Coopersale and Theydon Garnon Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Establish consistent, highly effective leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • relationships with parents are constructive
  • leaders and governors monitor the spending of the pupil premium closely and frequently so that it supports more rapidly improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.
• Improve the teaching of writing, so that pupils make rapid progress, by:
  • raising expectations of pupils’ handwriting and presentation
  • focusing closely on the accuracy of pupils’ spelling, particularly of simple and commonly used words
  • providing a sufficiently wide range of opportunities across the curriculum for pupils to write in lessons.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The members of the new senior leadership team work well together. They are ambitious and have made many changes to drive rapid improvement.
• Good progress has been made on the recommendations of the previous inspection report.
• Leaders have an accurate understanding of how well the school is doing and what needs to be done next. They have provided staff with clear direction through comprehensive and increasingly sharp improvement planning. They have instilled a culture of high expectations among teachers and pupils.
• A new, but experienced, team of middle leaders has been well supported by the senior leadership team, so that middle leaders have a clear sense of direction, understand their roles and perform their duties consistently well. This is having a positive impact on teaching and pupils’ learning. The team members are enthusiastic and keen to develop their subject areas further.
• There are rigorous systems in place to help teachers to improve their performance and to identify training and support where it is needed. Underperformance is tackled decisively. Leaders have taken hard decisions when necessary to ensure that the quality of teaching is good. A number of new teachers have been recruited and leaders have invested in good-quality training and development opportunities to ensure that staff adopt effective approaches.
• Leaders regularly analyse pupils’ progress and scrutinise work, which ensures that pupils falling behind are rapidly supported. Teachers regularly asses how well pupils are doing and provide additional help, for example, through short one-to-one sessions or in small groups. Teachers work with the local authority and other schools to ensure that their assessments are accurate.
• The school has made good use of support from the local school-led improvement partnership and from the local authority.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced and has been designed to support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. The curriculum has themes to help pupils draw learning from a number of subjects together and to sustain pupils’ interest.
• There is a wide range of additional opportunities to enhance the curriculum, through visitors, trips, clubs and special topic weeks, such as the fire safety day with the fire service, storytelling week and world space week. Pupils are taught economic awareness through the ‘my money’ and ‘young enterprise’ programmes.
• The physical education and sport premium is spent wisely. It provides for a specialist sports coach who is training staff to increase the expertise within the school, while also expanding the range of sports on offer to pupils, such as cross-country and tag rugby. There is a very varied range of sport and physical activity on offer through clubs, which are popular and over-subscribed. Pupils take part in regular sporting competitions.
• The pupil premium grant is spent appropriately to reduce barriers to learning for eligible pupils, including children in the early years, and in a wide range of ways to benefit pupils who are falling behind in their learning. The funding is used to provide mentoring and additional teaching programmes, and to support families who have social and emotional needs and concerns over their children’s attendance. Eligible pupils also receive help to make sure that they can participate in all that is offered by the school.
• The school has a new and experienced special educational needs coordinator, who is ensuring that pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are quickly identified, well supported and make good progress.
• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength. Through assemblies, themes and personal, social and health education, pupils learn the importance of friendship, service to the community, charity and cooperation. There are good relationships between pupils, exemplified by their willingness to help each other.
• Pupils have good opportunities to improve their cultural interests through clubs in such areas as music, drama and art. British values are taught well. Pupils have opportunities to exercise democratic choice through elections for posts of responsibility. The school teaches about other beliefs well and pupils talk knowledgably about the cultures and views of others. The school has a strong culture of tolerance and understanding.
• There is a breakfast club, which is an opportunity for pupils to socialise with friends, and has a positive impact on the pupils’ attendance.
• The school has been working hard to engage parents in their children’s learning; for example, during the inspection, the key stage 1 teachers were offering pre-school and afternoon sessions for parents to help them support their children in mathematics. There is a variety of channels of communication, but parents say that they are sometimes confused about where to find information in a timely way.

