Normanby Primary School

Normanby-by-Spital Primary School Inspection report

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120468 Unique Reference Number Lincolnshire Local Authority 327290 Inspection number 9–10 February 2009 Inspection dates Roger Sadler 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 Community School category 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 88 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 Dr A Rawden Chair Mrs H Wheatley Headteacher 28 February 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Main Street School address Normanby LN8 2HE 01673 878216 Telephone number

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4–11 Age group 9–10 February 2009 Inspection dates 327290 Inspection number 01673 876129 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 9–10 February 2009 Inspection dates 327290 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: Normanby-by-Spital Primary School, 9–10 February 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

All pupils are from White British backgrounds and have English as their first language. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, most of which relate either to pupils' speech and language skills or their emotional development, is similar to that found nationally. Since last September, partially in response to increases in the school role, Early Years Foundation Stage provision has been reorganised. Up to 11.30 each day, Nursery and Reception age children are taught in the new Foundation Stage Unit and after 11.30, when the youngest children go home, Reception children join the Year 1 and 2 class for the rest of the day. The older pupils are taught in two mixed age classes. The school has gained a Healthy Schools Award and the Active Mark for physical education and exercise. It also has the Investors in People award and the ICT Mark.

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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: Normanby-by-Spital Primary School, 9–10 February 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. A key reason for its success is that it is well led and managed. The headteacher monitors and evaluates the work of the school effectively and she directs school improvement well. Since September, she has led the reorganisation of classes and improved provision for younger pupils and standards are rising. Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with knowledge and skills in line with those expected nationally for this age. They make good progress and achieve well so that by the time pupils leave the school in Year 6, standards are above average overall. The school regularly assesses pupils' progress and extra support is given to those at risk of falling behind. Good teaching, a good curriculum and effective care guidance and support are key reasons why pupils achieve well and make good progress. Improved academic guidance is helping standards rise this year. The school sets ambitious targets for

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Grade: 2

pupils' attainment and school records and pupils' work indicate that a good proportion of pupils are on track to attain above expected standards by the time they leave the school. The school has good capacity to continue to improve in the future. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are above average by Year 6, but standards in science are only average because of pupils' underdeveloped skills in investigation. Some useful work has been started to improve these skills and science standards are beginning to rise. Strong emphasis is given to the teaching of reading. Letters and sounds are taught well and many parents make a helpful contribution to the good progress their children make in reading. Pupils who find learning difficult progress well because they receive carefully tailored support from teachers and teaching assistants. Higher attaining pupils are suitably challenged except that occasionally, in Year 3 and 4, they do not make enough progress in writing.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. All staff manage pupils well and behaviour is consistently good. Pupils are friendly and polite and concentrate well in lessons. They show excellent understanding of how to act safely and also show great consideration for the safety of others. The school's work towards Healthy Schools Award has helped them develop a very clear understanding of how to keep fit and stay healthy. Pupils, especially in Years 5 and 6, show impressive understanding of the level at which they are working and where they need to concentrate to move on to the next level. Parents' and pupils' views of the school are overwhelmingly positive. Parents are particularly appreciative of the 'family' atmosphere of the school. One parent reflected the views of many when she wrote, 'My children are very happy and settled here.' The vast majority of pupils attend regularly and pupils clearly enjoy

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Grade: 2

school, particularly the wide range of clubs and learning opportunities available to them. The school is a happy, cohesive community and good links with the village enhance pupils' personal development. However, the school has not given a high priority to promoting some aspects of community cohesion. Consequently, pupils lack first hand experience of meeting and working alongside those with different faiths or from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

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Grade: 2

Children make good progress and achieve well in the Early Years Foundation Stage because teaching and other aspects of provision in the new Foundation Stage Unit are good. Good arrangements to settle young children into school and the strong emphasis on personal 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Normanby-by-Spital Primary School, 9–10 February 2009 development and well-being helps children develop independence and confidence so that they settle in quickly. By the end of Reception, pupils attain the nationally expected standards in all areas of learning and some exceed these. The unit is well led and staff have a clear understanding of where improvements are needed. For example, the leader is aware that the outdoors area is not yet fully exploited and has a good plan to improve this aspect of provision. Regular assessments help staff know the particular needs of each child well. The well-planned curriculum is carefully tailored to meet each individual's needs and supports children's learning

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Grade: 2

and their personal development well. Children's welfare is carefully promoted and the unit is a safe and happy place. There is a good mix of activities that children can choose themselves and those that adults direct. Sometimes, children are left too long without adult intervention when they are working independently and this occasionally slows their learning.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in science in the older classes by improving the opportunities pupils have to experiment and investigate. ■ Ensure that pupils in Years 3 and 4 who are capable of doing harder work, receive more challenge, especially in their writing. ■ Review the way that the school contributes to community cohesion and develop pupils' understanding and extend their experience of the ways of life and beliefs of other cultures in Britain.

