Cottenham Primary School

COTTENHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 6 th to 10 th March 2000

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COTTENHAM PRIMARY 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.

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COTTENHAM PRIMARY 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.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Lambs Lane Cottenham Cambridge Postcode: CB4 8TA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Gareth Hayward

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 27 th February to 3 rd March 1995 Cottenham Primary School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr J D Eadie Registered inspector Information technology What sort of school it is. What the school should do to improve further. The school’s results and pupils’ achievements. How well pupils are taught. Mr A Anderson Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal developments. How well the school cares for its’ pupils. How well the school works in partnership with parents. Mrs M Farman Team Inspector Religious education Music Under fives Mrs F Forrester Team Inspector Geography History Special educational needs English as an additional language Mrs J O’Hare Team Inspector English Equal opportunities How good the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils are. Mrs V Hobson Team Inspector Mathematics Physical education How well the school is led and managed. Mr M Wehrmeyer Team inspector Science Art Design and technology

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Higherland Bridge 49 West Street Gargrave Skipton North Yorkshire BD23 3RJ

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Cottenham Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

The school’s results and achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is in the large village of Cottenham, some six miles north of the city of Cambridge. It serves the village, though a number of pupils come in from surrounding villages. There are 34 pupils on roll from a nearby traveller settlement. Although the percentage of pupils who take free school meals - five per cent - is well below the national average, and unemployment in the area is low, a number of homes in the village are of low income families and a wide range of backgrounds are represented in the school. There are 488 pupils in the school, of whom 38 are under the age of five in the reception classes. Almost all pupils are of white ethnic origin, only six being non white. There are four pupils for whom English is an additional language, a proportion that is low in comparison with most schools. There are 102 pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs, which is in line with the national average proportion.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Of these, 13 have statements of special needs, which is above the national average. There is a wide range of attainment on entry to the school, but overall it is generally average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Cottenham Primary School is a very good school, which provides a wide range of opportunities for its pupils. Standards achieved by the time the pupils leave are generally above average and pupils of all levels of ability make good progress through the school. This is largely due to the quality of teaching that they are enjoying, which is good overall, and a high proportion is very good or excellent. Leadership is strong, and staff and governors have a shared commitment to raising standards. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The quality of teaching is good overall and there is a high proportion of teaching that is very good or better. • The school is very well led by the headteacher and those with management responsibilities. The governors provide good support, and there is a strong sense of teamwork, which leads to a shared commitment to continuing to raise standards. • The provision for the pupils with special educational needs is excellent. Gifted pupils and travellers are also very well supported. • There are very good relationships at all levels, and these help to create the very good ethos that exists. • Very good provision is made for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils. • Curriculum planning and assessment are very thorough and help to ensure that the pupils make good progress. Good provision is also made for the children who are under five. • The school has excellent links with the local village college, and works hard to create a very

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What the school does well

good partnership with parents. • Care is a priority, and the pupils are very well cared for. The school is a safe and welcoming environment for them. • There is an excellent range of extra curricular activities, and these activities are well supported.

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What could be improved

• Standards in information technology. • Target setting, which does not always involve the pupils sufficiently. • There are not enough books in the library. • The consistency of presentation, spelling and grammar at Key Stage 2. • The consistency of use of the current marking policy. • Team building for non teaching staff. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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What could be improved

Many of the above areas have been identified by the school and action is already planned. Cottenham Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in March 1995, and has made very good progress since then. All the key issues from that inspection have been addressed very effectively. In addition, the headteacher, senior management and governors have analysed the report very carefully and have taken action on almost all the minor details that were in that report. Standards have continued to rise at both key stages, and there is a strong commitment to raising standards.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

1997 1998 1999 1999 English C A B B well above average above average A B Mathematics C A B B average below average C D Science A A B B well below average E

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Key

The groups of pupils taking the tests at both 11 and 7 years old in 1999 contained a significantly higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs than the average, either for the school or nationally. This will have depressed the school’s results. The trend in the improvement in the school’s results in the national tests at age 11 in recent years has kept pace with the improvement in national trends. There are now figures which enable comparisons to be made between the performance of the pupils who took these tests in 1999 with their performance in the tests for seven year olds in 1995. These statistics show that these pupils have generally made good progress in that time. The proportion of pupils attaining the higher levels in the tests for 11 year olds in 1999 was above average in all three subjects. The standards achieved by seven year olds in 1999 are above the national average in reading and in line with the

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Key

average in writing and mathematics. The school has set challenging targets for continuing to raise these standards at both key stages. Evidence from the inspection indicates that standards are continuing to rise in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, and good work was seen in religious education, art and music. Although standards in information technology have risen significantly since the last inspection, and the recent setting up of a suite containing 12 new computers will enable even faster progress, standards are not yet in line with national expectations in this subject. The school achieves good results bearing in mind the potential attainment of the pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school The pupils have very good attitudes to their school and generally also to their work. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is good in and around the school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships are very good at all levels. The pupils’ personal development is very good and is a priority for the school. Attendance Attendance is good.

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Aspect Comment

These aspects are a significant strength of the school. Cottenham Primary School - 8

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

Lessons seen overall Good Good Good 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.

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

Of the lessons observed, 84 per cent were good or better. Twenty seven per cent of lessons were very good, and a further five per cent were excellent. The remaining small proportion of lessons was satisfactory. Teaching of English and mathematics is good throughout the school and the skills of literacy and numeracy are also well taught in other subjects. The teachers have high expectations of their pupils at all levels of potential attainment, and plan very well to cater for the needs of all pupils in their classes. This consistently good quality of teaching ensures that the pupils are learning well.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum and makes very good use of the local and wider environment to provide further learning opportunities. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Excellent provision is made for those pupils with special educational needs. Their needs are identified early, are very well planned for and they receive very good support. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The small proportion of pupils for whom English is an additional language are enabled to take part in all aspects of the curriculum due to the levels of care and support that they receive. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good provision is made for the personal development of the pupils. They are encouraged to become caring, responsible citizens, and the very good role models of adults in the school helps to foster

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Aspect Comment

this development. Very good provision is also made for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares very effectively for its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The school works hard to create good relationships with parents. There is a very wide range of opportunities for pupils, both within the curriculum and in other ways, such as extra curricular activities, visits, visitors into school and residential trips.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides very strong leadership, and he is very well supported by those with management responsibilities within school. There is a shared commitment to high standards by all in the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are knowledgeable, well informed, and share the commitment to raising standards. The school’s evaluation of its performance The school is very good at analysing its strengths and weaknesses and then producing action plans to address these weaknesses. The strategic use of resources All resources, financial, human and physical, are used well.

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Aspect Comment

There is an adequate number of suitably qualified staff with a good range of experience. The pupils benefit from good accommodation and there are at least sufficient resources for all subjects. The very good leadership has created the current vibrant establishment and is well placed to take the school Cottenham Primary School - 9 forward on many fronts. The monies available are spent wisely, and the principles of best value are applied.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• That the school is well led and managed. • That their children like school. • That their children are making good progress. • That the teaching is good. • That the school has high expectations of their children. • That behaviour in the school is good and their children are becoming mature and responsible. • Information about how their children are getting on. • Levels of homework. • The school working closely with parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors endorse all positive parental comments and are impressed with the efforts that the school makes to keep parents informed and to welcome them into the life of the school. The judgement of the inspection is that parents receive good information about the progress that their children make and that levels of homework are satisfactory. Cottenham Primary School - 10

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The school’s results and achievements

1 The results in the 1999 National Curriculum tests for eleven year olds showed that performance, based on average points scored, was above the national average in English, mathematics and science. The proportion of higher levels gained was also greater than average in all three subjects. These results will have been depressed by the fact that the particular group of pupils taking the tests in 1999 contained a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. There were 26 per cent of this year group on the school’s register of special educational needs, compared to the school average of 16 per cent, and the national average of 21 per cent. The school has, therefore, done well to get such good results for these pupils. The trend in the school’s results in recent years, taking the three subjects together, has been keeping pace with the rising trend in national results. Comparing the results of the pupils who took the tests at age 11 in 1999 with their results in the tests

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The school’s results and achievements

for seven year olds in 1995, it can be seen that in general they have performed rather better than expected.

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The school’s results and achievements

2 The school’s results in the 1999 national tests were above average in English, mathematics and science when compared with those of ‘similar schools’. The school has set challenging targets at both key stages to continue to raise standards in the future.

