Stogursey Church of England Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 16 Jun 2009

Stogursey Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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123839 Unique Reference Number Somerset Local Authority 328002 Inspection number 16 June 2009 Inspection date Rowena Onions 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 5–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 74 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 Anthony Smith Chair Cara Lynch-Blosse Headteacher 10 May 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Tower Hill School address Stogursey Bridgwater TA5 1PR 01278 732389 Telephone number

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5–11 Age group 16 June 2009 Inspection date 328002 Inspection number 01278 732378 Fax number

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5–11 Age group 16 June 2009 Inspection date 328002 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 12 Inspection Report: Stogursey Church of England Primary School, 16 June 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

Stogursey is a very small, three-class school serving its local rural area. Almost all pupils are of White British origin and all have English as their first language. An above average number of pupils have a range of learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school has fluctuating numbers of Traveller pupils. At the time of the inspection there were two Traveller pupils on roll. The school makes provision for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage in a mixed Reception, Year 1 and 2 class. Over recent years, there have been significant staffing changes. The current headteacher was appointed to the post in January 2009 after a term of an interim headship arrangement. At the beginning of April, a new teacher took over the teaching of the Year 5 and 6 class. Staffing has been much more stable than it has been in the recent past, when there were a number of temporary and supply staff teaching in the school.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Stogursey Church of England Primary School, 16 June 2009

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Grade: 3

Stogursey is currently providing a satisfactory quality of education. However, because of strong leadership from the new headteacher and more settled staffing, the school is rapidly improving. Rates of progress are increasing, especially in writing, which has been the focus of recent school development work. Despite this, the turbulent period through which the school has passed has affected overall achievement, which is satisfactory in both Key Stage 1 and 2. It is, however, good in the Reception Year. Parents, pupils and governors all recognise recent improvements. In particular, they refer to the improvements evident in behaviour. Although there remain a few pupils who find self-control difficult, making overall behaviour in the school satisfactory, the vast majority behave well and show good understanding of right and wrong and a developing understanding of personal responsibility. All pupils show good awareness of what they need to do to keep fit and healthy

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Grade: 3

and enthusiastically join in with the wide range of physical activities offered to them. They report feeling safe and feel able to talk to their teachers if they are troubled. They are increasingly involved in helping to run the school community, for example, through the school council. They have a growing knowledge of the contribution they can make to the global community, for example, through the responsible use of water. Their knowledge of the diversity of cultures in the UK is, however, much more limited. The overall impact of teaching is satisfactory. Systems to ensure consistency in managing pupils' behaviour in lessons are now very effective, but the impact of the need to focus on the management of pupils' behaviour is still apparent in the reduced opportunity they have to learn to work independently and to apply their skills more widely. The school has begun to address this through curriculum development, but the pupils' inexperience in doing this is reducing

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Grade: 3

their speed of learning, particularly in mathematics. A very significant amount of the teaching seen in class is good. Teachers use good subject knowledge to plan in a way that increasingly interests and enthuses the pupils. They use assessments to give pupils of different attainments work to match their needs. They ensure that pupils are clear about what the overall learning in a lesson is expected to be, but the school is correct in identifying the need to help pupils understand how to assess their work at the end of the lesson. The feedback given to pupils, for example through marking, is not as helpful as it should be in helping them know how to improve. An overall satisfactory curriculum has strengths in the range of extra activities, such as visits, visitors and clubs, that broaden the curriculum well. The school provides satisfactory care, guidance and support for the pupils, with strengths in

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Grade: 3

the way it values and supports individuals, especially those with more difficulty controlling their behaviour. The school is working hard to help pupils to make good progress. Pupils' progress is being checked and the information used to identify those who are in danger of underachieving and to set targets for all pupils' future attainment. The good skills of teaching assistants are used well in class to help ensure better progress. This has particular impact on those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and Traveller pupils, who are enabled to make similar progress to that of their peers. Good plans are in place to monitor pupils' progress more frequently so that provision is even more tightly focused on each pupil's needs. There is a very new leadership team in the school. The headteacher is successfully promoting the development of the team of staff and governors, who are enthusiastic about helping the

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Grade: 3

school to improve. Recent actions, for example, to improve writing, behaviour and attendance, 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Stogursey Church of England Primary School, 16 June 2009 have been very successful. As a result, the school is demonstrating good capacity to further improve.

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Grade: 2

Children enter the school with attainment below that expected for their age and there is a particular weakness in their language and literacy skills. Because they are being well taught, the current group have made good progress and, as their year in Reception ends, are attaining at the expected level. The children are provided with a warm, safe environment that is enabling them to thrive. A good balance of direct teaching by adults and the ability to choose activities for themselves is helping them to both learn new skills and to practise them. Good leadership and management have promoted improved progress and ensured that the children are looked after well, provided with a good curriculum and prepared well for work in Key Stage 1.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards and achievement, especially in mathematics, by improving pupils' ability to independently use and apply their skills. ■ Improve the quality of feedback to pupils, so that they are clear as to how they can improve their work. ■ Develop pupils' knowledge and understanding of the differing lives and cultures of others living in Great Britain. 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.

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Grade: 3

Over the last three years, standards attained in national tests and assessments at the end of both Years 2 and 6 have been below the national average. Current pupils have achieved in a satisfactory way from below average starting points. Progress throughout the school has, however, accelerated over the last year in writing and this is beginning to show dividends in rising standards. Pupils' progress in mathematics remains a little slower than in English because it is inhibited by their lack of ability to take what they have learned in one context and apply it to another, for example, using their basic number skills to solve problems. The period of changes of staff and the disruption caused by some unacceptable behaviour have affected some age groups more than others. Tracking of pupils' progress is showing this very clearly and the school is taking good action to accelerate the achievement of the affected pupils.