Governance of the school

• The governing body is experienced and committed. Governors meet their statutory obligations. Since the previous inspection, governors have attended a range of training and have sought the support of a national leader of governance.
• The governing body works well with the local authority to improve the monitoring of the school’s performance. Governors’ actions have brought a sharper focus to their work and enhanced their challenge to leaders.
• Governors have supported the headteacher to ensure that the performance of teachers is checked, resulting in improved teaching.
• Governors have committed resources to ensuring that the acting headteacher is supported by an experienced consultant with substantial leadership experience during the planned absence of the substantive headteacher.
• Headteacher’s reports, reports from subject leaders and regular visits enable the governing body to follow the progress of groups of pupils, to check that teaching continues to improve and that staffing provides value for money.
• A nominated governor ensures that the school’s safeguarding procedures are robust.
• Governors are aware that disadvantaged pupils have not always achieved as well as other pupils nationally and are able to demonstrate that they have put resources into supporting this group. However, the impact of individual aspects of this spending are not evaluated sharply enough.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Safeguarding information for staff and parents is clear. Parents are confident that their children are safe. Pupils say that they feel safe and are taught how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations, including on the internet. Pupils spoke confidently to inspectors about the potential dangers of social media.
• The school site is secure, all aspects of health and safety meet requirements and risk assessments are in place for all school trips. Regular audits of health and safety ensure that the school maintains a safe environment.
• Safeguarding procedures and checks on personnel meet all statutory requirements and governors have been trained in safer recruitment. All members of staff and governors have been recently trained and are up to date with the latest government requirements. Members of staff are clear about the school’s procedures.
• Child protection procedures are compliant and robust. Children in need of support are identified quickly. Staff work closely with a range of external agencies to ensure that children are well supported.
• Records of concerns are analysed and stored securely. The school’s designated safeguarding lead is rigorous in following up concerns with the local authority.
• Attendance is monitored closely and all absences are followed up. The school works closely with the local authority attendance service to improve attendance.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Leaders’ insistence on a consistent approach to teaching reading and writing throughout the school has had a positive effect on pupils’ progress. Teachers and teaching assistants have received high-quality training, for example in the new mathematics curriculum, and this has contributed strongly to making teaching good throughout the school.
• There is now a collaborative approach to planning teaching. The school has found that this collaborative approach enables teachers to regularly share good practice.
• Lessons across a range of subjects are well planned and interesting. Teachers’ creative approaches interest pupils of all abilities in their learning. Almost all pupils show a high level of commitment to their work. Pupils say that they enjoy their lessons as they are ‘challenging but fun’.
• Teachers plan work at different levels of difficulty for pupils, meaning that most pupils are provided with both the challenge and support that they need. This is particularly effective in mathematics, where pupils are encouraged to select their own level of challenge. Pupils choose wisely and they say that they enjoy choosing more difficult challenges as it helps them ‘get better’.
• In mathematics, teachers develop pupils’ understanding of concepts through clearly planned stages. Teachers encourage pupils to use a variety of resources, such as fraction tiles, number squares and simple playing cards to help them to solve mathematical problems independently. Good modelling by teachers and teaching assistants provides children with clear guidance.
• Lower attaining pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities receive good specialist help and support. Teaching assistants and other adults are well prepared and adapt work well to the needs of groups and individuals. Teaching assistants are skilful in prompting and questioning pupils to help them improve their work.
• Teachers assess pupils’ work regularly, often within lessons, giving pupils opportunities to correct misunderstandings immediately. The school has recently introduced daily ‘diminishing the difference’ sessions for pupils where teachers have identified that there is misunderstanding. This is effective in helping pupils to move on with the next stages in their learning.
• Assessments of pupils’ work are used to direct pupils to additional teaching programmes which suit their specific needs, if teachers think that they are falling behind. Teachers also encourage pupils to take responsibility for assessing their own work against clear guidelines. Pupils say that this helps them to learn quickly.
• Pupils are often given real-life problems to solve, for example in mathematics and science, that interest them, and which helps them apply their knowledge and skills. Pupils are encouraged to apply their thinking to discuss interesting concepts, for example when considering whether the stereotype of a Viking as a bearded warrior presents an accurate picture.
• Pupils enjoy reading. There has been a strong focus on studying high-quality texts and pupils are encouraged to read regularly at home. Pupils enjoy special events that encourage them to develop a love of reading, for example, ‘national storytelling week’ and ‘Roald Dahl day’.
• Teachers’ comments generally help pupils improve their work and lead them into more challenging work. However, there is not always a consistent approach to correcting spelling and, as a result, pupils sometimes repeat spelling errors.
• Expectations for the presentation of pupil’s work are not consistent in all subjects and all classes. Pupils’ handwriting is sometimes untidy and presentation sometimes rushed.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are confident and want to do well. They are proud of their achievements and are highly motivated by ‘marvellous me’, ‘wonderful writers’ and ‘marvellous maths’ incentives, which recognise good achievements in behaviour, writing and maths.
