St Wilfrid's Cof E Primary School

St Wilfrids Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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119529 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 327060 Inspection number 24 April 2009 Inspection date Geoffrey Yates 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 aided School category 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 216 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 Miss Margaret Picker Chair Mrs Claire Weymouth Headteacher 14 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 Pennystone Road School address Halton Lancaster Lancashire LA2 6QE

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4–11 Age group 24 April 2009 Inspection date 327060 Inspection number 01524 811230 Telephone number 01524 812019 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 24 April 2009 Inspection date 327060 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. 3 of 11 Inspection Report: St Wilfrids Church of England Primary School, 24 April 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. They evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues.

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Introduction

■ What is the level of independence in learning for pupils across the school?

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Introduction

■ Do pupils, especially higher attainers, use their writing skills well in other subjects?

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Introduction

■ Is the quality of teaching and learning better than good?

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Introduction

■ How good is the quality of Early Years Foundation Stage provision?

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Introduction

The inspectors collected evidence from lesson observations; scrutiny of pupils’ work, parents’ and carers’ questionnaires, assessment information and other documents; interviews and discussions with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, staff, pupils, parents and governors. 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, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

This is an average sized primary school serving a rural area of mostly private housing but a number of pupils come from outside the area. There is Early Years Foundation Stage provision in the Reception class. Almost all the pupils are White British with a very small percentage of pupils of minority ethnic or mixed heritage. All pupils speak English as their first language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average overall, but there is an above average proportion in some age groups. The school has achieved many awards including national Healthy School status. At the time of the inspection, the headteacher had been in post for only four days.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 11 Inspection Report: St Wilfrids Church of England Primary School, 24 April 2009

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Grade: 1

St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School is outstanding. Pupils achieve exceedingly well because of high quality teaching and learning coupled with a very caring, warm and supportive ethos totally focused on what is best for the pupils. They are a delight to be with and are very polite, and they like their teachers. One pupil commented, ‘I love coming to this school and never want to leave!’ The school is very highly thought of by parents, as reflected in comments such as, ‘I like the ethos of St Wilfrid’s and the various ways in which the children are encouraged to flourish’. Many parents comment on the very supportive teachers and teaching assistants, who always listen to pupils, taking prompt action in response to the concerns they raise. Pupils’ achievement and overall standards are excellent. The above average levels of development of children entering Year 1 are successfully extended as they move through the school. By the

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Grade: 1

end of Years 2 and 6, pupils reach above average standards in English, mathematics and science. Currently, though, pupils in Years 2 and 6 are on track to reach very high standards in English, mathematics and science. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make comparable progress to their peers because of the high quality provision to meet their individual needs. Pupils’ personal development is outstanding, as is their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are nurtured in a strong Christian community. They show great respect for themselves, for staff and other pupils and have great compassion for those less fortunate than themselves. Behaviour is exceptional. Pupils are eager to learn and their obvious enjoyment of school life is seen in their above average attendance. They enjoy responsibilities such as being a member of the school council. Pupils have very active lifestyles and enjoy a good range

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Grade: 1

of after school sports clubs. Transitional arrangements to secondary school are very well organised and pupils leave with highly effective basic skills, an ability to cooperate with others and plenty of interesting experiences on which they can confidently draw. For example, pupils have taken part in debates about the closure of the local post office and have visited the Houses of Parliament. Teaching and learning are excellent. Staff have very effective relationships with all their pupils. As a result, pupils are relaxed about volunteering in class and making mistakes. Throughout the school, teachers have excellent classroom management skills and devise interesting and fun activities to extend learning. For example, pupils in Year 2 enjoyed questioning their teacher, dressed as Mr Mole, about what he thought about Ratty (a character in ‘The Wind in the Willows’). Teachers provide clear explanations and use a variety of strategies to sustain

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Grade: 1

concentration. As a result, lessons have brisk pace and basic skills are developed rapidly. Pupils have high levels of independence across the school. They are given many opportunities to take responsibility for their own learning and are very aware of how they might improve their own work. The curriculum is well balanced and highly relevant. There is the opportunity for each age group to develop a range of skills by studying a different country. The curriculum gives due priority to mathematics and English but opportunities are sometimes missed for higher attaining pupils to develop their writing skills in other subjects. Pupils enjoy the excellent opportunities provided for them to take part in out of school activities including sport. They have the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument in school and sing as a member of the school choir. Music provision is a major strength of the curriculum. Pupils have very good computer skills because

