Other · Ofsted report
Setting
Summary
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- Inspectorssingle source
Roy Long
Deep dive
What this report says
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Tone of the report
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How the report reads, start to finish
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Strengths
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- Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides strong leadership and is well supported by the senior management team and other members of staff, but the school needs to develop clearer and more effective ways of managing the curriculum. p.6
- In the best lessons across the whole school teachers showed an infectious enthusiasm for their subject, planned their lessons well to include a balance of activities, made their learning objectives explicit, provided support for pupils which was closely matched to their needs, displayed high expectations, and challenged the pupils to think for themselves and to show initiative. p.9
- Provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development This is excellent and reflects the Christian ethos of the school. p.5
- However, the roles of senior managers need to be more clearly defined, monitoring and assessment need to be developed, and the main library needs to be improved so that it can become a more effective learning resource . p.6
- the school contributes very well to pupils' personal and social education, especially to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development p.3
Concerns
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- However, the school is aware that there are some weaknesses: it does not provide adequately for design and technology and there is insufficient ICT in Key Stages 1 and 2. p.9
- As a consequence, whilst the teachers' marking of pupils' work is almost always up-to-date, it rarely identifies particular strengths and weaknesses, although target setting is now in operation in the middle and upper school. p.9
- Reports are of variable quality and lack consistency: it would be helpful if the highlighting of subject specific strengths and weaknesses and the setting of targets could be improved. p.11
- Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is generally very good and few instances of poor behaviour were observed. p.4
- Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. `Satisfactory' means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. p.5
Next steps
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- The areas for improvement will form the basis of the school's action plan. p.4
- The school has not had a reporting inspection before. p.4
- However, Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI) have made regular registration visits to the school since it was first established. p.4
- The last such visit took place in May 1999, and at that time the school was asked to deal with several regulatory matters, ensure that accurate records of corporal punishment were kept, and improve some aspects of the accommodation. p.4
- Since then, the regulatory matters have been dealt with, and corporal punishment is no longer used. p.4
- Most of the accommodation matters have also been dealt with, although the library still needs to be developed as a teaching and learning resource. p.4
- The views expressed by parents in the questionnaires that were returned during the inspection indicated strong support for the school and overall satisfaction with its provision. p.6
- However, a significant number of parents expressed the view that the school does not provide a sufficiently wide range of extra-curricular activities, although some qualified this by saying that they felt that such provision was the responsibility of themselves as parents, or of the church to which they belong. p.6
What the report dwells on
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Progress & outcomes32
“children make good progress;” p.6
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 16
- Words of findings
- 5,573
- longer than usual (typical 1049)
- Reading level
- Hard
- Flesch 46, typical 45
- Average sentence
- 21 words
- Next steps
- 8
- typical 5
- Hedged sentences
- 8%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
CONTENTS
How the school has improved since the last inspection
p.1
CONTENTS
Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development
p.1
CONTENTS
Parents' and carers' views of the school
p.1
CONTENTS
How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils or students?
p.1
CONTENTS
How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents?
p.1
CONTENTS
What should the school do to improve further?
p.2
Basic information about the school
Name of school: Christian Fellowship School Type of school: All age Status: Independent Association membership: Christian Schools Trust Age range of pupils: 4 -16 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll (full-time pupils): 204 Number on roll (part-time pupils): 0 Number of boarders: 0 Number of pupils with a statement of special educational need: Annual fees (day pupils): £1980 (4-13), £2100 (14-16) Annual fees (boarders): Not applicable. Address of school: Overbury Street, Liverpool, L7 3HL Telephone number: 0151-709-1642 Fax number: 0151-709-6164 Headteacher: Mr Philip Williamson Proprietor: Mr Dennis Collins Chair of the governing body: Mr Geoff Maitland DfES number: 341/6040 Reporting Inspector: Dr Roy Long Date of inspection: 4-7 November 2002
p.2
The scope and purpose of the report
1. This inspection was carried out at the request of the Secretary of State for Education and Skills. The purpose of the inspection was to advise the Secretary of State about the quality of the school's provision under the Education Act 1996. The report concentrates on those aspects of the school relevant to that purpose.
