North Frodingham Primary School

North Frodingham Primary School Inspection report

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117861 Unique Reference Number East Riding of Yorkshire Local Authority 326701 Inspection number 29–30 April 2009 Inspection dates Jonathan Sutcliffe 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 59 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 Mr Andy Crabtree Chair Mr Paul Lockwood (Acting head) Headteacher 16 March 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection North Frodingham School address Driffield YO25 8LA 01262 488227 Telephone number 01262 488227 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 29–30 April 2009 Inspection dates 326701 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: North Frodingham Primary School, 29–30 April 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one additional inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a very small sized primary school. All the children are of White British origin and the proportion taking free school meals is below the national average. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is broadly average. The school is federating with a neighbouring primary school in September 2009.

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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: North Frodingham Primary School, 29–30 April 2009

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Grade: 3

North Frodingham is providing its pupils with a satisfactory standard of education. It has several good features. Pupils’ personal development and the care and support they receive are very good. The views of one parent are indicative of those of many others when she commented, ‘My daughter loves coming to school and I feel this is in no small part due to the care given by all the teachers she comes into contact with and the older children.’ Overall standards are average by the end of Year 6 and achievement is satisfactory. Children are provided with a good start to their education in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Progress has improved over the last two years because of good teaching and a more stimulating curriculum. This improving progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage is now beginning to have an impact on pupils’ achievement in Year 1. Between Years 2 and 6 pupils make steady progress and they leave Year 6 with broadly average standards. Throughout the school, pupils’

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Grade: 3

good personal development provides a good basis for learning. Pupils behave well, want to learn and are keen to do well. They feel safe and happy at school and enjoy being there. All of this reflects the good care and support given to pupils. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. A clear strength of the teaching is the effective way pupils are managed so that lessons are orderly and efficient. Although keen to make progress, some more able pupils are not always able to make as much progress as they could. This is because of inconsistencies in the teaching, particularly in matching pupils’ work to their needs as shown by previous learning. The curriculum too, is satisfactory. It provides suitable programmes of work in subjects and is enriched by a range of extra curricular activities, visits and visitors to the school. The curriculum misses some opportunities to reinforce pupils’ basic skills and add interest to their work by linking subjects. In particular, pupils have too little

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Grade: 3

opportunity to use their skills in literacy and information and communication technology (ICT) to support their learning. Satisfactory leadership and management have guided the school soundly through a period of staffing difficulties. Strong leadership from the acting headteacher, effective intervention and support from the local authority and the move to federation next term with a nearby primary school have ensured the school has sound capacity for further improvement. There is now a buzz of enthusiasm and a corporate desire for the school to move forward successfully.

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Grade: 2

Children’s skills on entry to the Early Years Foundation Stage are broadly typical for their age. Over the last two years rates of progress have significantly improved and children are making good progress. By the time they enter Year 1 most children achieve standards that are on the average level and a number of children exceed this. Children benefit from being with Key Stage 1 pupils for part of each day. It contributes to the children’s good levels of personal development, their welfare and care and their standards in all areas of learning. Teachers support the children’s learning well and build on their experiences as they move through Nursery into Reception. The learning environment in the new purpose built Early Years Foundation Stage unit is stimulating. Activities encourage the children to be independent and take responsibility. However, opportunities for children to be involved in practical activities outside the unit are less well

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Grade: 2

developed. Children develop good, friendly and respectful relationships because teachers pay 4 of 11 Inspection Report: North Frodingham Primary School, 29–30 April 2009 close attention to their welfare needs. Consequently children feel safe and free from harm. Teachers are making good use of assessments to plan children’s work. This was evident in a lesson observed where the teacher used her knowledge of the children’s abilities to plan appropriate activities on telling the time with digital clocks. Parents are pleased with what is provided for their children along with the quality of guidance they themselves receive. Good leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage has enabled staff to implement new requirements successfully. Policies, procedures and record keeping comply fully with statutory requirements.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Further develop roles and responsibilities at all levels of leadership and management.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the achievement of higher attaining pupils ensuring that work is always suitably challenging. ■ Provide more opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in literacy and information and communication technology across the curriculum. A small proportion of 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 as they move through the school. They enter Year 1 with average standards. By the time they leave at the age of 11 standards are also broadly average. There are no significant differences between the performance of boys and girls. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make satisfactory progress because they are well supported by teachers and classroom assistants. By the end of Year 2 standards are average in reading and mathematics. In the past progress in writing has been slower and standards have been below average. Inspection evidence from school data and the work in pupils’ books show that more pupils are now making progress in writing at the rate they should. However, progress for the more able pupils in reading, writing and mathematics is slower than it should be. This is because more able pupils are not always given work that matches their capabilities.

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Grade: 3

Standards in Key Stage 2 are broadly average and most pupils make satisfactory progress. The tracking of pupils’ progress shows fluctuations between year groups. Pupils in Year 6 make the most progress. Results in the national tests improved in 2008 to above average in English and science. They were better in science because more time was allocated to teaching and practical investigations. Results in English showed a large gap between reading and writing. The school’s focus on writing is improving standards but there are insufficient opportunities particularly for the more able pupils to use their literacy skills in other subjects.

