St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Beverley

St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Beverley Inspection report

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118030 Unique Reference Number East Riding of Yorkshire Local Authority 326745 Inspection number 29–30 April 2009 Inspection dates Jackie Barnes 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 407 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 Mrs Brenda Hopkins Chair Mrs Lucy Jordan Headteacher 4 April 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Eden Road School address Beverley HU17 7HD 01482 868149 Telephone number 01482 868149 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 29–30 April 2009 Inspection dates 326745 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 12 Inspection Report: St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Beverley, 29–30 April 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a larger than average primary school situated close to the small town of Beverley and serving a residential locality of mainly owner-occupied housing. Some of the pupils live within reasonable walking distance of the school but many travel much further, partly because of the church affiliation. Entitlement to free school meals is low. The school population is stable. Most pupils are of White British origin. A small proportion are of other ethnic heritage, including a few pupils who are learning English as their additional language. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 12 Inspection Report: St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Beverley, 29–30 April 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school where pupils achieve well. It is a happy place for pupils to learn and has successfully developed a sense of community which helps pupils to develop confidence in themselves and their ability to succeed. Pupils enjoy school and attendance is above average. Their personal development is good. Positive attitudes to learning underpin their enthusiasm in lessons, their eagerness to cooperate, and willingness to persist when they meet a challenge. Behaviour is good and exemplary when pupils are moving about the school at break-times and for assemblies. They know how to keep safe and healthy, and they trust staff to help them if they have a problem. Staff know pupils well and take great care of their welfare. When the children join the Early Years Foundation Stage, their development is generally in line with that expected for their age. By the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6, standards

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Grade: 2

are usually above average and achievement is good. Some year-to-year variations are mainly linked to the differing abilities of pupils in each year group, including some years with a higher proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Their good progress is the result of teaching and learning that are good overall, although with some variability from class to class. Most lessons are interesting and stimulating. Teachers have high expectations and generally plan well for the various ability groups in the class. However, the challenge for the more able pupils is not consistently high enough to ensure they make the best progress they can. In some year groups this reduces the proportion of pupils who could be reasonably expected to achieve the higher levels of attainment for their age. The recently introduced arrangements for tracking pupils’ progress and setting targets provides additional rigour and readily identifies

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Grade: 2

pupils who need regular additional support or whose progress has slowed. In the best lessons this has helped teachers set accurate targets for individual pupils, and provide helpful guidance on how each can improve their work. The subjects and activities that make up the curriculum are good. Recent initiatives have enabled pupils to develop their skills and understanding, especially in literacy and numeracy, across several subjects. To reinforce their understanding, a wide range of visits and visitors are regular features, and pupils are very appreciative of these opportunities to make learning exciting. Equally, the wide range of after-school activities has a good take up and provides ample opportunity for pupils to hone their personal skills of independence, leadership and cooperation. This also adds much to pupils’ enjoyment of school. The school is well led and managed. It meets its challenging targets. The headteacher, supported

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Grade: 2

by the leadership team, has successfully incorporated the necessary programme of development into the school’s practice at a brisk pace. The reorganisation of the senior management has enabled more staff to be involved in strategic decisions and is working well. The subject leaders are not yet fully involved in promoting high quality teaching and learning in their subjects, and their guidance is needed in some year groups. The school has plans in place to improve this position. Governors are well led and have been actively involved in setting the school’s priorities for development, with good knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The school’s efforts to promote community cohesion are very good and include global contacts which have added greatly to the pupils’ wider understanding of the diversity of other cultures. The school has good capacity to improve further. 4 of 12 Inspection Report: St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Beverley,

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Grade: 2

Parents are rightly delighted with the welcome their children receive when they enter the Reception Year, and how quickly they settle to enjoying school. Children have a wide range of abilities and development when they arrive. Overall, their attainment is broadly in line with that expected for their ages. They achieve well and by the time they enter Year 1, almost all are working at least at the expected level, with the occasional year group attaining standards above this expectation. Teaching is good. A major factor in the children’s good progress is the care staff take to get to know every individual’s needs and interests, to provide the motivating activities that successfully encourage the children’s confidence to explore and investigate. As a result they are keen to learn. Their personal development is good. They behave well. Most are capable of sustaining their interest in a task, particularly in perusing a chosen book or

