St Edward's Church of England Primary School

St Edwards Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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120122 Unique Reference Number Leicestershire Local Authority 327204 Inspection number 10 December 2008 Inspection date Sarah Conway 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 controlled School category 4–10 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 178 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 Jonathan Ibbotson Chair M Robinson Headteacher 12 October 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection The Dovecote School address Castle Donington Derby DE74 2LH 01332 810231 Telephone number

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4–10 Age group 10 December 2008 Inspection date 327204 Inspection number 01332 810231 Fax number

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4–10 Age group 10 December 2008 Inspection date 327204 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: St Edwards Church of England Primary School, 10 December 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

St Edward's Church of England Primary School is a small rural school in the village of Castle Donington. Almost all of the pupils are White British. The number of families claiming free school meals is below average. When children join the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in Reception, their level of skills is above those expected for their age. There is an after-school club which is attended by pupils from this and another local school. In addition St Edward's Pre-School, which is privately run, is situated on the school site.

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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: St Edwards Church of England Primary School, 10 December 2008

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Grade: 3

This is an improving school providing a satisfactory standard of care and education. Since its last inspection, the school has moved forward in some important areas. For example, there is more challenge in lessons for the more able so that more pupils achieve higher levels in English and mathematics. Teachers now make half-termly checks on the progress pupils are making. Pastoral care is good and academic guidance is satisfactory. Parents are very supportive and value the high standard of care, led by the headteacher. The school's good work with both parents and outside agencies effectively secures the well-being of children so that they are ready to learn. Recent changes to the curriculum contribute well to pupils' enjoyment. Pupils value their teachers, behave well and feel safe. They know that teachers will resolve any worries they may have. One pupil commented that he 'is never lonely now'. Pupils have a good

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Grade: 3

understanding of how to keep healthy. Their attendance and preparation for future life is satisfactory. The school provides satisfactory encouragement for pupils' spiritual, moral and social development. Child protection procedures are thorough. Regular health and safety checks are made and risk assessments are undertaken when needed. Children make satisfactory progress during Reception due to the sensitive care of adults who help them to settle quickly. Until this year, standards were not high enough in Key Stage 1 because of weaknesses in teaching and staff turnover. Satisfactory teaching of pupils currently in Key Stage 1 means that pupils are making satisfactory progress. The progress made by pupils in Key Stage 2 has suffered from weak teaching in earlier years. As a result, standards are broadly average by the end of Year 5. Progress is now satisfactory. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 2 has improved and is satisfactory overall, although some weaknesses remain. As a

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Grade: 3

result, progress is uneven. The regular checks on pupils' progress have led to improved targeted support for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities so that they make satisfactory progress. Senior leaders use assessment information to track pupils' progress regularly against challenging targets but there are limited comparisons made with national standards. This limits the school's understanding of how well it is performing in comparison with others. Governors are supportive and actively engaged in the school on a day-to-day basis but do not always offer appropriate challenge on raising standards and achievement. The headteacher's focus on improving standards demonstrated by the school's involvement in the Making Good Progress pilot means that there is satisfactory capacity for improvement.

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Grade: 3

Children enter Reception with skills and knowledge that are above expectations for their age, especially in their personal and social development. They make satisfactory progress and at the end of Reception attain above average standards. The good partnership with parents and carers helps children to make a positive start in learning new skills. There are good links with the after school club. The relationships between children and adults are good. Adults are very caring of children and, as a result, children settle quickly, feel secure and there is a happy atmosphere in the classroom. Staff recognise the need to give children increased opportunities to exercise independence and take on responsibilities, for example the good use of the interactive whiteboard to self-register for a packed lunch or hot dinner. Resources are generally well used 5 of 12 Inspection Report: St Edwards Church of England Primary School, 10 December 2008

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Grade: 3

to develop independent learning skills with some evidence of child-initiated activities. However, opportunities for children's outdoor learning are limited in comparison with those provided indoors. Current leadership of the EYFS has addressed past weaknesses in provision. The recently introduced system to assess and monitor children's progress is being used well but has yet to have a full impact on planning.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Provide a wider range of outdoor learning opportunities for children in Reception.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Make sure the quality of teaching is good for all ages in order to secure good progress and higher standards. ■ Routinely check information about the achievements of pupils in the school against pupils nationally so that leaders have a clearer understanding of how well the school is doing in comparison with others. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' overall achievement is satisfactory but the progress they make is uneven. This year, pupils entered Year 1 with above average standards; having made satisfactory progress in Reception from starting points that were above expectations. Standards pupils reach by the end of Key Stage 1 have previously been below national averages, dipping to an exceptionally low point in 2008, particularly in writing, due to poor teaching in earlier years. This has now been addressed so that pupils currently in Year 2 are making satisfactory progress and standards are above average. The progress of pupils in Key Stage 2 has been hampered in previous years by the poor teaching they experienced. Progress is now satisfactory. However, the progress made by pupils in Year 3 is not fast enough. The good teaching pupils are now receiving in Years 4 and 5 is contributing to their accelerated progress. They are making up for lost ground so that the standards they

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Grade: 3

are now achieving are broadly average. The introduction of 'Big Write' strategies and materials is contributing to improved standards in writing. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 3

Children enjoy coming to school and know their teachers will listen to any concerns they have. They particularly enjoy the wider range of curriculum opportunities now provided. They have a thorough understanding of how to keep themselves safe inside and outside the school and when they are using the internet. They know the damage smoking can do, the importance of physical activity and the contribution eating well makes to their health. School councillors provide a satisfactory means for pupils' views to be put forward. As result, a greater variety of small play equipment is now available during play times. Year 5 pupils have recently been invited to apply for the role of play leaders but, apart from class monitors, there are limited opportunities for other pupils to take on whole-school responsibilities. Pupils have a good understanding of right and wrong and care for one another. They have limited opportunities to meet and learn

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Grade: 3

6 of 12 Inspection Report: St Edwards Church of England Primary School, 10 December 2008 about people from different backgrounds and this restricts their understanding of different cultures in Britain and elsewhere. They participate in some events in their local and wider community, such as raising funds for charities and visiting places of interest, and acquire a satisfactory understanding of the community around them. They acquire teamworking skills in some lessons but there are limited opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding of finance. They make satisfactory progress in developing their literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology skills.