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The school’s results and achievements

3 In the National Curriculum tests in 1999, the attainment of pupils by the age of seven, based on average points scored, was above the national average in reading, and in line with the average in writing and mathematics. As at Key Stage 2, the results will have been depressed by an even higher proportion of pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs in that particular year group - 44 per cent. The proportion of pupils gaining the higher levels in the tests was above the average in reading and close to the proportion found in most schools in writing and mathematics. Standards in reading have declined in recent years, but have always been significantly above the national average. Following a significant decline in standards between 1996 and 1997, standards in writing have improved over the last three years, and in mathematics standards have kept pace with the national trend.

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The school’s results and achievements

4 Compared with the levels gained in similar schools in 1999, the average levels scored by pupils in the tests at age seven are in line with the average in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The school’s results and achievements

5 The teachers’ assessments for the pupils aged seven in 1999 were fairly accurate. The teachers’ assessments for science at this age put the pupils’ performance below average in national terms.

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The school’s results and achievements

6 The baseline assessment tests carried out by the school show that the pupils entering the school in the reception class have average ability overall. The children’s attainment is above average by the age of five, when they begin to study the subjects of the National Curriculum. Attainment is above average in all areas of learning for children under five in the foundation stage and they make good progress overall.

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The school’s results and achievements

7 The children under five in the reception classes are taught the value of listening carefully, and they listen to stories well and respond clearly when asked questions. Most speak confidently, usually answering questions with a sentence, and using correct language structure. Most of the children form letters correctly and write their own names. In mathematics, most count confidently to 20 and above, and recognise, for example, the number before or after seven. The personal and social development of the children under five is good, as they relate well to each other and adults and quickly learn to cooperate in pairs and groups. The children develop a good knowledge and understanding of the world. They know where they live and have a good awareness of the local community. They are aware of how things grow and change and use computers confidently. The children’s physical and creative development is good. They develop their balancing and climbing

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The school’s results and achievements

skills well as they use large apparatus in the hall or in the courtyard. They sing tunefully and enthusiastically and maintain rhythm accurately when using instruments such as hand bells. Colour mixing skills are good, as is the use of brushes and pencils. Cottenham Primary School - 11 8 By the age of seven, the standards of attainment seen during the inspection are above the national average in English, mathematics and science, but below average in information technology. They are above the level expected in the locally agreed syllabus in religious education. In music, standards are above average, and this represents a considerable improvement since the last inspection when achievement was described as falling below average. In all other subjects, they are average compared with what is normally expected of pupils of this age. In the last inspection report, standards were described as being in line with those found nationally, and standards have therefore

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The school’s results and achievements

risen in a number of subjects. Overall, the pupils’ attainment across the range of subjects by the end of Key Stage 1 is good.

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The school’s results and achievements

9 Standards of attainment in speaking and listening are good for the pupils aged seven. They listen carefully and show understanding by being able to follow instructions. The pupils are becoming confident, fluent speakers for their age. Standards of reading are also above average at this age. The pupils have a love of literature and a good knowledge of phonics. They read from complex texts with understanding, a pupil in Year 2 explaining that ‘submission’ means ‘giving in’. Standards of writing are good at age seven. The pupils write in a range of forms including stories, poems, instructions and factual accounts. They use a good range of punctuation marks. Overall, the pupils make good progress in English at Key Stage 1.

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The school’s results and achievements

10 In mathematics at Key Stage 1, the pupils are reaching above average standards in numeracy. Most count accurately to 100 and beyond and many recall their addition and subtraction facts to 10 and beyond. Their ability to apply this knowledge to problems is good. The pupils measure using non standard and standard units and put objects in order of size. The inspection evidence indicates that most pupils are making good progress in mathematics at this key stage.

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The school’s results and achievements

11 The pupils are reaching above average standards in science at Key Stage 1. Their attainment in experimental and investigative science, knowledge of materials and physical processes is good. In life processes and living things it is satisfactory. For example, the pupils understand growth and the needs of plants and animals. They recognise properties of materials by the end of the key stage and their knowledge and understanding of this aspect is generally good. The pupils are making good progress in science at Key Stage 1.

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The school’s results and achievements

12 Overall, the pupils’ progress across the range of subjects at Key Stage 1 is good.

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The school’s results and achievements

13 Standards overall by the end of Key Stage 2 at the time of the inspection are good. Standards of attainment are above average in English, mathematics and science. In religious education, standards are above average compared with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Standards in information technology at this level are still unsatisfactory, as the school has only just opened a new, well equipped computer suite. Standards seen during the inspection are above average in art and music. In all other subjects, the pupils’ attainment is average. The last inspection reported standards as being in line with national expectations, except in science and music where they were below average. Standards have therefore risen in many subjects.

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The school’s results and achievements

14 In English at Key Stage 2, standards of speaking and listening, reading and writing are good. The pupils prepare and present their book reviews to their class confidently, and their peers ask sensible questions, which are well answered. By the age of 11, the pupils read with confidence, enjoyment and understanding. They use a range of strategies, such as skimming and scanning text for meaning. The pupils are able to write coherent passages, and develop, organise and communicate ideas effectively. However, their presentation, spelling and punctuation are not up to the standard of the content of their work. The implementation of the literacy hour has had a positive impact and overall the pupils are making good progress in English at Key Stage 2.

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The school’s results and achievements

15 In mathematics at Key Stage 2, the pupils’ ability to calculate is good and they are usually quick and accurate. Their ability to use their knowledge in new situations is also good, as is their ability to identify the correct mathematics to use in a given situation. The teachers often ask the pupils to explain their working and to find a variety of methods to solve a problem, which increases the pupils’ understanding of the processes involved. The pupils’ knowledge of shape, space and measure and data handling is also good, although information technology is not used enough to support data Cottenham Primary School - 12 handling. The school has satisfactorily introduced the National Numeracy Strategy and pupils’ progress in mathematics is good at Key Stage 2 overall.

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The school’s results and achievements

16 At Key Stage 2, the pupils’ attainment and progress in science are good overall. They have good knowledge and understanding of life processes and living things. They realise the importance of healthy living and keeping fit. The pupils’ ability in experimental science is also good. They undertake a fair test and are good at drawing conclusions and displaying the data collected from an experiment, for example in graphs. The pupils’ knowledge of materials and physical processes is good.

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The school’s results and achievements

17 The general progress of pupils at Key Stage 2 is good, except in information technology where it is unsatisfactory.

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The school’s results and achievements

18 At both key stages, pupils with special educational needs have a range of abilities dependent on their individual circumstances. The school works very hard to give support to these pupils so that they reach the highest possible standards. In some cases, this means that Year 6 pupils reach average standards by the time they leave the school. Class support throughout is good and enables pupils to improve, some of them very well. In some cases, the school is not able to compensate fully for the low starting point, by the time the pupils leave the school. Some travelling families are unable to sustain the continuity of learning because they go away for several months at a time. The school effectively compensates for this by working closely with other support services and by retaining records of progress so that everything possible is done to help pupils on their return.

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The school’s results and achievements

19 Throughout the school, gifted and talented pupils have learning opportunities which challenge them. This represents a considerable improvement since the last inspection where provision for the more able was a key issue. The school works hard to provide additional support for these pupils so that they reach the highest possible standards. A good example is in Year 4, where individual work is set in mathematics for gifted pupils to prepare them for foundation GCSE examinations this summer.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20 The pupils’ attitudes and personal development are very good and their behaviour and attendance is good. This is in line with the findings of the last inspection.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21 There were several examples observed in the classroom where the pupils displayed excellent attitudes both to their work and to their fellow pupils and teachers, and the overall attitudes of the pupils across the whole school are very good. Where the teaching in a lesson was good, very good or excellent, pupils were usually quick to respond to the challenges set and in the vast majority of lessons they demonstrated very positive attitudes to their work in the classroom.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

22 The school values the pupils’ home cultures. The pupils with special educational needs are encouraged to feel a sense of worth and that they have a contribution to make to school life. The pupils are usually very tolerant and most accept adults’ intervention when conflicts arise. In class lessons, most teachers are extremely skilled at giving sensitive support which class assistants usually reinforce. In interesting lessons, the pupils try to work hard and obey the school rules of behaviour. When they transgress, they usually accept the school’s sanctions and later try to return to their work with a better attitude. When small groups of pupils are withdrawn from their class to work with the school’s specialist coordinator for special educational needs, her excellent management promotes remarkably good attitudes. Groups are often very mixed, but the very good teaching, together with the teacher’s sensitive conversational style, motivates pupils to try very hard.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

