Risby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Risby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Inspection report

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124712 Unique Reference Number Suffolk Local Authority 328197 Inspection number 15 January 2009 Inspection date Geof Timms 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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First Type of school Voluntary controlled School category 4–9 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 137 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 Ken Shanahan Chair Mrs Anna Berridge Headteacher 24 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 Aylmer Close School address Risby Bury St. Edmunds Suffolk IP28 6RT

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4–9 Age group 15 January 2009 Inspection date 328197 Inspection number 01284810367 Telephone number 01284 811526 Fax number

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4–9 Age group 15 January 2009 Inspection date 328197 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 11 Inspection Report: Risby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 15 January 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors. Inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following.

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Introduction

■ What is the school doing to raise standards in boys' writing?

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Introduction

■ What is the school doing to provide for the most able pupils?

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Introduction

■ What is the impact of the school's focus on its international dimension and teaching of philosophy, especially in helping develop community cohesion? ■ How well do the target setting and tracking arrangements support learning?

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Introduction

Evidence was gathered from documents, observations of teaching and other aspects of school life, discussions with staff, pupils and school governors and parents' views. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average school serving a number of small villages to the north-west of Bury St Edmunds. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) are provided for in the 'Robins' Reception class. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is well below average. Very few pupils are from minority ethnic groups or speak English as an additional language. Pupils' attainment on entry is broadly in line with that expected. A well below average proportion has learning difficulties and/or disabilities; where they occur they mainly concern pupils' academic learning or speech and language skills. The school has achieved an International Schools' award, Activemark and Healthy Schools' award. The school runs a daily breakfast club from 8.05 am.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Risby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 15 January 2009

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school. The findings of the inspection support the school's view of itself and those of a very large majority of the parents. As one said, 'This is a fantastic school!' Pupils make excellent progress in all areas of learning. In particular, they consistently reach outstanding standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Their art skills are also very well developed, with some work of the highest quality evident. The success of the school is down to outstanding teamwork from all staff. The headteacher leads the school very effectively. She has built well on the success evident at the previous inspection. Leadership is shared between all staff and they show a willingness to try new ideas and take on new skills. This is particularly evident in the recent introduction of a programme for teaching philosophy, which is already having a very positive impact on pupils' speaking and

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Grade: 1

listening skills and on their relationships with others. Standards at the end of Year 2 and at the end of Year 4 are consistently and exceptionally high. A well above average proportion of the pupils reach levels well above those expected. The school has recently recognised that the provision for these most able pupils, and those with specific gifts and talents had not previously been sufficient. A staff member was therefore given the job of auditing and evaluating the provision, identifying the most able pupils and carrying out training, and this provision is now developing well. This is typical of the thorough way the school evaluates and enhances its effectiveness. Whenever its careful and detailed analysis of standards identifies any concerns they are quickly addressed. For example, after boys' writing was found to be weaker than the girls', a wide range of actions were put in place, including the use of different ideas to inspire and encourage boys to write more. For example,

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Grade: 1

poems linked to excellent quality paintings of snow-covered trees were used to encourage a well-developed and mature vocabulary. In Year 1, pupils were able to create a story with toys and then tell the story and begin to write it down. Writing journals have provided boys with more opportunities to write about things of interest to them and the school has invited in a number of male role models, including authors, to encourage boys to see writing as a positive activity. This significant improvement is due to the school's excellent teaching and learning. Teachers work very hard to plan interesting, appropriate and challenging activities and these lead to effective learning. Relationships are very strong and this supports pupils' excellent behaviour. Teaching assistants offer high quality support and are usually well directed and deployed effectively, especially when supporting the pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Grade: 1

All staff know the pupils well and provision for them is consistently tailored to meet their needs, for example, in the case of those with speech difficulties. The teachers in turn are supported by the school's excellent curriculum. This is continually being reviewed and developed and new ideas tried out, with effective links between subjects increasingly made to make learning relevant. For example, in Year 4 excellent models were designed and made following a science lesson about circuits. Pupils especially enjoyed seeing the pig whose nose lit up! The school is aware that more can be done to extend subjects links and to make the curriculum even more individual and challenging for all pupils. Pupils' personal development is outstanding because the school has such a strong focus on developing their spiritual, moral, social and cultural skills. They have an excellent understanding of how to keep healthy and they show that they do this by drinking water, eating fruit and

