St Michael's-On-Wyre Church of England Primary School & Nursery

St Michaels-on-Wyre Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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119544 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 327064 Inspection number 31 March 2009 Inspection date Kathleen McArthur 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 98 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 Adrian Phillips Chair Mrs Cathy Brough Headteacher 1 November 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Hall Lane School address St Michaels-on-Wyre Preston Lancashire PR3 0UA

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4–11 Age group 31 March 2009 Inspection date 327064 Inspection number 01995 679268 Telephone number 01995 679 268 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 31 March 2009 Inspection date 327064 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 10 Inspection Report: St Michaels-on-Wyre Church of England Primary School, 31 March 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: provision for the Early Years Foundation Stage, how well leaders monitor and evaluate the school’s performance and the breadth of curriculum extension and enrichment. Evidence was collected from the school’s self-evaluation, national published assessment data, and classroom observations. Discussions were held with staff, pupils and governors, and parents’ questionnaires were scrutinised. Other aspects of the school’s work were not investigated in detail but inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school’s own assessments, given in its self-evaluation were not justified.

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Description of the school

The school is smaller than most and draws pupils from the village and surrounding rural area. Most pupils are of White British heritage and all speak English as their first language. The area is socially and economically advantaged and the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is low. The Early Years Foundation Stage provides a Reception class, and works closely with the privately run nursery sited in the school. Pupils in Years 1 to 6 are taught in three mixed-age classes. Most of the oldest pupils were away on a residential visit during the inspection. The school holds numerous awards, including Quality Marks, Eco Schools Green Flags and Healthy School status.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 10 Inspection Report: St Michaels-on-Wyre Church of England Primary School, 31 March 2009

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Grade: 1

This outstanding school provides education and care of the highest quality, where pupils of all ages learn and play happily together. The headteacher’s dedicated, inspirational leadership has created a very harmonious community with a Christian ethos, very much at the heart of the village. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive, describing the school as ‘exceptional’. They say their children love school, that it has a welcoming, family atmosphere and helps children develop a strong sense of moral and social responsibility. The school’s commitment to promoting pupils’ ecological and environmental understanding is a major strength that permeates and enriches all aspects of the curriculum and is recognised by the local authority as an exemplar for other schools. Pupils’ achievement is outstanding. Pupils make excellent progress throughout the school and standards are well above average. Standards have been consistently high over a number of

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Grade: 1

years. Pupils often exceed their targets and a large proportion reaches the higher level in all subjects. Performance is particularly strong in science; school data for 2008 show that almost three quarters of the pupils reached the higher level in this subject. The staff capture pupils’ natural curiosity very successfully and develop the questioning skills pupils need for scientific investigations. Very good support from skilled teaching assistants and suitably adapted work ensures pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make excellent progress in relation to their capabilities. Outstanding provision for personal development and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development ensures pupils become increasingly mature, thoughtful and reliable. They reflect quietly during worship and show great respect and support for each other, for example, when listening to pupils singing solo during assembly. Excellent attendance, exemplary behaviour

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Grade: 1

and enthusiastic attitudes contribute strongly to pupils’ outstanding achievement. Pupils move sensibly in school and the playground, with careful regard for their own and others’ safety. They say there is no bullying, that they would use the confidential ‘friendship box’ to report any problems and know the staff will always listen and help. Pupils have very good knowledge of health matters and are proud of their recycling and gardening activities, saying ‘We help the environment’. They share their knowledge with the village community through a newsletter. Pupils are extremely well prepared for the next steps in their education and demonstrate very good awareness and understanding of issues that affect their lives now and in the future. Teaching is of the highest quality and provides lively, well planned lessons with plenty of challenge. Well targeted, open questions promote pupils’ thinking and reasoning skills most

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Grade: 1

effectively. Excellent relationships boost pupils’ confidence; pupils described their teachers as ‘kind, helpful and caring’, so they are very keen to do their best and reach their learning targets. The excellent curriculum is well-balanced, suitably adapted for all learners and provides an outstanding programme for personal and social development. The wide variety of enrichment activities includes visits, visitors, expert tuition and after-school clubs. The gardening club is particularly popular and pupils say they enjoy many sports matches. Environmental and ecological activities extend learning across the whole curriculum. For example, a lesson for Year 1 and 2 pupils on food groups involved literacy, mathematics, science and health issues. Parents agree that their children are extremely well cared for. All safeguarding arrangements meet current requirements. Strong partnerships with external agencies and local schools provide

