Carnarvon Primary School

Carnarvon Primary School Inspection report

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122621 Unique Reference Number Nottinghamshire Local Authority 327767 Inspection number 26–27 January 2009 Inspection dates Keith Edwards 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 372 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 Alan Cotton Chair Mr Jonathan Cunliffe 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 Nursery Road School address Bingham Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG13 8EH 01949 838246 Telephone number 01949 839653 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 26–27 January 2009 Inspection dates 327767 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: Carnarvon Primary School, 26–27 January 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school serves the market town of Bingham. Although many of the children live locally, an increasing number come from further afield. Almost all of the pupils are from White British backgrounds and almost all have English as their first language. Most children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) with levels of skills, knowledge and understanding that are expected of their age group. The proportion of children entitled to a free school meal and the proportion with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are below average. Carnarvon Pre-School, a privately managed setting for pre-school children, operates on the school site.

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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: Carnarvon Primary School, 26–27 January 2009

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school. It has improved significantly since the last inspection and built outstanding capacity to maintain this momentum. Standards are consistently high because the quality of teaching and learning is excellent and the school benefits from enthusiastic and dedicated leadership that nurtures teamwork. Pupils are very proud of their school and are keen participants in the exciting range of opportunities that it provides, particularly in sport and music. However, although the curriculum is vibrant, there are too few opportunities for pupils to develop their computer skills in different subjects. Pupils and their parents are rightly impressed with the very high quality of care and academic guidance. Comments from delighted parents, whose views echoed many others, included, 'We believe that Carnarvon is the best learning environment for our children to reach their full potential. We feel the school is managed

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Grade: 1

well and the staff work hard to deliver challenge, rigour and enjoyment for all.' The school certainly has the respect of the community that it serves and works well with other schools. Current standards in Year 6 in English, mathematics and science are well above average, reflecting the outstanding progress pupils make as they move through the school. National tests in Year 2 reflect the above average standards pupils achieve in reading, writing and mathematics year-on-year. The school's sophisticated tracking and assessment procedures ensure that pupils' progress is monitored at regular intervals from the outset and that extra help or challenge is provided when necessary. Pupils are fully involved in this process and their achievement is outstanding. The personal development and well-being of all pupils is exemplary. Pupils really enjoy coming to school and attendance rates are above average. Staff respect and value the pupils and

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Grade: 1

consequently they develop self-confidence, self-esteem and self-discipline; their behaviour is outstanding. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and they respond very well to the many initiatives encouraging them to adopt healthy lifestyles. They work hard and play well together, forming excellent relationships with one another and with adults in school. The headteacher provides outstanding leadership. Teamwork is at the heart of all of the school's successes. The headteacher has nurtured the ethos of high achievement and has motivated and empowered his colleagues to settle for nothing but the best. The school leadership has systematically developed the quality of teaching and learning so that it is now outstanding. Pupils are very well cared for throughout the day and their academic guidance is excellent.

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding feature of the school. Parents sum up the quality of the provision very well when commenting, 'Since our child started at Carnarvon we have been delighted by the standard of care, thought, fun and proactivity shown by the staff. The children look forward to their days with such enthusiasm and always come home with smiles on their faces.' Children thrive academically within this highly caring environment and their personal development is outstanding. This is because the EYFS provides such an exciting range of activities to meet children's needs, both indoors and outside. This is very evident in, for example, the children's work on dinosaurs that fully engages their interest. Adults work and plan together well as a team and keep a careful check on how well children are progressing. Support is good for children who are vulnerable or who find learning difficult, enabling them to enjoy success. Children

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Grade: 1

4 of 11 Inspection Report: Carnarvon Primary School, 26–27 January 2009 make rapid progress because learning is enjoyable and they start Year 1 with standards that are above those found nationally in all areas of learning. This is because the quality of leadership is outstanding as is the quality of teaching. There is a shared sense of commitment to ongoing improvement. For example, although learning facilities have developed significantly since the previous inspection, staff are busily organising further improvements to the outdoor accommodation. Staff make a point of developing excellent relationships with families, enabling children to feel confident, safe and secure. This close liaison between home and school, combined with the sharing of information about progress, encourages parents to participate fully in their children's learning.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Provide more opportunities for pupils to use information and communication technology (ICT) for learning across the curriculum.

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Grade: 1

The pupils build successfully on the above-average standards they attain in the EYFS and progress very well throughout the school ensuring that overall achievement is outstanding. Standards are consistently above average at the end of Year 2 and well above at the end of Year 6 as shown by the improved performance of the pupils in the national assessment tests since the last inspection. Boys achieve as well as the girls. Although standards in mathematics and English are well above average, achievement has not been as consistent in writing. However, standards in writing are now improving as a result of whole-school initiatives to encourage the pupils' fluency and confidence in using a broad range of vocabulary. The setting arrangements in mathematics have been successful in ensuring pupils are taught at the appropriate pace and level, and their achievement is excellent. In science, pupils benefit from the exciting, investigative

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Grade: 1

approach to learning and a significant majority of pupils achieve the higher levels in national assessment tests. Furthermore, the rigorous application of the school's tracking and assessment procedures has enabled teachers to set work at an appropriate level to challenge groups of different abilities.