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Grade: 2

This is a strong aspect of the school’s work. Pupils behave well and have positive attitudes to their work, play cooperatively, and are polite and well mannered. The pupils’ enjoyment of school is reflected in their good attendance. Several of the older pupils demonstrate a mature approach and understand that people have different viewpoints. As a result spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The pupils are clear about what contributes to a healthy 5 of 11 Inspection Report: North Frodingham Primary School, 29–30 April 2009 lifestyle and all pupils start the day with a ‘Wake and Shake’ activity. The school has achieved the Healthy Schools Award and there are informative displays on healthy eating around the school. Pupils understand what precautions they should take to keep themselves safe. There is a school council with class representatives who are able to discuss the suggestions from their

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Grade: 2

classmates. Some of these have been implemented such as the friendship ‘buddy stop’ system in the playground. Pupils make a satisfactory contribution to the local and wider community. They perform concerts to the local people in the village and contribute to charities such as Red Nose Day. Experiences of enterprise projects such as the healthy school tuck shop together with the pupils’ satisfactory basic skills mean they are soundly prepared for the next stage of education.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Throughout the school there are aspects of good teaching. Teachers have good knowledge of the subjects they teach and share this effectively so that pupils develop a clear understanding, for example, of mathematical vocabulary. Teachers’ questioning is frequently effective in bringing out what pupils know. Relationships between pupils and adults are very good and pupils are eager to do their best. Teaching assistants make a good contribution to pupils’ learning and they are particularly skilled in supporting pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Marking is good in most classes and, where it is most effective, teachers advise pupils well on how to improve and plan their next steps in learning. Teachers have good information about the attainment and progress of the pupils and this is used effectively to group them by ability. However, the use of assessment

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Grade: 3

information is not always consistently used to plan work and challenge the more able pupils to achieve standards of which they are capable. This slows the pace of learning and the development of their independent learning skills. Teachers are providing more opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills but the expectations of what pupils can achieve in their writing in subjects other than in English, are insufficiently high.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory and organised so the demands of mixed-aged classes are met. Appropriate emphasis is placed on developing the basic skills in literacy and numeracy. Personal, social and health education is covered weekly in all classes and makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal development. The programme for learning is enriched by a range of extra-curricular activities. These include cookery, gymnastics, dance and football. Pupils have the opportunity to visit places of interest such as a local farm and the Viking Centre in York. Visitors support drama, music and other events that help pupils appreciate cultural diversity. However, there are some opportunities to create interest and enjoyment that the school does not exploit. Work in subjects is not always linked with that in others to make the relevance of pupils’ studies clear to them. This also means that pupils miss out on some potential

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Grade: 3

opportunities to apply the skills gained in literacy and ICT to their learning in other areas. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: North Frodingham Primary School, 29–30 April 2009

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Grade: 3

Parents are rightly happy with the way the school cares for their children. There are effective procedures for keeping the pupils safe. Arrangements for safeguarding, child protection and risk assessment are all in place. Pupils indicate there are very few instances of bullying and that these are resolved quickly. Any vulnerable pupils are well supported and there are very good links with outside agencies to support pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Induction systems are thorough and there are close links with local secondary schools. School assessment systems provide useful information about pupils’ academic achievements. The information is being used well in some classes to set targets for pupils’ future learning so they know how to improve. This practice is not consistent across all classes. The school recognises the need for these assessment systems to be consistently embedded in all classes.

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Grade: 3

The recent staff changes and temporary arrangements have made the senior staff’s key task of school improvement harder. Nevertheless the school has maintained the strengths identified at its previous inspection in pupils’ good attitudes and personal development. Partnerships with parents are strong and good relationships exist between home and school. The school’s self-evaluation is accurate and the acting headteacher has a clear understanding of where strengths and weaknesses lie. He has provided a good lead to address the issues in writing in Key Stage 1 and in science in Key Stage 2. Good use has been made of consultants to provide advice and guidance to staff and this is beginning to have an impact. However, there is more to do to ensure the progress of more able pupils is accelerated. Teaching and learning are monitored by the acting headteacher and this ensures there is a sound understanding of how

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Grade: 3

pupils are performing. However, subject leaders do not have sufficient impact on the monitoring the standards and progress in their subjects. Governors have an accurate view of the strengths and areas for development; they provide enthusiastic support and are satisfactorily holding the school to account for its actions. The school is actively engaged in promoting and increasing community cohesion. It is developing opportunities for pupils to participate in the wider and global communities. The school provides sound value for money. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: North Frodingham Primary School, 29–30 April 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: North Frodingham Primary School, 29–30 April 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?

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

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: North Frodingham Primary School, 29–30 April 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 3 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: North Frodingham Primary School, 29–30 April 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

2 May 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of North Frodingham Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire YO 25 8LA Thank you for making me so welcome when I inspected your school recently. I really enjoyed meeting you, looking at your work and seeing the interesting things you do. You all seemed to enjoy the recycling afternoon and I know many of you learnt new skills and facts. Here are some of the things I thought were good about your school:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the youngest children are provided with a good start to the school in the Early Years Foundation Stage ■ you are very polite, friendly and helpful

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ your attendance at school is good, you behave well and enjoy coming to school

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ teachers plan interesting lessons and you have a good range of visits and visitors to the school ■ the staff look after you well and give you good support.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Many of you do well but some of you could do even better. These are the things I have asked the school to do now:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ make sure work is always challenging for those of you who are capable of achieving the higher levels ■ give you more opportunities to use your writing and your computer skills in other subjects

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ help the people who run your school continually check how well it is doing to make sure it is improving. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to you and watching you learn. I wish you all well in the future. Yours faithfully Jonathan Sutcliffe Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: North Frodingham Primary School, 29–30 April 2009

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