Tetsworth Primary School

Tetsworth Primary School Inspection report

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123031 Unique Reference Number Oxfordshire Local Authority 327835 Inspection number 13 January 2009 Inspection date Alison Grainger 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 26 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 Mrs Sarah Bhagat Chair Miss Ann Greenwood (acting) Headteacher 3 March 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection 15 High Street School address Tetsworth Thame OX9 7AB 01844 281328 Telephone number 01844 281883 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 13 January 2009 Inspection date 327835 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: Tetsworth Primary School, 13 January 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Almost all pupils in this small school are White British. The proportion with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is a little above average. Most of these pupils have moderate learning or social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Prior to entering the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Reception class, children have usually attended the independently run village pre-school provision. This provision has recently moved onto the school's site, but was not included in this inspection. Reception-age children are taught in a class that also includes pupils in Years 1 and 2. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are taught in two classes for three days each week and together in one class on the other days. The school has been without a substantive headteacher since September 2005. Since September 2007, a local authority consultant has been acting headteacher for 2.5 days each week. A local authority school improvement teacher took over the responsibilities of senior teacher temporarily

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Description of the school

at the start of this term. There have also been other recent staff changes and many governors are new to their roles.

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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: Tetsworth Primary School, 13 January 2009

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Grade: 4

In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than in all the circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform. The school is therefore given a notice to improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to pupils' progress from the start of the Reception Year to the end of Year 2, in the standards pupils reach by the end of Year 2, and in the quality of provision in Reception to Year 2. The school's overall effectiveness is inadequate. It does not ensure that all pupils have a satisfactory education. Nevertheless, it is improving. The acting headteacher has already dealt in a determined way with some serious shortcomings. In particular, teaching in Years 3 to 6 has improved and is satisfactory. Behaviour is better than it was and is also satisfactory. Pupils are

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Grade: 4

pleased with the changes being made and parents have confidence in the school's senior leaders. Taking the intake as a whole, pupils' starting points are broadly at levels expected for their age. Standards in Year 6 are currently close to average. Pupils do not, however, make steady progress as they move up through the school, which results in achievement being inadequate. Standards are persistently low at the end of Year 2, reflecting inadequate achievement in relation to pupils' starting points and capabilities. Pupils are making satisfactory progress in Years 3 to 6, but this has not been the case until recently. As a result, there are some pupils with lost ground still to make up in these years. The school recognises that pupils' progress has to accelerate, particularly in Reception to Year 2, if all pupils are to do as well as they should. There are two main reasons why progress is inadequate in Reception to Year 2. Firstly, teaching

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Grade: 4

is inadequate and is not matched closely enough to all pupils' needs to provide each with the right level of challenge and support. Secondly, the Reception curriculum is unsatisfactory. It does not provide enough opportunities for learning through play and enquiry, or for making choices about activities indoors and outside. The match of teaching to pupils' needs has got better in Years 3 to 6 but is not sharp enough to give a good level of challenge to all. The curriculum adequately supports pupils' learning and personal development in Years 3 to 6. As a result, pupils have a sound awareness of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, such as through diet and exercise. They respond positively to appropriate opportunities to make a contribution to the school and wider community. The warm family atmosphere, valued by parents, helps pupils to feel safe at school. All in all, pupils' personal development and

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Grade: 4

well-being are satisfactory. Care, guidance and support for pupils are satisfactory overall. Pastoral care is stronger than the academic guidance. Individual targets help pupils to improve their work, but marking is inconsistent. Marking does not always provide pupils with clear guidance on what they are doing well or on how they can improve their work. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The school has demonstrated that it has the necessary capacity to rectify its weaknesses in the effective action already being taken. The headteacher provides a clear direction for the school's improvement based on accurate self-evaluation. The new senior teacher is already making a strong contribution. However, other teachers and governors are not fully involved in improving the school. The school is addressing this and developing the roles and accountability of all staff. As one teacher said of her increased

