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 T Hall Headteacher Cherhill CofE School Middle Lane Cherhill Wiltshire SN11 8XX

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technology (D&T)

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of your staff and pupils, during my visit on 27 February 2012 to look at work in D&T.

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technology (D&T)

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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technology (D&T)

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

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technology (D&T)

The overall effectiveness of D&T is satisfactory.

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Achievement in D&T

 A well-planned range of activities in the Reception class provides opportunities for children to consolidate their use of simple tools. For example, they use scissors to cut pieces of cards to make a model of a mini-beast based on their own design.  Pupils continue to make satisfactory progress in a range of D&T-related experiences and activities to attain outcomes that are in line with those expected at the end of Key Stage 2. Discussions with pupils in Year 6 and a review of their work indicate that achievement in food technology and textile work is good but their ability to use simple tools such as saws is quite limited. Furthermore, these pupils have had limited experience in using computers to support design work and control models that they have made. This limits the opportunity for more able pupils to extend their skills and achieve the higher levels. However, carefully targeted adult support in lessons ensures that pupils with special educational needs

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Achievement in D&T

and/or disabilities make at least satisfactory progress.  Pupils’ attitudes towards D&T are very positive. Behaviour is good in lessons and pupils in all classes respond well to small group and partner work. Pupils take pride in the products that they make and see the relevance that D&T can have in their own lives.

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Quality of teaching in D&T

The quality of teaching in D&T is satisfactory

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Quality of teaching in D&T

 Some good teaching was observed. Teachers demonstrate appropriate levels of subject knowledge and make good reference to subject-specific vocabulary to support their teaching. Lesson planning is detailed and learning intentions are shared with pupils to ensure that they know what they are to achieve. Teachers make use of some effective resources, such as interactive whiteboards and pictures, to illustrate key teaching points. Questions are used to probe pupils’ understanding but this is sometimes at the expense of other techniques. This slows the pace of learning and limits the opportunity for pupils to be more engaged with the learning process.  The assessment of pupils’ achievements in D&T is good as a result of determined work by teachers to identify a comprehensive list of the key skills for pupils to achieve at different stages of their learning. As a result, the school is well placed to monitor the individual progress of pupils

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Quality of teaching in D&T

regularly but has yet to use the data precisely enough to promote achievement of the higher levels.

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Quality of the curriculum in D&T

The quality of the curriculum in D&T is satisfactory.

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Quality of the curriculum in D&T

 D&T is carefully integrated with other subjects to provide a series of topics that are relevant to the needs of pupils in each class. Skills in D&T are carefully referenced with each topic to promote pupils’ progress across the school and to support good assessment procedures. These improved levels of planning are reflected in pupils’ consistent progress and improving outcomes.  Good opportunities are provided for pupils to develop their skills in food and textiles. However, opportunities for pupils to broaden and develop their skills to build working models and to use a variety of tools and materials are more limited. Some good links are being established with local secondary schools to extend the range of pupils’ experiences in D&T. The engagement of external professionals in working with pupils to design and build the play area provides some good opportunities for enrichment.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in D&T

The effectiveness of leadership and management in D&T is satisfactory.  School leaders demonstrate a clear vision of the part that D&T plays within the overall curriculum. Improvements are reflected in a more dynamic approach to curriculum planning for D&T. Links with local schools are helping to support the development of staff expertise. Self-evaluation is satisfactory with some good monitoring of lessons in Key Stage 1 and in reviews of pupils’ work in Key Stage 2. This has resulted in a specific subject action but the impact of this is not yet reflected in higher outcomes for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

 increasing the range of opportunities for older pupils to extend their knowledge, understanding and skills in using tools, materials, systems and control in D&T  making more effective use of self-evaluation and monitoring of data to improve provision and pupils’ outcomes in D&T further.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

I hope that these observations are useful as you continue to develop D&T 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.

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