Self Evaluation Overview Powerstock CE VA School

Information
Context
We are a small rural primary school with 50 pupils in 3 class bases: Burton Class (Yr R,1,2), Cogden Class (Yr 3,4) and Seatown Class (Yr 5,6)Our PAN is 10. We are proud to be part of the new (2016)West Dorset Schools Collaboration. It has 8 primary schools and Beaminster Secondary School.
The Headteacher has been in post since January 2016. There is an Assistant Head who is also Yr 5,6 teacher. The EYFS/Yr1/2 teacher is experienced. She is also the SENCo. The teachers (HT and main scale teacher) in Yr3/4 share the class on a 2:3 day week. From January 2018 the school will be implementing a staffing restructure.
Over the past five years we have had over the national average of children with special educational needs.
Almost all our pupils are white British. We have one pupil premium pupil and 2 pupils who speak EAL.
Overall Effectiveness
Good with outstanding examples of teaching, leadership and outcomes. Further capacity to improve. SIAMS inspection December 2016 was Good.
Areas on school development plan
  • Spelling and writing improvement W – 56% (from 63% 2016) with progress at -0.6 (-3.5 2016) GPS – 44% (50% 2016)
  • Maths Attainment – 56% (6% rise from 2016) with progress at -2.4 (improvement from -4.1 2016)
  • Collaboration research towards Academy Status
  • Attendance improvement

Progress made on previous inspection action points (September 2013)
Ensuring work provides appropriate challenge for more able learners:
Work is fully differentiated and often individually tailored across the age related expectations to include mastery elements for most able; success Criteria reflect the differentiated tasks and aims for children in each class; The school has planned termly able writers’ days across the collaboration; Open ended Maths challenges are timetabled in weekly to suit all abilities, targeting most able; Singapore Maths Methodology training from Collaboration for Autumn term including Mastery 5 approaches; various local competitions and events entered including Youth Speaks winners of June 2016.
Teachers check that pupils learn from the advice and marking of their work:
Detailed feedback verbally and in writing; marking policy improved and implemented; weekly teaching and learning reviews from teachers/ episodic teaching ensures peer marking after small chunks of teaching.
Raise pupils’ achievement in Maths by providing more opportunities for pupils to use and apply their Maths skills in a range of subjects:
Open ended Maths challenges timetabled to suit all abilities, focusing on most able; Maths “wow” days planned each term; Cross curricular Maths elements are woven through termly planning. Real life maths is often an aspect of school initiatives and events.
Leadership and Management / Grade:2
Strengths / Next Steps
  • School improvement is closely linked to dynamic discussion around teaching and professional development where initiative and innovation lead an exciting curriculum.
  • Governors provide strong systematic support for areas including SEND, Finance, Safeguarding, Esafety and SDP Key priorities; staff are supported in an climate enablingachievement for all children.
/ Continue whole school strategies to ensure expected and better progress for all groups across the curriculum particularly in writing and maths.
Further work with governors to ensure deeper understanding of full challenge regarding outcomes of pupils and school.
Teaching, learning and assessment / Grade: 2/1
  • Experienced teachers deliver highly effective lessons where children learn with a positive attitude.
  • IT learning school and Forest School initiative ensure all children thrive in their learning.
  • Dedicated staff team work closely to monitor children’s progress through robust tracking systems in core subjects.
  • Inclusive ethos means that the vast majority of our SEND pupils make improvements in progress over time.
/
  • Continue to implement Fluency approach to raise attainment in all children.
  • Develop strong framework of timetabled assessment to aid tracking across the curriculum.
  • Reach accreditation in Forest School Teaching School status.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare / Grade: 1/2
Behaviour:
  • Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning and are proud of their achievements and their school.
  • Pupils are respectful, well behaved and thrive in an orderly school environment.
Personal development and welfare:
  • Pupils are supportive and respectful towards one another. Bullying is rare but effectively dealt with.
  • Questionnaires show they feel very safe and know how to stay safe.
/ We are to improve our School Council involvement in 2017.18 to make improvements, increasing enterprise with pupils.
Improve attendance to raise % above 95 including persistant absence through minor illness.
Outcomes / Grade: 2
Inspection Dashboard 2017 area for investigation:
KS2 Maths progress in bottom quintile for two years running.
Strengths
  • Year 1 phonics (100% 2017)
KS2:
  • Average Scaled score in R + M = +0.2
  • Three years consecutive progress upward trend in R,W + M.
/
  • Ensure expected progress is made with 56% SEND cohort for 2018towards target cohort in Maths – 57% (7% increase on 2016). One child (out of 7) has an EHCP.
  • Focus on spelling and writing improvement as well as Key priority with targets of 57% KS2 writing,

Early Years / Grade: 2
  • Children are highly motivated by the interesting and well planned activities.
  • Excellent teacher of managing 3 cohorts supported by experienced HLTA.
  • Children are confident and quickly develop independence.
Progress was made with 78% reaching a good level of development in Maths and PSE. Cohort includes 33% speech and language difficulties, 1 child with EHCP. /
  • Improve ELG attainment in EYFS.
  • Ensure at least 9% coversion from EYFS to expected or greater depth at end of Year 1.