Skip to content

Help us get it right

Sign in (free) to send feedback, so we can tell you when it's fixed.

Other · Ofsted report

Hazlemere Church of England Combined School

Inspected — · published 22 Jun 2000 · URN 110462

Help us get it right

Sign in (free) to send feedback, so we can tell you when it's fixed.

Original PDF ↗

Summary

No overall grade in this framework

County Hall (lead), Colliton Park

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

  • Inspectorssingle source

    Colliton Park, County Hall

  • URN verified

    110462

Page 1 of 22
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

Join free to get a short, plain-English summary of any report.

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+38Positivemore positive than 43% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praisemake good progressgood progressstrongimprovedvery wellpositivevery effectiveeffective
Criticismnot sufficientlypoorinsufficientbelowlackweaknessesweaknesslimited

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improve positive critical
  • Findings3292w+44
  • What needs to improve2529w+29

Strengths

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Concerns

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Next steps

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
22
Words of findings
5,747
longer than usual (typical 1049)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 48, typical 45
Average sentence
16 words
Next steps
8
typical 5
Hedged sentences
6%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 53%What needs to improve 41%About the inspection 6%

Full report text

HAZLEMERE CofE COMBINED SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

p.1

HAZLEMERE CofE COMBINED SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and junior school

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Hazlemere CofE Combined School Amersham Road Hazlemere High Wycombe Buckinghamshire

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Jack Marsh

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 16 January 1995 Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 4

p.3

Team members

Robert Cory Registered inspector Angela Smith Lay inspector Natalie Moss Team inspector

p.4

Team members

School Effectiveness Service Dorset County Council County Hall Colliton Park Dorchester Dorset DT1 1XJ

p.4

Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

p.4

Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

p.4

Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 5

p.4

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6 - 10

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Hazlemere Church of England Combined School is a voluntary aided school, maintained by Buckinghamshire Local Education Authority, serving High Wycombe. The school is of average size and has 261 pupils between the ages of three and eleven, of whom 50 are part-time pupils in the nursery unit. The school has similar numbers of boys and girls. The school has 20 pupils from ethnic minorities and four who have English as an additional language, but who are fluent in English. The children come from varied social backgrounds and less than 2 per cent of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is well below the national average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs, which are mainly for speech or hearing impairment or moderate learning difficulties, is well below the national average. The school has nine full-time teachers including the headteacher. There have been considerable changes to the teaching force recently. Five of the teachers are

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

recent appointments made in the last two years, three of these are new to teaching this year and one is a temporary replacement for a teacher on maternity leave. The school’s aims are based on providing a Christian ethos, a broad and balanced curriculum, equal opportunities, high expectations, respect for oneself and others and development of the whole child, physically, intellectually, socially and spiritually.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school provides a sound education. Attainment on entry is above average. By the age of eleven pupils’ current standards are above the national average in English, mathematics and science. The teaching is sound. The school’s management is good and financial management is very good. The school has made good improvements since the last inspection. It provides sound value for money.

p.6

What the school does well

• Most aspects of management are good and financial management is very good. • The pupils’ moral and social development are very good. • The pupils’ personal development and relationships are very good. • The provision for the expressive arts is very good. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good.

p.6

What could be improved

• Standards in information technology are below expected levels. • Some teaching does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to make good progress and reach their full potential. • There are insufficient opportunities for extended and creative writing. • The provision for multicultural education is unsatisfactory. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good improvements since the last inspection in 1995. Since then the school has:

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

• improved the standards in mathematics and science at Key Stage 1; • improved the teaching at Key Stage 1 and with under-fives; • improved the professional development opportunities for staff; • rationalised management tasks; • refined planning strategies and improved the monitoring of the curriculum; Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 7 • used assessment well to monitor progress; • provided details of costs in the school development plan; • implemented strategies for monitoring teaching and learning.

p.6

STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by eleven year olds based on average point scores 1 in National Curriculum tests.