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Grade: 1

5 of 11 Inspection Report: Risby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 15 January 2009 talking about, and participating in, a range of sporting activities. Their excellent attendance shows how much pupils enjoy being at school and they talk very enthusiastically about the things they enjoy doing. They understand how to keep themselves safe and the well developed links outside school and role of the school council and 'buddy and beaver' reading work show they are learning to make an excellent contribution to the community. These strengths are the result of high quality care and guidance provided for pupils. They are very well looked after and kept safe. Arrangements for ensuring their protection are robust and fully inform the school's day-to-day practice. The 'Early Birds' club offers a good calm start to the day and provision for those with learning needs or difficulties is very effective and helps

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Grade: 1

ensure they make excellent progress. Links with parents are very strong and parents talk positively about the way the school provides support for families that goes beyond that expected. As one said, 'Risby is a family school where children are safe and well cared for by positive role models.' Academic support is also very strong. The school has excellent tracking and target setting arrangements. This helps teachers communicate with pupils about how well they are doing, and agree future targets that will take their learning still further. In addition, they are used very effectively to identify any pupils whose progress falls below the challenging levels set, or to support those who are exceeding their targets. Recently, for example, the targets for Year 2 were raised following the recognition that they had made progress better than that expected and that therefore the original targets were now too low. This is indicative of the level of

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Grade: 1

challenge to be found at all levels throughout the school. In the two years she has been in post, the headteacher has built solidly on the excellent practice found at the last inspection. The identification of weaknesses has ensured, for example, that teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 are more accurate and reflect the progress children make more effectively. In addition, new initiatives have been very effectively introduced and happily accepted by the staff, and the leadership throughout the school continues to build on existing strengths. The school has closely audited the way it prepares pupils for their future lives and this has resulted in a range of measures to promote excellent community cohesion. Links with other schools, work in different languages, the story sacks made by teaching assistants with support from parents of pupils from different ethnic backgrounds and the introduction into the curriculum of work to develop their global understanding and the new philosophy

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Grade: 1

course are all proving very effective. In particular, the philosophy is having a clear impact on the way pupils relate to each other and on their speaking and listening skills. Over and above provision for basic skills, the school offers pupils excellent opportunities to develop their economic well-being and to become effective and successful in the future. The governing body is very effective in holding the school to account and has an excellent understanding of the school's strengths and appreciation of the new initiatives introduced. Given the currently excellent provision, leadership and standards, it is clear that the school has an outstanding capacity to improve even further in the future.

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Grade: 1

Children in the Reception class make excellent progress due to the outstanding teaching they receive. They also benefit from very effective accommodation, indoors and outside, strong support from teaching assistants and a very effectively planned and delivered curriculum. Arrangements to help children settle into school are very good and they quickly become used to routines because the classroom offers a calm but productive and exciting learning 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Risby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 15 January 2009 environment. The teacher makes very effective use of the outdoor facilities and children are able to explore a wide range of activities indoors and out. During the inspection, a lot of the work was based on a theme about bears and in one excellent lesson children compared bears they had brought from home to help extend their understanding of size and comparative

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Grade: 1

language. The planning is based carefully on children's prior learning, as shown in their thinking and learning journals. These offer an excellent method of tracking progress and of capturing children's new learning as it happens. The children are very happy in the class and develop excellent attitudes towards school that other teachers are able to build on in later years. From their varying levels of attainment on entry, all children make excellent progress. Those who find learning difficult are well supported and those who are more able have a range of opportunities to extend their skills. Data shows that the current children made outstanding progress over the autumn term and if this continues they will reach standards that will be well ahead of those expected.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure more meaningful links are made between subjects to reinforce learning and deepen understanding, and to meet the needs of all learners. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Risby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 15 January 2009 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Risby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 15 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: Risby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 15 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 1 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? 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 1 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: Risby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 15 January 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

16 January 2009 Dear Children Inspection of Risby CE VC Primary School, Risby, Suffolk, IP28 6RT I am writing to thank you very much for the way you made us welcome when we visited your school recently. I also want to share with you what we found. We think you go to an outstanding school. This is because your teachers work so hard to help you learn. You help them by being very well behaved and working very hard. Because of this, you learn many new things and we were very impressed with your work. I think the cats that Year 4 children have drawn are of such excellent quality they should be in an art gallery! The school is very well led by Mrs Berridge and the staff all make a very strong team. They have shown they can really help you improve when they feel you could do better. They look after you very well and you told us how much you enjoy school and the things you do there. Your parents agree as well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

To help the school keep improving and get even better in the future, we agree with the teachers that they could make links more meaningfully between subjects to deepen your understanding and make topics more personal for you. Thank you again for your help. Enjoy your time at Risby and keep working hard! Yours sincerely Geof Timms Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Risby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 15 January 2009

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