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Grade: 1

of the opportunities to engage in research and to present cross-curricular information. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: St Wilfrids Church of England Primary School, 24 April 2009 The school provides outstanding care, guidance and support, and procedures to safeguard pupils are in place. Staff are very skilled in helping pupils to share and discuss any worries and pupils feel wholly confident in approaching them with problems. All members of staff use the school’s tracking system very efficiently to monitor pupils’ academic progress and identify individuals and groups of pupils with particular needs. Since the last inspection, this has resulted in better targeted resources for those pupils who need extra help as well as appropriate alternative opportunities for the more able pupils. This is a very well run school because leadership and management are outstanding. The school makes a good contribution to community cohesion by the provision of a multitude of out of

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Grade: 1

school activities. These include a ‘Schools’ Council Conference’ involving other schools, excellent links with outside agencies, the work done for charities and ensuring pupils have a growing awareness of global communities. At a local level, the school meets with the parish council to seek ways of being involved in village developments and contributes to the village newsletter. Governors know ‘their’ school very well and play a very active part in all aspects of school life. The impact of highly effective leadership and management continuing since the previous inspection can best be measured by the way the education of pupils was not disrupted by the very recent retirement of the well respected headteacher. Several parents were keen to point out that the school had been ably led by the deputy headteacher and his team during the previous term. The school’s overall self-evaluation is accurate but somewhat modest with regard

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Grade: 1

to the quality of teaching and learning. The newly appointed headteacher, staff and governors are very focused on seeking ways to improve on existing strengths and to work even more closely with parents and the community. The school provides excellent value for money and is very well placed to improve even further.

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Grade: 1

Most children enter school with skills broadly typical of this age group in all areas of learning. Children make very good progress and, by the end of Reception, they achieve above the levels expected for their age. This is due to clear routines, high expectations, excellent teaching and sensitive support. Behaviour and attitudes to learning are excellent. Children become more independent and learn to care for their environment. They feel extremely safe because staff are vigilant; standards of care are exemplary and all welfare requirements are met. Children achieve exceptionally well in their personal development because of the high priority given to this aspect. Space is used very well indoors and offers a range of opportunities to learn such as children planting beans and recording what happens. Children use computers confidently and enjoy playing musical instruments. They understand the difference between playing

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Grade: 1

instruments loudly and softly. The outdoor environment, although limited in size, provides very good opportunities for children to explore and to extend their learning. There is a very good balance of teacher-led and child-initiated activities during the school day, especially inside the classroom. However, there are fewer opportunities to extend children’s learning outside because of difficulties of access from the classroom. The school is very aware of the need to address this issue. Adult-led activities are skilfully planned because of accurate observational assessment. An excellent system for tracking and recording pupils’ progress incorporates fully the assessments made of child-initiated and teacher-led activities. These motivate children to concentrate very well because of small group organisation that makes excellent use of teaching assistants and accelerates children’s progress. Leadership and management are outstanding; highly effective

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Grade: 1

relationships with parents are fostered and there is a clear vision for future development. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: St Wilfrids Church of England Primary School, 24 April 2009

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that potentially higher attaining pupils are given plenty of challenging opportunities to strengthen their writing skills in subjects across the curriculum. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: St Wilfrids Church of England Primary School, 24 April 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. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: St Wilfrids Church of England Primary School, 24 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? 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

1 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 1 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 1 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 1 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

1 How well do learners achieve? 1 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 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: St Wilfrids Church of England Primary School, 24 April 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 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: St Wilfrids Church of England Primary School, 24 April 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

24 April 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School, Lancashire, LA2 6QE What a lovely school you attend! Thank you so much for the very warm welcome you gave Ms Taylor and me when we inspected your school last week. We were very pleased with the confident and enthusiastic way you talked about all the excellent things your school provides for you! We loved seeing you enjoying interesting lessons and were very impressed with the quality of music-making in the assembly. My colleague really enjoyed talking to a group of you who kindly gave up part of lunch-time on a sunny day to talk to her. This is what I have said about your school in my report.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ St Wilfrid’s School is an outstanding school and it is led and managed exceptionally well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The progress you make is outstanding and the standard of your work is very high.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are exceptionally well cared for, guided and supported.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Teaching and learning and your personal development are outstanding.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

This is what I have asked your school to do now.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Give all pupils, especially those who are really good at writing, more opportunities to use their writing skills in other subjects. I know that you and your parents really appreciate what an excellent school you attend. Please continue to attend school regularly and work with your teachers to achieve the very best you can. Yours faithfully Geoffrey Yates Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: St Wilfrids Church of England Primary School, 24 April 2009

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