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Grade: 2

developing a construction idea. Occasionally, they spend too long listening and they lose interest and begin to disturb others. Nonetheless, they enjoy learning and retain their enthusiasm to the end of the day. Staff take good care of the children’s welfare, and teach them to stay safe and healthy. The exciting new outdoor provision contributes well to learning about aspects such as road safety, as well as to the children’s physical development and fun. The leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage deals well with the challenges of having new children enter each term, although for some summer born children their experience of this stage of education is limited to one term. Their attainment at the end of the Reception Year tends to be below that of their national group in reading and mathematics.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards further, especially for the most able pupils throughout the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Increase the proportion of good and better teaching in all year groups.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure subject leaders for English, mathematics and science have sufficient opportunity to promote and monitor the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good and standards are above average. The results of national assessments vary, reflecting to some extent a year group’s attainment on entry to school. However, over time the school’s results in national tests indicate that attainment by Year 6 is generally above average and pupils have made good progress. The 2008 results for Year 2 pupils were broadly average overall which was a dip from the previous year. The school’s reliable statistics for the current Year 2 pupils predict above average results, with a particular strength in reading. This represents good progress from their starting points. The 2008 results for Year 6 pupils were significantly above average overall, with English being the strongest subject. For the current Year 6, standards are predicted to be broadly average, again with a strength in reading, which represents good progress from their starting points. The more able pupils do not attain as well

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Grade: 2

in writing and mathematics as they do in reading. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities have good quality additional support and achieve well, some attaining similar standards to the other pupils in their year group. 5 of 12 Inspection Report: St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Beverley, 29–30 April 2009

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. It is underpinned by a clear emphasis on inclusion and equality of opportunity. Pupils’ good personal development is reflected in their positive attitudes to learning; their good, and sometimes excellent, behaviour, and their genuine enjoyment of school. Attendance is above average. Pupils say they feel safe in school and that the infrequent instances of bullying are dealt with quickly. They say there is always an adult they can turn to if they need help. Pupils show a good awareness of how to stay safe and healthy, knowing the effects of exercise on the body, and the dangers of ‘fast foods’. They are very willing to take on responsibility, with members of the elected school council eager to develop their role even further. A clear willingness to recognise and celebrate the successes and differences of others contributes well to the school’s inclusive community.

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Grade: 2

Good links with schools in several European countries strengthen and clarify pupils’ understanding of their place in the world. Pupils’ good personal attributes and their competence in the basic skills of English and mathematics, prepare them well for the next stage of their education.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Relationships, the promotion of pupils’ good behaviour and positive attitudes, and the personal support provided by adults in all classes are consistently strong across the year groups. Staff use praise well to celebrate pupils’ achievements, to encourage them to try their best and to raise their self-esteem. Planning for the progress of the various ability groups is helped by the more rigorous assessment and tracking system which is now in place and which readily identifies where improvements in pupils’ learning is needed. Where teachers are clear about the learning intentions for the different groups, the quality of assessment in lessons is good. In most lessons the expectations for pupils’ progress tend to be suitably high for all but the higher attaining pupils whose rate of progress is sometimes hindered by a lack of challenge. In most lessons pupils show high levels of interest and excitement, are keen to answer questions

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Grade: 2

and share their thinking with each other and the teacher. Usually these positive attitudes are supported well by teachers who use their good questioning skills to clarify, challenge and extend pupils’ thinking, which results in good progress. However, the quality of teaching throughout the school varies from satisfactory to outstanding. As a result, the progress of a minority of pupils varies from year–to-year. Teaching assistants work well in partnership with teachers and are very effective in enabling pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to take a full part in lessons alongside their classmates.

