INSPECTION REPORT NETHERSEAL ST PETER’S CHURCH OF ENGLAND (CONTROLLED) PRIMARY SCHOOL Swadlincote LEA area: Derbyshire Unique reference number: 112844 Acting Headteacher: Mrs C Braund Reporting inspector: Mr C Smith 25211 Dates of inspection: 9th – 11th June 2003 Inspection number: 247280 Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL Type of school: Infant and Junior School School category: Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils: 5 to 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed School address: Netherseal Swadlincote Derbyshire Postcode: DE12 8BZ Telephone number: 01283 760283 Fax number: 01283 763947 Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr R Brunt Date of previous inspection: July 2001 © Crown copyright 2003 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary 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. Netherseal St Peter’s Church of England (Controlled) Primary School - ii INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 25211 Colin Smith Registered Mathematics The characteristics and inspector Science effectiveness of the school Design and technology The school’s results and Educational inclusion pupils’ achievements Teaching and learning Key issues for action 9952 Lillian Brock Lay Pupils’ attitudes, values and inspector personal development Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Partnership with parents and carers 23887 Peter Team English Quality and range of Nettleship inspector Religious education opportunities for learning Art and design Special educational needs 17685 Linda Spooner Team The Foundation Stage Leadership and management inspector Information and communication technology Geography History The inspection contractor was: Primary Associates Limited Suite 13 West Lancashire Technology Management Centre Moss Lane View Skelmersdale WN8 9TN Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to: The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division The Office for Standards in Education Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Netherseal St Peter’s Church of England (Controlled) Primary School - iii REPORT CONTENTS Page PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 1 Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school PART B: COMMENTARY HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 5 The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT? 7 HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS? 9 HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS? 10 HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS? 11 HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED? 12 WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 14 PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 15 PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 19 Netherseal St Peter’s Church of England (Controlled) Primary School - iv PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL St Peter’s Church of England (Controlled) Primary School is situated in the village of Netherseal, on the Derbyshire/Leicestershire border, and takes children from private housing, a council estate nearby and outlying villages. There are 50 children attending, of whom 21 are boys and 29 girls. All of the children are white and English speaking. Very few children (1 per cent) take up their entitlement to a free school meal. Seven children have special educational needs related to learning difficulties, which is slightly below average, and none have statements. Reception and Years 1 and 2 children are taught together in one class. Year 3 children are taught in another and Year 4, 5 and 6 children are also taught together. Over recent years the number of pupils has fallen but numbers are beginning to increase again. A number of temporary teachers have taught Year 3 but a supply teacher has been appointed to take the class for the current term. Children enter school with broadly average levels of attainment for their age. HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS The appointment of the temporary headteacher and the upper junior teacher two years ago has brought about a significant improvement in standards. The school provides a good standard of education for its pupils. Effective teaching enables pupils to achieve well. Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and their behaviour and personal development are very good. Standards are rising and are higher than they were in the 2002 national tests. Pupils are now attaining above average standards in English, mathematics and science. What the school does well · Pupils achieve well in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology (ICT) to reach standards higher than expected; · Good teaching enables most pupils to learn successfully; · A rich curriculum is provided, which caters well for pupils’ academic and personal development; · Good leadership and management are raising standards and driving the school forward. What could be improved · The level of challenge in the tasks provided in religious education, geography and history needs to be higher to move the learning of the more able pupils forward; · Not enough teaching time is given to writing, religious education and design and technology, which prevents standards from being higher in these subjects. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION The good improvements noted at the time of the last inspection, in July 2001, have continued and gathered pace. Despite changes in staff, effective teamwork has been established and expectations of what pupils can achieve have risen. The good improvements in teaching stem from much more rigorous assessment of pupils' learning, and the way the information is then used to plan work that takes account of pupils’ different learning needs. Pupils' progress is now carefully tracked, challenging targets are set and additional support is provided promptly when any slowing of progress is detected. The school has responded well to previous inspection issues by continuing to raise standards, support new teachers and involve governors in planning future developments. The drive to improve is evident in the way that staff and governors critically examine the work of the school. These factors place the school in a strong position to move forward. Netherseal St Peter’s Church of England (Controlled) Primary School - 1 STANDARDS The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests. Compared with Similar Performance in: all schools Key schools 2000 2001 2002 2002 well above average A English E E E E* above average B average C Mathematics E E* C E below average D well below average E Science D E C D Small pupil numbers make results unreliable. A clearer impression of standards emerges from results over successive years. Results in mathematics and science rose sharply in 2002 to reach average levels, although results in English remained well below average. The results were much lower than in similar schools. However, this comparison is misleading because of the low take up of free school meals. The 2003 tests have just been completed. The results are approximately 20 per cent higher than last year in all three subjects for both seven and 11-year-old pupils. Although these assessments have not yet been compared to national results and trends, the school’s improvement is significant. Pupils are now achieving well. By the age of seven, standards in reading and mathematics are above average and standards in writing have shot up to well above average levels. Current standards by the age of 11 are above average in English and science and well above average in mathematics. The school’s challenging targets are being reached. Children usually begin school with attainment that is typical for their age. However, with very small cohorts of children this can vary. This year, for example, children's attainment, although wide ranging, is lower than expected. The children have made good progress and reached the levels expected by the end of their reception year in all areas of learning. They have made particularly good progress in their personal and social development. Pupils' achievements in other subjects are satisfactory and good in ICT, where standards are higher than expected across the school. Infant pupils achieve well in religious education and make satisfactory progress in the other subjects. Junior pupils achieve steadily to reach the standards expected by the age of 11 in religious education, art and design, design and technology, music, history, geography and most aspects of physical education. There are strong elements in music, such as singing and learning to play instruments. The teaching week is shorter than in many schools. Consequently, pupils have less time to practise and improve their writing, design and technology and religious education, despite some good teaching. Pupils with special educational needs are well catered for and make good progress. More able pupils achieve well to fulfil their potential in mathematics, science, ICT and in most aspects of English, but there is scope to improve their progress in religious education, history and geography, particularly in the junior classes.