p.3
Information about the school
2. Christian Fellowship School is an independent school for pupils aged from 4 to 16 in the Edge Hill district of Liverpool. It was established in 1981 under the auspices of two independent evangelical churches with the stated purpose of providing its pupils with a distinctively Christian education. It now serves a wide catchment area that includes most of Merseyside. The school is non- denominational and non-selective and its main aim is to support Christian parents in the education and upbringing of their children. Most pupils come from Christian homes, although this is not a pre- requisitite for admission. The school is multi-ethnic; at the time of the inspection there were 30 pupils from United Kingdom minority ethnic backgrounds, and 23 foreign nationals, including pupils from Georgia, Hong Kong, Nigeria, Russia and the Ukraine.
p.3
How good the school is
3. Christian Fellowship School is a calm and well-organised community which values its pupils and provides them with an education that is good overall. It is strongly led and teachers are committed to the spiritual, moral and physical welfare of its pupils. Most teaching and learning is satisfactory, but the best practice needs to be more widely disseminated. Overall standards of work and public examination results have been good. The pupils are mature, self-confident and supportive of one another. The school continues to meet the requirements for registration as an independent school.
p.3
What the school does well
• the school achieves high standards by the end of Key Stage 4 • the school contributes very well to pupils' personal and social education, especially to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development • the school promotes good attendance • the school has good relationships with parents, who support its ethos and Christian viewpoint • there is good teaching in the lower school.
p.3
What could be improved
• the management of the curriculum through the appointment of subject co-ordinators and the development of more detailed schemes of work • the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning • the range of teaching approaches used • the main school library • the range and use of assessment strategies;
p.4
What could be improved
The areas for improvement will form the basis of the school's action plan.
p.4
How the school has improved since the last inspection
4. The school has not had a reporting inspection before. However, Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI) have made regular registration visits to the school since it was first established. The last such visit took place in May 1999, and at that time the school was asked to deal with several regulatory matters, ensure that accurate records of corporal punishment were kept, and improve some aspects of the accommodation. Since then, the regulatory matters have been dealt with, and corporal punishment is no longer used. Most of the accommodation matters have also been dealt with, although the library still needs to be developed as a teaching and learning resource.
p.4
The school's results and achievements
5. Overall standards of attainment are good in each of the three sections of the school (lower, middle and upper school). The school makes use of the National Foundation for Education Research (NFER) tests, and these indicate that at the end of Key Stage 1 most pupils have above average reading ages and English comprehension scores. The situation is similar in most other year groups, although levels of attainment are lower in Year 10. The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) results achieved by pupils by the time they leave the school have been consistently well above the national average, and in 2002 87% of pupils achieved five or more A*-C grades.
p.4
Aspect Comment
Attitudes to the school Attitudes to school are very positive, and pupils clearly value what the school provides for them. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is generally very good and few instances of poor behaviour were observed. Personal development and relationships The school is particularly good at promoting good personal development and fostering positive relationships at all levels. Attendance Attendance is good. Punctuality is generally good.
p.4
Aspect Comment
6. Throughout the school pupils display very positive attitudes towards their teachers, each other, and their learning. With rare exceptions, they behave well in lessons and as they move about the school. In the playground they mix well together. The school pays particular attention to the development of pupils' social skills: they show respect for their teachers and there are particularly positive relations between older and younger pupils.
p.5
Teaching of pupils Aged 4+ Aged 8+ Aged 13+
7. Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. `Satisfactory' means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.
p.5
Teaching of pupils Aged 4+ Aged 8+ Aged 13+
8. The quality of teaching is generally satisfactory and was good or better in half the lessons seen. The number of lessons where the teaching was unsatisfactory was small. Teachers usually manage pupils well and they establish positive relationships with them. Overall, pupils respond well and behaviour is good .
p.5
Aspect Comment
The quality and range of the curriculum The school is a small, all-age school, but it nevertheless provides a broad and balanced curriculum, although provision for Design and Technology and for some aspects of Information and Communication Technology is unsatisfactory. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school provides well for children with special educational needs and monitors their progress thoroughly and efficiently. Provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development This is excellent and reflects the Christian ethos of the school. How well the school cares for its pupils The school pays careful attention to the welfare, health and safety of all its pupils, although it needs to develop more effective means of assessing their academic progress.
p.5
Aspect Comment
9. Although this is a small school which caters for a wide age range, its curriculum is broad and balanced and it provides well for all the pupils in the school. There are, however, some weaknesses in the provision for design and technology and for information and communication technology.