p.7

STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

p.7

STANDARDS

English A B A* A well above average above average A B mathematics A A A A average below average C D science A A A* A well below average E

p.7

STANDARDS

In the 1999 national assessments the standards of eleven year olds were very high in English, well above the national average in mathematics and science, and well above those of similar schools. Over the previous three years standards in all three subjects have been maintained at high levels and standards further improved in English in 1999. Current standards observed during the inspection in these three subjects are not as high, but are above the national average and standards of literacy and numeracy are above average. There are no significant differences between the attainments of boys and girls. The school’s targets for 1999 in English and mathematics were comfortably exceeded, but the targets for 2000, based on the cohort’s earlier attainment, were not raised and are not sufficiently demanding. In the other subjects standards are at the level expected for the age of the pupils, except for information technology, where standards are below the expected

p.7

STANDARDS

level. Baseline assessments and teachers’ records show that on entry to the school, standards are above average. By the age of five the children attain, and many exceed, the desirable learning outcomes. In the 1999 national assessments of seven year olds, the standards were above average in reading, well above average in writing and average in mathematics. These standards were below those of similar schools in reading and mathematics but above in writing. The results for 1999 show an improvement over those for the previous three years in all three subjects. The current standards of seven year olds in these subjects show a further improvement overall and are above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils’ achievements in English, mathematics and science are broadly average. Most pupils, including those with English as an additional language, make satisfactory progress over time and pupils with special educational needs make good progress. However, in

p.7

STANDARDS

several lessons the pupils were not adequately challenged by the work, and there is room for further improvement by providing more challenge, achieving good progress and attaining the high standards attained previously.

p.7

STANDARDS

1 Average point scores calculates the average taking into account the number of pupils achieving above and below the expected level (level 4), and is not based solely on the percentage of pupils achieving level 4. Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 8

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils show interest in their work and have positive attitudes.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Nearly all pupils behave well.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils’ personal development is a high priority of the school and they develop responsible attitudes.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Pupils’ attitudes are good. They show interest in their work and respond well to questions. Most pupils are well behaved and apply themselves well to their tasks. No aggressive behaviour was observed and there has been only one recent short-term exclusion. Pupils’ personal development is very good. They show considerable respect for the feelings and values of others. Relationships are very good. The pupils co-operate well and are keen to help each other.

p.8

Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Lessons seen overall Satisfactory Satisfactory Satisfactory

p.8

Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Overall the teaching is satisfactory. During the inspection it was at least satisfactory in 93 per cent of the lessons seen. The teaching was good or very good in 37 per cent of the lessons, although in only 4 per cent of the lessons was the teaching very good. Unsatisfactory teaching occurred in 7 per cent of the lessons, and was the result of inappropriate activities and poor class management, resulting in unsatisfactory progress. A similar pattern of teaching occurred at each key stage. The teaching of mathematics is good and the teaching of English is satisfactory. Generally the teaching, particularly of literacy and numeracy, is effective. The pupils’ learning is generally sound and is particularly strong in gains in knowledge and understanding. The pupils apply the skills they acquire well and generally make at least satisfactory progress in lessons. More challenging teaching leading to good progress was a feature of the better lessons. However, in several

p.8

Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

lessons, including English lessons with Year 2 and Year 3 and a mathematics lesson with Year 6, although the pupils made sound progress, the activities were not sufficiently challenging and as a consequence sufficient learning opportunities for pupils to make good progress were not provided. The teaching meets the needs of different groups of pupils satisfactorily. The more able and talented pupils and those with English as an additional language make sound progress. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good support and as a result make good progress. Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 9

p.8

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum is broad and balanced. It meets requirements. The provision for creative and expressive arts, partly through the good range of after-school activities, is very good. The provision for the youngest pupils in the nursery is good. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Satisfactory.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. The provision for moral and social development is very good. The provision for spiritual development is good and for cultural development is satisfactory. Some aspects of cultural development, relating to the expressive arts, are very good, but there is a lack of multicultural development. How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The school takes good care of the pupils and provides a safe learning environment. There is an absence of oppressive behaviour.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The curriculum provides a good range of learning opportunities. Pupils have equality of opportunity and access to all activities. Good strategies are in place for teaching numeracy and the strategies for teaching literacy are sound. There is a good range of after-school activities, particularly for creative and expressive arts, for which the provision is very good. The provision for personal development is good, particularly the emphasis placed on strong moral and social development. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The school provides a supportive environment in which pupils are cared for well. Care is taken to ensure the pupils’ welfare and safety and appropriate arrangements are made for child protection. Nearly all of the parents feel that the school works well in partnership with them.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The school is given a clear direction to its work which reflects its aims and values well, particularly its strong Christian ethos.