In these groups, the pupils willingly support each other. In some extreme cases where a pupil’s behavioural difficulties have led to isolation, other pupils volunteer to give friendly support.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

23 The school is committed to raising standards and to promoting the pupils’ self esteem. The achievements of the higher attaining pupils are celebrated along with other skills in which they are less capable. The school works hard to extend the higher attaining pupils in class and, whenever possible, they are withdrawn for extension activities. Additionally, the school council, amongst other initiatives, promotes responsible attitudes towards citizenship. The pupils are supportive of each other. They respect each other’s achievements and celebrate when a fellow pupil does exceptionally well. Cottenham Primary School - 13 24 During the inspection there were many examples of pupils responding positively to their teachers. In one personal, social and health education lesson linked to a science topic, excellent attitudes and behaviour matched the excellent teaching, as every pupil in the class played the role of a part of the

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

body such as blood, heart, lungs and cells. Good behaviour was particularly evident in assemblies. During a Key Stage 1 assembly many pupils assisted the headteacher by volunteering to represent the wind which had challenged the sun to a competition. Although there is some evidence of occasional challenging behaviour from a small minority of pupils at the school, there have been no exclusions in recent years.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

25 The day to day relationships between pupils and teachers and between pupils and pupils is very good. There are many examples of the pupils taking various responsibilities such as manning the school office over the lunch time period. The pupils also work in collaboration as shown by a good level of teamwork observed in a religious education lesson, which was linked to a recent visit to a local church. The school provides several opportunities for the pupils to develop their social skills through speaking, listening and taking responsibility for undertaking tasks such as taking registers to the office, tidying up the classroom and, for some pupils, taking part in the school council meetings. The pupils were observed to respond in a very positive manner to this provision.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

26 The children in the reception classes quickly develop positive attitudes to learning. They enjoy their work and sustain concentration well. The children relate well to each other and to adults. Most of the children are enthusiastic and eager to learn. They are sensitive to the feelings of others and respect each other’s work.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

27 The overall attendance at the school is good and is slightly above the national average. The incidence of unauthorised absence is low. Although there is some evidence of pupil lateness, this is restricted to one or two families, and the majority of pupils come to school and lessons on time. School registers are generally correctly marked.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

28 Pupils’ attitudes, personal development and relationships are a significant strength of the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29 The quality of teaching is good overall. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen during this inspection. More than five lessons in six observed were either good or better, and nearly one lesson in three was either very good or excellent. There was little difference between the quality of teaching for the children under five or for the pupils at Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2. During the last inspection there was some unsatisfactory teaching. This situation has improved and the quality of teaching is significantly better than it was at the time of the last inspection. The high proportion of very good and excellent teaching is having a significant impact on the learning of the pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30 Throughout the school, the teachers have good subject knowledge and teach basic skills well. They are therefore confident in teaching and are well able to impart this knowledge to their pupils. This ensures that the pupils acquire skills and knowledge well and that their understanding is enhanced. For example, mathematical skills are taught in science and design and technology as well as in mathematics lessons. The teachers plan their lessons well and often take into account the stage of learning that the pupils have reached in their previous work. The planning is particularly effective when learning objectives are made clear to the pupils at the start of the lesson. This involves the pupils in their learning and enables them to progress more effectively. The lessons are also well structured with the teachers using a good balance between instruction and activities for the pupils to do. The pupils show good levels of concentration and interest in their lessons due to the regular

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31 The teachers set high standards of discipline and manage the pupils well. The orderly environment thus created enables the pupils to make good progress. There are instances of inappropriate behaviour from a minority of pupils, but the teachers generally deal with these occurrences well and they are not allowed to disrupt the working environment. Lessons generally progress at a brisk pace and the pupils are encouraged to complete work quickly and efficiently. The teachers are well aware Cottenham Primary School - 14 of the stage of learning that the pupils in their classes have reached, and adapt their teaching well to meet individual needs.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

32 The teaching of literacy and numeracy is good. The teachers have had training in the presentation of both the literacy hour and the National Numeracy Strategy, and this training has had an impact on the teachers’ expertise and subject knowledge that is improving the pupils’ rate of progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

33 The quality of the teaching, for pupils who have special needs who need to be supported in a small group, is very good and often excellent. The specialist teacher is very perceptive, and particularly skilled at maintaining the pace of her lesson while continuing to encourage and stimulate the imagination of more reluctant participants. The resources are very well chosen and for instance, when working with Year 6 pupils who often have low self esteem, the teacher ensures that her activities have interesting topics which generate good discussions. Challenging questions are used to consolidate, extend and verify what pupils already know and understand. The pupils know what is expected of them and their knowledge is reviewed at the end of each session. Very good planning, and the teacher’s excellent relationship with the pupils, provides a positive atmosphere in which very good progress is often possible.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

34 At other times, when pupils are well supported by their teachers in class, the activities are well planned at an appropriate level for these pupils. The effectiveness of class teaching depends very much on the available support. When the teacher and class support assistant work well together and their methods are geared to the particular objective for the lesson, and good use is made of time, good progress results. However, when no additional assistance is available and the activity is uninteresting, pupils become distracted and make less progress. The school tries hard to compensate when this happens, and allocates additional support through a flexible arrangement, particularly in the literacy lessons, when general assistants contribute to the organisation of the lesson.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

35 The quality of the teaching for higher attaining pupils is often good. Class support throughout the school is good and enables pupils to do their own research and investigate further topics they are covering. In the best lessons, teachers adapt lesson activities to provide suitable challenges or extension work. In less effective lessons at Key Stage 2, class support is sometimes unavailable and the teacher may have to focus on supporting a lower attaining group. In these lessons, the pupils have the same activities as less talented pupils. In these circumstances, despite being very committed to working hard, higher attaining pupils are distracted which results in less productivity. The resources are carefully chosen and for instance, in a mathematics lesson, a gifted six year old was able to investigate repeating patterns to make the work more interesting. In the review at the end of the lesson, the teacher encouraged the child to describe a triangle using mathematical

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

language. Challenging questions are asked to consolidate the pupils’ knowledge. Good lesson planning and the teacher’s good relationship with pupils ensure good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

36 The marking of work is generally satisfactory, and sometimes contains comments that will help the pupils to improve or set targets for themselves. However, the good marking policy is not always used consistently. Homework makes a satisfactory contribution to the pupils’ learning, and there is increased provision in later years to prepare them effectively for their secondary education.

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PUPILS?

37 Since the last inspection, there have been significant improvements in the curricular opportunities provided by the school. There are schemes of work for all subjects, except physical education. These are thoroughly planned, giving very good guidance to teachers on what pupils need to learn next and how teachers may achieve this. A particular strength of these arrangements is the clear guidance for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development in the subjects. As a result, the provision for these important aspects is very good. In these respects the school has made very good improvements since the last inspection.

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PUPILS?

38 The school’s curriculum provides a good range of worthwhile opportunities for learning which meet the pupils’ interests, aptitudes and their particular needs. The curriculum meets the requirements in Cottenham Primary School - 15 the core subjects of English, mathematics, science, the other foundation subjects and the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. There is suitable provision for sex education and health education, and the pupils are taught about the dangers of drugs misuse.

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PUPILS?

39 The pupils with special educational needs are given every opportunity to benefit from a stimulating curriculum. An example of an excellent school initiative is an after school homework club, where facilities are available for those pupils who find it difficult to work at home. The staff are very committed to their pupils’ welfare and, if necessary, they take the pupils home after this club. The school is committed to compensating for any pupils who are disadvantaged. Even the need to withdraw them from class is well managed to ensure learning activities are not missed. Very constructive links with the traveller support service and the local Village College, together with the committed involvement of the governors, ensures excellent educational opportunities are given to the pupils with specific learning difficulties.

p.15

PUPILS?

40 Gifted and talented pupils are given every opportunity to benefit from a stimulating curriculum. The staff are very committed to providing a wide range of activities which are relevant to everyday life and an opportunity for intellectual thought. For instance, in the history topics, the pupils are encouraged to research their work for homework. Good links with the local Village College, together with the constructive involvement of governors, ensures challenge is built into the work of the school.

p.15

PUPILS?

