INSPECTION REPORT Tiffield VA C of E Primary School Tiffield, Towcester LEA area: Northamptonshire Unique reference number: 122031 Headteacher: Mrs H Herring Reporting inspector: Gill Peet 18842 Dates of inspection: 14th – 15th January 2003 Inspection number: 248317 Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 © 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. INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL Type of school: Infant and Junior School category: Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils: 4 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed School address: High Street South Tiffield Towcester Northamptonshire Postcode: NN12 8AB Telephone number: 01327 350325 Fax number: 01327 350325 Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs Sylvia Dean Date of previous inspection: 2nd March 1998 Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM Team members 18842 Gill Peet Registered inspector 9039 Bernard Eyre Lay inspector The inspection contractor was: Chase Russell 85 Shores Green Drive, Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 6EJ 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 Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 4 REPORT CONTENTS Page PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6 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 10 WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10 WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 15 WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 16 PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 18 Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 5 PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL This voluntary aided Church of England primary school is very much smaller than the average primary school and has 41 pupils aged from four to 11. It is situated in the small village of Tiffield and serves the village and neighbouring hamlets. Many pupils travel from Towcester and Northampton. Attainment on entry varies from year-to-year but is generally average or above average. Although few of the children attend nursery most have had some playgroup experience before entering the Reception class. All pupils are white British and speak English as their first language. The percentage of pupils with identified special educational needs is close to the average. These pupils have general learning difficulties. None have a statement of special educational need. The percentage of pupils eligible to claim free school meals is not known because all pupils bring their own lunch to school. The number of pupils entering or leaving the school other than at the usual time, is overall average but this varies from cohort to cohort and can sometimes be high. The recent turnover of staff has been very high and all of the teachers are new to the school since the last inspection. The head has only been in post for one term. HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS This is an effective school with many good features. It is providing a good standard of education through good teaching and a good curriculum and provides pupils with equality of opportunity. Pupils have good attitudes to their work and relationships throughout the school are good. Overall pupils achieve satisfactorily and pupils in the Foundation Stage achieve well. The school is well led and managed. The parents think highly of the school and the school has very good links with the village community. Despite the school’s current high level of income, which is due to the fact that this is a small school, governors are spending wisely and the school gives satisfactory value for money. What the school does well · Teaching and learning is consistently good throughout the school. · The curriculum is broad and interesting for its pupils. · The provision for the pupils in the Foundation Stage (reception age) is good and they achieve well. · The governing body are hardworking and knowledgeable about the school and make an effective contribution to the good leadership and management. What could be improved · The provision of information and communication technology and the standards the pupils achieve. · The handwriting of the pupils. · The number and range of opportunities for pupils to understand better the cultural diversity of the country in which they live. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION The last inspection took place in March 1998. Since then standards have been maintained overall and have improved in the Foundation Stage and in mathematics at the end of Year 2. The key issues of the last inspection have been dealt with well. There is a shared commitment to improvement and the school has the capacity to succeed. The school prepares all pupils well for the next stage of their education although it needs to develop more strategies for preparing them for life in a diverse society. Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 6 STANDARDS No comparisons are made with the percentage of pupils from other schools attaining the expected standards because such comparisons are unreliable when there are small numbers of pupils taking the tests and each pupil represents a very large percentage. In 2002 only seven pupils from Year 6 took the national tests. Since the last inspection in 1998, standards in the end of Year 2 and Year 6 tests each year have appeared to fluctuate considerably in English, mathematics and science. However, comparisons over time are similarly unreliable because of the small numbers. Records that track all pupils’ progress through the school show that all pupils make at least satisfactory progress including those with special educational needs. The inspection judgement is that pupils in Year 6 this year are attaining standards in English and mathematics that are in line with those expected and some above. In both classes pupils with special educational needs get good support and make good progress in lessons. By the end of the Reception year pupils achieve well and are likely to achieve the Early Learning Goals. Most are working within the National Curriculum. The results in the end of Year 2 tests in 2002 were significantly lower than in previous years because no pupils attained the higher Level 3 in any subject. Nevertheless, all pupils attained the expected Level 2. This is a higher percentage than average and only the top 5 per cent of all schools achieve this. The inspection judgement is that standards in the present Year 2 in English and mathematics are above average. This is due to the good teaching these pupils receive and the good organisation of this class, which means that the work offered to pupils of each age is well matched to their needs. Standards in information and communication technology are below those expected at the end of Year 6 because pupils have too few opportunities to reinforce skills that have been taught to them. There was insufficient evidence available to make a judgement of standards in information and communication technology at the end of Year 2 because pupils were not observed using the computers. Pupils at the end of Year 6 have unsatisfactory handwriting skills and few pupils are able to use a cursive style of handwriting competently. PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Pupils enjoy coming to school and have good attitudes to learning. Behaviour, in and out of Pupils’ behaviour in and around school is good. Pupils of all ages classrooms play well together. Personal development Pupils’ relationships with each other are good. Pupils work and relationships together well in pairs or groups during lessons. They show consideration for each other and for adults in school. Attendance Satisfactory. Pupils are punctual and arrive on time. Attendance is average with no unauthorised absence. TEACHING AND LEARNING Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 and 2 Years 3 to 6 Quality of teaching Good Good Good Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 7 Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is good. All of the lessons seen were good and no unsatisfactory teaching was observed. In lessons, pupils make good progress in learning literacy and numeracy because basic skills are taught well. Children in the Foundation Stage (Reception age) are taught alongside pupils in Years 1 and 2. They learn well because the teacher of the Foundation Stage children has a good understanding of how children of this age learn. In this class, careful preparation and good liaison with the classroom assistant means that the needs of the Foundation Stage are successfully met whilst at the same time challenging older pupils.