Colburn Community Primary School

Colburn Community Primary School Inspection report

p.1

121334 Unique Reference Number North Yorkshire Local Authority 327459 Inspection number 10–11 November 2008 Inspection dates Terry McDermott Reporting inspector

p.1

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.

p.1

Primary Type of school Community School category 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 232 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 K Jeffery Chair Mr G Else Headteacher 16 January 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Colburn Lane School address Colburn Catterick Garrison North Yorkshire DL9 4LS

p.1

3–11 Age group 10–11 November 2008 Inspection dates 327459 Inspection number 01748 832676 Telephone number 01748 836769 Fax number

p.1

3–11 Age group 10–11 November 2008 Inspection dates 327459 Inspection number .

p.2

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.

p.3

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: Colburn Community Primary School, 10–11 November 2008

p.3

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

p.4

Description of the school

This average sized school serves the village of Colburn, an area with pockets of significant social and economic deprivation. It has an integral Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is above the national average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average. A small but growing proportion of pupils come from families, emigrants from Eastern Europe, who do not speak English at home. There are no pupils with a statement of special educational need. The school holds the Healthy Schools Award.

p.4

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Colburn Community Primary School, 10–11 November 2008

p.4

Grade: 2

This is a good school that is moving forward. The EYFS is a strength of the school, and provides a solid base upon which the school is building further improvement. It gives good value for money. Achievement is good. Standards in recent years have been well below average, but are now improving. Current standards are below average but rising, particularly in the EYFS. However, the standard of writing is still too low, especially for boys at the end of Year 2. Good progress is clearly evident in every year group in the school and for all groups of pupils including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. This good progress is shown in the school's much improved 2008 provisional Year 6 national test results. Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Most pupils are well behaved, polite, show mutual respect and tolerance, and are happy. Many parents affirm this with comments such as, 'My child would prefer not to have weekends off,' and, 'My children are very happy.'

p.5

Grade: 2

Pupils collaborate well together, and this contributes to the strong sense of community in this inclusive school. Despite the school's tireless efforts and pupils' good enjoyment of school, attendance stubbornly remains broadly average. The quality of teaching and learning is good, but sometimes too much time is spent on detailed explanations. All teachers are enthusiastic and dedicated to helping their pupils make the best progress they can. Expectations and challenge are usually very high. In the best lessons, many learning tasks are practically based. Pupils like this method of learning and respond well when opportunities are presented. When teachers talk too much, lessons lack pace, and learning slows. The curriculum is good and is continuing to improve. Subjects are being linked so that knowledge learned in one area, for example in history, can be exploited and developed in another, for example to bring literacy work to life when describing the emotional impact of the First World

p.5

Grade: 2

War. These and other positive initiatives have yet to show their full cumulative effect on the standards pupils reach. The school takes good care of its pupils, and pays close attention to all aspects of safeguarding. Adults know the pupils well, and are trusted by them. All groups of pupils state with assurance that there is always an adult they can turn to if they need help or support. Pupils know their progress targets and work hard to meet them. The targets are updated frequently. Leadership and management are good. Staff are upbeat and share a common purpose. They are ambitious for pupils. They are confident, open and prepared to learn themselves. This is why the school is now successful. Close monitoring and honest evaluation of the work of the school is carried out by all leaders and has led to rapid recent improvements. The school has good capacity to make further improvements.

p.5

Grade: 1

When children enter EYFS, many have skills well below those typically expected for their age, particularly in terms of social and language development. They make outstanding progress because of the carefully planned curriculum, which focuses activities on learning, and outstanding 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Colburn Community Primary School, 10–11 November 2008 teaching. By the end of the Reception year in 2008, many pupils were attaining the nationally expected standards. A well structured programme of phonics teaching is followed up with purposeful links to other areas of learning. This provides opportunities to extend learning in a range of situations. Structured role play around activities such as having a picnic, or taking baby to the clinic, provide very good opportunities for children to work cooperatively and explore their social relationships as well as learning basic life skills. Even the youngest children are confident to choose their activities to follow on from those

p.5

Grade: 1

directed by adults. The rich and diverse provision ensures that there are activities to engage everyone. Children particularly enjoy using the soft play area where they are supported to access challenging physical activity whatever the weather. Outdoor provision is well planned to extend all aspects of learning and children particularly enjoyed experiencing the effect of the wind on streamers. Leadership and management of the unit are good. The team of staff work together very well. Children's progress is tracked rigorously, and ensures that support is quickly given where it is most needed. The role of the key worker at entry to the Nursery is building strong links with parents.

p.6

What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science in Key Stage 2.

p.6

What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that pupils are able to engage actively in learning more quickly in all lessons.

p.6

What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the quality of writing, particularly of boys, in Key Stage 1.

p.6

Grade: 2

Pupils make good progress in Key Stages 1 and 2. Standards at the end of Year 2 in 2008 remain well below average, particularly in boys' writing, though for this group of pupils that represents good progress because of their low starting points. In Year 6 in 2007, achievement was broadly satisfactory and standards were well below average. However, progress is now good and standards have risen, particularly at the higher grades (Level 5), in the provisional 2008 national test results. Inspection evidence shows that the very large majority of pupils in each year group in the school are now making good progress. Pupils who speak English as an additional language and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress because of the expert help they and their families receive.

