Setting

Aviation House 125 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0300 123 1231 F 020 7421 6855 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Mr N Waldron Headteacher Hazlemere Church of England Combined School Amersham Road High Wycombe HP15 7PZ

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social and health education (PSHE)

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of the staff and pupils, during my visit on 8 March 2011 to look at work in PSHE.

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social and health education (PSHE)

The visit provided valuable information which will contribute to our national evaluation and reporting. Published reports are likely to list the names of the contributing institutions but individual institutions will not be identified in the main text without their consent.

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social and health education (PSHE)

The evidence used to inform the judgements included: interviews with staff and pupils; scrutiny of relevant documentation; analysis of pupils’ work; and observation of five lessons.

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social and health education (PSHE)

The overall effectiveness of PSHE is good.

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Achievement in PSHE

 Pupils have a very good knowledge of what is meant by eating a balanced diet and of various food groups.  Pupils understand the importance of regular exercise and put this into practice.  Pupils show excellent levels of knowledge and understanding of how to stay safe in a wide range of situations. For example, they know what to do in an emergency, how to be safe on the road and when using the internet.  Pupils are well informed about the different types of bullying and have opportunities to think about resisting peer-group pressure.  Pupils demonstrate a good level of understanding of the effects of drugs, alcohol and smoking on the body.  Pupils have a satisfactory knowledge of how to manage money and economic well-being.  Pupils’ personal development is very good. Older pupils have many opportunities to take on responsibilities and work as a team. Some are very articulate and confident. They develop good social skills and show

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Achievement in PSHE

respect for others’ feelings and viewpoints.

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Quality of teaching in PSHE

The quality of teaching in PSHE is good.

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Quality of teaching in PSHE

 Teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge and confidence. Very good relationships are established in lessons, so that all pupils enjoy learning and they are praised regularly for good work.  Teachers explain clearly what pupils will be learning and check what they feel they have learnt at the end of the lesson. Pupils are also encouraged to contribute ideas for what they would like to learn about in new units of work.  Lessons are well structured with good pace and pupils are able to work in pairs, groups and independently. Discussions are well managed and allow opportunities for thinking, reflection and exploring different viewpoints. Good questioning techniques encourage reasoning skills.  Learning support assistants are used very effectively in lessons to support individuals or small groups of pupils.  Formal monitoring and recording of pupils’ progress in PSHE are developing with a new monitoring system in place.

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Quality of the curriculum in PSHE

The quality of the curriculum in PSHE is good.

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Quality of the curriculum in PSHE

 The curriculum encompasses discrete lessons and cross-curricular themes and special days and weeks such as Black History month.  Links with other subjects are good. However, curriculum mapping is not always rigorous and cohesive. This leads to gaps in coverage such as the world of work and looking after and saving money.  Through well-targeted support, the curriculum meets the needs of pupils whose circumstances make them potentially vulnerable. For example, the Jigsaw project provides small groups of pupils with the opportunity to develop self-esteem, confidence and independence.  Good use is made of external agencies, parents and visits to enhance the PSHE curriculum and make learning more interesting. Pupils in Year 6 have the opportunity to go on two different residential experiences.  The school has achieved the Healthy Schools award which endorses the breadth of activities in which pupils are involved. They act as play leaders

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Quality of the curriculum in PSHE

and maintain a physical activity diary during sports week. Older pupils, who are junior road safety officers, recently opened a ‘reflector shop’ to promote the wearing of fluorescent and reflective clothing and tags.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in PSHE

Leadership and management in PSHE are good.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in PSHE

 PSHE is given a high priority in the school and is a fundamental part of the school’s ethos. All relevant policies are in place and senior leaders are well informed by current developments in PSHE.  The school has an accurate understanding of strengths and areas for improvement. Action-planning is precise and sharply focused.  A strong focus on the promotion of personal development and the inclusion of all pupils is evident in the school’s vision and very effective support for individuals.  Monitoring and evaluation of aspects of PSHE are effective, so that provision is kept under review and pupils’ outcomes are improving. However, formal lesson observations of PSHE and assessment are not sufficiently robust.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

 reviewing the PSHE curriculum to ensure that it is cohesive and progressive  extending pupils’ knowledge about how to manage money, and the world of work.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

I hope that these observations are useful as you continue to develop PSHE in the school.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

As I explained previously, a copy of this letter will be published on the Ofsted website. It may be used to inform decisions about any future inspection. Except in the case of academies, a copy of this letter is also being sent to your local authority.

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