p.5
Aspect Comment
Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides strong leadership and is well supported by the senior management team and other members of staff, but the school needs to develop clearer and more effective ways of managing the curriculum. The school's evaluation of its performance The school has yet to develop ways of monitoring its performance in terms of value added and the comparative performance of boys and girls. The strategic use of resources Resources are satisfactory overall and good use is made of them in teaching and learning, but the main library still needs to be developed as a fundamental learning resource.
p.6
Aspect Comment
10. The school is well led and overall management is good. However, the roles of senior managers need to be more clearly defined, monitoring and assessment need to be developed, and the main library needs to be improved so that it can become a more effective learning resource .
p.6
What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
• children like the school; • children make good progress; • behaviour is good • children have the right amount of work to do at home; • teaching is good; • parents are kept well informed of how their children are getting on; • parents feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem; • the school works closely with parents; • the school is well led and managed; • the school helps pupils to become mature and responsible. • The range of activities provided by the school outside lessons;
p.6
What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
11. The views expressed by parents in the questionnaires that were returned during the inspection indicated strong support for the school and overall satisfaction with its provision. However, a significant number of parents expressed the view that the school does not provide a sufficiently wide range of extra-curricular activities, although some qualified this by saying that they felt that such provision was the responsibility of themselves as parents, or of the church to which they belong. HMI observed that the provision was satisfactory but that the school needs to improve its communication about existing provision to parents.
p.6
The school's results and achievements
12. Overall standards of attainment are good throughout the school. The GCSE results achieved by pupils at the end of their time in the school have been consistently well above the national average.
p.7
The school's results and achievements
13. The school is non-selective. The NFER tests used by the school indicate that by the end of Key Stage 1 most pupils have reading ages and English comprehension scores that are above average. A similar situation exists in all other year groups. In 2002 the GCSE results in all subjects were well above national averages and 87% of pupils achieved 5 or more A* to C grades. As the school has not developed any measures of value-added, it is not possible to judge this high level of performance in relation to pupils' prior attainment.
p.7
The school's results and achievements
14. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs and those using English as an additional language achieve satisfactory results.
p.7
The school's results and achievements
15. In the lower school, the standards achieved by pupils are good. In the Foundation Stage (reception class) pupils show good standards in personal, social and emotional development where they share, take turns and work well in groups; in communication and language, where they listen and talk well and are making progress with their writing; in numeracy, where they can count, recognise numbers and compare and sort in practical activities; in knowledge and understanding of the world where they can talk about seasonal changes; and in their physical development where they can move with confidence, control and co-ordination. In contrast to the aspects mentioned above, creative development is less well developed, but is satisfactory overall.
p.7
The school's results and achievements
16. In Years 1, 2 and 3 the standards achieved in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science are generally good. Pupils listen attentively and are able to formulate questions, although their speaking skills could be further developed. Younger pupils use a range of strategies for tackling unfamiliar words when they are reading; older pupils show good standards in reading and many can do so with accuracy and expression. Standards of writing and handwriting are satisfactory. In mathematics, pupils develop a good grasp of basic number concepts and of space and shape and learn multiplication tables. They also make good use of practical equipment to solve problems. Standards in science are satisfactory and pupils are developing appropriate knowledge, understanding and skills.
p.7
The school's results and achievements
17. Standards in the middle school are good overall. Pupils are able to use English effectively when responding in class and when comparing short pieces for oral presentation. Pupils' reading competence is generally good, but there are small groups of pupils in some classes whose accuracy and fluency need further support and development. Pupils make good progress in using increasingly sophisticated techniques in writing structures and are able to comment critically and with increased competence on a variety of texts. Grammatical construction and punctuation are secure for the majority, but spelling would benefit from a more consistent approach throughout the school.
p.7
The school's results and achievements
18. In mathematics, pupils use mental methods effectively when answering questions and most show a good recall of multiplication tables. They appreciate the relationship between two and three- dimensional shapes and successfully interpret a variety of charts and graphs. However, the use and application of mathematics to solve simple problems is less well developed. In science, pupils show a ready recall of scientific facts and their understanding of concepts is good. For example, pupils in Year 5 could identify the differences between stars and planets and in Year 6 pupils showed a good understanding of conservation issues. Investigative work and, in particular, the skills of planning and evaluating are generally under-developed.
