Goathland Primary School

Goathland Primary School Inspection report

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121296 Unique Reference Number North Yorkshire Local Authority 327449 Inspection number 13 October 2008 Inspection date Les Schubeler 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 15 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 T Davy Chair Miss S Chadwick Headteacher 21 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 Beckhole Road School address Goathland Whitby North Yorkshire YO22 5ND 01947 896230 Telephone number - Fax number

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4–11 Age group 13 October 2008 Inspection date 327449 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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: Goathland Primary School, 13 October 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Goathland Primary is a very small school serving a village and outlying farms. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is higher than average. There are no pupils currently entitled to free school meals. All pupils are of White British heritage. The number of pupils who attend the school has fluctuated from around 20 to 30, but has fallen sharply in the last two years as a result of a changing population in the local area. The school is organised into two mixed-age classes: one for the pupils in Reception and Key Stage 1, the other for those in Key Stage 2. The school has been awarded Healthy Schools status.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Goathland Primary School, 13 October 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. It has significant strengths in the provision of its excellent care and outstanding curriculum. All pupils achieve well and thrive in a warm, welcoming environment. As the number of pupils is so small, the skills and abilities of children when they enter the school vary considerably from year to year, but they are usually below expectations for their age, particularly in terms of communication and language development. Standards are variable, too, at the end of Years 2 and 6. While they have ranged from below average to above average in recent years, the general tendency is for them to be broadly average at the end of Year 2 and above average at the end of Year 6. As they move through the school all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, achieve well, making good progress from their starting points. Pupils' achievement is good because the quality of teaching is good,

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Grade: 2

assessment procedures are thorough and careful tracking of the progress of all pupils enables teachers to identify individual needs and plan work for them accordingly. The good quality of teaching and learning is founded on excellent relationships in the classroom. This creates a positive climate for learning. Pupils' behaviour in lessons is excellent and their attitudes are very positive. Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. As befits a school that has achieved Healthy Schools status, its pupils have an excellent understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles. They are very confident that the school is a safe place to be in, insisting that there is no bullying and that they always have an adult to turn to if problems of any kind arise. They enjoy school because they all know one another and get on well. This is reflected in the rates of attendance, which are usually above average and were exceptionally high last year. Pupils

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Grade: 2

make highly positive and valued contributions to the local and wider communities through their participation in events such as the distribution of harvest festival gifts, the Eskdale Arts Festival and fundraising for a variety of charities chosen by the pupils. The school's outstanding curriculum provides a wealth of exciting activities that greatly enrich pupils' experiences and enhance their personal development as well as their learning. Visits to places such as Ryedale Folk Museum, Eden Camp, York Minster or a synagogue or a mosque in Bradford are valuable adjuncts to pupils' learning in the classroom and help to develop their understanding of lives different from their own. The quality of care, guidance and support is good overall. Excellent pastoral care is provided to enable all pupils to learn and mature in a family atmosphere and a safe, attractive environment. All teachers make good use of assessment data to check how well pupils are

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Grade: 2

learning. Teachers' marking of pupils' work is systematic and constructive guidance is given. However, the school does not do enough to reinforce that guidance. Consequently, most pupils, including those with individual education plans, do not have a sufficiently clear understanding of the precise steps they need to take in order to improve their work. Leadership and management are good. A well established team of teachers forms a cohesive team under the clear direction of the headteacher and is committed to ensuring good provision for all pupils. All are involved in monitoring the performance of the school and driving the school forward with an agreed sense of purpose. School targets are based on excellent knowledge of pupils and rigorous self-evaluation processes that clearly identify the school's strengths and areas for development. The school's leaders and staff work hard and successfully to make sure

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Grade: 2

that the pupils' education is not adversely affected by the limitations of resources and expertise 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Goathland Primary School, 13 October 2008 that could afflict very small schools. A strong commitment to inclusion lies at the heart of much that the school does. All pupils participate in all activities and they are happy to do so. The school's record of maintaining good achievement for all pupils and taking effective action to redress identified weaknesses indicates that its capacity for further improvement is good.

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Grade: 2

Regardless of their varied starting points on arrival in the school, children are given a good start in Reception. They make good progress. As they share their classroom with the pupils in Years 1 and 2, they learn to work and socialise with them. As they do so, they pick up good attitudes to learning. During recent years, the very small number of Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) children have generally been working towards the nationally expected levels by the time they have entered Year 1. Their communication and language skills tend to lag behind their personal, social and emotional development and are below expectations for their age. The quality of teaching is good and there are abundant opportunities for children to learn through talking and practical activities. Children learn well because there is a good balance between adult-directed and child-initiated activities. There are good resources both indoors and outdoors,

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Grade: 2

allowing children to explore and work independently. The EYFS is well led and managed. Children flourish in a stimulating, happy and caring environment in which their welfare is promoted well. Their personal development and well-being are effectively fostered. Adults ensure that good standards of hygiene are maintained and they are rigorous in ensuring that children are safe. Children's progress is carefully assessed and very positive relationships between school and home enable parents to be kept well informed. The school has forged constructive links with the local playgroup, which help the school and families to see that children settle happily into Reception.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that pupils are provided with more precise guidance on how to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

At Key Stage 1, pupils tend to perform better in mathematics than in reading or writing, reflecting the generally lower levels of communication and literacy that they show on entry to the school. Standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of Year 6 are variable not only because of the small number of pupils in a year group, but also because in recent years the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities has varied and a higher than average proportion of pupils have joined or left the school at different times during the course of the year. Provisional results in the 2008 Key Stage 2 national tests indicate that all pupils achieved well by reaching their realistic yet challenging targets in English, mathematics and science.

