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 A Slack Headteacher Straits Primary School Longfellow Road Dudley West Midlands DY3 3EE

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and communication technology (ICT)

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of the staff and pupils, during my visit on 14 March 2011 to look at work in ICT.

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and communication technology (ICT)

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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and communication technology (ICT)

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

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and communication technology (ICT)

The overall effectiveness of ICT is outstanding.

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Achievement in ICT

 Pupils enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with ICT skills which are generally in line with national expectations. They make good progress and enter Year 1 with standards that are above expectations. They make rapid progress from Year 1 to Year 6 and leave with standards that are well above national expectations, though with a relative weakness in data- logging.  Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those identified as gifted and talented are given excellent support. As a result, they make similar progress to other groups of pupils.  Pupils’ behaviour and engagement are outstanding. They support each other well and are eager to share their knowledge of ICT with others.  Pupils enjoy the work that they do and this contributes very well to their learning in a range of subjects and also to their outstanding personal, social and emotional development.  By Year 6, pupils have an excellent knowledge of how to stay safe when

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Quality of teaching in ICT

The quality of teaching in ICT is outstanding.

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Quality of teaching in ICT

 Teachers and teaching assistants have fully embraced the continuing and fast-paced development of ICT within the school.  Lessons are very well planned and resourced to ensure that pupils have access to a wide range of technologies to support their learning.  Teachers and teaching assistants use questions effectively to develop pupils’ understanding of the skills being learnt and of their next steps in learning.  Pupils articulate well that by the end of each lesson, or series of lessons, they fully understand whether they have met the objectives and success criteria and that they know what they need to do to improve.  Teachers’ good use of day-to-day assessment procedures ensures that activities fully meet the needs of all groups of pupils.  Newly introduced assessment procedures are beginning to track pupils’ progress and attainment against the new skills-based curriculum.

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Quality of the curriculum in ICT

The quality of the curriculum in ICT is outstanding.

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Quality of the curriculum in ICT

 The new ‘Irresistible Curriculum’ is planned well to ensure meaningful links are made between ICT and a wide range of subjects.  The new curriculum, combined with the use of new technology, is helping to raise the attainment of boys in writing, which is a focus for the school.  Every pupil from Years 4 to 6 has access to his or her own small laptop. They have a good understanding of the two different operating systems being used in school. They confidently transfer their skills between the systems used in school and those they use at home.  Pupils make well-informed choices in lessons as to whether to use new technologies for research and/or to record work, or whether to use books, pen/pencil and paper.  Resources for the subject are very well organised and easily accessible. Pupils are trusted to use equipment safely and respond accordingly.  By Year 6, pupils have a very good awareness of how ICT supports their

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Quality of the curriculum in ICT

achievement in a wide range of subjects of the curriculum.  Pupils enthusiastically embrace the use of ICT for homework and research, though the school’s learning portal.  Pupils who have limited access to technologies at home are able to use school resources at lunchtime.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in ICT

Leadership and management in ICT are outstanding.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in ICT

 Leadership and management of ICT are having a significant impact on the development of the subject.  The vision for the subject is very clear and is shared by all staff, pupils, governors and parents.  The ICT development plan is informed by very effective self-review.  The development plan has identified providing individual computers for all pupils, to further support individual learning throughout the school.  Parents are well-informed, through meetings in school and information on the portal, on how to keep their children and themselves safe when using new technologies. They are also well informed about developments in ICT.  Excellent links have been made with other primary and secondary schools in the learning partnership to support the development of ICT.  Governors fully support the development of the subject, including the financial investment involved in providing every pupil with a laptop.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

 embedding the use of new assessment initiatives to further support the tracking of pupils’ progress and attainment  ensuring that software, such as that for data-logging, keeps up to date with the rapid changes in hardware being used by staff and pupils.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

I hope that these observations are useful as you continue to develop ICT 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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