p.7
The school's results and achievements
19. Standards of attainment in the upper school are good. At GCSE standards in all subjects are above the national averages. The school does not analyse performance by gender and so it is not possible to compare the performance of boys and girls. The standards seen in lessons generally reflected those achieved in the GCSE examinations, although standards in Year 10 were lower than those seen in Years 9 and 11.
p.8
The school's results and achievements
20. Attainment in English and English Literature at GCSE is well above the national average. Speaking and listening are particularly strong aspects. Writing of a good standard is evident across a range of styles, from analytical work on genre in literature to persuasive and discursive writing on issues of topical interest.
p.8
The school's results and achievements
21. The GCSE standards achieved in mathematics are consistently above the national averages. In the lessons observed, higher attaining pupils in Year 11 were achieving good standards. For example, they showed a good understanding of the positive and negative correlation between two variables. However, some of the pupils in Year 10 were finding work on equivalent fractions very difficult and standards were below average.
p.8
The school's results and achievements
22. The standards achieved in the GCSE science examinations are well above average. In the lessons pupils display good levels of knowledge and understanding. For example, Year 11 pupils could explain chemical reactivity in terms of the electronic structure of atoms and calculate acceleration from measurements of force and mass. Investigative skills are well developed and pupils achieve appropriate standards in their coursework tasks.
p.8
Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development
23. The school is particularly successful in promoting good attitudes and positive values in its pupils, and these contribute to their sound personal development. They are enthusiastic about their education and value what the school does for them; they treat the school building well and most of them take advantage of the range of activities that it has to offer. Pupils usually behave very well in lessons and as they move around the school, they show a high level of respect for their teachers and for each other. During the inspection it was clear that the older pupils often take the initiative in offering care and support for younger pupils, both formally and informally. The very positive atmosphere in the school is closely linked to the overtly Christian ethos which is at the heart of what it is aiming to do and which is fostered in many ways. A particularly important role is played by the school assemblies, where pupils' understanding of Christian values is developed and strengthened.
p.8
Attendance
24. The school maintains its admissions register in accordance with regulations. Attendance registers are marked at the start of the morning and afternoon sessions and clearly distinguish between authorised and unauthorised absence. Attendance at the school is good, and there are few examples of unauthorised absence. Although many pupils live at great distances from the school, punctuality is generally good at the start of the day, although there were occasional examples of lessons starting late.
p.8
How well are pupils or students taught?
25. The quality of teaching was good or better in half the lessons seen and the number of instances of unsatisfactory teaching was small. Throughout the school teachers almost always manage pupils well, insist on high standards of behaviour and establish positive relationships with their pupils. 26. The best teaching was seen in the lower school where almost all the teaching was good or better. The overall quality of teaching in the middle and upper school was very similar, with the best teaching being seen in expressive arts, business studies and ICT.
p.8
How well are pupils or students taught?
27. In the best lessons across the whole school teachers showed an infectious enthusiasm for their subject, planned their lessons well to include a balance of activities, made their learning objectives explicit, provided support for pupils which was closely matched to their needs, displayed high expectations, and challenged the pupils to think for themselves and to show initiative.
p.9
How well are pupils or students taught?
28. In a number of lessons, whilst the teaching was sound overall, the pupils were given insufficient opportunities to be actively involved in their learning. For example, whole-class question and answer sessions often took a significant proportion of the lesson time and yet some pupils did not participate at all. Generally, there is a need for teachers to develop a wider repertoire of teaching and learning strategies to ensure that pupils have opportunities to learn in different ways and a higher proportion of pupils is actively engaged in the lessons.
p.9
How well are pupils or students taught?
29. Long-term planning is generally sound and the topics to be covered each year are clearly identified. However, the quality of medium term planning, which identifies what needs to be taught in each unit of work, varies in the different sections of the school. In the lower school it is usually good, but in the middle and upper schools it needs to be improved to ensure that continuity and progression in learning are more secure and that undue repetition is eliminated. In addition, in the middle and upper schools the medium term plans need to indicate more clearly the learning objectives of each section of work. As a result, teachers should be able to focus more exactly on what the pupils need to be able to do, know and understand by the end of the section of work.
p.9
How well are pupils or students taught?
30. The lack of clarity in defining the learning objectives also hinders the on-going assessment and evaluation of pupils' progress. As a consequence, whilst the teachers' marking of pupils' work is almost always up-to-date, it rarely identifies particular strengths and weaknesses, although target setting is now in operation in the middle and upper school.
p.9
How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils or students?
