Lytham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Lytham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Inspection report

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119551 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 327067 Inspection number 8–9 October 2008 Inspection dates Joe Clark 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 215 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 Ray Norsworthy Chair Mrs Nicola Worrad 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 Park View Road School address Lytham St Annes Lancashire FY8 4HA 01253 736900 Telephone number

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4–11 Age group 8–9 October 2008 Inspection dates 327067 Inspection number 01253 736901 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 8–9 October 2008 Inspection dates 327067 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 12 Inspection Report: Lytham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 8–9 October 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an averaged size school with more boys than girls on roll. Pupils come from broadly average socio-economic backgrounds but within which there is a great variation. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is below average. The vast majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds and all speak English as their first language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. The proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational need is above average. The school has two other providers on site: the Lytham after-school care club and the Windmill Pre-school Lytham. These are separate institutions which are inspected separately.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Lytham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 8–9 October 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school which gives good value for money. Pupils’ personal development, including their attitudes and behaviour, is excellent. Pupils enjoy coming to school and their attendance is good. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Relationships between pupils and adults, and with each other, are very supportive and help raise pupils’ self-confidence and self-esteem. This reflects the school’s strong positive ethos and values, exemplified in the school’s mission statement: ‘To develop in pupils a sympathetic understanding of the Christian faith promoting attitudes of mutual respect and responsibility.’ Pupils know how to stay safe and their understanding of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle is excellent. They make an outstanding contribution to the local community. They feel safe because the school takes good care of them. The everyday, informal support for their well-being is excellent.

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Grade: 2

Links with other agencies effectively support pupils’ learning. In their academic work, pupils achieve well. They join Year 1 at broadly the level expected for their age. They make good progress and generally leave at the end of Year 6 with standards that are above average. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including those with a statement of special educational need, make as good progress as other pupils. Pupils achieve well because teaching and learning are good, the curriculum is well matched to their needs and they bring excellent attitudes to their work. Teachers plan activities which interest and engage pupils so that pupils want to learn. Most of the teaching is challenging, enthusiastic and energetic and motivates pupils to want to learn more. Assessment is satisfactory. There are some good examples of marking which set pupils short term targets to help them improve their numeracy and literacy skills. However, pupils in Year 6 are not informed early

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Grade: 2

enough of the curriculum targets they are expected to achieve by the end of Key Stage 2. Some teachers are coping well with the new mixed-age classes, but the successful practice that exists is not being shared among all classes. Pupils enjoy the outstanding range of extra-curricular activities the school provides. They take on responsibilities eagerly and fulfil them conscientiously. The school is effectively led and managed. The headteacher and senior leaders give clear direction for improvement and know the school well. Monitoring systems do not identify clearly where the teaching of mixed-age classes is proving the most successful so that this good practice can be shared among all classes. Governance is good. Interaction with the community is proving effective, particularly at the local level. A small minority of parents expressed concern at the effects of the new mixed-age classes on their children’s academic progress and personal

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Grade: 2

development. Overall, parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. As one parent put it: ‘The main thing I like about our school is that it helps us to bring up, not only well educated people, but nice people, who are kind, considerate and courteous.’ The school has made good progress since the last inspection and, as a result, has good capacity to improve further.

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Grade: 2

Good contacts with parents and other early years’ providers help children to settle quickly into the Reception class. Children are happy to come to school and parents are appreciative of the new induction procedures. ‘The care the school has taken to ensure that my son has had the best possible start has been outstanding,’ was typical of several parental comments. Children 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Lytham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 8–9 October 2008 are extremely well cared for and staff work as a team to ensure that care and welfare have a high priority. As a result, personal development is outstanding. When they start school, children have skills that are typical for their age across all the areas of learning. Children make good progress and, by the end of the year, the majority of children are achieving broadly in line with national expectations. Teaching and learning are good. Effective planning ensures children have time to work both

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Grade: 2

independently and through teacher led activities. Occasionally some of the activities lack purpose and challenge especially for the more able children. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is led by an enthusiastic coordinator who has made many improvements; for example, effective assessment systems are now in place to monitor children’s learning. However, the scope of current monitoring is not sufficient to ensure further enhancement in provision. Some resources, especially in role play areas, are old and need updating. The outdoor area is satisfactory. There are not enough stimulating experiences across all areas of learning to provide more scope for children to explore and investigate.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Through more effective monitoring, share the good practice that exists in some mixed-age classes among all teachers. ■ Ensure all the activities that children undertake in the EYFS are purposeful and challenging.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good. Pupils join Year 1 with broadly average standards. They make good progress and leave at the end of Year 6 with standards that are generally above average. This was reflected in the 2007 national test results, especially in science. In English, girls’ results were above average but boys’ results were below average. The 2007 teacher assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 indicated that standards were above average. Provisional test results for 2008 show a stronger performance at the end of both key stages, particularly in Year 6 boys’ English. Pupils with a statement of special educational need are making good progress against the targets set out for them in their individual education plans. Standards in writing have improved since the previous inspection and have been recognised through the Learning Excellence Award for improving standards in writing across the whole school.

