Tickton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Tickton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Inspection report

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117995 Unique Reference Number East Riding of Yorkshire Local Authority 326732 Inspection number 13 May 2009 Inspection date Linda Murphy 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 206 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 Mark Shingles Chair Mrs Linda Cholewa Headteacher 1 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 Main Street School address Tickton Beverley HU17 9RZ 01964 542498 Telephone number 01964 544949 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 13 May 2009 Inspection date 326732 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: Tickton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 13 May 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. The inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: attainment on entry and progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage, progress at Key Stage 1, in particular for higher attainers, and pupils’ personal development. Evidence was collected by: observing lessons; scrutinising pupils’ work, assessment data and school documents; holding discussions with the headteacher, other staff, two representatives of the governing body, the local authority and a representative of an external agency. 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, although in some cases unduly cautious and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

The school is average in size. It serves a socio-economically mixed community in the local and surrounding villages and town. Nearly half of the pupils attend from out of the immediate area. Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is about average. The school provides for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage in one Reception class. The school has gained the Basic Skills Quality Mark, Healthy Schools Award, the Artsmark Gold, the Activemark, Eco-silver award and Financial Management Standard in Schools, and participates in Creative Partnerships.

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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: Tickton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 13 May 2009

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Grade: 2

The school provides a good education for its pupils. Pupils’ personal development is outstanding and reflects the school’s outstanding pastoral care and guidance. A significant proportion of pupils join the school at Key Stage 2. The school’s welfare and assessment arrangements are outstanding and these ensure that newcomers soon make friends and work at levels expected of their ability. Pupils’ personal development and well-being are promoted extremely well. Pupils form warm, trusting relationships with others, are very attentive in lessons and exceedingly keen to take on responsibilities. As a result, they grow into mature young people very well prepared for secondary education. Their behaviour is exemplary, which adds much to their learning. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding and provides pupils with a very good understanding of the many cultures in Britain and abroad. The arts contribute much to pupils’

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Grade: 2

joy in learning, for example, working with an artist to produce stained-glass window portraying ‘all things bright and beautiful’ stemmed from a reflective window on life. Pupils’ understanding of how to stay safe and healthy enables them to adopt excellent practice. The system of family groups, where pupils from Reception to Year 6 work together on special days and projects, promotes outstanding care for others. Pupils agree that there is always someone to turn to with any worries. All safeguarding and child-protection procedures meet national requirements. They take their responsibilities to the school and local community very seriously; the school is at the heart of the village and has excellent links with parents. Achievement is good. Levels of attainment on entry to Reception are below those usually found nationally. Although children make good progress, their standards on entry to Year 1 vary.

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Grade: 2

Typically they are average; very few attain highly. By the end of Year 2, standards are broadly average with an increasing proportion of pupils who attain the higher level in reading, writing and mathematics. Nonetheless, this proportion is lower than that found nationally. By the end of Year 6, standards are above average in English, mathematics and science and good proportions attain high levels in the national tests. Across the school, reading is the strongest element of English and writing the weakest. Pupils require extra help with spelling and sentence structure in particular. They have plenty of opportunities for writing and there is evidence of a growing imaginative response. However, the school’s actions to improve writing have not yet made a full impact on standards. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress. This is because good leadership, well focused training, and effective deployment of staff meet

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Grade: 2

pupils’ needs well. Pupils with special gifts and talents, ‘the sparkies’, make good progress because the provision to meet their needs is well-embedded and wide ranging. The outstanding curriculum is innovative and exciting. It adds a great deal to pupils’ enjoyment and personal development. External awards further confirm the breadth and quality of the school’s work and the many excellent additional and enriching activities that are offered. A recent project in Years 2 and 3, as part of a national creative partnership, is enabling the school’s ethos and pupils’ thirst for learning to be taken forward very well. Pupils, working in family groups with others of different ages and often alongside parents, are broadening their horizons, and extending their economic well-being by working regularly with artists, including musicians. This impacts very well on pupils’ awareness and understanding of the world of work. Parents