• Each pupil is put into a house team. Houses include pupils from all year groups. Pupils say that the school house system motivates them and they enjoy mixing with older and younger pupils. They are proud of being in their houses and aspire to earn house points for their team.
• Pupils say that they feel happy in school and almost all parents agree. Pupils willingly undertake a range of home learning. The school offers a range of pupil and family support from outside agencies such as counselling, play therapy and mental health professionals, through a local consortium.
• Records of bullying incidents show that bullying is rare. Pupils talk positively about the work the school does to prevent bullying, for example through assemblies and ‘anti-bullying week’. Pupils say that they feel confident to report any incidents to staff and that any incidents are dealt with quickly.
• Pupils speak well of their teachers and other adults, and say that they are confident to talk to adults if they have problems. Pupils learn to keep themselves safe in a range of situations, for example road safety, fire safety and online safety, and demonstrate a good understanding of safety and risks.
• The school is accredited as a ‘healthy school’. Pupils talked knowledgably about food choices and nutrition. They said that the canteen is a healthy canteen and they explained that they use the displayed nutritional guidance to check their own lunch boxes. Pupils are aware of the benefits of physical activity and participate in a wide variety of sports and clubs in addition to the school’s physical education curriculum.
• Pupils show a good understanding and respect for people’s differences. This is promoted through studying different religious traditions, events such as ‘French day’ and ‘Unicef day’, and raising money and working for wide range of national and international charities and community groups, including singing for older people in a nursing home.
• There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their wider cultural interests through a variety of clubs, such as those for art, drama, design, choir and French, as well as a number of music clubs.
• Older pupils are positive about the help they receive to prepare for moving to secondary school.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The school is a calm environment that supports learning. Pupils are sensible and conduct themselves well as they move around the building and in the dining hall. In the playgrounds pupils play well together.
• Expectations of good behaviour are clear. Good behaviours are underpinned by the school’s Christian values. Pupils understand that it is important to behave well to succeed.
• In lessons, pupils listen attentively and respectfully to the teacher and to each other. Pupils work enthusiastically in groups. They focus on doing well and often choose more challenging tasks. Classroom routines are well established and no learning time is wasted.
• Pupils are enthusiastic about making a contribution to school life through a range of duties and responsibilities, such as serving as playground and dining hall monitors and as class ambassadors. Pupils are keen to help each other, as captured by a monitor who said, ‘The best thing about being a monitor is helping the younger children.’ Pupils respond quickly to instructions and manage their own behaviour well. For a very small minority of pupils who find managing their own behaviour difficult, support is given and staff manage this well.
• School records show few incidents of bad behaviour and the school has had no exclusions in the past three years.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• The school’s performance information, and work seen in books across all year groups and in all subjects, show that pupils are now making good progress throughout the school.
• Pupils are gaining a deeper understanding of solving problems in mathematics, applying their knowledge well and showing that they can devise strategies and explain them.
• A focus on reading and the adoption of a new reading scheme have accelerated progress in reading. Pupils say that they enjoy reading a range of fiction and non-fiction books. Pupils choose suitable and sometimes challenging books to read. They make good use of strategies they have been taught to make sense of more difficult words. Pupils practise reading every day.
• A well-planned programme of extra support ensures that pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making similar progress to others in all key stages.
• The few children who speak English as an additional language are very well supported and rapidly acquire language skills through specialist support.
• The most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, make good progress and are provided with activities that challenge them in a range of subjects. They benefit from additional specialist provision for most-able pupils through a local consortium.
• The proportion of children who reach the level of development that is typical of their age by the end of the early years foundation stage is below the national average and has been so for some time.
• Literacy assessments in early years have been historically low but, as a result of good teaching, in 2016 the proportion of pupils meeting the standard in the Year 1 phonics reading check was well above the national average.
• At the end of key stage 1, a greater proportion of pupils in the school met expectations in reading, writing and mathematics than nationally. However, fewer pupils met the higher standard. This is a legacy of previously low starting points from the end of the early years foundation stage.
• At the end of key stage 1, disadvantaged pupils in the school attained outcomes close to those of all other pupils nationally.
• The proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 was in line with that of pupils nationally in 2016, and the proportion meeting the expected standard in writing was well above that of pupils nationally. The proportions of pupils meeting the higher standard were below the national average in mathematics and writing.
• The proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in all three areas of reading, writing and mathematics was in line with the national average in 2016.
• The progress made by pupils between key stages 1 and 2 in 2015 and 2016 was broadly in line with that made by all pupils nationally in all subjects. Disadvantaged pupils in 2016 made progress slightly below that of all pupils nationally. There is clear evidence in pupils’ work and in the school’s own assessment information that pupils are now making more rapid progress. Early years provision Good

