Moving beyond the floor target case study: Farmilo Primary and Nursery School, Nottinghamshire

School context and profile

Farmilo Primary and Nursery School opened in September 2001 following the reorganisation of the schools in Mansfield.

• Number on roll: 227, including Foundation Stage (FS).
• Age range three to 11.
• 96.7 per cent of the learners are white British.
• 1.2 per cent have English as an Additional Language (EAL).
• 27 per cent of the school population are eligible for free school meals.
• 14 per cent are on the register of Special Educational Needs (SEN).
• On entry attainment is below national expectations.

The school was inspected in January 2007, when it was judged to be a satisfactory and improving school. The ‘rigour and determination’ with which the headteacher (who had been in post for ten months at the time) had tackled underachievement in the school since his appointment, had resulted in ‘significant improvements.’

Issues identified for improvement were:

• the attendance of learners
• the incidence of good and better teaching in Years 1 and 2
• standards in writing and investigative and problem solving in mathematics and science
• independent learning
• the rigorous monitoring of school performance by all levels of leadership.

Key Stage 2 L4+ results: 

2006 English 60%; mathematics 63%; science 63%
2007 English 77%; mathematics 77%; science 87%

Writing, elements of mathematics and science were below average at the end of Key Stage 2.