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Grade: 2

By the time pupils leave the school at the end of Year 6 they have made good progress and achieved well to attain above average standards in English and mathematics. Standards in science are only average because pupils do not have enough opportunities to conduct experiments and investigations. The school places strong emphasis on information and communication technology (ICT) and standards in ICT are above nationally expected levels for this age. Year 2 pupils attained average standards last year but school assessments and pupils' work indicate that the reorganisation of the younger classes and smaller sized groups since September are resulting in pupils making considerably better progress in Years 1 and 2. The inspection findings agree that more pupils are on track to exceed expected standards by the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. However, although progress in writing is good overall, pupils' work and school records indicate that a few higher attaining pupils in

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Grade: 2

Years 3 and 4 do not do well enough in their writing. Regular small group teaching, often led by teaching assistants, helps pupils who find learning difficult to enjoy school and make good progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy school and form strong relationships with each other and adults. Pupils co-operate well in group work and sustain concentration in lessons. They value the wide range of opportunities they are offered, particularly in sport. Pupils show an excellent understanding of the importance of diet and exercise in keeping fit and healthy. They enjoy their daily physical exercise sessions and weekly swimming sessions and, by the end of Year 6, all pupils are confident swimmers. Pupils feel very safe in school and show a particularly clear understanding of how to use the internet safely. 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Normanby-by-Spital Primary School, 9–10 February 2009 Pupils' spiritual, moral, and social awareness is good. They respond well to the opportunities offered to reflect in assembly and religious education and are sensitive to the lives of those less fortunate than themselves. Their knowledge of their own culture is good but their

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Grade: 2

understanding of the ways of life and faiths of minority ethnic groups in modern Britain is limited. Pupils willingly accept responsibility in school and participate in local community activities and national charities. Their well developed literacy, numeracy and ICT skills, together with their confidence in relating to others, prepare them well for their next school and the world of work beyond.

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Grade: 2

All teachers form good relationships with pupils and manage behaviour well. In all classes interactive whiteboards are used well to add impact, interest and clarity to whole class teaching. Teaching assistants have a strong influence on the good progress of pupils who find learning difficult by working closely with them in class or by withdrawing them for extra support in small groups. The school has recently revised the way work is planned to ensure that pupils are, wherever possible, given clear criteria or checklists to help them see what is expected and what their work should look like. In the oldest class these are used particularly well and pupils confidently assess their work against the criteria provided. This helps them see how to improve particular aspects of their work. This is not yet the case in all classes and criteria are sometimes not sufficiently specific to support pupils' learning fully.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum places a suitably strong emphasis on the development of literacy and numeracy skills. Pupils are provided with opportunities to use and develop their writing skills in many subjects. Their well-developed ICT skills are also used to enhance their learning in a range of subjects such as history, geography, religious education writing, science and mathematics. The curriculum is broad and interesting. French lessons and also a good variety of visits, visitors and out of school clubs enrich the curriculum and support pupils' good academic and personal development. Learning is modified effectively to meet the needs of pupils with learning difficulties and/ or disabilities. Appropriately, the school has recently placed greater emphasis on developing pupils' investigative skills in science.

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Grade: 2

All staff are dedicated to the welfare of pupils and provide very good pastoral care. Child protection and safeguarding procedures are thorough and meet legal requirements. The school's systems of ensuring good attendance are effective and applied to good effect. The school ensures that there is always an adult to support any problems pupils have and pupils say that they know that there is always an adult who will help them. The school meticulously tracks the progress of each individual and uses this information well to direct additional support, especially to those who are at risk of falling behind. The school has introduced an effective system for providing pupils with learning targets in literacy and numeracy and these are helping improve rates of progress in English and mathematics. Teachers' marking is thorough and helps pupils 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Normanby-by-Spital Primary School, 9–10 February 2009

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Grade: 2

see where they need to improve, but occasionally, in lessons, oral feedback to pupils is not sufficiently focused on guiding pupils on where they need to concentrate their efforts.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher provides a clear and effective lead and she has ensured that both pupils' personal development and their achievement are good. The headteacher also helps others develop their leadership skills. Consequently, governors and other leaders carry out their roles well. The school has effective strategies for accurately judging its success and checking the progress of pupils. Monitoring and evaluation of science has recently improved and the school now has a clear view of how to raise standards in science. Staff training and guidance are good and careful follow up checks by senior leaders ensure that staff adopt a consistently effective approach to such matters as how pupils' work is marked. The school improvement plan concentrates on the correct priorities. However, governors' ability to monitor the impact of the actions in the plan is limited because the plan does not include clear criteria for measuring its

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Grade: 2

effect on pupils' attainment. The school has formed good partnerships with neighbouring primary schools, with parents and the local community including the village church. The school makes a satisfactory contribution to community cohesion. However, the headteacher is aware that the school lacks an overall strategy to improve the way that it contributes to community cohesion, especially with regards to broadening pupils' understanding of other faiths and ways of life in Britain. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Normanby-by-Spital Primary School, 9–10 February 2009 .

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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: Normanby-by-Spital Primary School, 9–10 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. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: Normanby-by-Spital Primary School, 9–10 February 2009

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learners?

2 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 2 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 2 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 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: Normanby-by-Spital Primary School, 9–10 February 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

11 February 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Normanby Primary School, Normanby, LN8 2HE Thank you for making me so welcome when I came to inspect your school. I would like to give special thanks to those of you who gave up part of your lunchtime to talk with me. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with you and your teachers and watching you learn. Normanby Primary is a good school. It is well run, and prepares you well for life in your next school and in the wider community. Adults provide good teaching so that you make good progress. I am pleased yours is such a happy school and that you and your parents are so pleased with it. You clearly enjoy school and almost all of you attend very regularly. You all have an excellent understanding of how to act safely and how to keep healthy. You understand what is right and what is wrong, show great consideration for others and are very friendly to each other. You can be proud of your good behaviour and manners. Those of you who find learning difficult

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

make good progress because the school helps youlearn. There are several things that your headteacher, the staff and the governors want to improve because they want your school to get even better! I agree with them that there are three important things to be done first. These are to:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ help more of you in the older classes reach higher standards in science

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ help some of you in Years 3 and 4 do harder work, especially in writing

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ improve the way that the school helps you understand the ways of life of other faiths and backgrounds of people who live in Britain. I send you my very best wishes for the future. Yours sincerely Roger Sadler Lead inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Normanby-by-Spital Primary School, 9–10 February 2009

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