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Grade: 4

role, 'I am excited by the changes already made and by where we are going now.' 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Tetsworth Primary School, 13 January 2009

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Grade: 4

Leadership and management of the Reception provision are unsatisfactory. As a result, provision for children in the Reception Year is inadequate. However, the attention to their welfare is satisfactory. Parents are pleased by the welcome their children receive when they join the school. They are justifiably confident that their children are properly cared for and supervised. Children settle quickly and soon become confident in the school environment. They respond positively to the school's routines, mix well with the older children in their class and their behaviour is good. Opportunities for children to develop initiative and independence and to make choices about what they will do are limited, with the result that personal development is only satisfactory. Children do not get off to a strong enough start in their learning and development, and underachievement begins at this early stage. Children make satisfactory progress on some

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Grade: 4

occasions through adult-directed small-group activities, such as in counting or learning new vocabulary. However, not all adult-led activities promote adequate progress. Although ongoing assessments are made of children's learning, these are not used well enough to match teaching and activities to children's needs. Children's learning is slowed by the lack of opportunities for them to explore, investigate and discover through play indoors and outside.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that teaching is always closely matched to all pupils' needs, particularly in Reception to Year 2, in order to accelerate pupils' progress and to raise the standards they attain. ■ Provide Reception children with more opportunities to learn through play and enquiry and to make choices about activities indoors and outside. ■ Make sure that marking gives all pupils clear guidance on how well they are doing and that it helps them to improve their work. ■ Ensure that all teachers and governors are fully involved in improving the school, and take more responsibility for pupils' progress and standards.

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Grade: 4

Standards are broadly average at the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science. However, achievement in the school as a whole is inadequate. This is because too many pupils make slow progress and do not reach the standards of which they are capable by the end of Year 2. At this stage, standards are low in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Pupils' rate of progress in Years 3 to 6 is satisfactory, although there are still some pupils catching up because of insufficient progress in the past. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities progress at a similar rate to others in their classes.

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Grade: 3

Pupils are pleasant, friendly and polite. They get on well with each other and with the adults in school. Although never inadequate, behaviour varies in lessons according to how well teaching and activities engage pupils and meet their needs. In Years 3 and 4, for example, behaviour was good when pupils were motivated well by practical activities exploring the properties of three-dimensional shapes. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Tetsworth Primary School, 13 January 2009 Pupils show that they care for others when, for example, they take part in activities to raise funds for charities. Their enjoyment of school is satisfactory and the attendance rate is broadly average. They appreciate the extra activities offered by the school, such as art club and chess. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of personal development are satisfactory. Pupils' awareness of the diversity of modern multicultural society is less well developed than other

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Grade: 3

aspects. They do not consistently develop the skills necessary for their future lives in their early years in the school. Older pupils' initiative and independence are not being fully developed.

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Grade: 4

Teaching is inadequate because it does not ensure that pupils make satisfactory progress in Reception to Year 2. The main weakness is that it is not closely enough matched to pupils' individual learning needs. In whole-class sessions, for example, there are times when all the pupils in these three years have the same input. Too often, expectations of the standards pupils are capable of attaining are not high enough. Support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is often lacking or inappropriate. However, there are moments in lessons, when an adult is working with a small group, when satisfactory learning takes place. The pace of lessons and the match of teaching to individual needs are satisfactory in Years 3 to 6. There are some examples of good practice. In an English lesson for pupils in Years 3 and 4, for example, pupils were intensively involved in discussion with the teacher. Good use was

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Grade: 4

made of the interactive whiteboard to maintain a clear focus and a steady pace of learning. The school recognises that the match of teaching to needs has to become better still in Years 3 to 6 if pupils are to make good progress. In all classes there are positive features to teaching, such as supportive relationships creating the right climate for learning.

