Ofsted Report 2006

4-11 20 September 2006 290303

Sapperton CE Primary School

Inspection report

Unique Reference Number 115698

Local Authority Gloucestershire

Inspection number 290303

Inspection dates 20 September 2006

Reporting inspector Peter Kerr

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

Type of school Primary School address

School category Voluntary aided

Age range of pupils 4 - 11

Sapperton

Cirencester

Gloucestershire

GL7 6LQ

Gender of pupils Mixed Telephone number 01285 760325

Number on roll (school) 76 Fax number 01285 760325

Appropriate authority The governing body

Headteacher Mrs D T Thomas

Date of previous school

inspection

February 2003

© Crown copyright 2006

Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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.

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 or in prescribed cases on payment of

such fee as they think fit (not exceeding the cost of supply), to any person who asks for one.

1

Document reference number: HMI 2507 01 September 2006

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

Description of the school

Sapperton Primary School is a small village school near Cirencester. Nearly all

the pupils come from White British backgrounds. No pupils are known to be

entitled to free school meals and the proportion of pupils on roll with special

educational needs or disabilities is below average. The movement of pupils into

the school from other schools between Reception and Year 6 is greater than in

most schools. Currently the school is oversubscribed.

Key for inspection grades

Grade 1 Outstanding

Grade 2 Good

Grade 3 Satisfactory

Grade 4 Inadequate

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Document reference number: HMI 2507 01 September 2006

Sapperton Primary School is a good school. It provides a very good curriculum

with extensive opportunities for pupils to participate in activities outside of

lessons, particularly in music and sport, where many pupils excel. This provision

is outstanding and reflects the success of its many fruitful partnerships with

other schools, organisations and individuals. The pupils have an exceptionally

keen interest in keeping healthy and fit. Their good basic skills in English,

mathematics, science and information and communication technology (ICT),

alongside their positive attitudes, prepare them well for the next stage of their

education and the world of work.

Attainment on entry to Reception is average overall, although the range is

broad and varies widely from year to year. Pupils achieve well overall and

standards are above average by the time they leave the school. At Year 2,

standards are good in reading, writing and mathematics. In Year 6, pupils excel

in reading and science, many achieving well above the expected standards in

the national tests. Fewer pupils achieve the higher level in mathematics

because problem solving tasks, particularly for the more able pupils are not

always sufficiently challenging. By Year 6 standards in English are good overall,

but there are relative weaknesses in punctuation and grammar, particularly

among those pupils who have joined the school part-way through Key Stage 2;

some of these pupils have significant gaps in their knowledge of the National

Curriculum.

The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school. Excellent

relationships between teachers and pupils and between the pupils themselves

contribute significantly to how well the pupils learn. They enjoy coming to

school and work hard at all the tasks they are given. Teaching in the mixed

Reception/Year 1 class is planned carefully to ensure that the needs of the

younger children are catered for fully. These children make good progress and

are confident learners when they start Year 1.

Because of the quality of the school?s assessment and support procedures, the

pupils have a very good idea of their strengths and what they need to do to

improve further. Pupils with special educational needs receive good quality

support and guidance to achieve their own learning targets. The school?s ability

and determination to cater for individual needs is one of its major strengths.

The school provides a safe, caring and healthy environment in which pupils

from any background can thrive. Many parents comment on the family

atmosphere of the school.

The school is well led and managed. Staff and governors share common goals

for the school and staff are deployed effectively to make best use of their

experience and expertise. All staff understand their management roles and

carry these out effectively. Excellent liaison between teachers and teaching

Document reference number: HMI 2507 01 September 2006

assistants ensures that there is continuity of learning and that pupils make good

progress across the range of subjects. The school has robust systems for

checking on how everything is going. Self-evaluation is effective, and has

highlighted the need to focus on improving aspects of writing and mathematics

in Key Stage 2. The governors play an increasingly active and useful role in

holding the school to account as well as offering good support.

What the school should do to improve further

Achievement is good and the pupils make good progress across the key stages

to reach above average standards by the time they leave the school. Standards

are above average in English, mathematics and science at the end of Year 2.

In Year 6 the pupils do well but work for the more able pupils in mathematics is

not always challenging enough for them to achieve the higher levels. Standards

of reading in Year 6 are high, but the pupils do less well in writing tests

because they do not use punctuation well and they make grammatical errors.

Children make good progress in Reception, in a happy and secure environment,

to achieve their early learning goals. In all classes girls and boys achieve

equally well and pupils with special educational needs achieve well in relation to

their targets. Standards in ICT show considerable improvement since the last

inspection and are at least in line with expectations by the end of Year 6.

Pupils? personal development and well-being are good. Pupils love their school.

They say, ?We do fun things here; teachers really help you and the work is just

right.? They are proud of their school council and took great pleasure in telling

the inspectors that it was their idea to install a paper recycling bin. The pupils?