41 The school has effectively implemented the national strategies for literacy and numeracy. There is a strong focus placed on these areas of pupils’ learning. As a result, standards have risen in the core subjects since the last inspection. An analysis of results indicates that the trend in the school’s average National Curriculum points for English, mathematics and science is broadly in line with the national trend. These continue to rise .

p.15

PUPILS?

42 All pupils benefit from the school’s provision. This is evident in the very good planning for different ability groups, effective use of assessment information to plan the next stage of learning and the formation of booster groups and homework clubs. These arrangements are continually reviewed and revised to ensure that guidance remains up to date and relevant to the needs of the school. The teachers are fully involved in this process. As a result, they share a strong understanding of the curriculum and are, therefore, well placed to plan for the pupils’ progress. An additional factor contributing to the pupils’ good progress is target setting and the very effective tracking of pupils’ progress throughout the school.

p.15

PUPILS?

43 The school provides an outstanding range of extra curricular activities which include sport and study support. The school keeps a very good balance between these activities and homework, for which there is a comprehensive policy. At the time of the inspection, there was a well attended after school booster class where pupils were involved in carefully planned extra lessons in English. There are twenty clubs on offer to pupils, which include French, ballet, choir, drama, football, netball, gymnastics, cross country, and residential weeks for older pupils at Key Stage 2. Pupils visit the North Norfolk coast and the school choir undertakes a cultural exchange in Ghent, where the pupils stay with Belgian families and give concerts locally. All activities are well supported by both boys and girls and give the pupils very good opportunities to extend their learning, to take up interests and to develop socially.

p.15

PUPILS?

44 A strength of the school is the very good provision it makes for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The headteacher is instrumental in this area, supported by a reflective, caring and committed staff. The provision for the pupils’ spiritual development is very good, and this represents a significant improvement since the last inspection when it was a key issue. In assemblies, the teachers encourage the pupils to think about their attitudes and feelings, how they treat other people and about right and wrong actions. The pupils reflect quietly on the themes of the day. A very good example of this was observed when Key Stage 1 pupils were involved in the re- enactment of a story to help them reflect on the theme of why each one of us is special. The teacher lit a candle to aid the pupils to reflect on the theme. Through religious education and other subjects, the pupils are provided with opportunities to reflect on awe and wonder in their learning.

p.15

PUPILS?

This was shown when the pupils reflected on wonders of electricity, patterns in mathematics or beauty in art and English language. A very good example was observed in one Year 5 and 6 class, Cottenham Primary School - 16 where the pupils were involved in a drama presentation of how the heart works. The pupils displayed palpable excitement at the wonders of life.

p.15

PUPILS?

45 This is a school with very strong and positive relationships and the teachers use these skilfully to guide the pupils towards good moral behaviour and positive social attitudes. The school has aims and principles for these important aspects of life. The strong emphasis placed on ethics underpins all learning activities for the pupils. The values of the school form the basis of good moral behaviour. The staff is particularly effective in teaching the pupils to distinguish between right and wrong. They all lead by their good example. There is a calm, purposeful atmosphere throughout the school, which is conducive to learning.

p.16

PUPILS?

46 Through very good personal and social education, the pupils are helped to understand the lives and actions of others and themselves. The teachers take care to value the pupils’ ideas for others to see; for example, in many lessons, there are sessions where the pupils are helped to take pride in themselves through discussions of new learning. The teachers also help the pupils to develop self confidence and social skills by allocating responsibilities to them within the classrooms, and by encouraging them to organise charity events. There is a well run school council which has elected representatives from Years 2 to 6. At the time of the inspection, the pupils met with the headteacher to discuss details of their proposals. The pupils were informed of the action that would be taken, where appropriate these would be discussed fully at the next staff and subsequent council meetings. These opportunities encourage the pupils to participate fully in the life of the school and to prepare

p.16

PUPILS?

them successfully for the democratic processes of this country. There are examples where the pupils’ suggestions have been acted upon. These include provision of a seating area in the playground for quiet reflection during break times, a basket ball pitch, a nature and conservation area and a ‘balancing trail’ which was suggested by Key Stage 1 pupils.

p.16

PUPILS?

47 The pupils respond to appeals such as the Mozambique disaster, advertise fund raising events at assemblies, prepare posters and run the sale stalls, undertaking these roles responsibly and in a mature manner. Social education permeates all aspects of school life through the very good relationships that exist in the school. Additionally, the teachers take opportunities to remind the pupils to behave responsibly; a very good example of this was observed when a Year 1 teacher reminded the pupils to give a very good lead to the reception children when gathering for an assembly.

p.16

PUPILS?

48 The pupils’ cultural understanding is very effectively developed through subjects such as English, geography, history, art, music and religious education where the pupils learn about other faiths and traditions. Since the last inspection, the school has made very good progress in this provision. A wealth of visits and visitors heightens the pupils’ awareness of some of the wider dimensions of life. Andrew Motion, the poet laureate, visited the Village College and sent to the school a tape of some as yet unpublished work. This was used as a stimulus for creative work. The headteacher seizes on opportunities to widen the pupils’ cultural awareness, for example, he regularly alerts the pupils and the community to special days. These include the Chinese New Year, St. Andrew’s, St George’s days or others as unusual as the Swedish Festival of the Sea. There are notices showing which music is played for the week. There are numerous resources representing music from different

p.16

PUPILS?

traditions and cultures. There is also a special display of books, chosen by the headteacher, which draws the pupils’ attentions to the best in English literature. Evidence suggests that the pupils borrow these resources with enthusiasm. Since the last inspection, the school has, therefore, made very good progress in this provision.

p.16

PUPILS?

49 The school has outstanding links with the local community, including the play groups and Cottenham Village College. These links benefit the pupils’ smooth transition between phases. The College staff also give practical help with resources for extending the gifted and talented pupils. The staff meet regularly for subjects such as music and mathematics; plans are in hand to extend this liaison to English. A well attended drama club, which involves the College and other schools, adds an extra dimension to these excellent links with the community. All these factors greatly enrich the curricular opportunities available to all pupils at Cottenham Primary School.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Cottenham Primary School - 17 50 The procedures for child protection and welfare are very good as are the procedures for the monitoring of pupils’ academic performance and personal development. The educational and personal support and guidance for pupils is good. Assessment and the use of assessment has significantly improved since the last inspection when it was a weakness.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51 Child protection procedures are in place and are very effective. The school staff, well supported by a range of external agencies, provides a high degree of welfare support to individual pupils as shown by the first class provision for the pupils with special educational needs. High quality provision is also made for potentially higher attaining pupils who are identified through consistent monitoring and assessment systems which have been implemented across the whole school and which provide very valuable information for individual teachers and the school. Furthermore, the record keeping aspect of assessment is carried out to a very high standard and there is no doubt whatsoever that this school really does know its pupils. In the classroom, the teachers are quick to observe any personal difficulties and to take appropriate remedial action. The school carries out occasional health and safety audits, but the results of these are not always recorded. The school is

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

also aware of other minor health and safety issues and is already taking steps to bring about corrective action.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52 The school, together with the occasional assistance of external agencies, is proactive in the monitoring of the levels of individual pupil absence. The extra complexity in monitoring and promoting the attendance levels of some of the pupils at this school is handled sensitively and with a high degree of intelligent and resourceful management. The school has developed a range of effective strategies for the monitoring and control of behaviour. One of these, exiting, is the school’s equivalent of a yellow card in football, in that a pupil exhibiting challenging behaviour may be temporarily removed from the class until it is considered appropriate for them to return. The individual pupil tracking system of assessment is very effective and is also well used by the teaching staff to inform curriculum planning.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53 The school provides a good level of educational and personal support to the pupils, which is aimed at raising their individual achievement. Furthermore, the level of academic support linked to raising achievement for the higher attaining pupils is also good and this provision is contributing significantly to the challenge and rigour of the school environment. This can be seen in practice in the teachers’ lesson plans for the core subjects which include specific targets for higher attainers. The school acknowledges pupils’ individual achievements through the praise given to pupils in the classroom and, more formally, in assembly presentations.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

