Ferring CofE Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and governance by:
  • regularly checking the progress that pupils, including those who are most-able or disadvantaged, make from their starting points
  • ensuring that evaluations of the quality of teaching are closely linked to the progress pupils make in lessons and over time
  • sharpening action plans so that the targets for improvement are measurable, and it is clear how and when actions are being checked by governors.
• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that all groups of pupils are able to make good progress over time by:
  • ensuring that assessment information is accurate
  • using assessment information to plan learning that challenges all groups of pupils
  • implementing plans to improve the mathematics curriculum so that younger pupils better develop their problem-solving and reasoning skills
  • ensuring that pupils have the confidence and skills to write at length for a variety of purposes and enabling them to apply and develop skills such as spelling. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Leaders did not predict or take action to overcome a recent decline in standards. This is because their monitoring does not focus sufficiently well on the progress that pupils, including the most able, make from their starting points.
• Checks on the quality of teaching have not been rigorous enough. Leaders do not routinely check that teaching is leading to pupils making good progress in lessons or over time. As a result, leaders’ self-evaluation of the quality of teaching is too generous.
• Leaders have not ensured that assessments carried out by teachers are accurate. Having recognised this, they have introduced a programme of regular tests to see how well pupils are now achieving in reading and mathematics.
• Support for disadvantaged pupils is not effective enough at helping them catch up with other pupils nationally. Pupil premium funding is used to finance general support in the school rather than being tailored to the specific needs of the pupils it is allocated for.
• Leaders clearly understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school and know what needs to improve. Their improvement plans are focused on the right things, but do not have measurable or challenging targets that will ensure that the outcomes for pupils improve quickly.
• Leaders are rightly tackling some of the weaker teaching. They are sharing the effective practice that exists in the school to help teachers to improve.
• Leaders responsible for English and mathematics know the strengths and weaknesses in their subject areas throughout the school. They have plans in place to help address the weaknesses. Their own teaching demonstrates strengths that other teachers can learn from.
• Pupils enjoy many aspects of the school’s curriculum, including art, music and physical education. They also enjoy the trips and visits that often bring learning to life.
• Leaders responsible for the curriculum are working hard to ensure that it remains broad and balanced, while rightly focusing on improving outcomes in English and mathematics.
• The primary sport premium has been used effectively to improve participation and outcomes in a wide range of sports.
• The leadership of provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is a strength of the school. There is good support for pupils and families that are going through difficult times or are vulnerable in any way.
• There is an aspirational culture in the school. It certainly is ‘a place to grow’. Some highly reflective Year 6 pupils explained how they are socially and emotionally ready for secondary school but how they now need to focus on the ‘academic part’. Their attitudes and understanding of issues, such as tolerance for those who are different, clearly demonstrate they are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Pupils are respectful of others in and out of the school and have a range of opportunities to learn about other cultures and religions.
• Leaders value the opportunity to work with other leaders in the locality. They are able to share expertise and training opportunities and regularly moderate the quality of learning with other schools.
• Recently the local authority have provided the school with additional support in the development of writing and early years provision.

