Coppull Parish Church of England Primary School

Coppull Parish Church of England Primary School Inspection report

p.1

119470 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 327045 Inspection number 18–19 June 2009 Inspection dates Gordon Alston Reporting inspector

p.1

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.

p.1

Primary Type of school Voluntary aided School category 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 194 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 Taylor Chair Mrs Maria Brennan 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 Roe Hey Drive School address Coppull Chorley Lancashire PR7 4PU

p.1

4–11 Age group 18–19 June 2009 Inspection dates 327045 Inspection number 01257 791669 Telephone number 01257 794840 Fax number

p.1

4–11 Age group 18–19 June 2009 Inspection dates 327045 Inspection number .

p.2

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.

p.3

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. 3 of 12 Inspection Report: Coppull Parish Church of England Primary School, 18–19 June 2009

p.3

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors.

p.4

Description of the school

The school is below average in size and nearly all its pupils are from White British families. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average and there are indications of some degree of social disadvantage within the area served by the school. The Early Years Foundation Stage consists of the Reception class. There is also a breakfast club and after-school club for pupils aged four to eleven; these are run by a private provider and therefore did not form part of the school inspection. The school has achieved a number of awards, including Excellence in Learning, Healthy Schools and Activemark Awards. The school is currently being led by an acting headteacher.

p.4

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Coppull Parish Church of England Primary School, 18–19 June 2009

p.4

Grade: 2

An enthusiastic group of pupils chorused, ‘Our school’s great!’ They were right. Coppull Parish School is a good school with some outstanding features and provides good value for money. The school is popular and has a strong community spirit. The quality of care for pupils’ social and emotional needs is exceptionally good. The overwhelming majority of parents have very positive views about the school. ‘It’s all we could ask from a school and more – our children love to come and develop as individuals in the stimulating and nurturing environment it provides,’ was a typical comment. Pupils’ achievement is good throughout the school. From a below average starting point on entering school, pupils achieve above average standards by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics. In recent years, standards in reading and mathematics have been stronger than in writing. The school has instigated a programme focusing on regular teaching of basic language

p.5

Grade: 2

skills which is beginning to have a positive impact on improving achievement in writing and, as a result, standards are rising. Pupils’ personal development and well-being are outstanding. Pupils are very sociable and extremely well behaved. They are very happy in school, saying that their teachers make learning great fun and always encourage them to try their very best. Relationships between pupils and adults are excellent. Pupils’ great enjoyment of school shows in their willingness to talk about their learning and in the good quality of work in books and on display. Attendance is good. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Pupils have an exceptionally good understanding of the importance of good nourishment and a healthy lifestyle. Pupils benefit from an outstanding curriculum that meets their needs very well. Careful planning keeps enjoyment at the heart of learning. The teaching of basic skills is a strong feature ensuring

p.5

Grade: 2

good achievement. Many opportunities are provided for sports, arts and cultural experiences. These include winning a national engineering competition and exciting residential visits to outdoor education centres. Pupils make an outstanding contribution to their community. The school has many strong links with a number of community partners that help pupils very effectively to appreciate their wider social responsibilities. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers make lessons enjoyable. They create a good climate for learning and display pupils’ work attractively. Teachers’ marking of work is supportive and shows pupils how well they have achieved their individual learning targets. New and more challenging targets are set as pupils achieve earlier ones. Academic support is good and the support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is particularly helpful in keeping them on track to achieve their learning targets. Pastoral care is outstanding. Pupils have high

p.5

Grade: 2

self-esteem and confidence. ‘I never worry at school,’ said one. ‘There is always an adult somewhere to help or encourage you.’ Leadership and management are good. The school thrives because leadership responsibilities are clearly defined and the whole leadership team is committed to continuous improvement. Self-evaluation is very methodical and generally reliable. Governors are as determined as school staff to improve the school and play a good part in this. Targets to raise standards are realistically challenging. The school has improved well since the last inspection, particularly in its curriculum and target-setting for more able pupils. Community cohesion is good and the school is looking to strengthen its effectiveness by making pupils more aware of the wider global world in which they live. It has good capacity to improve further. 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Coppull Parish Church of England Primary School, 18–19 June 2009

