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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Mrs F White Headteacher Coalway Junior School Coalway Road Coleford Gloucestershire GL16 7HL

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education (PE)

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of the staff and pupils, during my visit on 11 October 2011 to look at work in PE.

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education (PE)

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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education (PE)

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

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education (PE)

The overall effectiveness of PE is good.

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Achievement in PE

 Pupils make good progress in PE from average starting points in Year 3. The school’s assessment records for 2011 show that almost all Year 6 pupils reached the expected level of attainment with a third of pupils exceeding it. Attainment in swimming has improved over the last three years; in 2011 the overwhelming majority of Year 6 pupils left the school able to swim 25 metres. Pupils do well in local sports competitions and their involvement in games, multi-skills and dance events boosts their overall achievement.  Pupils’ personal development is enhanced well by their involvement in PE and sport. Pupils enjoy their PE lessons, participating with enthusiasm, and displaying positive attitudes and good behaviour. They show creativity and cooperate well in developing their gymnastics sequences. A group of Year 6 play-leaders successfully organise games for younger pupils at lunchtimes. Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or

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Achievement in PE

disabilities, and for those who require additional support to develop their physical skills, is excellent. These pupils attend early morning activity sessions led by teaching assistants, which are helping to develop their physical skills, confidence and self-esteem.

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Quality of teaching in PE

 Two gymnastics lessons were observed in which the quality of teaching and learning was good. Teachers’ planning clearly identifies learning objectives and these are shared with pupils along with the outcomes the teacher will be looking for in pupils’ responses. Teachers demonstrate techniques, highlight key subject vocabulary and provide pupils with good opportunities to acquire, develop and apply their skills. Information and communication technology (ICT) was used well in the Year 3 lesson observed, to show and discuss with pupils the gymnastic rolls they might use and to record their completed sequences.  Good support is provided for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, so that they are fully included in lessons. Teachers ask pertinent questions to test pupils’ understanding and observe them working to provide good feedback on how they might improve their responses. Good emphasis is placed on encouraging pupils to evaluate

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Quality of teaching in PE

their own and others’ performances, and to identify improvements. Information on pupils’ achievement is passed to the secondary school to support transition but a similar system is not in place for pupils who enter the school in Year 3.

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Quality of the curriculum in PE

The quality of the curriculum in PE is good.

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Quality of the curriculum in PE

 All six areas of learning are included in a suitably balanced curriculum. Pupils in all year groups have two hours of PE in their weekly timetables and two thirds are engaged in an additional hour of physical activities. Good emphasis is placed on outdoor learning, which includes residential visits for older pupils, and PE is linked well to other subjects in thematic topics. Pupils’ learning about healthy lifestyles is a prominent feature of the curriculum and includes an excellent link with schools in other countries.  Teachers use a core scheme of work as the basis for their planning, which is adapted to suit their classes. Good links with the local sports partnership have helped enhance curricular provision in recent years, although continuity of learning across Key Stages 1 and 2 requires strengthening. An extensive range of club activities is organised for pupils at lunchtime and after school, and pupils take part in many intra and inter-school

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Quality of the curriculum in PE

tournaments and festivals throughout the year. Pupils have been very successful in local sports competitions in recent years.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in PE

The effectiveness of leadership and management in PE is good.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in PE

 Leaders have shown a strong commitment towards improving the quality of provision and well-informed subject leadership provides good capacity for further improvement. Subject audits are completed annually and the current sharply focused action plan identifies the key priorities for improvement, including using ICT to support teaching and learning. Links with the local sports partnership have been used well to improve the quality of teaching and to strengthen leadership. Good improvements have been introduced this year for assessing and recording pupils’ attainment and progress.  Senior leaders have included observations of PE lessons in their monitoring of teaching and learning and a member of the governing body meets with the subject leader each year to discuss developments in provision and pupils’ achievements. The quality of indoor and outdoor accommodation is good and a suitable range of well-organised PE resources are available for

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in PE

lessons and lunchtime play activities. The profile of PE and sport around the school is high, with several photographs and information on pupils’ involvement and achievements on display.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

 establishing the new system for assessing and recording pupils’ attainment and progress in PE and consolidating the use of ICT to support teaching and learning  strengthening transition and continuity of learning across Key Stages 1 and 2, and promoting greater consistency in teachers’ assessments.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

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

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

As 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. A copy of this letter is also being sent to your local authority.

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