Governance of the school

• The governing body has some clear strengths and knows the school well. Members are allocated to working groups dependent on their skills and knowledge. These working groups are especially effective at ensuring that statutory duties around buildings, health and safety, safeguarding and finance are met. For example, governors carefully ensure that there is a close link between pay progression and performance for teachers.
• Governors ask leaders challenging questions about the quality of teaching and pupil outcomes. However, like school leaders, their focus has been on how the school compares to national attainment averages rather than the progress that pupils at Ferring make from their starting points.
• Governors have not ensured that pupil premium funding is used appropriately. It has been used to increase general staffing rather than to help disadvantaged pupils to make rapid progress to catch up with other pupils nationally.
• School improvement plans do not clearly show how and when governors will monitor the effectiveness of actions taken by leaders to raise standards.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders and relevant governors are well trained in this essential area of school life. They ensure that all staff receive regular training and are kept up to date with the latest developments and risks, for example around online safety.
• Recruitment checks are rigorous, as are the school’s health and safety systems. Leaders are vigilant about all types of risk. Staff report any concerns appropriately and these are followed up.
• The most vulnerable pupils are supported well. The school works well with parents and other agencies, including early help, when it is necessary to help pupils to thrive.
• A significant minority of parents used the Parent View survey to report that their children did not feel safe at school. Inspectors followed up the few free-text comments about pupil safety with school leaders. They also spoke to many pupils from different year groups who reported that they did feel safe at school. The views of the children and the evidence observed in the school reassured inspectors that leaders take very effective action to keep pupils safe.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• There is too much inconsistency in the quality of teaching throughout the school. Leaders have correctly identified some of the weakest teaching and have put plans in place to improve it. However, their view of some other teaching is too generous and based on observing engaging activities, rather than the progress pupils make in developing their knowledge, skills and understanding.
• The inaccuracy of some assessment information shows that not all teachers have a secure enough subject knowledge across the curriculum.
• A few teachers do not use information about what pupils can already do to plan the next steps of learning. As a result, pupils, especially in younger year groups, sometimes have work that is too easy for them and does not allow them to develop their skills well.
• Teachers in key stage 1 do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve. For example, the most able writers are held back by the use of resources that restrict the amount of writing they can complete.
• Teaching of phonics in a structured way is helping to improve outcomes. Occasionally some of the teaching of these key phonetic skills by teaching assistants is inaccurate.
• Stronger teaching was evidenced for older pupils, where teachers have higher expectations of what pupils can achieve. Here, teaching ensures that activities closely match the needs of pupils and enable them to enthusiastically make progress.
• Teachers in the classes for older pupils closely check how well pupils are doing and move them on to more challenging tasks when they are ready. They also provide effective support to those that need help to catch up.
• In an effective upper key stage 2 mathematics lesson the most able pupils were busily collaborating, using their reasoning skills to solve a problem involving algebra and multiplication. Meanwhile, the pupils who needed to consolidate their understanding practised their fluency in solving long multiplication problems. Pupils’ books show that opportunities for problem-solving activities are rare in mathematics in some younger classes.
• In most key stage 2 classes, teachers provide helpful targets, vocabulary lists and assessment checklists to help pupils self-assess and improve their work themselves. However, some younger pupils are given targets to work on that they do not understand, or that they have already achieved.
• Older pupils work well together, and frequently debate and discuss their learning, for example the interesting vocabulary choices they make in their writing.
• Focused teaching and support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities helps them to make good progress. This is because activities build effectively on prior learning. These pupils receive good support from the teaching assistants that work with them.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Children on the democratically elected school council are confident, self-assured and proud of the school that they represent. Older pupils take the responsibilities they are given as peer mediators or play and activity leaders (PALs) very seriously.
• Pupils feel safe at school because of the good levels of supervision. They also learn to keep safe in different situations inside and outside of school. Pupils have a very good understanding of how to stay safe online.
• Pupils say that bullying is rare. They know about different types of bullying, such as cyber bullying. They trust school leaders and teachers to sort out any issues quickly and fairly.
• Where teachers have high expectations, pupils take great pride in their work. Older pupils feel well prepared for secondary school and demonstrate values such as respect for others that will help them to succeed in modern-day Britain.
• Schemes to promote families walking to school, the extensive sports provision and support for children’s mental health and welfare all contribute well to healthy lifestyles.
• Links with the community, local churches and fundraising for charities all contribute well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils enjoy helping each other and sharing in many interesting activities. As one parent said, it is a school with ‘a friendly warm atmosphere that my child enjoys attending every day’.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils understand the behaviour code and keep to it. They told inspectors that the good behaviour seen during the inspection was typical. Older pupils are respectful of each other and enjoy focusing on and discussing their learning.
• The youngest pupils are able to take turns and listen well to each other’s ideas.
• Pupils are sensible when moving around the school, in the dining hall and outside.
• Some pupils are unable to maintain their positive attitudes to learning and good behaviour in class when teaching is less effective or there is a supply teacher.
• The majority of parents believe that the school ensures that its pupils are well behaved. Appropriate support is given to those pupils who find it difficult to manage their own behaviour.
• Some parents had concerns about behaviour. Inspectors found that the school manages behaviour well and treats all pupils fairly. School leaders agreed they could do more to communicate with parents about how the behaviour policy is implemented.
• Pupils enjoy coming to school so attendance is good. Leaders analyse the reasons why a very few pupils do not attend regularly and follow this up.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• In recent years pupils have not done well enough in reading, writing and mathematics in assessments at the end of key stage 1. Pupils currently in key stage 1 do not make enough progress to build successfully on the good start to learning they have in Reception. Pupils who have recently moved on into key stage 2 are not catching up with their peers nationally quickly enough.
• In 2016 the proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and writing at the end of key stage 2 was below the national average. Leaders had not recognised that pupils, especially the most able readers, were not making enough progress to reach the new higher standards.
• Progress and attainment in mathematics at the end of key stage 2 in 2016 was stronger and matched the historic good performance the school has achieved in all subjects at the end of key stage 2.
• Disadvantaged pupils currently in the school are not making enough progress to help them catch up with other pupils nationally. The pupil premium funding is not being used well enough to tailor the support to help them make rapid progress.
• Current pupils are doing better in reading and mathematics than they are in writing. Pupils are not encouraged to develop their writing at length and develop their spelling skills, which are sometimes weak, in other areas of the curriculum.
• Where teaching is strongest, pupils are making the best progress. Where teaching is less effective the most able pupils make slower progress because assessment information is not used well enough to plan challenging activities.
• Outcomes in the Year 1 phonics screening check have improved year on year and are above average. There is an enthusiasm for reading in the school. The most able readers in key stage 2 are currently making good progress and are on track to reverse the slow progress seen in 2016.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their often low starting points because of the effectively planned provision.
• Throughout the school pupils’ scientific investigation skills are developed well, while their skills, knowledge and understanding in subjects such as history and geography are relatively underdeveloped.