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Grade: 1

activities and further support. Academic progress is tracked and monitored very thoroughly. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: St Michaels-on-Wyre Church of England Primary School, 31 March 2009 Pupils know their targets and older pupils have opportunities to check how well they are doing, giving them greater responsibility for their own learning. New procedures to involve younger pupils have yet to be fully established. Outstanding leadership at all levels has an unswerving focus on improving provision for every pupil; there is no complacency here. Leaders monitor performance through searching and accurate self-evaluation, resulting in well-targeted plans and professional development. Excellent, well-informed governance brings a range of supportive skills and expertise that challenges and holds the school to account. Stringent budget management gives excellent value for money. Exemplary arrangements to promote community cohesion give pupils a very

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Grade: 1

good understanding of different lifestyles; they spoke proudly of their links with a city school in a very different cultural setting and with a school in Nepal. Issues from the previous inspection have been fully overcome. Excellent arrangements for equal opportunities ensure all pupils are fully included in every activity. The school has outstanding capacity for further improvement.

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Grade: 1

Children enter the Reception class with skills that are broadly typical for their age. They make excellent progress and all attain and more than half exceed the expected levels by the time they enter Year 1. Children’s personal development is outstanding. Parents say their children quickly show respect and care for each other. Sensitivity to children’s individual needs and excellent relationships ensure children feel safe, secure and have confidence. They learn how to be healthy through vigorous exercise and healthy options at lunch time. Excellent teaching provides a well-planned balance of teacher and child-led activities. A very good range of practical, purposeful and fun activities, indoors and outside, really captures children’s imagination and enthusiasm. The children are cooperative and friendly, happily taking turns and sharing equipment. Adults make very good use of the local environment to enhance learning, for

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Grade: 1

example, children paint the map of their village walk. Excellent assessment procedures enable staff to plan work that challenges the more able and gives good support to those who need it. Outstanding welfare arrangements include excellent procedures for introducing children to school through close links with the on-site nursery, pre-school visits to the Reception class and home visits. These ensure children settle quickly and develop very good attitudes from an early age. Parents play a full part in their children’s learning and appreciate the informative weekly newsletter. The Early Years Foundation Stage is led and managed very well.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Extend the existing excellent monitoring procedures to involve all pupils and particularly the younger ones more fully in the assessment of their own learning. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: St Michaels-on-Wyre Church of England Primary School, 31 March 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. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: St Michaels-on-Wyre Church of England Primary School, 31 March 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: St Michaels-on-Wyre Church of England Primary School, 31 March 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 1 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 1 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: St Michaels-on-Wyre Church of England Primary School, 31 March 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

1 April 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of St Michael’s-on-Wyre Church of England Primary School, Lancashire, PR3 0UA Thank you for giving my team and I such a warm welcome when we inspected your school. You were all so friendly, polite and helpful. We could see that you love school and your parents agree. It was good to hear the singers and musicians during assembly and we enjoyed visiting lessons and talking with members of the Eco-Committee. We hope pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 enjoyed their visit to Borwick Hall. Everything about your school is outstanding!

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your personal development and the way the school guides and cares for you.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The way the excellent curriculum is extended and enriched.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You make excellent progress all through the school and reach standards well above those usual for your age. You all work very hard and are keen to try everything the school offers. You are caring, considerate pupils who are very aware of the needs of others. Your excellent behaviour is a real credit to you, your school and your parents! One thing that really impressed my team was how you protect and sustain the environment. St Michael’s is one of the first schools to have solar panels on the roof and you certainly know all about recycling, composting and growing vegetables. I know you take part in many activities with the church and the village and you told the inspectors how much you enjoy meeting children from schools in different communities. I have asked the school to help you become more involved in assessing how well you are doing in your work. With very best wishes to you all Kathleen McArthur

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: St Michaels-on-Wyre Church of England Primary School, 31 March 2009

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