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Grade: 3

Pupils behave well and come to lessons prepared to learn. In much of the teaching, work is now more carefully matched to their needs and abilities and based on real experiences, using a variety of stimulating resources. The pace of learning in Years 4 and 5 is good and these pupils are particularly well motivated. In some of the teaching, the pace of learning is too slow. Pupils sometimes spend too long on an activity and at other times there are not sufficient checks made to ensure all pupils have understood the work. In these lessons, the range of resources is narrow and pupils are not as well motivated. Teaching assistants make an effective contribution to children's learning. Pupils' work is marked regularly and teachers' assessment is accurate.

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Grade: 2

There have been significant improvements to the curriculum that are now well established in most year groups. The majority of pupils are now experiencing a much wider range of stimulating learning opportunities than previously. Curriculum planning has improved by linking subjects together to make learning more interesting. Planned activities now place more emphasis on real life experiences to make learning exciting, such as role play in drama and cooking in science. Provision for health education contributes well to pupils' good understanding of how to stay safe and be healthy. In most classes, the curriculum is well adapted to meet the needs of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and more able pupils. Pupils speak highly of the good range of clubs and activities available to them. The after-school club is an asset to the school, and much appreciated by parents. Children enjoy the opportunities to write for sustained

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Grade: 2

periods which the introduction of 'Big Write' has provided. As a result, they are becoming confident writers and standards are improving. The 'I can do maths' project is helping older children to make up progress lost in previous years. Opportunities across the curriculum for pupils to learn about different cultures and for children's outdoor learning in Reception are limited.

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Grade: 3

Pupils benefit from good quality care for their safety and well-being from staff who know them well. Child protection arrangements are good and risk assessments carefully attended to. Trusting relationships between staff and pupils foster their mutual respect and create a happy learning environment. Levels of pastoral support are high and pupils' confidence and maturity is nurtured. Strong relationships exist between school and parents. Parents express confidence in the school and value the work it does. The school works well with partner agencies in support 7 of 12 Inspection Report: St Edwards Church of England Primary School, 10 December 2008 of pupils. For example, its work with the education welfare officer has led to an improvement in attendance. Staff do all they can to ensure a smooth transition when pupils move to and from school. Academic support and guidance are satisfactory. The system for tracking pupils'

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Grade: 3

progress gives a satisfactory overview of their achievement and the information is used appropriately to identify pupils who need extra support. Pupils are generally aware of targets in literacy and numeracy but do not always refer to these adequately when completing or checking their work. Similarly, teachers' marking does not refer to these targets to show pupils more clearly how to improve.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher ensures that a high level of care and support is provided for each child. In the last two years, the school has improved its monitoring of achievement and standards by introducing systems for checking the progress of individual pupils. More recently, the school has joined the Making Good Progress pilot so that now pupils' progress is checked against internal school targets based on the attainment they made at the end of the previous key stage. These developments are contributing to improvements in standards and achievement. The school has a satisfactory understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. Monitoring has accurately identified areas requiring improvement. Most weaknesses identified in teaching have now been addressed, although some remain. The school does not routinely compare standards reached by pupils with national standards, and this limits its understanding of its effectiveness.

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Grade: 3

The school makes a positive contribution to community cohesion through the promotion of adult learning classes and its link with a school in France but links with different cultures in Britain are limited. Governors are supportive and contribute to school self-evaluation but do not always provide a sufficiently rigorous level of challenge to help drive further improvement. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: St Edwards Church of England Primary School, 10 December 2008 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: St Edwards Church of England Primary School, 10 December 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? 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

3 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 3 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 3 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 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: St Edwards Church of England Primary School, 10 December 2008

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learners?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 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 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 3 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? 3 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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 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: St Edwards Church of England Primary School, 10 December 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

11 December 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of St Edwards Church of England Primary School, Castle Donington, DE74 2LH We enjoyed meeting you when we visited the school recently. We would like to thank you for your welcome and for being so helpful. You told us you enjoyed school and liked your teachers. We found that your school is satisfactory. Here are some more things we found:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ your headteacher and teachers take good care of you and want you to do well

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you are taught satisfactorily and your learning is getting better

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you reach the expected standards in your work and this is improving

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the progress you make is satisfactory and it is improving, especially as you get older

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ reception is a safe and happy place to be

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ there are now more activities in lessons that help you to learn from real experiences

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you behave well, and know how to stay safe and be healthy.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We have asked your school to do three things to get even better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Plan for Reception children to experience more outdoor learning opportunities.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Keep a check on the progress you are making against children in other schools nationally so that they can ensure you make as much progress as you can. We know that you will keep trying hard in lessons. Best wishes for the future Sarah Conway Lead inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: St Edwards Church of England Primary School, 10 December 2008

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