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall, but they have

gaps in their understanding of cultural, ethnic and religious diversity within the

wider British society. They enjoy opportunities to make contributions to the

school and community. They feel that their input is valued and that they are

being prepared well for future life and work.

Document reference number: HMI 2507 01 September 2006

Quality of provision

Teaching and learning Grade: 2

Good teaching across the school fosters positive attitudes and good

relationships; this helps to ensure good learning. Teachers and teaching

assistants work closely together as an effective team. The teachers? marking of

pupils' work is encouraging and helps them to understand what they need to do

to improve. Good assessment procedures are used well to provide suitable

further targets, although targets for pupils in Key Stage 2 do not focus

sufficiently well on raising standards in aspects of writing and mathematics.

The more able pupils could be stretched more; too often they are given extra

work rather than more challenging tasks.

Curriculum and other activities Grade: 2

A very good curriculum ensures pupils acquire good basic skills, including in

ICT, which pupils use well to support their learning generally. The wide range

of music activities and a good variety of educational outings enrich the pupils'

learning, make a significant contribution to their personal development and

often inspire them. For example, pupils of all ages talked enthusiastically about

their time at a farm where they learned about free-range farming and animal

welfare. Numerous sporting activities greatly contribute to the pupils? fitness

and sense of well-being and pupils are proud of their accomplishments. The

school recognises the need to improve the curriculum further to provide greater

challenge for the more able in mathematics and more guidance for them in

punctuation and grammar.

Care, guidance and support Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support provided are good. High priority is given to the

pupils? care and well-being. Health and safety and child protection procedures

are up to date and meticulously implemented. Parents appreciate the level of

care provided; one commented that, ?Children are nurtured and cared for at

each stage??. Academic guidance is good overall. Systematic procedures for

tracking pupils? progress are used well to set individual targets for pupils.

These targets provide clear information on what the pupils need to do next, but

in Key Stage 2, targets have not been of sufficient help to the more able in

rectifying the weaknesses in their performance in writing and mathematics.

Annual reports to parents give them very good advice on how to help their

children.

Document reference number: HMI 2507 01 September 2006

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher sets a clear

educational direction that is understood and supported by staff, governors and

parents. Management responsibilities among staff are well thought out and

effectively implemented. The very good team spirit in the school makes the

pupils feel well cared for and respected and helps them to achieve well.

Monitoring systems are systematic and self-evaluation is sufficiently robust to

identify where improvement is needed. For example, the pupils? use of

imaginative vocabulary was extended following weaknesses being identified in

the 2005 national tests, and now the school has established a programme to

provide more support for the more able pupils to improve their punctuation and

grammar and their mathematical problem-solving skills. Governors fulfil their

duties well and are developing increasingly effective ways of independently

monitoring the school?s work.

The school has made good progress since the last inspection, particularly in

respect of ICT. The provision has been improved and pupils use their good ICT

skills competently to support their learning in other subjects. Staff and

governors have a realistic view of the school and are well placed to take the

school forward.

6

Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the

procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available

from Ofsted?s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

Annex A

Inspection judgements

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3

satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate.

School

Overall

Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education,

integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of

learners?

2

How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote

learners? well-being?

1

Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last

inspection

Yes

Achievement and standards

How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations

between groups of learners

2

Personal development and well-being

How good is the overall personal development and well-being of the

learners?

2

How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to

their future economic well-being

2

Annex A

The quality of provision

How effective are teaching and learning in meeting the full range of

learners? needs?

2

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of

needs and interests of learners?

2

Leadership and management

How effective are leadership and management in raising

achievement and supporting all learners?

2

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading

to improvement and promote high quality of care and education

2

How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet

challenging targets

2

How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so

that all learners achieve as well as they can

2

How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to

achieve value for money

2

The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their

responsibilities

2

Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government

requirements?

Yes

Annex B

Sapperton CE primary School

Sapperton

Cirencester

GL7 6LQ

20 September 2006

Dear Pupils,

My colleague and I enjoyed our inspection visit to your school. We would like to thank you

for making us feel welcome and talking to us so enthusiastically. Your school is a good

school. We saw how hard you worked and how much you enjoyed taking part in all the

activities provided for you. We were very impressed with your levels of fitness and your

determination to be healthy and we enjoyed listening to many of you practising your

musical instruments. We think your teachers and teaching assistants work well together as

a team to make sure that you all do well and are well cared for. They get help from lots of

other people to make sure that you have a good range of lessons and excellent choice of

interesting extra activities.

You are particularly good at reading and science by the time you leave the school, but

some of you could do better at writing and mathematics. I am sure that you will work

closely with your teachers at getting even better in these subjects.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Kerr

Lead inspector