ethnic society. While pupils develop many good personal attributes, their rate of progress in acquiring basic skills means that their preparation for their future lives is satisfactory.

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Grade: 3

Although teaching is satisfactory overall, there are examples of good practice. In phonics sessions in Year 1, there is a clear focus on what pupils need to learn next and effective support is provided for different ability groups. In a good music lesson for pupils in Years 2 and 3, expectations of the standards pupils are capable of attaining were high. The lesson moved at a good pace, with activities keeping pupils involved well. All lessons are appropriately structured and supportive relationships help pupils to 'have a go'. Teaching assistants provide effective support for pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or difficulties, during group activities. However, they are not always used fully in whole-class sessions. The main reason why teaching is satisfactory, rather than good, is that lessons are not always well enough paced. Sometimes, part of a lesson takes too long, such as when the teacher talks

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Grade: 3

to the whole class with the input at the same level for all the pupils. At other times, a group or the class as a whole is expected to proceed through an activity at the same pace, when some pupils could move on more quickly. The result is that not all pupils are challenged fully. Often, it is the more able who could be pushed on more and sometimes it is also pupils of average ability. Occasionally, in whole-class sessions, the lower ability pupils are not well enough involved.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum promotes satisfactory progress in key areas such as reading, writing, mathematics and ICT. It is appropriately broad and includes a modern foreign language. Sometimes, links are made between subjects that make learning more meaningful, for example when pupils sing in French. The school is rightly working on the development of ICT across the curriculum and has made a sound start to this. Aspects of the curriculum contribute well to pupils' personal development, such as their understanding of healthy lifestyles. There are good features to the curriculum. In particular, the range of activities such as visits, visitors and clubs is very extensive for a small school. A residential visit for pupils in Year 5 is greatly enjoyed and helps pupils to develop independence. Special focus weeks provide good opportunities for pupils to explore a theme in depth. All pupils enjoy outdoor learning, such

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Grade: 3

as when they visited a local forest. The school uses a variety of visitors to give pupils an insight into different cultures and faiths. It recognises the need to develop the multi-cultural dimension of the curriculum. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Pebworth First School, 3 June 2009

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Grade: 3

Many strengths to the care, guidance and support for pupils contribute much to their personal development and well-being. Pastoral care is strong and pupils are sure that they have an adult to whom they can turn should the need arise. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet government requirements and are reviewed regularly. The personal support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is good. The school works closely with outside agencies to ensure that these pupils are given the right support. Attention to health and safety is good. The academic guidance for pupils requires improvement and therefore, the overall grade for care, guidance and support for pupils is satisfactory rather than good. Marking does not do enough to tell pupils what in particular they have done well or guide them sufficiently in taking the next steps necessary to improve their performance. Pupils themselves are insufficiently

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Grade: 3

involved in reviewing their targets and in identifying how well they are doing. As a result, pupils do not have a clear enough understanding of how to make better progress.

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Grade: 3

Taken at all levels, leadership and management ensure that pupils have a satisfactory education. The school runs smoothly and the teamwork of staff is stronger now than at the last inspection. Some important improvements have been made, in particular to the systems for recording and tracking pupils' progress and to the accommodation. Within the small staff, there is sensible allocation of responsibilities. A reasonable amount of monitoring takes place and some of these activities involve all teachers. However, there is not sharp enough analysis by all teachers of how the school's provision, particularly teaching, has an impact on pupils' progress. This is preventing the school from improving more quickly. Most governors are very supportive and committed to the school. The governing body is not, however, well enough involved in objectively checking on the school's effectiveness. Community cohesion is promoted satisfactorily with much good action taken in respect of the

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Grade: 3

local community. The school is aware, for example, that further action is necessary to develop its work in promoting community cohesion more widely. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Pebworth First School, 3 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: Pebworth First School, 3 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? 2 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: Pebworth First School, 3 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 2 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: Pebworth First School, 3 June 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

4 June 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Pebworth First School, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 8XA Thank you for helping us when we visited your school. We enjoyed talking with you, watching your lessons and looking at your work. A special thank you is due to those of you who represent the 'pupil voice' who gave us a lot of information. We saw that you behave well and this helps to make your school a safe and pleasant place. You get on well with each other and with the adults in school. You are kind and considerate in how you treat others and when you raise funds for charities. You know a good deal about how to keep fit and healthy. It is good that you have so many activities in addition to your daily lessons, such as visits, visitors and clubs. As one of you told us, 'Whatever you want to do, there is usually a club for it.' All of these extra activities add to your enjoyment of school. You told us that you enjoy school and we can see that this is true

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

by your good attendance rate. Well done! The adults look after you well. We know that many of your parents really appreciate this because they told us so. Your school is providing you with a satisfactory education. These are the main things that we have asked the adults to do now.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure that all lessons move along at the right pace and give the right level of challenge for each of you. ■ Give you clear guidance on how to improve your work and involve you more in reviewing your progress. This should help you to take more responsibility for your learning. ■ Look carefully at how well the school helps you to make progress.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You can help by always doing your best. Please tell your teacher if your work is too hard or too easy. Thank you once again. Yours faithfully Alison Grainger Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Pebworth First School, 3 June 2009

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