31. As an independent school, Christian Fellowship School is not required to deliver the National Curriculum. However, it includes many aspects of the National Curriculum in its provision, but it interprets them accordingly to its distinctively Christian perspective. Together with other Christian schools it has participated in projects to develop Christian curriculum materials and discussion papers on a wide variety of topics.
p.9
How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils or students?
32. Each of the three sections of the school is led by a head of school. In all three parts there is a core curriculum of religious education, English, mathematics and science, which is added to in appropriate ways as pupils pass through the school. Taking into account the small size of the school, the curriculum is suitably broad and balanced: it meets the needs and aptitudes of all its pupils and provides them with a sound foundation for their further education. However, the school is aware that there are some weaknesses: it does not provide adequately for design and technology and there is insufficient ICT in Key Stages 1 and 2. The school is taking active steps to improve its provision in these subjects.
p.9
How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils or students?
33. The school has clear aims for each of the divisions of the school. In the lower school, which covers Years R to 3, the reception class follows the Foundation Stage for the National Curriculum, and in Years 1, 2 and 3 the school teaches aspects of the National Curriculum for Key Stages 1 and 2. The curriculum for these classes is designed to nurture pupils' spiritual development so that they may `know God' and it is designed to ask important questions about life from a distinctively Christian viewpoint. In the middle school (Years 4 to 8) the emphasis is on `understanding God's redemptive purposes' and the curriculum aims at broadening pupils' learning and helping them to develop ways of thinking and investigating. In the upper school (Years 9, 10 and 11) the aim is to enable pupils to be `equipped and serve' as Christians in the 21 st century. In addition to the core subjects, pupils in the upper school can choose from a range of optional courses, although the
p.9
How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils or students?
range of these may vary from year to year according to demand. GCSE Religious Education is taken by all pupils at the end of Year 10. The school has no sixth form provision.
p.10
How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils or students?
34. Provision for personal, social and health education (PSHE), including aspects of sex education and education about drugs, is sound and appropriate. Careers education is good in the upper school, particularly in Year 11, where it forms part of the post-GCSE Religious Education course. In Year 10, all pupils have one week of work experience. Positive help and guidance are given to pupils so that they can make informed choices about educational opportunities at sixth form level.
p.10
How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils or students?
35. The school is particularly good at cultivating pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The ethos of the school, which permeates all aspects of its life, is overtly Christian; this helps pupils to develop an understanding of specifically Christian values and they are helped to know the difference between right and wrong. The school has pupils from several different ethnic and cultural traditions and they are successfully encouraged to understand that their shared faith unites them in spite of these differences. The school has participated in nationwide initiatives such as Operation Christmas Child, which are designed to help less advantaged groups of children around the world.
p.10
How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils or students?
36. Because the school has pupils who come from a very wide catchment area, it is difficult to organize many activities after school. Nevertheless, there are some extra-curricular activities at lunch time, including various aspects of music, an art club and a chess club, as well as religious activities such as prayer meetings. In Years 7 and 8 pupils participate in two weeks of outdoor activities in North Wales.
p.10
How well does the school care for its pupils?
37. The headteacher has overall responsibility for promoting the welfare, health and safety of pupils at the school. This is shared with the heads of the lower, middle and upper schools. The support and welfare of the pupils in their care is of considerable importance to them and they take pride in knowing all the pupils and gaining their trust. Class teachers have responsibility for the pastoral well-being of the pupils in their care; relationships between pupils and teachers are generally good and teachers know pupils well. Pupils feel secure in a family atmosphere and have adults to whom they can turn to for advice. They feel valued as individuals and the ethos of respect for all fosters a friendly, purposeful atmosphere in which pupils can learn effectively and develop into self confident, mature young people. The parents and carers who returned the pre-inspection questionnaires endorsed this. The school has had good success with pupils who have been unhappy in their
p.10
How well does the school care for its pupils?
38. The school has three houses and pupils feel that this helps to foster the community atmosphere in the school. Pupils earn house points for good work, sporting prowess, behaviour and consideration for others; these points are counted and each term a house cup is awarded. Each house elects its own captain and vice-captain and together they form the school council, which represents the pupils in communication meetings with the senior management team. Year 11 pupils are given the opportunity to become prefects, and in this role they are expected to set an example to younger pupils. Parents value the responsibility that is given to pupils in these ways.
p.10
How well does the school care for its pupils?