54 The school keeps detailed records of the pupils’ progress through agreed targets for promoting learning. However, these targets are often made for the long term, and the pupils are not sufficiently involved in setting their own short term targets. The school delights in celebrating any individual effort which results in less need for specialist support. For instance, when pupils with learning difficulties who respond to the help that they receive are integrated into a higher attaining group, they are closely monitored to ensure they can cope. The families who are travellers, and who regularly have gaps in their education, are very well supported throughout the school.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

55 The school has very good procedures in place for diagnosing gifted children. Special responsibilities are available for talented capable pupils. For instance, pupils assist in the school office and ensure that visitors are welcomed and offered assistance. The school celebrates individual achievements and any newspaper reports are displayed.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

56 The very high level of child protection and welfare support provided for the pupils at the school has a positive impact on their learning and personal development and it is a strength of the school.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

57 The parents’ views of the school are very good as are the school’s links with parents. The impact of parental involvement with the school is very good. This provision was good in the last inspection but the school has taken an active role to further develop their partnership with parents. Cottenham Primary School - 18 58 The parents’ meeting with the inspectors was well attended and the parental questionnaire was returned by a high percentage of parents. Almost all parents are very supportive of the school and of its aims and objectives. Parents feel that their children like school and that they are making good progress. Parents also feel that the teaching is good and that the school is well managed. Although there is occasionally inappropriate behaviour, this is confined to a small minority of pupils and the school has introduced effective strategies for its monitoring and control. This occasionally includes

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

an early meeting with parents who are regarded by the school as significant partners in ensuring that pupils are consistently well behaved in school. Parents as coeducators is a significant part of the school’s philosophy and is the driving force behind the continuing development of the school/home partnership. The information provided by the school through the prospectus, annual reports to parents and through regular newsletters is of a very high standard. The school reports include sections on academic progress and on target areas for development.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

59 Some parents are frequent visitors to the school both to provide very welcome classroom support and to help to organise and run extra curricular activities and other events. All parents have been invited to enter into a home/school agreement, which is designed to promote improved relationships between the school, parents and children. Several parents were interviewed during the inspection and all had only positive contributions to add to the inspection evidence base. The school opens its doors to the parents of children new to the school and easy access to the teaching staff and headteacher is a particular feature of the school.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

60 The school has very good links with the parents of pupils who are having difficulties with their learning. The special educational needs coordinator successfully involves them in reviews of pupils’ progress. Other members of staff, and particularly the headteacher, work exceptionally hard to communicate well with parents for the benefit of their children. Several parents have praised the school for its wonderful support from which their families have benefited. They say they are kept very well informed and the school is quick to let them know when problems arise. The school has very good links with the parents of higher attaining pupils. The school keeps them well informed.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

61 Many parents also play an important part in their children’s education by helping them at home by listening to them read or in assisting them with occasional project work which is related to a particular topic being studied at school. The Parent Teachers Association is very supportive of the school, is very well managed and provides a further very effective link between home and the school.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

62 The school’s links with parents provides a very strong contribution to the pupils’ learning and personal development.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63 The leadership and management of the school are very good and promote high quality education for the pupils. This is recognised by parents as a strong feature of the school. Many of the strengths of the last inspection report in 1995 have been built on and weaknesses have been addressed very effectively. The school has made very good improvement. There is an excellent commitment from all the staff to succeed in achieving the highest possible standards for all the pupils. The delegation of responsibilities is effective. The development of the roles of curriculum coordinators, which was an issue at the last inspection, has been very effectively addressed through the work of the deputy head teacher. She has developed the management roles of all staff and closely monitors their effectiveness.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64 The school is fortunate to have an extremely gifted coordinator for special educational needs. Although only part time, the impact she is having on the standards achieved is very significant. The headteacher and senior management team give excellent additional support when behavioural difficulties arise. The governors effectively oversee the school’s provision. They regularly check that requirements are met for the Code of Practice for special educational needs provision and they have a good understanding of the school’s strengths. Staff and governors have agreed good policies for dealing with a wide range of pupils with different learning difficulties. Cottenham Primary School - 19 65 The relationships between the governors and the school are very good. The governors have clearly defined roles and are knowledgeable about issues affecting the school and the wider context of education. Recent changes in the composition of the governing body have been viewed positively

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

as a tool to move the school forward by taking opportunities to review their working procedures. School development planning is effective and involves all staff and governors in the process, and influences the direction of the school. The governors provide good support while maintaining a critical overview but they have yet to fully develop their role in terms of evaluating value for money from budgetary spending.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66 The monitoring, evaluation and development of teaching in the school are very good and result in the high quality of teaching observed during the inspection. Appraisal and monitoring of teaching, while being rigorous, is sensitively done, enabling all staff to develop in an atmosphere of support and respect for individual talents. The strengths of particular staff members are used effectively and good practice is shared within teams and across the school. The strong teamwork that supports the senior management team results in effective leadership of the teams. These provide very supportive systems for newly qualified teachers and those new to the school. However, the team approach has yet to be developed for classroom and learning support assistants who have no regular meetings and have only recently become involved in team meetings with teachers. Their individual talents and expertise are not used sufficiently well or shared across the school for the

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67 Since the last inspection standards in English, mathematics and science have improved which reflects the efforts made by curriculum leadership. Other subjects, while having a lower profile in the light of the literacy and numeracy initiatives, have been successfully taught at both key stages and the leadership role of all coordinators has continued to be developed through close monitoring. Teachers’ expectations challenge pupils appropriately and they have set challenging formal targets for the pupils and for themselves. They analyse pupils’ achievements well and continuously and use results to develop the curriculum. There is a very efficient system for tracking pupils’ progress that enables staff to set realistic and achievable targets. The induction of newly qualified teachers is very well managed. The planned programme for non contact time supported by the very good teamwork enables them to be quickly involved in the life and ethos of the school.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68 Financial planning is very good and the headteacher, senior management team, and the curriculum coordinators closely monitor the targets for the school development plan. The very competent administration staff ensure that procedures are followed meticulously enabling the financial and other administrative work to be carried out unobtrusively. They provide very high levels of support to all the staff and management. Additional funds are made available to support the school’s grant for special educational needs. The effectiveness of this additional spending is evident in the good progress made by pupils with special needs, because of the good support that they receive. The school uses new technology well to support the administration and is reviewing developments in further software to monitor attendance. However, computers are not used enough in classes, and partly because of this standards in information technology are unsatisfactory. Principles of best

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

value are applied to good effect and the school has been able to purchase computers at a competitive price while ensuring that their maintenance is assured.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69 There are sufficient numbers of teachers whose expertise in matching the needs of the curriculum is evident in the good and sometimes high quality of teaching observed during the inspection. The school groups pupils by ability in ‘sets’ in years 3 and 4, and 5 and 6 for mathematics, and the teaching of these groups rotates half termly. This does not always meet the needs of all pupils, and lower attaining pupils sometimes suffer from a lack of continuity. Classroom assistants and learning support assistants are sufficient in number and provide good support in classes. However, their role is not sufficiently developed as they are not established as a strong team, sharing expertise and knowledge through their own team meetings led by senior management personnel. Midday supervisors, while having no job descriptions, meet regularly with the headteacher to discuss issues arising in the context of lunch times. The atmosphere fostered in the dining room is calm and

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

efficient. The school invests wisely in a wide range of courses linked to the staff’s own professional development and identified through the staff development interviews and also in courses related to whole school initiatives. The staff development interviews are rigorous and well documented providing important, but manageable, targets for improvement. Cottenham Primary School - 20 70 The school has good accommodation both indoors and out, with the exception of the mobile classrooms that are soon to be replaced. The pupils benefit from a studio where music and drama can take place, and a science and technology base. The corridors and classrooms are well organised and attractively decorated with pupils work and displays to support the curriculum. The site continues to be developed and its presentation is well supported by the cleanliness and care provided by the site manager and cleaning staff. The provision for outdoor activities is very good

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

and provides interesting activities for playtimes as well as sports. The fitness training area is used well and the playground is well planned to provide for a range of activities from activity to quiet reflection. The swimming pool is a great asset to the school and is valued by staff and parents. Effective use is made of the pool in the summer by letting it out to parents.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

71 Overall there is an adequate supply of resources with good resources available for physical education, religious education, special needs support, and for children under five years old. The library, while being a suitable room, has insufficient books for the numbers of pupils who use it. Cottenham Primary School - 21

