Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed Church of England Primary School

Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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119614 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 327086 Inspection number 6 February 2009 Inspection date 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 105 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 Les Saunders Chair Mrs Jo Williams Headteacher 1 June 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection School Lane School address Over Kellet Carnforth Lancashire LA6 1BN 01524 732097 Telephone number

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4–11 Age group 6 February 2009 Inspection date 327086 Inspection number 01524 732097 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 6 February 2009 Inspection date 327086 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: Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed Church of England Primary School, 6 February 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors who evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues.

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Introduction

■ How well higher attaining pupils achieve.

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Introduction

■ How well the school’s Christian foundation promotes pupils’ personal development.

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Introduction

■ The impact of the small classroom on provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

Evidence was gathered from discussions with senior leaders, teachers, pupils and governors. Parents’ views as reflected in the Ofsted questionnaire were considered. Lessons were sampled and documentation 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, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average size school. The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds and all speak English as their first language. Pupils attend the school from a wide geographical area; most come from areas of above average social and economic circumstances. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well above average. The school provides before and after-school care which is managed by an external agency. The school is currently undergoing extensive building works to increase and adapt existing accommodation.

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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: Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed Church of England Primary School, 6 February 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. Some of its provision is outstanding. In their responses to the Ofsted questionnaire parents were very clear about what it is they like about the school. ‘Very dedicated and approachable staff’ ‘My children all learn a sense of responsibility and the importance of looking out for each other’. ‘There is an excellent sense of community’. This confidence is not misplaced for the school gives good value for money. The school’s mission statement ‘Listen, learn and share with God’ underpins the ethos which ensures pupils’ personal development is outstanding including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are friendly, polite, and very easy to talk to. As one pupil said to inspectors, ‘Everyone gets on well.’ Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds play happily together on the playground at break and lunchtimes. Pupils say there is no bullying but if there was they

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Grade: 2

know who to turn to. They appreciate the ‘Friendship Stop’ at break-times. Girls’ behaviour and attitudes, as well as that of the vast majority of boys, are excellent. Inspectors agree with the small number of parents who said that the behaviour of a small minority of older boys could sometimes be challenging. Pupils enjoy school where their attendance is above average and unauthorised absence unheard of. Relationships are excellent throughout the school reflecting strong Christian values of mutual respect, as stated in the mission statement. Pupils have an excellent understanding of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. They know how to stay safe and look after themselves. They make a good contribution to the life of the school and enjoy taking on responsibility, for example, as school councillors or house captains. The school’s contribution to community cohesion is excellent. The school is a United Nations Children’s

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Grade: 2

Fund (UNICEF) Rights Respecting School and has received a prestigious diocesan award for its innovative community links. The school benefits from outstanding outdoor provision with a wide range of exciting and innovative play areas and equipment. Members of the local community are invited to use the facilities free of charge at weekends and during school holidays, to play on the equipment, have barbecues for example. Pupils make a good contribution to the local parish community through participation in church festivals, and also to the wider community, for example, through representation in the Lancashire Children’s Parliament. A link has been established with a local urban school. The African Classroom Project helps promote a global awareness of other cultures. Preparation for the next stage of learning is good. Pupils leave school with good basic and social skills. Excellent systems of personal care ensure pupils feel safe in school. ‘The teaching and pastoral

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Grade: 2

care at Over Kellet has been tremendous,’ one parent wrote. Links with outside agencies, for example in supporting pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, is good. The support pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive through planned intervention programmes to help improve basic skills, is effective. Good links with local secondary schools ensure a smooth transition. Academic guidance is good. Secure systems of assessment ensure pupils know what their curriculum targets are and know what they have to do to improve their work and reach a higher standard. When children join the Early Years Foundation Stage their development is generally in line with what is expected for their age. By the time they leave school at the end of Year 6, standards are generally well above average and achievement is good. In the 2007 national tests at the end of Key Stage 2, standards were significantly above average. Given the small size of some

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Grade: 2

cohorts in some years national comparisons at the end of Year 6 are not always statistically secure. However, given their starting points, the majority of pupils achieved well but higher 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed Church of England Primary School, 6 February 2009 attaining pupils did not achieve as well as others, particularly in mathematics where the proportion of higher Level 5+ grades was below the national average. In 2008, unvalidated results at the end of Year 6 were not as good as the previous year, however, they reflect good achievement for this group of pupils. In teacher assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2008, standards were the best ever and were significantly above average but higher attaining pupils only achieved an average proportion of higher grades. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are very high, reflecting the school’s British Educational