p.6

Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being is good. Their spiritual and cultural development is good because it is thoughtfully promoted through opportunities for reflection built into many lessons and assemblies. These opportunities help pupils develop empathy and understanding towards people in different times and in different locations around the world. Pupils' moral and social development is satisfactory because some pupils do not always behave as well as they could. Attendance is satisfactory. The school follows up absences rigorously. Most pupils are friendly and polite, they appreciate that adults work hard to support them and they know that they are safe in school. Most move around school sensibly and have a pride in belonging to this community. They are working hard to support each other through a system 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Colburn Community Primary School, 10–11 November 2008 of playground buddies. They are learning that they can resolve many issues themselves without

p.6

Grade: 2

adult assistance. Pupils understand that they need to eat healthily and take regular exercise. They know to follow safe practices when working on the Internet. They are keen to support the school community and take pride in singing at the local residential home. Because the standard of key skills is below average, pupils are satisfactorily prepared for the next stage of their education.

p.7

Grade: 2

All teachers have good subject knowledge, and are passionate and enthusiastic about their subjects. They have consistently high expectations and as a result pupils work hard. In the best lessons, teachers set a range of tasks which meet pupils' learning needs well. Many of these lessons have a strong practical aspect in which pupils learn by doing. Pupils are strongly encouraged to work independently and to think things through for themselves. They are pushed to searching for meanings beyond the immediately obvious. In lessons which have these features, pupils engage rapidly, learn well, and make good or even better progress. This was clearly seen in an outstanding Year 4 lesson where pupils gained an astonishing depth of understanding of the meaning of 'Remembrance' through their shared interpretations of the poem 'In Flanders Fields'. In a small number of lessons, teachers spend too long explaining what they want pupils

p.7

Grade: 2

to do. In these lessons, the same explanations are given to all pupils. Learning slows for all, and progress becomes ordinary. Pupils' work is marked regularly and informatively, and gives pupils good guidance about what they need to do to improve.

p.7

Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. All pupils benefit from French lessons. Art and music are taught by experienced specialists. Literacy and numeracy are organised to ensure effective links with other subjects, and this is bringing relevance and life to learning. A well structured programme of short, sharp interventions is helping pupils overcome specific learning issues quickly. However, several of these actions are relatively new, and their full impact has yet to be seen in the standards pupils achieve. A good range of clubs, sporting and cultural activities, and a wide range of visitors provide new challenges for pupils and enriches their learning. The information and communication technology (ICT) suite has been recently updated but pupils' access to the full range of opportunities presented by ICT is not wide enough.

p.7

Grade: 2

Child protection and safeguarding systems are robust. Procedures meet statutory requirements. Adults know the pupils in the school well, and are able to give close support as and when it is required. Parents recognise the value of this support through comments such as, 'The support my son gets is excellent,' and, 'We are always able to speak to teachers, and any problems are always quickly resolved.' 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Colburn Community Primary School, 10–11 November 2008 There is good support for those pupils and parents who speak English as a second language. The school has good partnerships with professional and other agencies, and engages their support quickly and effectively when it is required. Recently improved assessment systems and procedures are reliable and regular, and well understood by teachers. The detailed information produced is beginning to enable teachers to set relevant targets for individual pupils, and the

p.7

Grade: 2

school to set challenging targets for each class or group of pupils.

p.8

Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The well respected headteacher is totally committed to the school. He has built a strong senior team around him and together they have successfully promoted good improvement. Leaders at senior and middle management levels are ambitious for the school and its pupils. All adults understand their respective roles and how they can contribute to the greater good. They have good reason to be proud of the improving progress being made by pupils, which has become pronounced over the past year. The school has taken full advantage of the support offered by the local authority. Leaders regularly check on the quality of learning and the progress pupils are making. Leaders have a clear picture of where the school is strong and where it needs to improve but do not always record this effectively. Governors are generous with their time, and play a full part in leading the school. They raise

p.8

Grade: 2

the profile of the school in the local community, and hold the school to account for its results. The school contributes well to community cohesion, particularly through links with schools in Nepal and Morocco, which help pupils to increase their understanding of wider communities and to value diversity. The school has made good progress addressing the issues raised at the last inspection. In addition, the EYFS has been reorganised and is now a very effective part of the school. The school is well placed to make further improvements. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Colburn Community Primary School, 10–11 November 2008 .

p.8

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: Colburn Community Primary School, 10–11 November 2008

p.9

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.10

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

p.10

EYFS?

1 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 1 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?

p.10

Achievement and standards

2 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 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress

p.10

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: Colburn Community Primary School, 10–11 November 2008

p.10

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 3 The attendance of learners 3 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

p.11

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?

p.11

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? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: Colburn Community Primary School, 10–11 November 2008

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for the friendly welcome you gave my colleague and I when we inspected your school recently. We could see that the school is a happy place, and that everybody, adults and children alike, is working as one big team. We found that Colburn is a good school. We were particularly impressed with the following things.

p.12

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ All the adults are dedicated to ensuring that you receive the best possible care and support to ensure that you are safe and happy. This begins with the good example set by the headteacher, which is then taken up by everybody else. ■ Provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage gives children an excellent start when they join the school. ■ The big increase in the speed at which the teachers are helping you to learn new things.

p.12

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

However, we also found that the school could do some things better. So I have asked the school to do the following things.

p.12

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Improve how well you are able to write, particularly the boys, by the time you complete Year 2. ■ Improve the standards reached by pupils in Year 6 in English, mathematics and science.

p.12

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure that you do not spend too long at the beginning of lessons listening to the teacher and quickly get on to tasks that help you learn more effectively. You can also help to speed up your learning, and make your school a better place, by making sure that you attend well, and stay on your best behaviour. I wish all of you good luck for the future. 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Colburn Community Primary School, 10–11 November 2008

p.12