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Grade: 2

report that the children are ‘more switched on and have much better recall of their work’ through this very practical approach. 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Tickton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 13 May 2009 The quality of teaching is good and underpins good gains in pupils’ learning. Strengths include very strong relationships, well structured lessons which grow out of detailed planning, and tasks mostly matched to pupils’ needs. Support for all groups is built into lessons. Activities are exciting and pupils become thoroughly involved in their independent work because they have time to apply new learning in interesting ways. For example, following a visit to a farm, pupils in a drama lesson in Year 1 adapted the story of The Ugly Duckling. This promoted speaking and listening very well. Staff have good knowledge of the subjects they teach, and learners are very keen because lessons are fun. The flexible deployment of teaching assistants

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Grade: 2

impacts well on all groups of pupils. On occasion, teachers’ questioning is directed to too few pupils and when this happens the pace of learning slows. Good leadership and management ensure that pupils achieve well. Strong teamwork, very well led by the headteacher, enables staff to contribute their strengths in a variety of ways to benefit pupils’ learning. Governance is good. Governors are prudent financial managers and provide a good balance of support and challenge to the school. The school has assessed the needs of its community and responds well to the outcomes. It ensures pupils gain breadth and depth in their knowledge of faiths and cultures other than their own, and that they are aware of global issues. The monitoring of standards and the quality of teaching and learning is systematic and rigorous. Staff use data from assessment very well to direct learning, set targets, mark books and hold teachers to account for the progress their pupils make. This is a good improvement

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Grade: 2

since the last inspection. Pupils say that adults in school are ‘constructive and positive’ in helping them to improve their work. As a result, pupils are very clear about how to advance their work and to attain the challenging targets set. The school has built well on its previous success and is in a good position for further improvement. It has a mainly accurate understanding of its effectiveness, although it errs on the side of caution in judging some aspects of its work.

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Grade: 2

Children enter the Reception with attainment mostly below that typically expected for their ages, at times well below in communication, language and literacy and aspects of mathematics. Because of the good teaching they receive they achieve well especially in their personal, social and emotional development. Most attain the early learning goals for their ages at the end of the Reception Year, although few attain more highly. The curriculum is lively and children enjoy exploring activities. They have a good balance of tasks they choose for themselves and those directed by adults, all of which include plentiful opportunities to learn and play outside. For example, role-play in the ‘garden centre’ improves their speaking and listening and provides good opportunities for writing. Assessment of how well the children learn is used well overall, although on occasion the challenge when they are working in small groups is not quite on

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Grade: 2

target for middle to higher attainers. Arrangements for pupils’ welfare are very good. The Early Years Foundation Stage is well managed and very thoughtfully led.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards for higher attainers at Key Stage 1.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in writing to bridge the gap between reading and writing. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Tickton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 13 May 2009 .

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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: Tickton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 13 May 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? 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

2 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 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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Tickton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 13 May 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? 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 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Tickton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 13 May 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

14 May 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Tickton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU17 9RZ Thank you for the help you gave when your school was inspected. Yours is a good school with outstanding features that include your personal development, the way the school looks after you, and the many exciting activities provided both during lesson time and out of school hours. Your parents are pleased they chose this school for you. Children get off to a good start in the Reception class and continue to do well throughout school. As a result, by the end of Year 6, your attainment is higher than a lot of schools in English, mathematics and science. The inspectors have asked the school to help you achieve even more by making your writing as good as your reading and, also, to help the higher attainers in Key Stage 1 learn even faster. You can help by trying really hard with your writing and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

continuing to act on your teachers’ advice. Your school is well led by the headteacher and governors, and teamwork among the staff helps you all do well and enjoy school. Staff make sure you all have equal chances to take part in all the school provides. Your behaviour is exemplary and you have an excellent understanding of how to stay safe and healthy. You add much to your school and local community. You take you responsibilities seriously, and gain a good understanding of how people live in other countries. We enjoyed our time with you and we wish you every success for the future. Yours faithfully Linda Murphy Lead inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Tickton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 13 May 2009

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