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Grade: 2

Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA) ICT Mark. Evidence from the inspection indicates that pupils throughout the school are currently making good progress. Pupils achieve well because teaching and learning are good. Good use is made of ICT in helping pupils learn. Relationships are excellent and encourage and motivate pupils to want to learn. Lessons are well structured and move the learning along at a good pace. Assessment is helpful in showing pupils how to improve their work. Activities interest and engage pupils but do not always extend and challenge different groups of pupils particularly higher attaining pupils. A good curriculum supports learning well, particularly in ICT. Good curriculum links exist with local secondary schools, especially in sport. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is good and they make good progress. Higher attaining pupils achieve satisfactorily

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Grade: 2

but better curriculum provision is needed to help them achieve higher grades in national tests. Local and international links with other schools, for example, in Africa and Lancaster, help broaden and enrich the curriculum. There is a good range of well attended activities at lunchtimes and after school; and enrichment activities through trips and visits are extensive. Parents are appreciative of this provision. ‘My son greatly enjoys the additional activities such as outward bound and orienteering’, one parent commented. Outdoor provision to support the curriculum, much of it planned by pupils themselves, is outstanding. Areas for reflection, performing, playing and exercising are exceptional in their range and quality. They include a maze, an eco-garden and locally quarried and engraved stones. The areas not only enhance learning but are valued and used by the community out of school hours. This is a successful school because it is well led and managed and has good capacity for further

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Grade: 2

improvement. The headteacher provides strong and purposeful leadership, giving clear direction for what needs to be done to bring about further improvement. Her leadership, in ensuring the school functions as near to normality as possible during the extensive disruption to learning caused by the building works, is excellent. Senior staff support the school very effectively. Systems of self-evaluation are good. They have accurately identified the need to raise the achievement of higher attaining pupils as a school priority. School targets are generally met and improvement since the previous inspection has been good. Governors have excellent links with the school, for example, as members of the School Nutrition Action Group. They provide appropriate levels of support and challenge. Safeguarding arrangements are securely in place. Parents are very supportive of the school’s values and leadership and welcome opportunities

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Grade: 2

to be involved in school life, for example, as governors or members of the school council.

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Grade: 2

The provision for the Early Years Foundation Stage is good and gives children a good start in their personal, social and emotional development. Children enter the Reception class with levels of skills and understanding that are typical for their age, but this can vary from year-to-year. Children in the Reception class settle well because of strong parental involvement and good staff liaison with the local playgroup. As a result, children show increasing levels of confidence 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed Church of England Primary School, 6 February 2009 and independence, which supports good personal development. By learning to listen, share and take turns, they are well prepared for their future education. Children make good progress so that when they start Year 1 most pupils have reached levels above average standards. Children behave well and are keen to learn when they work independently or in a group. Children with

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Grade: 2

learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress because early assessment highlights their needs and good teaching assistant support is provided. Leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage are good ensuring that children are well cared for in a safe environment. Adults make best use of the indoor space they have and the curriculum is planned with a range of activities that consolidate and support new learning. However, the outdoor area does not yet provide opportunities to include all aspects of the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. Children enjoy talking about their work and show how they link numbers to activities on the computer. The mixed-age class of Early Years Foundation Stage and Year 1 children ensures smooth transition and good continuity of learning.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Provide greater challenge in lessons for higher attaining pupils to ensure they meet their full potential. ■ Extend the outdoor opportunities for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage so that all six areas of the curriculum are included. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed Church of England Primary School, 6 February 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: Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed Church of England Primary School, 6 February 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed Church of England Primary School, 6 February 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 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 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 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 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed Church of England Primary School, 6 February 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

9 February 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed Church of England Primary School, Lancashire, LA6 1BN Thank you so much for the very warm welcome you gave us when we inspected your school recently. It was fun talking to you and hearing the interesting and exciting things you told us about your school. We think yours is a good school where everyone gets on well together. The behaviour and attitudes of the vast majority of you are excellent; you are a credit to your parents and carers. You make a good contribution to the running of the school and enjoy being school councillors or house captains. You make good progress and reach well above average standards in your work because you are well taught. You told us how much you enjoyed your lessons though some of you with the most ability sometimes found the work too easy. We think this group of high ability pupils could achieve better results in their national tests and have asked the school to help them achieve

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

this. It was good to hear you tell us how much you enjoyed the wide range of exciting trips and activities the school organises for you, especially in sport. Those of you in the Reception class get off to a good start and make good progress. We know you are enjoying school and think you will enjoy it even more, and learn even more, if you spend more time in the outdoor play areas. Of course, none of this would be possible were it not for the good leadership and management of the school which ensures the school takes excellent care of you, keeping you safe and secure. So well done and keep up the good work. The school is giving you a really good start in life. Make the most of it. When you join the secondary school of your choice I hope you will enjoy school as much as you do now. Thank you once again for all your help and good luck for the future. Joe Clark Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed Church of England Primary School, 6 February 2009

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