p.9

Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governors know the school very well and are fully involved in shaping the direction of the school. The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The monitoring and evaluation of the work of the school are good. The school has good priorities for development, which have been carried out well, although more could be done to maintain the highest standards and promote good teaching. The strategic use of resources Very good. The school’s priorities are supported well by very good financial planning and by the very good use of new technology. Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 10 The leadership and management provided by the headteacher and governors are good. The governors fulfil their responsibilities well. The school has a clear direction to its work, which reflects its aims and particularly its strong Christian ethos. The school evaluates its performance well. The monitoring and evaluation of the work of the school by the

p.9

Aspect Comment

headteacher are good, although there are insufficient opportunities for monitoring by subject leaders. The school has identified good priorities for development, which have been carried out well, and have resulted most notably in improvements in teaching and attainment at Key Stage 1. Nevertheless, current developments could do more to promote the highest standards and good teaching of the oldest pupils. The strategic use of resources is very good. Financial planning is very good and supports the school’s priorities very well. Care is taken to obtain the best value and specific grants are used very well. .

p.10

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like coming to school. • They are able to approach the school with problems. • The school works closely with parents. • The school helps children to become mature and responsible. • The teachers, including the headteacher, are accessible and friendly. • The amount of work children do at home. • The range of activities outside lessons. • More opportunities for good progress in lessons. • A few parents felt that the headteacher was difficult to approach.

p.10

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors examined the parents’ concerns very closely. They endorse the parents’ positive comments. The inspectors found that the amount of work children do at home is satisfactory. The range of activities outside lessons is good, particularly in the expressive arts. They supported the view of the majority that the headteacher is very approachable. However, the inspectors found that there could be more opportunities in lessons to make good progress. Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 11

p.10

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Most aspects of management are good and financial management is very good.

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. The school is well managed. The headteacher, assisted by the governing body, gives a clear educational direction to the school. This is demonstrated by the good response of the school to the issues from the last inspection, and particularly by the successful work to raise standards and improve teaching at Key Stage 1. The school has clear aims that reflect its values and particularly its Christian ethos. There is good delegation of duties to members of staff, although the school has had to cope with considerable changes in the teaching force and some aspects of subject leadership, particularly monitoring and support of work and teaching, are yet to be developed. There is very good use of new technology by the headteacher, particularly for the analysis of attainment data and monitoring pupils’ progress, which is used effectively to indicate areas for further improvement. The governing body is very effective and it fulfils its responsibilities

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

well. It is fully involved in shaping the direction of the school and in monitoring its strengths and weaknesses, shown particularly by the governors’ clear understanding of the issues raised by the last inspection.

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. There is good monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance and effective action is taken to address areas of weakness. The results of the monitoring and evaluation are considered carefully and effective action taken, although more could be done to ensure that good progress is made, particularly by the oldest pupils and that high standards are maintained. There is a good programme for monitoring and appraising teaching by the headteacher. As a result good support is provided for teachers, particularly those new to teaching. However, the subject leaders do not currently monitor standards of teaching. Good priorities are identified for school developments, which are successfully implemented and have previously shown success in improving standards of teaching and learning at Key Stage 1. Good use is made of baseline assessments and attainment results to review performance. Developments in the teaching of information technology are underway but

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Educational priorities are supported by very good, careful financial planning, which has resulted in the avoidance of large class sizes and good support for educational developments. Very effective use is made of new technology in management and particularly in the efficient financial administration. Care is taken to ensure that finance is focused well onto priorities, and for example in the last financial year the surplus was directed to improving classroom support and resources, particularly for information technology. Specific grants are used well for their designated purposes. The school takes care to effectively apply the principles of best value. It ensures that standards and costs compare well with those of other schools, that those with responsibilities are challenged to justify the use of resources, that there is competition in the purchasing of resources and services, and that there is consultation before major spending decisions are taken.

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils’ moral and social development are very good.

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. The provision for the pupils’ moral and social development is very good. The school helps pupils to develop responsible attitudes and independence. There is a strong sense of belonging in the school. Pupils are encouraged to become morally responsible members of the school community, following clearly accepted rules and learning to think about the moral consequences of their actions. Assemblies, in particular, help to promote this aspect of pupils’ development. The pupils learn that they have a responsibility to encourage Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 12 happiness in others and they show good care, encouragement and friendship towards each other and respect and thought towards their teachers.