• Children have traditionally started school with skills that are below what is typical for their age. The proportion of children meeting the expected level of development at the end of the early years has been static and below the national average for some time.
• Assessments of children’s starting points and current achievements have been checked as accurate by the local authority. The current school assessment information suggests that, as a result of substantial changes to the provision and improved teaching, the proportion of children meeting the expected level of development will be greatly increased this year, as children are now making rapid progress from their individual starting points.
• The leadership has brought about rapid change in early years. Provision is now good and the proportion of children on track to meet the expected level of development is currently at least in line with national expectations.
• Children are now assessed regularly so that learning can be carefully planned to meet the gaps in children’s skills. Learning journals show that children are making good progress.
• The new leader of early years has improved all aspects of the setting, including the outdoor area. Children now learn in a vibrant, stimulating and well-resourced environment with clearly defined working areas, which excites them and makes them eager to work.
• There is a good range of opportunities, centred on a theme, for children to learn independently and select activities that interest them, for example a dinosaur construction area and an outdoor trail where children hunted for dinosaur toenails.
• Staff interact with children well to stimulate their language and encourage them to extend their learning through skilful questioning and prompting.
• Children work well together, sharing activities. Routines are well established and behaviour is good. Relationships between the adults and children are good. Children are polite and respectful. They are keen to show what they have done and are proud of work displayed on the walls.
• Parents speak very positively about their children’s start to school. Arrangements for children as they are admitted to the Reception class ensure a smooth transition into school. The new leader has introduced close working with parents, including home visits, and has engaged with local pre-schools, so that children come better prepared. There is now daily contact with parents and close links, so that children’s learning can be developed both at school and at home.

School details

Unique reference number 115095 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10023354 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Maintained Age range of pupils 4 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 197 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Margaret Milne Headteacher Dale Bateman (acting headteacher) Telephone number 01992 574890 Website www.coopersaletheydongarnon.essex.sch.uk Email address admin@coopersaletheydongarnon.essex.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 5–6 February 2015

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The substantive headteacher began a period of planned leave the week of the inspection. The substantive deputy headteacher is currently acting headteacher in her absence.
• The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. The school has one class in each year group with the exception of the Reception Year, where there are two classes.
• Most pupils are from White British backgrounds and few pupils speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below the national average.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited lessons across all classes, including the early years foundation stage, some with the acting headteacher.
• Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work, in some cases with the acting headteacher.
• Inspectors heard pupils read and talked to them about their enjoyment of school, their progress in school, and their opinions about behaviour, welfare and safety in the school.
• Inspectors held discussions with staff, governors and a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors took into account the views of 87 parents who completed the Ofsted online questionnaire Parent View, and six parents who wrote letters, as well as discussions with parents.
• Inspectors looked at a wide range of school documentation, including: the school’s self-evaluation; the school development plan; safeguarding documents; school policies; behaviour and attendance records; governing body documents; and documents relating to the monitoring of the performance of teachers.
• The school’s website was checked to ensure that it had the prescribed content.

Inspection team

Susan Sutton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Susannah Connell Ofsted Inspector