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

72 In order to continue to raise the good standards already being achieved, the governors, headteacher and staff should:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) raise standards in information technology by; • ensuring that all classes are timetabled to use the new information technology suite to increase the range of opportunities available; (paragraphs 13, 68, 103, 107, 119, 126, 129, 130) • ensuring that all teachers are given training to give them confidence in delivering all aspects of the subject; (paragraph 133)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) develop procedures for target setting for individual pupils so that they are more involved in monitoring their own progress; (paragraphs 54, 111)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) improve the consistency of presentation, spelling and grammar at Key Stage 2; (paragraphs 14, 91, 128)

p.21

OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

(1) ensure a sufficient stock of books in the library; (paragraphs 71, 94)

p.21

OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

(2) improve the consistency of use of the marking policy; (paragraph 36)

p.21

OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

(3) ensure that non teaching staff enjoy the teamwork that is prevalent in the rest of the school. (paragraphs 66, 69) Cottenham Primary School - 22

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 51

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

5.0 26.9 52.1 16.0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 488

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 25 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 13

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 102

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 4

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 52

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 31

p.22

Attendance

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. Cottenham Primary School - 23

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 31 35 66

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 26 28 27 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 29 29 31

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 83 (85) 86 (82) 88 (85) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (77) 83 (81) 87 (84)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 26 27 29 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 31 30 29

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 86 (83) 86 (91) 88 (88) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 36 40 76

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 31 32 34 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 30 26 33

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 80 (77) 76 (76) 88 (85) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 32 34 35 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 30 34 37

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 82 (80) 89 (76) 95 (77) 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. Cottenham Primary School - 24

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 1 Black – Caribbean heritage

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group Other minority ethnic groups 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.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 19.6 Financial year 1998/99

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.6

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 654 486

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 20 Expenditure per pupil 1 307

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 261 Balance brought forward from previous year 25 853

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 17 610 Cottenham Primary School - 25

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 50 44 4 1 1

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 38 54 8 1 1

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 32 44 18 4 1

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 36 41 16 6 1

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 64 28 6 2 1

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 51 42 4 1 2

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 42 43 12 1 2

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 52 42 2 1 2

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 44 48 6 2

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 42 39 6 2 11

p.25

Other issues raised by parents

No other significant issues were raised by parents. Cottenham Primary School - 26

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

73 The school admits children to the reception classes in the September after their fourth birthday. Most children in the reception classes attend the pre-school provision in the village before they enter full time school. The reception classes make good provision for the children’s all round development and education, and they build well on the pre-school experiences of the children. The curriculum for children under five meets the requirements of the nationally recommended learning outcomes. It promotes the children’s progress well in all the areas of learning. The teachers of the children in the reception classes plan together well. They work closely with their classroom assistants. This ensures that the children receive a similar level of education and a smooth transition to work at Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum. All the adults who work with the children who are under five have a clear commitment to raising standards.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

74 The school has a carefully structured record keeping system for these young children. It is informative and gives all members of staff a well informed base for the planning of work. The reception class teachers use the entry assessment procedures effectively to assess children’s levels of achievement. This gives a clear indication of children’s abilities in language, mathematics, physical and social skills. Parents contribute to these assessments, helping to give members of the reception staff a clear knowledge of what children know and do at home. They use this knowledge to plan future work on the basis of what the children know and understand. The reception classes provide a very effective level of support for children with special educational needs. The support for children with English as an additional language is good. These levels of support enable the children to make good progress in their learning. All members of staff ensure that children have full and

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

equal access to the areas of learning. The parents value the work that children do in the reception classes.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

75 Most children enter the reception classes with standards that meet the expectation for their age in most areas of learning. They respond well to the provision in the reception classes and make good progress in all the nationally recommended areas of learning, so that by the time they move to Year 1, children’s attainment is above what is expected for most children of this age. They make rapid progress in developing their language and number skills in the reception classes. By the time they are five most children are likely to exceed the skills they require to meet the nationally recommended areas of learning in language and literacy and knowledge and understanding of the world. All children make good progress in their personal and social development and most make good progress in the development of their mathematical and creative skills. The children make good progress in their physical development. This is partly due to a significant improvement in the

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

quality of outdoor provision for children under five since the previous inspection.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

76 The quality of teaching for the children under five is good. Just under half of the teaching is very good. This consistently good quality of teaching is reflected in the level of progress children make in their early years at school. All members of the early years’ team work very effectively together to promote learning. They have a clear understanding of the needs of young children. All members of staff have realistically high expectations of achievement and behaviour. They give the children relevant, challenging and interesting tasks. These consolidate and develop the children’s knowledge and understanding well. All members of staff make good and effective use of language and questions. This ensures that the children make good progress in developing their speaking and listening skills. The teaching of children with special educational needs is very good and enables them to make good progress. All the members of staff correctly place a strong emphasis on the

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

teaching of specific skills, for example how to use pencils, paint and musical instruments. They encourage the children to work independently and make choices.

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Personal and social

77 The children settle quickly into the security of the reception classes and make good progress in developing their personal and social skills. They are self possessed and confident when moving around the classrooms and the school. Most children share and take turns happily, for instance Cottenham Primary School - 27 when playing board games. The children concentrate well on their tasks and try hard to finish their work. For example, they show good levels of determination as they persevere to write sentences and draw pictures. The children enjoy their work and cooperate willingly with each other and adults. They take good care of classroom equipment and tidy up carefully after themselves. The children work well independently and together. The reception teachers encourage the children to solve problems and as a result children become confident in dealing with problems such as those encountered in number work. The children quickly understand the routines of school life. They

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Personal and social

change their clothes for physical education lessons independently and fold them neatly. By the time they are five most children, including those with special educational needs, are likely to exceed the expected levels in the development of their social skills. The school is continuing to develop the good standards in this area of learning from the previous inspection.

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Language and literacy

78 The provision for the development of language and literacy is good. Most children enter the reception classes with language skills that are similar to those expected from children of this age. They make good progress in developing their enjoyment of books and stories. All children quickly understand that pictures and print convey meaning. They listen attentively to well known stories and rhymes and chant refrains confidently. Most of the children retell their favourite stories well and enjoy talking about books. All the children are eager to take books home. The reception class teachers use the nationally recommended Literacy Strategy well to further develop and extend the children’s listening, speaking and reading skills. Some of the children have immature speech patterns. Where this is the case, they receive a good level of individual help and make good progress in their ability to speak clearly.

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Language and literacy

79 All the children learn to use pencils and know how to form letters correctly. They increase their early writing skills in a range of activities that encourage their hand and eye control. By the time they reach the age of five, many children write sequences of sentences independently. They use cursive script and their letters are well formed and of consistent size. These children are developing a good awareness of sentence structure and how to use capital letters and full stops correctly. The children with special educational needs receive outstandingly effective support. This enables them to make good progress in developing their speaking, listening and writing skills. The reception classes provide a good level of support for children with English as an additional language. This ensures effective use of English and makes a positive contribution to the progress that the children make. Most of the children are likely to exceed the requirements of the desirable learning outcomes by the

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Language and literacy

time they are five. The school is continuing to develop the good standards from the previous inspection.

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Mathematics

80 The provision for children’s mathematical development is good. Most children make good progress in consolidating and developing their number skills. The members of the reception staff effectively develop these skills through a carefully structured programme of work. This includes a session of structured number work each day. There is an excellent level of support for the children with special educational needs. These children make good progress in developing their knowledge of numbers. Most of the children count accurately up to twenty and above. All the children learn and sing simple number rhymes well. They know and recognise the place of numbers on a number line. The higher attaining children recognise missing numbers and know which numbers come before and after them. For example, they know that six comes before seven and that eight comes after seven. They use suitable mathematical language to describe processes, such as ‘more than’ and ‘less than’. The

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Mathematics

children use computers to increase their mathematical learning. This deepens their ability to sequence shape and control movement. All the children consolidate, build on and develop their early mathematical experiences well. Most children are likely to exceed the desirable learning outcomes for mathematics by the time they are five. The school is continuing to develop the good standards from the previous inspection.