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. Older pupils respond well to the challenges of responsibility, such as being class monitors. They take their roles seriously and are good role models for the rest of the school. Assemblies are used well to promote friendship and consideration for others. Pupils appreciate the achievements of others, applauding when others are praised for doing something well. Pupils are aware of their role in the local community. They participate in many events, such as local arts’ festivals, and they entertain elderly people with their music.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils’ personal development and relationships are very good.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. Relationships are very good. The pupils are open and friendly. They show considerable respect for the feelings and values of others and they are helpful and courteous to each other, staff and visitors. In lessons pupils demonstrate a willingness to co-operate with the teacher and each other. They willingly undertake duties such as acting as book monitors and helping their teacher with those tasks that enable the day-to-day smooth running of their class. The positive relationships formed between pupils and with the teachers are a key factor in the good examples of collaborative work seen in both lessons and extra-curricular activities, and they encourage pupils to develop mature and responsible attitudes.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. The pupils’ participation in extra-curricular activities makes a good contribution to their personal development and many pupils join in with musical productions, sporting events such as the local table tennis league, and fund-raising activities. Many pupils take the opportunity provided by the school to become involved in making suggestions and decisions through an active interest in the school council (Your Voice). They are keen to show initiative and take responsibility. They also work collaboratively with their teachers and other staff around the school, for example, by discussing how they might best raise funds for charity.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The provision for the expressive arts is very good.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. The school works very hard to give the pupils many good opportunities to participate in one or more branches of the expressive arts. Music is strong in the school, as seen in the admirable school band, which plays in assemblies, in the school choir and in the musical elements of drama, such as a production of ‘Starlight Express’, which was being rehearsed during the inspection. Drama is well developed, both through dance, such as ‘Dragon Valley’, which was being rehearsed as part of High Wycombe schools’ ‘Energise 2000’ project, and through the various Christmas plays and concerts produced by the school. There has been an effective drama workshop project, whose members worked with the producer of ‘The Railway Children’.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. All the pupils have the opportunity to participate in any of these activities, as well as entering local festivals of speech and drama, and performing in the choir at local churches. The school provides active encouragement and support to pupils who appear in public ballet, theatre or television productions. The school benefits from its association with the local secondary school, which has lately received Arts College status. The pupils gain a great deal from these wide opportunities, which promote and develop their talents, and improve their speech and presentation and their personal and cultural development. Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 13 The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10. The curriculum makes good provision for the needs of all pupils in the school, taking into account their age, gender and level of attainment. In particular there is well-planned and appropriate support for pupils identified as having special educational needs, which meets the requirements of the code of practice for special educational needs pupils. The support is well matched to their learning objectives, which are set out in their individual education plans and which are frequently reviewed. Pupils with special educational needs are fully integrated into lessons and they have access to the full curriculum.

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

11. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good. Lesson plans provide well-adapted tasks for these pupils. Teachers make an effort to work closely with the pupils to ensure that they understand and can complete similar tasks to their classmates. Specialist teaching of groups of pupils with special educational needs is good. It is based on carefully thought out and staged approaches and pupils are sympathetically and sensitively encouraged to develop knowledge of phonics and the skills of word building. As a consequence these pupils learn well, particularly in English and make good progress. Groups are carefully planned to make sure they do not miss important parts of the curriculum.

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

12. The co-ordinator for special educational needs devotes considerable time to informal discussions with parents and to establishing good, co-operative relationships between teachers and parents. Much is done to ensure that parents are able to add their knowledge of their children to the assessment process. The school draws appropriately on support from the local education authority and other external agencies.

p.13

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Standards in information technology are below expected levels.

p.13

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

13. The standards attained by the oldest pupils at Key Stage 2 in information technology are below those expected for their age, although they attain the expected standards in some aspects of this subject. Pupils in Year 6, for example, used a computer program to apply and reinforce arithmetic skills, showing confidence in their computer skills. Following a discussion, pupils in Year 6 could download their work from a computer. They used good word-processing skills, confidently inputting and copying text, importing graphics, and changing the work according to its purpose. They spoke with real enthusiasm about previous information technology lessons. However, they had covered a limited amount of work and the standard of their work in other aspects of information technology, notably handling information, control and modelling, is below the expected level for their age. Few examples of the use of information technology in other subjects were seen during

p.13

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

the inspection. The scrutiny of work and discussions with the subject leader indicate that pupils are only reaching the expected standards for their age in the communication aspects of information technology, and, overall, are below the expected standards for their age.