39. The school has a comprehensive child protection policy and there is a named point of contact; staff have recently updated their training in this area. There are effective procedures for dealing with bullying and individual cases are handled well by individual staff when they occur. All staff have been checked in the past for their suitability, and the school has recently registered with the Criminal Records Bureau. It is still awaiting the outcome of some checks on voluntary helpers. 40. Supervision during playtimes is good for all pupils, but the procedures for dismissing pupils at the end of the day need to be reviewed in order to ensure staff supervision in the playground. Staffing levels for pupils participating in off-site sporting activities need to be consistent. For example, pupils who had to walk to the nearby swimming pool were well supervised by an appropriate number of teachers, but thirty boys going to as nearby leisure centre for football were
p.10
How well does the school care for its pupils?
41. The school takes appropriate steps to ensure the health and safety of its pupils. There are designated first-aiders on site, including a qualified nurse, and an accident book is kept up-to-date. Procedures to identify and control health and safety risks have been effectively identified. The school's health and safety officer has drawn up a risk assessment which focuses on buildings, grounds, and pedestrian and vehicular access. Some areas have been identified as needing further improvement, including the fitting of non-slip strips on the staircases, providing a central emergency switch in the technology room and a safe mechanism to operate the stage curtains. Safety procedures in science are generally good, but some hazardous chemicals need to be professionally disposed of. Fire appliances are regularly checked and fire drills are conducted regularly and logged in an appropriate way.
p.11
How well does the school care for its pupils?
42. The school has an assessment policy document, and evidence indicates that assessment procedures in the lower school are adequate and that the information is used to guide planning and teaching. However, in general, assessment procedures in the rest of the school are under- developed. Teachers test informally, but the information gained is not adequately collated to show how progress is being made by pupils from year to year. Targets are not set in terms of progress and the lack of clarification of learning objectives makes it difficult to assess what pupils have learnt. The school generally provides satisfactory individual support and advice for its pupils. Two parents' consultation evenings are held each year, and the school also reports to parents in writing twice a year. Reports are of variable quality and lack consistency: it would be helpful if the highlighting of subject specific strengths and weaknesses and the setting of targets could be improved.
p.11
How well does the school work in partnership with parents?
43. Links between the school and parents are very good. The views expressed in the pre-inspection parental questionnaires and in the meeting held with parents were overwhelmingly supportive of the school and its efforts to provide a distinctively Christian education. Parents are welcomed and valued from the early contacts established in the lower school, where volunteer support is an essential element in the provision. Parents are encouraged to actively support their children through their supervision of homework and signing or commenting as appropriate in pupils' diaries.
p.11
How well does the school work in partnership with parents?
44. The importance of continuing partnership with parents is overtly emphasized and parents' evenings are regularly organized to keep parents informed of their child's progress. The communication system with parents works very effectively.
p.11
How well does the school work in partnership with parents?
45. The volunteer work of parents in relation to the maintenance of the building, accompanying educational visits and supporting work in classrooms is highly valued and has a positive impact on pupils' learning.
p.11
How well is the school led and managed?
provides strong leadership and a clear vision for the school; this contributes significantly to the Christian ethos and the sense of community. He is supported by a management team comprising the heads of the lower, middle and upper schools, the head of curriculum and the administrator. The roles of the heads of the three schools include responsibility for such aspects as routine organization, discipline, pupil records and the pastoral care of pupils.
p.12
How well is the school led and managed?
47. Management of the school in relation to academic and curricular aspects is underdeveloped. The head of curriculum has a broad responsibility for the curriculum, but precisely what is included in this role is not clearly defined. For example, the job description refers to working with teachers with curriculum responsibility, but no subject co-ordinators are currently in post. The lack of subject co-ordinators to support and monitor provision results in individual teachers planning what will be taught in their year group without detailed schemes of work to ensure continuity and progression. The roles of the heads of schools and the head of curriculum need to be further clarified and their separate or joint responsibilities with regard to monitoring and evaluation more clearly defined. It would be timely to consider the need for subject co-ordinators and how their responsibility would form part of the curriculum management structure.
p.12
How well is the school led and managed?