p.5

Grade: 2

Children in the Reception class benefit from good teaching and learning. Excellent care and support for children’s well-being ensure that they have a very smooth introduction to school life and help the transition into Year 1. The children enjoy their work; their behaviour and personal skills are excellent. They get on extremely well together and respond very positively to adults. Children’s skills and development on entry to school are below average and a significant proportion have difficulty with language and communication skills. Work is cleverly planned around a theme so the free choice activities provide good opportunities for children to consolidate the new skills they are taught in group work. For example, children read about the ‘Hungry Caterpillar’, made models, wrote about him and produced ‘butterfly patterns’ using the computer. Staff are well led by the coordinator and work effectively as a team. The learning

p.6

Grade: 2

environment, both inside and out, is bright and stimulating. Children make good progress. The majority are working at or around expected levels by the time they enter Year 1, although language skills are relatively weaker. A new programme for learning about sounds and letters is helping to promote reading and spelling skills. Staff are now working on further extending opportunities for early writing.

p.6

What the school should do to improve further

■ Extend initiatives to promote higher standards in writing.

p.6

What the school should do to improve further

■ Promote community cohesion further by developing more national and global links.

p.6

Grade: 2

In Key Stage 1, good achievement ensures pupils build well on their earlier attainment. Standards in the 2008 Year 2 teacher assessments were average in reading and mathematics but below in writing. Results are not as strong in writing as few pupils reach the higher level. Progress during Key Stage 2 has been improving and is good, resulting in 2008 Year 6 test results in English being average and above average in mathematics. A higher proportion of pupils achieve the higher level in reading than in writing. Results in 2008 were the weakest in writing for the past few years; the school reacted quickly and introduced a number of initiatives, such as teaching letters and sounds to groups of different abilities. Up-to-date data show that these initiiatives are impacting positively on how well pupils are achieving with their writing. Comprehensive tracking of pupils’ progress enables strengths and weaknesses in their

p.6

Grade: 2

achievement to be identified early. The school’s strategies are effective in raising achievement. Current standards are average by the end of Year 2 and above average by the end of Year 6. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress, due to very effective support from staff.

p.6

Grade: 1

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding, with particular strengths in moral and social development. Pupils behave exceptionally well. They treat each other very considerately and are quick to help each other out. They relate very well to the staff, for whom they have the highest regard. The high quality of these relationships fosters pupils’ great enjoyment of all aspects of school life and their very evident willingness to learn, which is why 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Coppull Parish Church of England Primary School, 18–19 June 2009 attendance is good. Pupils make excellent use of the opportunities provided by the staff to develop the personal qualities of independence and responsibility they will need to help them lead fulfilling, successful lives. Pupils show an excellent awareness both of what constitutes healthy lifestyles and how to stay safe. They make very good use of opportunities to contribute

p.6

Grade: 1

to the school community; for example, each class has their own Charter, and there are school councillors and lunchtime helpers.

p.7

Grade: 2

Teachers provide pupils with enjoyable, interesting learning activities, frequently adding creative touches and humour to engage pupils’ interest and enthusiasm. Pupils understand that learning is a shared enterprise, are keen ‘to take on the challenge’ and so take a full part in lessons. This was clearly evident in a Year 6 lesson as pupils created their own ‘mad food ideas’ after reflecting on the recipes of a celebrity chef. The high quality of relationships instils in pupils a ‘can do’ attitude and a willingness to work hard and persevere. Lessons are planned carefully to ensure that pupils understand the purpose of their learning and skilful use is made of interactive whiteboards to present new learning in an exciting way. In the best lessons, teachers intervene well to extend pupils’ learning; however, in less successful lessons these opportunities as missed. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are supported very effectively by teaching

p.7

Grade: 2

assistants. Teachers provide pupils with good oral and written feedback. Good use is made of individual and group targets to help pupils take the next steps in their learning confidently.