p.13

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

14. Similarly at Key Stage 1, the pupils only reach the expected standards in some aspects of the subject. Pupils in Year 2, for example, used word-processing skills to prepare a program for a school assembly later in the week, and used the computers in the new computer room confidently. They could save their writing, import pictures, and change the style to suit their purpose. Other pupils in Year 2, working with a student teacher, successfully used a drawing program with different colour effects, successfully applying skills learned earlier. However, pupils’ standards in other aspects of information technology, are below expected levels and the standards of the seven year olds, overall, are below expected levels. Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 14 15. Pupils’ achievements were sound in the lessons seen and they made satisfactory progress. However, because of a lack of previous learning opportunities, they have made

p.13

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

unsatisfactory progress over time at both key stages. Their lack of opportunities has resulted in attainments that are lower than they should be.

p.14

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

16. The teaching is sound and encourages the pupils to learn and apply their skills. The pupils complete their tasks and the lessons have a sound pace. They acquire new information technology skills and are keen to apply these. At both key stages the teaching of information technology is sound. Generally, the teachers explain the work well to the whole class and then generally organise work to be completed later, using the computers in the computer room and the available classroom assistance well. However, other computers in the school were rarely used during the inspection, indicating a lack of expertise in using information technology. The pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language receive good support, and make satisfactory progress in lessons, for example using the computers to extend their mental arithmetic well. The pupils behave well. They are keen and show very positive attitudes towards using information technology.

p.14

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

They work well on their own and in pairs, and are keen to help each other. Information technology is the subject of ongoing significant school development. The planned curriculum meets requirements although some aspects are currently covered at a low level. The number of computers available has been increased as part of this development, and a specialist room provided, although the room is small for a whole class.

p.14

Some teaching does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to make good

progress and reach their full potential.

p.14

Some teaching does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to make good

17. Whilst the teaching was satisfactory in 93 per cent of the lessons observed and was unsatisfactory in 7 per cent of the lessons, the teaching was good or very good in only 37 per cent of the lessons. In several lessons the learning opportunities provided were not sufficiently demanding for the pupils to make good progress and reach their full potential. For example, in an unsatisfactory mathematics lesson with Year 1, the teacher-led activities involved pupils in counting to 10, to which they responded well, but there were no opportunities provided for the pupils to build on and consolidate these skills, reflecting poor planning. The pupils made unsatisfactory progress as a result. In an unsatisfactory music lesson with Year 6, the pupils listened passively to music by Wagner, linked to a modern play, but the activity was not demanding and the pupils soon lost interest. This again resulted from unsatisfactory planning, leading to inappropriate activities and as a

p.14

Some teaching does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to make good

consequence there was unsatisfactory progress in the lesson.

p.14

Some teaching does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to make good

18. In several other lessons whilst the teaching was satisfactory overall, and pupils made satisfactory progress, the nature of the learning activities were not always sufficiently challenging to enable good progress to be made. For example, in a mathematics lesson with Year 6, on the multiplication of decimals, whilst most pupils were working at levels above those expected for their age, the work was not sufficiently challenging to enable the most able to make good progress and attain the highest levels. In an English lesson on poetry with Year 3, although the work covered the technical aspects well, it was limited in its scope and lacked wider challenge, particularly for the most able for whom the pace was not sufficiently demanding. In another English lesson with Years 1 and 2, whilst most pupils were working at a level above that expected for their age, too long was spent on group activities with little opportunity for initiative. The pupils made sound progress but

p.14

Some teaching does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to make good

opportunities for the pupils to make good progress were missed.

p.14

Some teaching does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to make good

19. In these lessons a common problem was that insufficient thought was given at the planning stage to ensure that challenging activities were provided for all pupils, particularly the most able, whilst a further problem was that the pace of the lessons was not sufficiently demanding. Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 15 There are insufficient opportunities for extended and creative writing.

p.14

Some teaching does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to make good

20. The quality of writing is not as high as standards in other aspects of English and literacy. Writing skills are taught across the school, but the techniques of writing in a sustained and extended manner are not fully developed. Too much writing is done in short bursts in literacy lessons and some is not completed and does not stretch pupils to their full potential. For instance, pupils in Year 6 produced story plans, rather than writing the full stories. The few extended pieces of writing the pupils complete are graded and kept in their portfolios, but they are insufficient to provide the regular practice needed to develop the writing skills involved.

p.15

Some teaching does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to make good