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Grade: 2

All pupils eat the healthy school lunches and they thoroughly enjoy the many and varied physical activities that the school provides for them. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They care for one another. The older pupils willingly accept the 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Goathland Primary School, 13 October 2008 responsibility of keeping an eye on the younger ones in and around the school. They appreciate the opportunities to be involved in decision making. They had a say in the choice of colours for floor coverings and the purchase of items of play equipment. Although they sometimes demonstrate underdeveloped listening skills in group discussions, their generally good social skills, added to their developing skills in literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology (ICT), help to ensure that they are prepared well for the next steps in their education.

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Grade: 2

Teachers' detailed knowledge of pupils stems from the small number in each class and effective use of assessment information about all individuals. As a result of careful analysis of assessment data, the school identified specific weaknesses in writing skills. A focus across the school on improving this area of pupils' learning is now leading to higher standards, particularly in their creative writing. However, teachers are not always rigorous enough in reminding pupils of their targets. As a result, pupils tend not to have a clear understanding of the precise steps they need to take to improve their work. A skilful teaching assistant and very capable volunteer helpers provide effective additional support for all pupils, including very able pupils, in addition to those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Grade: 1

Provision for literacy, numeracy and ICT serves the needs of pupils well. There are exciting opportunities for pupils to take part in activities in and outside the school day. These include a good range of sports that help pupils to adopt a healthy lifestyle. They are supplemented by residential visits to an outdoor activity centre that the Year 5 and 6 pupils say are 'mint'. Many of these activities are organised in conjunction with other schools, which gives pupils opportunities to mix with larger numbers of their peers. Visitors to the school enhance the curriculum by talking to the pupils about their experiences as miners or archaeologists, for example. Interest in the arts is fostered and heightened by pupils' participation in the Eskdale Arts Festival. Links with the local community enable pupils to be involved in a variety of activities, including, for example, the reconstruction of a pig sty. The curriculum successfully promotes

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Grade: 1

pupils' well-being by giving them opportunities to grow their own vegetables, which are then consumed in their healthy school meals. The excellent variety of enrichment activities, including the joyous celebrations of the school's bicentenary, which brought immense pleasure to the local community as well as the pupils, makes an important contribution to pupils' learning and personal development.

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Grade: 2

Safeguarding and health and safety arrangements are firmly in place. Any vulnerable pupils are very well supported and there are effective links with outside agencies to ensure that these pupils are given every opportunity to succeed. Extra support programmes are effective in helping targeted individuals to achieve well. There are very good arrangements for making sure children settle into Reception and for easing their transfer to secondary school. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Goathland Primary School, 13 October 2008

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Grade: 2

Since the previous inspection, improvements in pupils' writing have been made and links with a network of other primary schools have helped the school to promote pupils' thinking skills. However, because targets for individual pupils are not sufficiently precise, the school has not yet managed to involve pupils enough in evaluating their own progress. Excellent use is made of links with other schools to enhance other areas of the curriculum, such as music, physical education and drama. Governors are active and supportive of the school, using their expertise alongside that of the headteacher to ensure secure financial management in the face of a falling school roll. The promotion of community cohesion is good, particularly within the school and the local community, and enables pupils to gain an understanding of communities that contrast with their own. The school has excellent relationships with parents, who place a high value on

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Grade: 2

the work of the school. They are fully appreciative of the standards of care and of the efforts of the staff to broaden the experiences of children in a rural area. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Goathland Primary School, 13 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. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Goathland Primary School, 13 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? 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: Goathland Primary School, 13 October 2008

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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 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Goathland Primary School, 13 October 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Goathland Primary School, Whitby, YO22 5ND Thank you for the warm welcome you gave to me when I inspected your school recently. I would like to thank you for being so courteous and friendly. I enjoyed talking to you and listening to your views about the school. I spent a lot of time finding out how well you learn in your lessons, looking at your work and talking to your headteacher and school staff. I came to the conclusion that Goathland is a good school with some excellent features. I think your teachers and teaching assistants care for you and look after you very well. This helps to keep you safe and healthy. You told me that you enjoy school because you all know one another well and there are opportunities to take part in a large number of extra activities that your teachers arrange for you. I know you are pleased to have the opportunity to share some of these activities with pupils from other schools.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You also said how much you enjoy many things you do at or after school: the sports, the music, and getting dressed in costume on your visits to Eden Camp, for example, not forgetting of course the 200-year celebrations. It was very pleasing to see that you get on well with one another and all the adults who work with you. I think that you are working well and are making good progress. However, I think you could be making greater progress if you had a better understanding of how to improve your work. Therefore, I have asked your teachers to make clearer to you the next steps that you need to take in order to make your work better. You could help, too, by making sure that you pay careful attention to the advice that you are given. I am sure that you will carry on enjoying school. Most of all, I hope that you will continue to work hard and help all the staff to make Goathland an even better school in the future.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

11 of 11 Inspection Report: Goathland Primary School, 13 October 2008

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