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 V Dupras Headteacher Avonmouth C of E Primary School Catherine Street Avonmouth Bristol BS11 9LG

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education (PE)

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of your staff and pupils, during my visit on 12 December 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; and observation of two lessons.

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education (PE)

The overall effectiveness of PE is satisfactory.

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Achievement in PE

 All groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make satisfactory progress in all four strands of the PE National Curriculum. By the end of Year 6, attainment is average and most pupils are able to swim the expected 25 metres. Pupils have a satisfactory level of physical fitness.  Pupils say that they enjoy lessons, especially games, and are enthusiastic about the after-school sport and activity clubs. They have a sound understanding of how to eat healthily and the effects of exercise upon improving their health and fitness. Play leaders are keen to organise games and other activities for pupils at lunchtimes.  In lessons, most pupils display good attitudes to their learning. They work together well and show a good regard for their own safety and that of others. However, when pupils are not sufficiently engaged in activities, a small number become restless and inattentive, and their behaviour affects

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Quality of teaching in PE

The quality of teaching in PE is satisfactory.

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Quality of teaching in PE

 Teachers have a strong understanding of the value of PE and communicate this effectively to pupils. Although no external coaches were present during the inspection, the school reports that they make an effective contribution to pupils’ learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included in lessons due to the effective support they often receive from learning support assistants. More able pupils are encouraged to extend their skills by attending local specialist sports clubs.  In both of the lessons observed, teachers used information and communication technology (ICT) to illustrate key skills and techniques. On one occasion, pupils recorded parts of the lesson so that they could later evaluate the strengths and weaknesses in their performance. The school’s schemes of work help teachers to plan activities in all areas of learning but do not provide them with an easily understood progression of skills that

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Quality of teaching in PE

pupils need to acquire as they move through the school.  All lessons provide opportunities for pupils to improve their levels of physical fitness but these sessions are not long enough or sufficiently vigorous to promote significant improvements. In some lessons, teachers talk for too long and pupils are not provided with enough activity to enable them to learn and practise their skills.

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Quality of the curriculum in PE

The quality of the curriculum in PE is satisfactory.

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Quality of the curriculum in PE

 Pupils experience a good balance of all areas of learning. Outdoor and adventurous activities take place in the school grounds and during residential visits. All pupils have swimming lessons in Years 3, 4 and 5, with additional sessions for Year 6 pupils who cannot swim 25 metres. During the summer holidays, the school’s learning mentor organises a two-week programme for pupils to experience a variety of sports and physical activities.  Pupils receive two hours of PE each week, which is supplemented by a range of well-supported extra-curricular sports clubs for pupils in Key Stage 2. Very few sports and physical activity clubs are provided for pupils in Key Stage 1. Many pupils take part in inter-school competitions and are proud of their successes. Although all pupils take part in the annual sports day, pupils have too few opportunities to experience competition through intra-school tournaments.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in PE

The effectiveness of leadership and management in PE is satisfactory.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in PE

 The subject has been led and managed by a team of staff since the start of this term. The team has audited provision and established a plan for improvement in the identified areas. The team acknowledges that procedures for monitoring and evaluation are not regularly or systematically undertaken and the tracking of pupils’ progress is underdeveloped.  The established strong links with other local schools and sports clubs have been maintained. Regular praise for pupils in assemblies and many awards for performance, effort and sporting behaviour help to ensure that PE and school sport have a high profile in the school. Resources are good with an annual audit and regular maintenance.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

 enabling subject leaders to undertake regular and systematic monitoring and evaluation in PE and improve the monitoring of pupils’ progress  ensuring that teachers do not talk for too long, so that pupils have enough time to learn and practise skills and improve their fitness  ensuring that schemes of work include easily understood plans of progression of the skills pupils need to acquire as they move through the school  increasing the number of extra-curricular sports clubs for pupils in Key Stage 1 and extending the opportunities for pupils to experience competition through intra-school tournaments.

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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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