21. The range of styles, genres and tasks covered in written activities is good, satisfying all the target areas of the National Literacy Strategy, which has been firmly implemented throughout the school. However, although the shared work in the literacy hour is well paced and usually absorbing, pace is sometimes allowed to slip during group work, which is when the individual writing is done. In these sessions, some pupils lose the sense of urgency and do not make the high levels of effort needed to produce good extended and creative writing.

p.15

Some teaching does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to make good

The provision for multicultural education is not satisfactory.

p.15

Some teaching does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to make good

22. The school does not provide pupils with a sufficiently broad range of opportunities for developing multicultural understanding and knowledge, and preparing pupils to work in a multicultural society. Cultural development within the school in other respects is good. Pupils are given good opportunities to extend their knowledge of European culture and of art and music. They are also provided with very good opportunities for expressive arts and with visits to local places of interest, which have a positive effect on their learning. However, the school does not work sufficiently to develop an understanding of the differences and similarities that distinguish different cultures and beliefs. Pupils are not given a sufficient range of experience of other cultures, which they need to prepare them for life in a multicultural society. They are not made sufficiently aware of the diversity and richness of other cultures, which surround them in Britain today.

p.15

In order to improve further the good standards being achieved in many areas of the

school, the governors, headteacher and staff should :

p.16

Improve standards in information technology; by:

• ensuring that all aspects of the subject are covered at an appropriate level for the age of the pupils; • providing more training for teachers.

p.16

their full potential; by:

• improving the planning of lessons; • providing a better range of more challenging learning activities; • improving teachers’ expectations; • ensuring that the lessons have a good pace.

p.16

Improve the quality of the pupils’ extended and creative writing; by:

• providing more opportunities for extended and creative writing both in English lessons and across the curriculum; • ensuring that a sufficient quantity of work is completed.

p.16

multicultural education; by:

• Providing more opportunities to gain experience of other cultures throughout the curriculum, by a greater use of visitors, providing more resources and by providing more learning opportunities.

p.16

multicultural education; by:

(Paragraph 22) Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 17

p.16

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 13

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

0 4 33 56 7 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y 6

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 25 211

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 4 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Special educational needs Nursery YR– Y6

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 3

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 3 36

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 4

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 7

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1 Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 18 Attendance

p.17

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.18

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 19 12 31

p.18

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.18

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 18 17 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 10 10 10

p.18

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 90 (84) 87 (84) 90 (81) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 ( 81) 87 (84)

p.18

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.18

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 17 18 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 10 10 10

p.18

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 87 (84) 90 (91) 90 (81) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

p.18

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.18

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year Year Boys Girls Total Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 19 1999 15 17 32

p.18

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.19

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 14 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 16 15 17

p.19

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 94 (79) 91 (85) 97 (85) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

p.19

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.19

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 15 14 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 17 16 17

p.19

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 100 (94) 94 (91) 100 (91) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.19

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.19

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – Caribbean heritage 5 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.19

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.19

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Any other minority ethnic group 7 Other minority ethnic groups 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.

p.19

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers and classes Financial information

p.19

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Qualified teachers and classes: YR– Y6 Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 20 Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.0 Financial year 1998-99

p.19

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 392057

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 6 Expenditure per pupil 1648

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 112 Balance brought forward from previous year

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Balance carried forward to next year 22680

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1.0

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 1.0

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per FTE adult 12 FTE means full-time equivalent. Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 21 Results of the survey of parents and carers

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of responses in each category

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

My child is making good progress in school. 43 45 8 4 1

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Behaviour in the school is good. 30 56 4 6 3

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 20 50 17 4 10

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 41 46 10 3 0

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 68 29 0 2 1

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 61 31 4 1 3

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school works closely with parents. 58 37 4 2 0

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school is well led and managed. 56 34 4 2 4

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 49 42 4 1 4

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 20 33 16 7 24

p.21

Other issues raised by parents

At the parents’ meeting and in the letters received, the following points were made.

p.21

What pleases parents:

• Children like coming to school. • They can approach school with problems. • School works closely with parents. • School helps children to become mature and responsible. • The teachers including the headteacher are accessible and friendly.

p.21

What parents would like to see improved:

Hazlemere CofE Combined School - 22 • The range of activities outside lessons. • More opportunities for good progress in lessons. • A few parents felt that the headteacher was difficult to approach. • The amount of work children do at home.

p.22

Discuss this inspection

Members compare notes on inspectors and inspections here. Join free to read and post.

Join the discussion