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Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Cottenham Primary School - 28 81 The school has good provision for developing the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world, and children make good progress in this area of learning. They have many opportunities to explore the natural and man made world. For example, the children make visits to places of interest in and around Cottenham to widen their experiences, developing a good understanding of their immediate community. They know that plants need light, water and warmth in order to grow and that they have roots and shoots. However, some children do not know what grows on the shoot. All the children use computers as a matter of routine and work carefully and accurately to move objects around the screen to complete pictures. This enables the children to make good use of the keyboard and mouse for accurate control. The children print out work with assistance. Most children are likely to exceed the expectations of the desirable learning outcomes by the time they

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Knowledge and Understanding of the World

are five. The school is continuing to develop and extend the good level of provision and standards from the previous inspection.

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Physical development

82 The school makes good provision for the children’s physical development and they make good progress. The children have ready access to tools such as pencils, crayons, scissors and glue. Most of the children control these tools well as they enter the reception classes. All the children increase their pencil control well and reach the expected standard by the time they are five. Many children exceed this. The children develop their climbing and balancing skills effectively. They have opportunities to develop their physical skills well and use wheeled toys with an increasing awareness of space. There is a secure area for outdoor activities for the children in the reception classes. The school has a suitable selection of large apparatus for children to use in the school hall. Most children are likely to exceed the expectations of the desirable learning outcomes by the time they are five. The school is successfully developing the good standards from the previous

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Creative development

83 The school’s provision for the children’s creative development is good. The children make good progress in their ability to learn basic techniques. This enables the children to use and control materials effectively. They hold brushes correctly and apply paint to paper boldly and with great care and confidence. The children mix paint well to achieve different colours. They develop observational skills well, for example through looking closely at prints of work by famous artists. They show a good awareness of shape, pattern and colour. The children sing a variety of songs well from memory. They use percussion instruments and hand bells correctly and confidently to maintain rhythm and accompany their singing. Most children exceed the level of skills necessary to achieve the desirable learning outcomes by the time they are five. This is an improvement since the previous inspection.

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ENGLISH

84 By the time pupils are eleven, results in the National Curriculum tests show that their performance was above the national average. The results of the tests in 1999 at Key Stage 1 indicate that the performance of the pupils at seven was close to the national average. When 1999 results are compared with similar schools, the pupils’ performance is above average. Inspection evidence indicates that standards are above average by seven and eleven. Evidence indicates that standards have improved since the last inspection, and continue to rise. This is due to the school undertaking a close analysis of the test results, setting specific targets for individual pupils and subsequently implementing a school improvement strategy. Action plans were also set up to address the variations in attainment between boys and girls at Key Stage 2. There is evidence that these strategies are beginning to have a positive impact on the progress and subsequent attainment of all

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ENGLISH

85 The pupils’ achievement in relation to their prior attainment is good in all aspects of English. A good rate of learning is evident in most lessons and over time. This is also seen in the way the pupils use their skills in literacy and in other subjects. They read for information as well as pleasure and use their skills in writing to good effect in mathematics, science, history and in information technology. Cottenham Primary School - 29 This good progress is achieved by all groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs and the travellers.

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ENGLISH

86 By the end of Key Stage 1, the pupils’ standards of speaking and listening are above average. The pupils are becoming confident and fluent speakers. This helps them to cope with their work and enables them to answer questions in class and in assemblies. The school is presently developing this area further to ensure that opportunities are taken across all subjects to extend the pupils’ skills in speaking and listening.

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ENGLISH

87 Reading standards are above average throughout Key Stage 1. The pupils read fluently and accurately, employing different strategies to help them to read unfamiliar text. They make reasoned guesses at unknown vocabulary according to the general meaning of the text. Many pupils talk about a range of fiction and they also enjoy non fiction books as observed in Year 2. They read complex text and pose questions for others on the basis of text comprehension. For example, the pupils read and explained ‘submission to God’ as ‘giving in to God’, when reading about world religions. Good research skills are being developed through other areas of the curriculum, such as history and geography. A structured programme of reading to adults both in school and at home provides support. A home/school journal is maintained in all classes. The pupils make good progress and reading skills are well used in other subjects.

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ENGLISH

88 By the end of Key Stage 1, the pupils’ competency in writing is above average. The majority of the pupils write confidently and fluently for different purposes. They have learned the skills to plan, organise and express their ideas in stories, poems, letters and in factual writing. The pupils write non fiction booklets after researching information about the body. One pupil gave a summary as: ‘In this book, you will find out about blood, bones and other things inside your body.’ Presentation throughout this key stage is generally good. Handwriting is neat, letters are of even size and often joined. Spelling is improving steadily. Most pupils’ writing communicates meaning and ideas in a sequence of sentences, often appropriately punctuated with full stops, capital letters, question and exclamation marks and inverted commas. They are beginning to recognise the possibility of writing for a range of audiences.

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ENGLISH

89 By the end of Key Stage 2, the pupils’ standards of speaking and listening are above average. The pupils speak confidently, clearly and express a point of view, for example so that others understand. They join in class discussions and show, by relevant questions and apt answers, that they follow the thread of a point of view that may not necessarily be the same as theirs. This was observed in a discussion on Sikhism, in a Year 5 and 6 class, where the pupils made thoughtful observations about how religions guide peoples’ lives and about those principles which matter most to them. The pupils prepare talks as part of their homework. A very good example was observed in another Year 5 and 6 class where the pupils presented book reviews to the class, which undertook the role of an audience. In the same class, the pupils researched the needs of the community, collated their information and suggested ways to address these issues. They speak confidently, persuasively and

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ENGLISH

90 By the end of Key Stage 2, standards in reading are above average. The pupils enjoy and understand what they read and talk about the characters in their books. The pupils read for different purposes and can adopt appropriate strategies for the task, including skimming to gain an overall impression and scanning to locate information. They use dictionaries and thesauruses when required to aid their understanding. The pupils use these skills in other subjects notably in science, history, geography and religious education. There are some good examples in all classes, where the pupils show competence in locating and abstracting relevant information to support their work. The pupils often choose books by author and by the end of the key stage, they have experienced a wide and varied range of literature including poetry.

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ENGLISH

91 By the end of Key Stage 2, standards in writing are above average. The pupils write effectively and in depth, in a range of styles for different purposes, including stories, poems, diaries, letters, newspaper articles and dialogues. They show the confidence and understanding to produce work using vocabulary that is rich, and is arranged in a way that captures and holds the reader’s attention. They successfully adapt their styles to suit the reader, for example, writing stories for younger pupils. There are good examples of extended writing, which is organised into paragraphs. The pupils develop, organise and communicate ideas as demonstrated in their carefully constructed arguments. Cottenham Primary School - 30 They employ a wide range of punctuation marks correctly. Most pupils have mastered a well formed, joined style of handwriting. However, in some classes, the pupils’ spelling and grammar are

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ENGLISH

inaccurate. There are examples where the pupils misuse the apostrophe, or where the indefinite article is not followed by ‘n’ when preceding a vowel, and a few teachers allow habits of unacceptable presentation and spelling to continue. The coordinators for English accept this judgement.

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ENGLISH

92 The quality of teaching is good at both key stages. Of the lessons observed, 76 per cent were good or better and teaching was excellent in one lesson. The teachers are confident in the subject and make high demands of behaviour and work on their pupils. There is a good balance between direct teaching and pupils’ activity, with a good choice and variety of approaches adopted by the teachers. Where the teaching is particularly good, these lessons are characterised by infectious enthusiasm and high expectations. There is a sense of urgency which challenges the pupils and they learn at a good pace. The pupils respond to the teaching and produce lively and imaginative work as displayed and celebrated around the school. One pupil, on writing about the Blitz, described her fear: ‘I hugged my sister more to comfort me than her.’ Another pupil expressed the hopes in a poem:

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ENGLISH

I will put in the box I will put in the box The devastating destruction of war The awesome power of a nuclear bomb The knowledge of war.

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ENGLISH

93 A further factor that contributes to the good progress made by the pupils is the teachers’ knowledge of the pupils. They give prompt feedback in lessons. They quickly assess what pupils know and understand and use this information to influence their teaching, helping the pupils to extend their knowledge and skills in English. The rate of the pupils’ learning is promoted through the teachers’ thorough planning which builds systematically on what the pupils can do, know and understand. Where the teaching is not of such high quality, not enough emphasis is placed on the need for pupils to present their work with the greatest of care. The pace in these lessons is slower and results in slower progress for the pupils.

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ENGLISH

94 The school has an adequate number of books to implement the literacy hour in each class, but there are insufficient more advanced dictionaries to meet the needs of the higher attaining pupils. The library is attractive, well used by staff and pupils but the stock is inadequate for the number of pupils on roll.