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Grade: 2

Pupils like school and are enthusiastic in joining in with what is provided for them. They know how to keep themselves happy, safe and well. Their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is good overall. They know what is needed to live, work and play responsibly as part of a group, and the vast majority are able to demonstrate this in their actions. Pupils are friendly and responsive and have formed good relationships with the adults in school. However, although the school provides some opportunities for pupils to learn about the similarities and 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Stogursey Church of England Primary School, 16 June 2009 differences between their lives and those of others locally and in the wider world, pupils' understanding of this is underdeveloped. The increased emphasis on cooperative working and the development of basic skills are setting pupils on a satisfactory path to future economic

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Grade: 3

Strengths in the teaching of lessons are making pupils keener to learn. Teachers make good use of the resources available to them to encourage learning and they make lessons more varied by using a number of different approaches, for example, encouraging pupils to discuss with a partner or by using practical experiences to make learning more relevant. Teachers try hard to make lessons pacy and to encourage pupils to work at speed. Pupils' lack of skills in independent learning does sometimes, however, make them a little sluggish in their responses when they are asked to think for themselves, and this slows their learning. There are strengths in the way that teachers tell pupils what it is that they are expected to learn in a lesson so that they can begin to assess their own success. There is not yet, however, clarity in telling pupils of different attainments how they will recognise whether they have been successful in meeting the overall

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is becoming increasingly well matched to the needs and interests of pupils. There is good emphasis on developing pupils personally, for example, encouraging healthy living through the promotion of sport. There are many visits, visitors and after-school clubs that help to enrich the curriculum and extend the pupils' experiences. The curriculum does not yet, however, sufficiently extend the pupils' awareness of social diversity and cohesion. The school has begun to consider ways in which they can be given more practice in writing through the planning of opportunities for writing in other subjects. This is helping increase progress. More opportunities need to be provided, however, for pupils to use and apply their mathematics both in mathematics lessons and in other subjects.

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Grade: 3

The individual way in which pupils are supported personally is an aspect of the school that is appreciated by both pupils and parents. Very successful measures have been taken to support some pupils in improving their behaviour and to improve attendance, which is now average. Adults take care to ensure pupils' personal well-being and safety on a day-to-day basis. Records required to maintain the safety of pupils meet the requirements. Although all staff have received training in the safeguarding of pupils, there is a need to update this training more regularly. Pupils who have additional learning needs are supported appropriately. Good partnerships with other agencies help promote this. The school has secure systems for tracking pupils' progress and setting appropriately challenging targets. It is improving this tracking further by increasing the frequency with which it is completed. Marking is not, however, as helpful as it might be in

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Grade: 3

helping pupils to understand how to improve their work. 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Stogursey Church of England Primary School, 16 June 2009

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Grade: 3

The school has had a new leadership team for less than two terms. Good quality self- evaluation, based on good monitoring, has allowed the formation of a clear plan for improvement. Actions already undertaken have been successful and have involved the joint working of the staff team. Subject leaders have evaluated their subjects and know what needs improvement but have not yet had the chance to put this into practice. All staff are keen to improve the school. Governors are also keen to play their part. They correctly identify the need to gain more first-hand information about the school so that they can both contribute more, and more effectively hold the school to account. The school is committed to full inclusion for all and to the further promotion of the school as part of the local and wider community. One key action that has been taken over recent months is to more fully include parents as partners in their child's

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Grade: 3

education, and this has successfully promoted good relationships. Although a significant minority retain some concerns about the behaviour in the school, parents are overwhelmingly positive about other aspects of the school. One parent who wrote, 'Behaviour is much better now and the school seems a calm friendly place with lots going on', summed up their support. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Stogursey Church of England Primary School, 16 June 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. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: Stogursey Church of England Primary School, 16 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?

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? 3 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

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. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: Stogursey Church of England Primary School, 16 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 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

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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 2 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? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: Stogursey Church of England Primary School, 16 June 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

17 June 2009 Dear Children Inspection of Stogursey C of E Primary School, Stogursey TA5 1PR On behalf of the inspectors, I would like to thank you for your warm and friendly welcome when we came to inspect your school. Your school is a satisfactory one at the moment, but the hard work of your headteacher, teachers and governors is helping it get better very quickly. We were pleased to see that you know how to keep fit by getting lots of exercise and eating healthily. It was also good to hear that you feel safe and well looked after. We are glad that most of you like school. This is what we liked most about your school:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The better progress you make in learning to write.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ That you get on well with your teachers and helpers.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The way that teachers choose a variety of activities so that you are kept interested in lessons.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ That you and your teachers have been successful in helping behaviour in your school to get better. ■ The opportunities you have to learn to keep yourselves safe and healthy.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The energy that everyone, including you, is putting into improving your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

To make things even better, this is what we have asked your school to do now:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Help you improve your work, especially in mathematics, by encouraging you to work more independently and to use what you have learned in lots of different ways. ■ Make sure that teachers are clear in letting you know how you can improve your work.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Help you to know more about the cultures and traditions of other people living in Great Britain and beyond. We are very glad that you like your school and think you are right to do so. We think that you could help your teachers to make your school even better by trying to be more confident about 'having a go' at things independently. Yours faithfully Rowena Onions Lead inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Stogursey Church of England Primary School, 16 June 2009

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