Early years provision Good

• Children get off to a good start to school life in the Reception class. Parents are very happy with the way that they are helped to settle in. Children quickly develop positive attitudes to learning.
• The early years leader knows every child as an individual. She makes accurate assessments of their ability and has the skill and subject knowledge to plan activities to move their learning on.
• Teaching is good. The coherent thematic approach really enthuses the children and leads to high levels of engagement, especially from boys.
• The curriculum is broad and interesting. Activities in all areas of learning are planned and resourced very well. They enthuse and engage children and take them in to a world of learning. For example, during the inspection children were searching for the ‘Big Bad Wolf’ and were noting down clues about his whereabouts on clipboards. Later, they independently chose to work together to plan and make a trap to catch the wolf.
• Children clearly enjoy their learning, and are friendly and inquisitive with visitors, showing good personal and social development.
• Behaviour in the Reception class is good. Learning skills and attitudes are reinforced positively in phonics sessions.
• Over recent years the proportion of children reaching a good level of development has increased. Although the outcomes were slightly weaker in 2016, children had made faster progress from lower starting points.
• Historically, boys do not achieve as well as girls when it comes to writing. However, they make similar progress from their starting points.
• The proportion of most able children exceeding the early learning goals has been low in the past. There are more children on track this year to achieve this higher standard.
• Safeguarding in the setting is effective and all the welfare requirements are met.
• Children are well prepared for Year 1 when they leave Reception. However, when they join the next class their learning is not built on quickly enough to allow them to continue making good progress in key stage 1.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 125982 West Sussex 10001019 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary controlled 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 204 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Sue Pratt Gill Silk Telephone number 01903 243945 Website Email address www.ferring.w-sussex.sch.uk head@ferring.w-sussex.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 1–2 December 2011

Information about this school

• The headteacher was absent from school at the time of the inspection.
• The deputy headteacher and the vast majority of teachers have been appointed since the previous inspection.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is much smaller than that found nationally.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is slightly above average.
• In 2015 the school met the government floor standards that set out the minimum expectations for primary schools.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school is a member of the Angmering locality group of schools.

Information about this inspection

• The inspection began as a short inspection of a good school led by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors. The inspection converted to become a full inspection and two additional Ofsted inspectors joined the team on the second day.
• Inspectors observed learning in all classes and also made shorter visits to classrooms with the deputy headteacher.
• Inspectors held meetings with the deputy headteacher, and a range of other staff.
• Inspectors looked at a sample of pupils’ work with the deputy headteacher and other leaders.
• Her Majesty’s Inspector met with a group of three governors, including the chair of the governing body, and had a further meeting with the chair of the governing body on the second day of the inspection. He also had a conversation with a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors spoke to pupils in lessons, around the school and on the playground. One inspector met more formally with the school council and was given a tour of the school by some other pupils. Some pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 read to an inspector.
• A range of documentation relating to safeguarding, pupil achievement, the quality of teaching, governance, behaviour and attendance was scrutinised.
• Inspectors spoke to parents on the playground at the start of both days of the inspection and considered 57 responses to the Ofsted online Parent View questionnaire, including 22 free-text comments.
• Inspectors also considered six responses to the online staff questionnaire and sought the views of other staff in various conversations.

Inspection team

Lee Selby, lead inspector Timothy Rome Angela O’Hara

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector