Blyton Cum Laughton Church of England School

Blyton Cum Laughton Church of England School Inspection report

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120619 Unique Reference Number Lincolnshire Local Authority 327325 Inspection number 30 June 2009 Inspection date Bob Roberts 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 155 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 Jonathan Smith Chair Mrs Lynne Saint Headteacher 29 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 High Street School address Blyton Gainsborough Lincolnshire DN21 3JX

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4–11 Age group 30 June 2009 Inspection date 327325 Inspection number 0142 762 8342 Telephone number 0142 762 8342 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 30 June 2009 Inspection date 327325 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: Blyton Cum Laughton Church of England School, 30 June 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. The inspection evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues:

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Introduction

■ achievement and standards, with a focus on the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage

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Introduction

■ the quality of teaching and learning in order to verify the school's own evaluation

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Introduction

■ personal development and well being in order to verify the school's own evaluation

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Introduction

■ leadership and management, with a view to evaluating how leaders and managers contribute to achievement and improvement. Inspectors gathered evidence from observations and visits to lessons, assessment of data and documents, and meetings with governors, groups of pupils and school managers. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail but the 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 in this report.

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Description of the school

This smaller-than-average school is on two sites about two miles apart. The main school is in Blyton and caters for pupils between seven and 11 years of age. The other building is sited in Laughton and caters for pupils aged four to seven. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average and the proportion eligible for free school meals is well below average. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds and all speak English as their first language. Pupil mobility is higher than average. A Reception class offers Early Years Foundation Stage provision for four- and five-year-olds. The school holds Artsmark, Activemark, Rooted in Reading and the Department for Children, Schools and Families International School awards.

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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: Blyton Cum Laughton Church of England School, 30 June 2009

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Grade: 3

Blyton cum Laughton is a satisfactory school with several good features. Academic achievement is satisfactory and the personal development of pupils is good. The large majority of parents who responded to the questionnaire which formed part of the inspection were supportive of the school, commending especially the care, guidance and support that pupils receive. The school had judged the achievement of its pupils as good but inspectors found overall achievement to be satisfactory. Pupils' attainment on entry to the school is broadly average. They make good progress in Key Stage 1 and levels of attainment in the assessments at the end of Year 2 are consistently above national expectations. During Key Stage 2 this good rate of progress is not sustained. In the national tests taken at the end of Year 6, standards in recent years have been broadly in line with national averages. At the time of the inspection some

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Grade: 3

unvalidated test results for 2009 were available. These suggest that results in science and mathematics for 2009 will be similar to previous years. Pupils' overall achievement at the school is therefore satisfactory. Girls do slightly better than boys in English and mathematics, but slightly worse in science. Overall achievement by boys and girls is very similar. The school has evidence to suggest that rates of progress during Key Stage 2 are now improving. The achievement of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is satisfactory. The personal development and well-being of pupils are good. In this respect inspectors agreed with the school's own judgement. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Attendance is good. Pupils behave well, both in classrooms and around the school. They play very well together. They feel safe and secure and have a good understanding of their own and others' safety. For example,

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Grade: 3

given the proximity of the main school buildings to the busy road, it is important that pupils have a good understanding of road safety and they demonstrate this well. They enjoy their lessons, appreciating the opportunities they get for research and independent learning. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils show an awareness of social and moral issues and are proud of the school's good reputation in this respect. There are effective links with local churches that support pupils' spiritual development and the school works effectively to develop cultural awareness. This is evident in project work and in good displays on the walls. There is a good range of opportunities for pupils to take responsibility and contribute to the community. The school council is active and pupils are aware of its contribution, for example in the lead it gives to the many efforts to raise money for charity. As a consequence of their

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Grade: 3

achievements and their personal development pupils are effectively prepared for the next stage of their lives. The school judged the quality of its teaching to be good. In the light of pupils' achievement, and from visits to lessons during the inspection, inspectors judge it to be satisfactory overall but with good features. Teachers develop good relations with their pupils, building trust and confidence. Pupils are encouraged to work collaboratively and to listen carefully. In the better teaching seen there was good pace and a sense of challenge but this was not always the case. Pupils told inspectors that they sometimes found the work too easy. Information and communication technology is effectively integrated into learning. Inspectors looked at the marking of pupils' work and found a range in the quality, from satisfactory to excellent. In the best marking, the teacher was effectively engaging pupils in a dialogue about their work and

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Grade: 3

frequently getting pupils to reflect on their own performance and learning. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Blyton Cum Laughton Church of England School, 30 June 2009 Inspectors agreed that the curriculum meets pupils' needs well. Teachers plan activities that pupils enjoy and that extend their experience and understanding well. This often involves leaving the classroom for other locations, for varying periods. Residential experiences are growing in number and are used well for social and moral development. Good links exist between subjects and the development of skills. A good range of arts-based activities and projects help build skills and cultural awareness. A high proportion of pupils take advantage of the good range of extra-curricular activities, although pupils view these as predominantly aimed at older pupils at the Blyton site. Many parents expressed the view that the care, guidance and support given by staff to pupils

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Grade: 3

are good, and inspectors agree. A significant proportion of pupils join the school at times other than the start of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The support these pupils receive as they are welcomed and integrated into school is good and helps their progress. The school has a very caring approach. Safeguarding procedures meet current requirements. All aspects of welfare receive a high priority. Health and safety are taken seriously. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is satisfactory, enabling them to make the expected progress. An effective behaviour policy encourages positive attitudes and builds trust between pupils and staff. Targets are used to guide pupils' work and pupils find them helpful. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The school was last inspected shortly after the merger of the two village schools. Some difficult circumstances followed that inspection,

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Grade: 3

including the lengthy absence of the headteacher. Overall standards fell following the merger. They have recovered somewhat and at the moment are satisfactory. There is some good teaching and evidence of improving rates of progress in Key Stage 2. It is taking too long to establish reliable means of assessing progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. There is some good leadership of subjects but this is acknowledged as an area for continuing development. The school was accurate in its evaluation of the personal development, the curriculum and its care, guidance and support but has taken too optimistic a view of the achievements of pupils and the quality of teaching that underpins that achievement. Community cohesion is effectively promoted both locally and at national and international level. The governing body has suffered recently from significant turnover in its composition. Governors are involved in strategic

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Grade: 3

development but have been insufficiently aware of issues to do with progress and standards. There is a keen desire amongst all those involved with the school to do their best for the pupils. The system by which leaders and managers at all levels share understanding and contribute to improvement, whilst satisfactory, could be more effective. The capacity of the school for improvement is satisfactory.

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Grade: 3

Children's standards and achievement, based on the data that is available, are satisfactory. Their personal development and well-being are good. Children learn to behave well. They are happy and clearly enjoy the activities. The levels of engagement in the activities are good and children develop confidence as they learn to share and to play and work together. The provision available for them is broad and balanced. Good use is made of the outside area to support a range of learning activities. For example, imaginative ways have been found to enable children to enjoy growing their own fruit and vegetables. Writing skills are developed well through informal activities such as making lunch orders and menu cards. Play activities outdoors support numeracy and literacy effectively. Children are presented with many opportunities for exploration and independent learning. All adults involved are committed to the children's welfare and the

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Grade: 3

6 of 11 Inspection Report: Blyton Cum Laughton Church of England School, 30 June 2009 children know how to keep themselves safe, for example in the hot sunshine on the day of the inspection. The leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage are satisfactory. The data available to inspectors on the development and progress made by children was not sufficiently reliable because insufficient attention was given to how this is assessed and recorded. Further opportunities are needed for children to choose learning activities for themselves.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Share and develop good practice amongst teachers to improve the quality of teaching and the rate of pupils' progress. ■ Develop leadership and management arrangements in the Early Years Foundation Stage, particularly with respect to methods of assessing and recording children's progress. ■ Strengthen leadership and management at all levels to enable all those involved to take effective responsibility and contribute to improvement. 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. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Blyton Cum Laughton Church of England School, 30 June 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: Blyton Cum Laughton Church of England School, 30 June 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?

No 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Blyton Cum Laughton Church of England School, 30 June 2009

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learners?

2 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 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 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 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Blyton Cum Laughton Church of England School, 30 June 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

1 July 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Blyton cum Laughton Church of England Primary School, Blyton, Lincolnshire, DN21 3JX As you know, your school was inspected recently and this letter is to tell you about the results of the inspection. We very much enjoyed our visit to your school and would like to thank you for the friendly way in which so many of you greeted and spoke to us. Your school is providing you with a sound education. The headteacher and all the staff are very committed to your welfare and progress. There are a number of good aspects to the school. In particular, your personal development is good. We found you to be enjoying school and behaving well. You feel secure and have a good understanding of safety issues. Many of you are making a good contribution to the school and to the life of the surrounding villages. For example, your school council is leading you well in raising money for charity. Your attendance is good and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you develop good attitudes to learning. The adults that work at the school give you good care and support. They also guide you well when it comes to your lessons. The teaching you receive is satisfactory. On the whole you all make satisfactory progress in your subjects and leave school having reached standards that are satisfactory. The school is preparing you well for the next stage of your lives. There are a number of things we have asked the school to do to improve. There is some good teaching at the school and we want it all to be at least good. We have asked that teachers develop their ideas together so that you make faster progress. We want the school to find ways of assessing children's progress in the Reception class more carefully and accurately. Finally, we have asked that all those involved in leading and managing the school work together more effectively so that each person is taking responsibility and making the right contribution to

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

the school's improvement. We wish you all well for the future. Yours faithfully Bob Roberts Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Blyton Cum Laughton Church of England School, 30 June 2009

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