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Grade: 3

Recent improvements to the curriculum are making learning more interesting and enjoyable, and helping to improve progress. In Years 5 and 6, for example, pupils are making connections between their work in history and English in studying The Diary of Anne Frank. In religious education, there are some good opportunities for pupils in Years 3 to 6 to write at length. Teachers are planning reasonable opportunities for pupils to use skills in English, mathematics and information and communication technology across the curriculum. However, this is more effective in Years 3 to 6 than in the lower years. An increasing focus on the social and emotional aspects of learning is helping pupils to reflect on their experiences and is giving improved support to their personal development and well-being. As one parent pointed out, 'the bullying topic has enabled some children to respect each other's views and beliefs more.' The school makes good use of visits and visitors to extend

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Grade: 3

pupils' experiences. It is to its credit that, as a very small school, it provides a broad range of clubs such as art, chess and gardening, and takes older pupils on a residential visit. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Tetsworth Primary School, 13 January 2009

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Grade: 3

Many parents told inspectors how much they appreciate the attention the school gives to their children's welfare, including the personal needs of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Staff are friendly and approachable and pupils value this. They say, for example, that they would readily approach a teacher should they have a worry or concern. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils are properly in place. The use of individual targets to help pupils to improve their work is satisfactory and has developed over the last year. A new marking policy is implemented well in Years 3 and 4 but less effectively in other years. As a result, not all pupils are given clear enough guidance through marking about what they are doing well and how they can improve their work. This prevents them from taking more responsibility for their learning and is also a factor preventing personal initiative from being better.

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Grade: 3

On joining the school, the headteacher identified that a considerable amount of change was needed to improve the quality of education to a satisfactory level. While there is still much to do, some clear improvements have been made. Performance management and monitoring have been used successfully to deal with some weak teaching and other inadequate practice. A whole-school focus on improving pace and challenge in lessons has resulted in teaching being satisfactory in Years 3 to 6. Where improvement has been slower, it has to some extent been hampered by unsettled staffing during the last school year. With effective senior leadership, the school is rightly focusing on increasing the involvement of other teachers in improving pupils' progress. A reasonable start has been made, but not all subject leaders' roles are sufficiently well established. The English subject leader, for example, ensures that the marking policy is used effectively in her class, but not in the other classes.

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Grade: 3

The governing body has given the headteacher support in dealing with some difficult issues. However, governors are not sufficiently involved in checking on the school's effectiveness, or ensuring that it improves pupils' progress. The school's promotion of community cohesion is satisfactory as seen in its secure involvement in the local community. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Tetsworth Primary School, 13 January 2009 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Tetsworth Primary School, 13 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?

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?

4 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 4 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 3 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 4 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

4 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 4 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: Tetsworth Primary School, 13 January 2009

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learners?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 3 The behaviour of learners 3 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? 3 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 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? Yes Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Tetsworth Primary School, 13 January 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

10 February 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Tetsworth Primary School,Thame,OX9 7AB Thank you for helping us when we visited your school. We were made very welcome and agree that your school is a friendly place. We saw that you get on well with each other and with the adults in school. Overall, your behaviour is satisfactory and sometimes it is good. You have some good extra opportunities in addition to your lessons. You told us that you enjoy the clubs, such as art and chess. We found that your school is improving, as you told us, but that it still has some way to go. At the moment, it does not make sure that all of you do as well as you could. Importantly, your headteacher and new senior teacher are making the right changes. To help, we have asked them to do these things.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure that teaching is at the right level for each of you so that you all make quicker progress and do well. ■ Give Reception children more opportunities to learn through play indoors and outside, and let them make more choices. ■ Make sure that when teachers mark your work they always tell you how well you are doing and what you need to do to improve your work. This should help you to take more responsibility for your learning. ■ Help all the teachers and governors to be more involved in improving your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You can help by always doing your best. Other inspectors will visit to see how well your school is getting on. Thank you once again for your help. Yours faithfully Alison Grainger Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Tetsworth Primary School, 13 January 2009

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