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Grade: 1

Pupils become confident, happy and articulate learners who have every reason to look forward to a positive future. They gain an extremely good awareness of what it is to lead a healthy and safe lifestyle, whether knowing what is good to eat, how to exercise and enjoy sports, how to avoid harmful substances or how to cycle to school safely. They say they enjoy their lessons and clubs very much, and feel safe in school because bullying is almost non-existent. They know who to see if they have personal worries of any kind. They are attentive in lessons, cooperate very well with each other and are often enthusiastic, such as in the lessons during the inspection about the first moon landings. Their behaviour is immaculate in class, in the out-of-school activities and in the playgrounds. Pupils talk of how much they value the friendships they have all around them, and how they help their own community through joining

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Grade: 1

the school council, undertaking many jobs around school and supporting each other at play. On a wider scale, pupils have petitioned for a local pedestrian crossing, had harvest festivals and are involved in environmental events. Their future economic well-being is well assured because their excellent skills in literacy and numeracy and competence in ICT are supplemented 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Carnarvon Primary School, 26–27 January 2009 by knowing how to work cooperatively and behave appropriately, and appreciating the value of punctuality and good manners. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is outstanding. These key aspects of their development are extremely well supported in lessons and discussions, and in lively, celebratory assemblies and multicultural events. Pupils learn of many other cultures in Britain and the world in general, and that there are innumerable beautiful sights and wonderful experiences in life

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Grade: 1

Teachers have high expectations of pupils' behaviour and academic progress, promoting outstanding achievement by the end of Year 6. A common feature in all classes is the warmth of the relationships that ensures excellent standards of behaviour and motivates pupils to do their best. Teachers and classroom assistants work very effectively together to provide pupils with a high level of support to develop their independent learning skills. Because the work set is designed to encourage the pupils to think and is closely matched to the range of ability in each class, learning is fun and the pupils make very good progress. They show evident enjoyment in lessons and report that they appreciate the school's approach to learning through themes. However, although interactive whiteboards are used successfully to demonstrate new techniques, too little use is made of computers by pupils to support their learning. Teachers ensure that

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Grade: 1

the pace of learning is good and provide excellent feedback to pupils to make sure that they learn from their mistakes. Consequently, pupils have a very good understanding of the next steps they need to take in their learning and are confident in expressing their views and in explaining their learning tasks.

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Grade: 2

The school places a strong emphasis on making learning exciting, active and imaginative. The extremely wide range of curriculum enrichment activities and clubs provided is outstanding. Pupils report that they particularly enjoy visits to places of interest and visitors to the school to enrich learning. The very well-planned curriculum for pupils' personal and social development is particularly successful, and the school has led within the county on aspects of pupils' social and emotional learning. Activities are well matched to learners' capabilities and help them build effectively on what they already know. The curriculum strongly supports the progress of higher attaining pupils whilst meeting the needs of those who find learning difficult. Although pupils have visited a mosque and studied Kenya as part of the themed curriculum, the provision for global community awareness is not yet fully developed. Furthermore, although ICT is used for

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Grade: 2

teaching, for example through the use of digital cameras to help pupils refine their balance in gymnastic lessons, too little use is made of personal computers for research and learning.

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Grade: 1

This aspect is a strength of the school. Care and support are provided for pupils with significant social or emotional needs; for example, a teaching assistant runs a nurture group. The additional provision, including the breakfast club, gives some pupils the extra support they need to make 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Carnarvon Primary School, 26–27 January 2009 the progress of which they are capable. Child protection and safeguarding procedures are thorough and meet all legal requirements. Academic guidance is outstanding. The school has an excellent system for setting and reviewing personal targets that give pupils a clear understanding of how they can improve their work.

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Grade: 1

The headteacher has been resolute in his drive for excellence and provides outstanding leadership. The leadership team has developed an extraordinary eye for detail to ensure that all aspects of the school's work are as good as possible. All of the staff and governors are involved in, and committed to, the school. Consequently, the pupils have benefited enormously and standards have risen. The development of the teaching quality, and of the curriculum and assessment procedures, to ensure that the work set enables all groups of pupils to achieve their best, have been significant components of the school's work. There has been outstanding progress since the last inspection. The issues identified then have been fully resolved and every aspect of school life has shown improvement. The governing body is fully involved in strategic development and has become confident in its monitoring of school effectiveness and in its

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Grade: 1

ability to hold the school to account. The school holds a broadly accurate view of its performance, but has a tendency to underestimate its achievements. Nevertheless, the school's self-evaluation has resulted in a clear plan for further improvement that includes strengthening its commitment to improve the global aspects of its social cohesion policy. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Carnarvon Primary School, 26–27 January 2009 .

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Grade: 1

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Carnarvon Primary School, 26–27 January 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? 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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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? 1 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 1 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

1 How well do learners achieve? 1 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 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: Carnarvon Primary School, 26–27 January 2009

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learners?

1 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 1 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 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? 1 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 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 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: Carnarvon Primary School, 26–27 January 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

28 January 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Carnarvon Primary School, Bingham, NG13 8EH We really enjoyed our visit to your school this month because everybody was so helpful and friendly. We particularly enjoyed our discussions with you and hearing your views. It was also delightful to be able to work with you in your classrooms, take part in your assembly and meet members of the different school committees. We can understand why you are so proud of your school as there are many things that make it special. Here are some of them.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have an excellent attitude towards your work and you achieve high standards.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You clearly enjoy school and you behave very well indeed.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The school is very mindful of the need to keep you safe and happy.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your teachers make a good team and they make sure that learning is fun and exciting.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The school provides a wide range of activities to keep you interested. It is delightful to see that so many of you are enjoying sport and music. ■ Mr Cunliffe and the staff are determined to make sure the school gets better and better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You are very fortunate to be able to attend such a good primary school. It is really important that you continue to work hard and make the most of the opportunities the school provides. We have made one or two suggestions in our report that should help the school to become even better. The most important one is that the school should plan more opportunities for you to use computers to help you with your learning in different subjects. This should help you with your work and help the school to become even better. We would like to wish you all the very best for the future. Yours sincerely Keith Edwards Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Carnarvon Primary School, 26–27 January 2009

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