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Grade: 1

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are outstanding. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Behaviour is exceptionally good and exclusions practically unheard of. Attitudes to learning both in the classroom and elsewhere are excellent. Pupils’ enjoyment of school is excellent and it is not surprising that attendance is above average. They are keen to take on responsibility, for example, as house captains or librarians. Pupils have a secure knowledge and understanding of the importance of healthy living through various initiatives. For example, Year 6 pupils with basic food hygiene certificates help serve salads at lunchtimes and sports partnerships provide an excellent range of after-school sporting opportunities. Pupils know how to keep safe, beginning in the EYFS with road safety training for all children. Community involvement is outstanding especially the Eco links, such as

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Grade: 1

community gardening projects and Fylde in Bloom competitions. Links with the local parishes are excellent and pupils take part in many church services and events, notably through the 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Lytham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 8–9 October 2008 school choir and band. Preparation for the next stage of learning is good. Pupils leave with outstanding social skills and good basic skills.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Teaching is characterised by interesting and exciting activities. Often it is enthusiastic and full of life; in these lessons, pupils really enjoy their learning. Relationships are excellent and motivate pupils to want to learn. Teachers have good support from a strong team of support assistants who are proving effective in helping teachers meet the new challenges posed by mixed-age classes. Planning to meet the needs of all the age groups and abilities in the class is generally good but occasionally the work set does not take sufficient account of what pupils already know and can do, for example, in setting more able pupils more challenging work. Assessment is regular and encouraging, and there is some good but variable practice in helping pupils identify what it is they need to do to improve their work. Teachers make good use of resources, especially the Willow Domes, to motivate pupils to learn.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum meets the needs of all groups of pupils and all statutory requirements are met, although the teaching time in Key Stage 2 is below the recommended level. The school is in the process of introducing a curriculum which is more creative and where subjects are linked together and taught through topic work. Excellent programmes are in place which successfully contributes to pupils’ personal development. Provision for all pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is good and they receive effective curriculum support. Enrichment activities are outstanding. A wide range of lunchtime and after-school clubs includes sport, gardening, music, information and communication technology (ICT) and French. Even so, there could be more access to computers before and after school as well as during lunchtimes to support the development of pupils’ ICT skills. The curriculum is further enhanced by educational visits out

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Grade: 2

of school and visitors to the school such as authors, artists and theatre performers. These activities play an important role in developing pupils’ attitudes, skills and self-esteem. The work of the Eco council or ‘Green Team’, for example, in developing the conservation garden, has helped the school achieve the Eco Silver award for pupils’ work in conservation and recycling.

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Grade: 2

The pastoral care of pupils is excellent. Senior leaders and other staff have had recent child protection and first aid training; risk assessments are robustly and regularly carried out and reviewed by governors. Transition arrangements, especially through the Pyramid Club, are good. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and other vulnerable groups receive good support, for example, through the Nurture group or ‘Umbrella Club’. Safeguarding procedures comply with recent legislation. Good links with outside agencies, such as the community police officer and fire service, ensure children are informed and aware of safety issues. Good use is made of support agencies; for example, the school nurse helps implement the school’s sex education policy. Academic guidance is satisfactory. Pupils in Year 6 generally know what they 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Lytham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 8–9 October 2008

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Grade: 2

need to learn next but do not know the curriculum targets they are aiming for at the end of Key Stage 2.

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Grade: 2

The school is well led and managed. The headteacher gives clear direction and is effectively supported by the senior leadership team. Evaluation systems are effective in identifying the schools’ strengths and areas for improvement. Pupils’ progress is effectively tracked as they move through the school and challenging targets at the end of Key Stage 2 are usually met. There has been good improvement since the previous inspection. Parents are very supportive of the school and appreciate the quality of education provided. ‘I am extremely happy with the standard of education and care my child receives’, was a typical comment. A small minority of parents are concerned about the new arrangements for mixed-age classes. There is a strong sense of community within school and the locality. Governance is good. Governors offer suitable support and challenge to the school and links with curriculum areas are good. The monitoring

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Grade: 2

of classroom practice at all levels is not effective enough at sharing the good practice among all staff. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Lytham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 8–9 October 2008 .

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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: Lytham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 8–9 October 2008

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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? 1 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: Lytham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 8–9 October 2008

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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 2 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? 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: Lytham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 8–9 October 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

10 October 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Lytham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Lancashire, FY8 4HA Thank you so much for your warm welcome when we inspected your school recently and for inviting us to join you at the ‘top table’. We really appreciated the help you gave us in sharing your work and your ideas. It was great to see you all getting on so well together. I was delighted to see you in the ‘Wall Game’, rooting for each other so enthusiastically! In assembly, I thought the Reception class sang beautifully. Yours is a good school in which a lot of different people and groups make a good contribution. You are well taught and make good progress. The standards you reach at the end of Year 6 are usually higher than in most other schools. Your own contribution is outstanding. By your excellent behaviour and attitudes to work and the respect you show to each other and to adults, you are a credit to your parents and carers and to the school. Your involvement in the local

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

community, especially in the parishes, and also through the Eco group is outstanding. Your attendance is above average. We have asked the school to help you improve further in two ways. First, to share among all the teachers some of the good things that happen in some mixed-age classes and second, to set the youngest children more structured activities to help them learn and make progress. Thank you once again for being so friendly and helpful. Good luck for the future! Yours faithfully Joe Clark Lead inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Lytham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 8–9 October 2008

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