48. There is no effective system to monitor the quality of teaching and learning across the school. Assessment information is limited and there are no formal structures to track curriculum continuity or pupils' progress across subjects. Staff are deployed as well as possible, but the relatively high number of very committed but part-time teachers makes it difficult to ensure consistency and continuity in provision. There is no formal appraisal system or staff development programme linked to identified curriculum priorities, but whole staff in-service training is undertaken and, where possible, individual requests are met for specific training courses.
p.12
How well is the school led and managed?
49. The governors give strong support to the school, particularly with regard to the school's Christian mission. They have responsibility for financial control, setting the budget, and deciding salary and fee levels, but expenditure is not linked to a school development plan. The school has begun development planning, but the current school development plan has not yet been completed. There is a need for strategic planning across the longer and shorter terms to identify priorities and indicate how they will be financed and evaluated.
p.12
How well is the school led and managed?
50. The school is housed in a former maintained school building, which has been refurbished to a very good standard. This provides sound accommodation and includes a useful range of specialist provision. The building is secure and management gives a high priority to health and safety issues. Resources are broadly satisfactory to meet the curriculum. For Years 1-6 library resources are de- centralised in order to provide for ease of access, and in Years 7-10 fiction libraries are class- based. Some non-fiction resources are maintained electronically and can be accessed in the ICT suite. In general, the collections of books in classrooms are satisfactory, but the main school library still needs to be developed into an up-to-date central school resource.
p.12
What should the school do to improve further?
51. In most respects the school is providing a good education for its pupils. However, in order to further improve its provision it now needs to
p.12
What should the school do to improve further?
• improve the management of the curriculum through appointing subject co-ordinators and developing more detailed schemes of work • improve the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning • extend the range of teaching approaches used • develop the main school library • improve the range and use of assessment strategies
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Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor
The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgments about lessons.
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Year Boys Girls Total Year Boys Girls Total
Rec 9 5 14 6 8 5 13 1 5 6 11 7 17 9 26 2 4 6 10 8 15 9 24 3 10 3 13 9 15 11 26 4 1 6 7 10 14 9 23 5 7 9 16 11 9 14 23
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Permanent
Black Caribbean heritage 6 Black Caribbean heritage 0 0 Black African heritage 17 Black African heritage 0 0 Black other 0 Black other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 3 Chinese 0 0 White 174 White 0 0 Other minority ethnic group 4 Other minority ethnic group 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.
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Pupil mobility in the last school year No. of pupils
Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 6
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Total % Years R-6 Years 7-11
Authorised absence 5.4 2.0 3.4 Unauthorised absence 0.1 0 0.1
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Total % Years R-6 Years 7-11
Percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.
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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4
Year Boys Girls Total Number of 15 year olds on roll in January of the latest reporting year 2002 8 7 15
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grades A*-G
Boys 100 100 100 Girls 71 100 100 Percentage of pupils achieving the standard specified Total 171 200 200 Percentage of pupils achieving the standard specified School 87 100 100
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grades A*-G
*Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year
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GCSE results GCSE point score
Average point score per pupil School 45.8
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GCSE results GCSE point score
Figures in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.
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Teachers and classes
Number of qualified teachers (FTE*) 16 Number of unqualified teachers (FTE*) 3 Number of pupils per teacher 13 Average class size
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Deployment of teachers
Percentage of time teachers spend in contact with classes 85%
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Average teaching group size
Key Stage 1 11 Key Stage 2 12 Key Stage 3 25 Key Stage 4 23 Post-16 N/A
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Teaching assistants
Total number of teaching assistants 9 Total aggregate hours worked per week 125
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Questionnaire return rate
Number of questionnaires sent out 204 Number returned 128
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know
My child likes school. 89 30 8 0 1 My child is making good progress in school. 90 33 1 0 4
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know
Behaviour in the school is good. 104 23 1 0 0 My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 79 46 3 0 0
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know
The teaching is good. 105 18 2 0 3 I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 76 45 3 0 4
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know
I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 105 19 3 1 0
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know
The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 111 15 1 0 1
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know
The school works closely with parents. 91 34 1 1 1 The school is well led and managed. 97 23 3 0 5 The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 102 21 3 0 0
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know
The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 29 44 20 14 21
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Issues that concerned parents
There were no major issues that concerned parents, although 27% indicated that they felt that the school did not provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons. Some, however, qualified this by saying that they did not feel that this was the school's role, but was that of the family or church.
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Issues that concerned parents
commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Inspection reports are available on the Ofsted web site (www.ofsted.gov.uk).
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