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Grade: 2

The school is in the early stages of developing a thematic skill-based curriculum. It is rich and varied and creates exciting opportunities for pupils to transfer, practise and extend their writing, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills across a wide range of subjects. This is appreciated by children with one stating that ‘it really makes learning fun’. 6 of 12 Inspection Report: St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Beverley, 29–30 April 2009 The curriculum is enhanced by a good range of well planned visits and visitors that provide first-hand experiences for pupils in a variety of topics and often excite their imaginations. These are used well by teachers to provide a common theme around which skills across a range of subjects can be developed. There is a suitably strong focus on English and mathematics. The provision for higher attaining pupils in these subjects is sometimes dull and does not capture

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Grade: 2

the pupils’ interest. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and other vulnerable learners is good. They are identified early and individual education plans are shared and discussed with parents. A particular strength of the curriculum is in the way it supports and promotes pupils’ personal development. For example, there are many and varied enrichment activities which accommodate pupils who want to take part in activities just for fun. They contribute well to the pupils’ love of school and, as one child said, ‘offer something for everyone’. Pupils are provided with opportunities to develop their business and financial understanding through a range of well planned enterprise projects such as growing and selling vegetables to the school kitchen. Pupils learn about other faiths and cultures through assemblies, religious education, the excellent links made with schools throughout Europe and a programme of personal, social, health and

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Grade: 2

The school meets current requirements for safeguarding pupils. It pays rigorous attention to health and safety. Adults in school know the pupils well, and are trusted by them. A well understood, long established system tracks pupils’ personal development and progress. This ensures that staff are able to provide appropriate support quickly and accurately should the need arise. Pupils say they have confidence in the confidential help adults give them. Good links with outside professional and other services means that additional specialist advice can be quickly sought when necessary. The school records the academic progress pupils are making regularly and most staff use the information well to plan pupils’ progress. There are examples of excellent marking which provides clear guidance for pupils on how they might improve, but this is not yet consistent through the school.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher was appointed two years ago and has very effectively led an extensive programme of initiatives which is almost complete. As a result, the school has the benefit of strengthened systems for monitoring the quality of the school’s provision. These provide the leadership, including governors, with a wide range of useful information about the school’s strengths and weaknesses, especially those related to teaching, pupils’ achievement, parents’ views and safety. Consequently, school improvement planning is securely based and priorities have been identified accurately, including further improving aspects of teaching and standards. A clear vision for the school is shared by the extended leadership team including the recently appointed deputy headteacher. The team work well together, sharing knowledge of their areas of responsibility. This includes sharing comprehensive details of achievements and provision

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Grade: 2

for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities as part of the school’s strong commitment to equality and eliminating discrimination. The role of the subject leaders has developed well and the school consistently gets close to or exceeds its challenging targets. However, insufficient 7 of 12 Inspection Report: St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Beverley, 29–30 April 2009 time is available for the subject leaders to be active in promoting further improvements in the core subjects. Parents have confidence in the school and some would like more opportunities to know how well their children are progressing to help where they can. The school’s contribution to community cohesion is very good and gives pupils a good appreciation of different cultures and people. It begins with the respect and support for each individual which is an integral part of the school and faith community, links to the local community through participation in charities

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Grade: 2

and events, and extends to global contacts and visits from schools in several other countries. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Beverley, 29–30 April 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. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Beverley, 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? 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. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Beverley, 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 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? 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? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Beverley, 29–30 April 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

1 May 2009 Dear Children Inspection of St Mary’s Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU17 7HD Thank you for making me and my colleagues so welcome when we recently inspected your school. You helped us to see how well behaved you are and that you enjoy school very much, especially when you are doing practical work. You look after each other and the staff look after you very well. You say you always know that staff will help you if you have a problem. You know how to keep safe and healthy. Standards in your school are usually good but they do vary a little from year to year. Most of you have the benefit of good teaching, and you love learning. You try hard to do the best work you can and you make good progress. Your parents are very proud of you. Your curriculum helps you to learn in an interesting way and you told us you find it fun. You also love the activities in the school clubs and most of you take good advantage of

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

them. You think your school is good and you are right. However, some of you could make even better progress. Your headteacher and governors work hard because they want you to you have a good education, so I have asked them to make sure that:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ all of you attain the highest standards you can

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you all have the benefit of good teaching throughout the school

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the teachers who lead English, mathematics and science have enough time to be certain that you are able to make the very best progress. You can help by keeping on behaving well, enjoying school and working hard. My very best wishes for your future. Yours faithfully Jackie Barnes Lead inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Beverley, 29–30 April 2009

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