p.7

Grade: 1

Pupils describe their lessons as ‘great fun’. The curriculum includes experiences in several modern foreign languages such as Mandarin and Polish and very good opportunities for pupils to practise and consolidate their literacy, numeracy and computer skills. Creativity is very well promoted with all pupils having the opportunity to play a musical instrument during Key Stage 2. Strong links with secondary schools provide additional learning experiences. For example, pupils have specialist art and sports teaching. A further strength of the curriculum lies in the use of group work that caters very successfully for individual learning and emotional needs. The excellent programme of personal development work is linked to themes within acts of worship and integrated with other subjects such as science or religious education. Excellent opportunities for physical exercise and sport are recognised through the Activemark award.

p.7

Grade: 1

Enrichment for learning is excellent. Interesting visits, visitors and special theme weeks are highlights of the curriculum. A very good variety of after-school activities are well attended.

p.7

Grade: 1

Pupils’ welfare is central to the work of the school and comprehensive systems exist to provide pupils with an excellent quality of care. Relevant arrangements for safeguarding are in place and meet current government guidelines. All staff, including teaching assistants, work tirelessly to reduce or remove barriers to learning. The very happy atmosphere that pervades Coppull Parish School is a tribute to the staff’s efforts. The school works very effectively to engage parents in all aspects of its work and this is reflected in the excellent levels of support. ‘Pupils 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Coppull Parish Church of England Primary School, 18–19 June 2009 are cared for as much as at home, its like one big family!’ was a common view expressed by parents. Links with external agencies are extensive and highly productive. Staff work very well together to enable pupils to transfer smoothly between the various stages in their education

p.7

Grade: 1

and from class to class. Academic guidance is strong. The school has developed very reliable systems for tracking pupils’ progress and identifying quickly where extra support would be of benefit.

p.8

Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good and clearly focused on achieving high standards. The effectiveness of the management structure is illustrated by the fact that the acting headteacher was able to step smoothly into the post and successfully maintain continuity of provision. Managers check that different groups of pupils, such as boys and girls, have equal opportunities. Subject managers contribute effectively to the school’s accurate evaluation of its performance. They keep a close eye on achievement and standards, and use the information collected to plan school development. Governors have an efficient committee structure and a secure overview of standards and achievement. Governance is good and all statutory requirements are met. Community cohesion is good. The school reaches out to its families and is successful in providing workshops and information for parents so they are able to support their children at home.

p.8

Grade: 2

Pupils have good involvement in local projects and combined school-church events but their understanding of global communities is at a basic level. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Coppull Parish Church of England Primary School, 18–19 June 2009 .

p.8

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: Coppull Parish Church of England Primary School, 18–19 June 2009

p.9

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.10

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

p.10

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? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

p.10

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

p.10

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: Coppull Parish Church of England Primary School, 18–19 June 2009

p.10

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

p.11

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?

p.11

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 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 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: Coppull Parish Church of England Primary School, 18–19 June 2009

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Dear Pupils Inspection of Coppull Parish Church of England Primary School, Lancashire, PR7 5DU Thank you for making me feel so welcome in your school when I visited and for helping with my questions. I really enjoyed talking to you and found everything that you said very interesting. I particularly enjoyed hearing your views about life at school. I agree with you and your parents on how much you enjoy your school and you feel it is a good school. These are the other main things I found.

p.12

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You really do enjoy school, work very hard in your lessons and make good overall progress.

p.12

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your behaviour is excellent and you enthusiastically contribute to the life of your school.

p.12

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Teaching is good and the teachers and their assistants work hard to help you to learn, make your lessons interesting and provide you with lots of activities, especially for sport and music. ■ All the staff work well together to take excellent care of you and keep you safe and healthy. Teaching assistants are particularly good at helping some of you with your personal needs. ■ Your headteacher and deputy headteacher lead the school well, with good support from governors and staff. They make sure that you benefit from your time at school. There are two things that I have asked the school to do to improve further.

p.12

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Help you to improve your writing, particularly those of you who are more able.

p.12

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Provide more opportunities to help you understand and appreciate the wider world in which you live. You can help to improve your school even more by continuing to work hard. I am sure that you will. Good wishes for the future. Yours sincerely Gordon Alston Lead inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Coppull Parish Church of England Primary School, 18–19 June 2009

p.12