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ENGLISH

95 The subject is very well led by two coordinators who work closely with the headteacher and staff. The regular and direct monitoring helps them to develop the curriculum and to influence teaching, and subsequent progress, in classes. In addition, the school has analysed the National Curriculum test results and put into effect action plans to address identified weaknesses. The school has also developed and implemented an ‘Able Child’ policy, which gives comprehensive guidelines for meeting these pupils’ needs. They are provided with appropriate and consistently challenging tasks and their progress is carefully tracked and systematically recorded throughout the school. As a result, these pupils achieve the standards of which they are capable. Since the last inspection the school has very successfully addressed the issue of providing for more able pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

96 At Key Stage 2 in the 1999 National Curriculum tests, the pupils achieved standards that were above the national average at the expected level four and above, and above the national average at the higher level five, in comparison with all schools. When results over the past four years are compared, standards have risen steadily. Inspection findings confirm these test results and that standards have risen since the last inspection. Attainment in mathematics is above average at the end of Key Stage 2 and progress is good for all pupils, including those with special educational needs. The school has identified pupils who are ready for Level Six work in mathematics and one child is preparing for GCSE mathematics. Cottenham Primary School - 31 97 The National Numeracy Strategy has had a significant impact on the pupils’ ability to do mental and oral work and they use a wide range of strategies to work out their answers. The pupils at Key Stage

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MATHEMATICS

2 carry out a range of investigations of increasing difficulty, so that by the end of the key stage they are able to carry out calculations such as using information about the ingredients from a pancake recipe for four to upgrade it to a recipe for six. They find the areas and perimeters of regular shapes and most find the areas of triangles. A few pupils have difficulty in understanding the formula, but this is because they have not totally understood the significance of the methods that they have been using. They understand the measurement of angles and use a protractor to measure angles accurately. They accurately translate and rotate shapes on graphs using four quadrants. They measure using metres, litres, and kilograms and their respective units and carry out calculations using the full range of measures. In number work pupils use fractions, decimals and percentages and translate from one to another. They halve and double numbers mentally and add and subtract

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MATHEMATICS

numbers with two or three digits. They understand the use of the decimal point and read numbers accurately, recognising the effects of moving the decimal point on place value. They use their tables effectively to work at a good pace and understand multiples and factors of numbers. They have a good understanding of algebraic formulae and are able to use brackets and calculate missing numbers in a range of calculations.

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MATHEMATICS

98 At Key Stage 1 in the 1999 national tests the proportion of pupils achieving the national target of level two and above was close to the national average, as was the proportion attaining the higher level three. However, an above average proportion of pupils achieved Level Four. Trends over time show that although pupils’ attainment fell in 1996 it has remained in line with national trends since 1997. During the inspection, standards at Key Stage 1 were judged to be above average. The school is good at identifying pupils whose ability in mathematics is very good and successfully fosters them. The pupils double and halve numbers up to 30 and enjoy the challenge of considering thousands and millions. They understand fractions as parts of objects and numbers and use quarters and halves accurately in different contexts. They understand the significance of numbers on a 100 square and know that a move down one square is the equivalent of adding ten, and

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MATHEMATICS

moving to the right one square is the same as adding one. They know the names of two dimensional and three dimensional shapes and describe some of their properties. They experience reflective symmetry using regular and irregular shapes. They begin to use algebra and identify missing numbers from addition and subtraction calculations, and use brackets in simple partitioning calculations when adding two digit numbers. They recognise two, five and ten number patterns and begin to consolidate their learning of their tables.

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MATHEMATICS

99 The pupils enjoy the subject and most work with concentration and appropriate effort. They are eager to participate in full class sessions and some begin to develop very quick responses. They enjoy the challenges set for them and work diligently when given investigations at both key stages. They have good relationships with each other and with their class teachers and generally work cooperatively. This results in all pupils making good progress, including those with special educational needs who are well supported in classes enabling them to remain focussed and on task.

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MATHEMATICS

100 The quality of teaching is good overall at both key stages with some examples of very good or excellent teaching. Six lessons were observed at Key Stage 1 of which all were at least good and half were very good or excellent. At Key Stage 2 eleven lessons were observed of which 3 were satisfactory, seven good and one very good. The teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the subject is good. They use correct mathematical terminology and encourage the pupils to describe their strategies using the vocabulary. This makes a good contribution to pupils’ speaking skills. Teachers plan lessons well, and lessons have well sequenced and challenging activities and generally build soundly on pupils’ previous experiences.

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MATHEMATICS

101 The teachers have high expectations of their pupils but occasionally miss opportunities to move pupils on further. For example, in a Year 3 ‘set’ working on quartering numbers, one pupil suggested quartering 198, but this was discarded as too difficult. However, in a Year 2 class a pupil changed the content of the lesson by asking what would happen if the units numbers added up to more than ten when adding two digit numbers. The teacher took up this suggestion and pupils were able to move on further in their learning. The teachers use a range of teaching strategies effectively. They use class, group and individual activities that enable pupils to support each other and learn together when appropriate, but which are challenging to individuals. At Key Stage 2, Cottenham Primary School - 32 where the pupils are placed in ability ‘sets’ for mathematics, the teachers generally group within the

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MATHEMATICS

sets and provide work appropriate to different abilities. They manage the pupils well and use praise and encouragement to create a purposeful and productive working atmosphere where the pupils’ effort is valued and they can have their achievements recognised. Time is used well at both key stages and the pace of lessons is generally good. The teachers provide activities that move smoothly from one part of the lesson to the next enabling the pupils to consolidate their learning while renewing their interest without breaking their concentration. Where the quality of teaching is very good or excellent, the teachers use the plenary session at the end of the lesson to prepare the pupils for the next stage of their learning and set a small, but appropriate, challenge to indicate the next learning objective.

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MATHEMATICS

102 The support staff are suitably deployed and give good support to potentially lower attaining pupils or pupils with special needs. The quality of ongoing assessment is good. The teachers question pupils to discover their misconceptions or understanding of particular topics and provide good opportunities in plenary sessions and during independent work times to tackle difficulties that arise. In some lessons the pupils are asked to identify what they feel they have learned from the lesson. For instance, in a Year 5 group, the pupils were asked to put their work into a red, green or amber box to identify their own level of confidence in the topic covered. This worked very well, enabling pupils to make their own assessments, and gave a clear indication to the teacher of what was needed next. Homework is used appropriately to reinforce the topic being taught in lessons.

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MATHEMATICS

103 The National Numeracy Strategy has made a significant contribution to the development of the mathematics curriculum and the standards which pupils achieve. The structure of the curriculum is sound and it is enriched with meaningful activities. The pupils experience the full range of the National Curriculum and the school has ensured the development of mathematics through other curriculum subjects. For example, in design and technology, the pupils weigh and measure to cook pancakes, and in science they use measures to discover the differences in weight of a burning candle and the distances that different strengths of magnets can pull an object. In geography the pupils experience a range of activities in which they have the opportunity to make and read graphs about rainfall in different countries. In years 3 and 4 the pupils use Venn diagrams to identify the differences and similarities between Judaism and Christianity in religious education. The use of

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MATHEMATICS

information technology in mathematics is limited at present, although the reception classes use computers when sorting numbers and shapes into patterns.

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MATHEMATICS

104 Assessment procedures are good. The pupils who demonstrate exceptional ability are recognised early in their school life and the strong links made with the Village College enable their needs to be met at the appropriate level. This is an example of one of the good initiatives that has been taken to address the issue from the last inspection of lack of challenge for higher attainers. The pupils with special educational needs have appropriate targets and are given additional support enabling them to make good progress. The pupils are continually assessed in mathematics and teachers note their progress towards the formal National Curriculum levels set for them. There are few opportunities for pupils to set their own meaningful short term and specific targets that would enable them to assess their own learning more regularly. The results of assessments are carefully analysed and issues addressed such as the differences in boys’ and girls’ achievements.

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MATHEMATICS

105 The joint leadership in the subject of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 coordinators is very effective and the pupils benefit greatly from the high level of commitment to the subject and the level of expertise available. The coordinators’ regular monitoring of the subject in terms of planning and observations enables them to use their knowledge effectively in the development of the needs of other staff. This has contributed to the good quality of teaching observed across the key stages and to the continued raising of standards. Resources are well managed, clearly labelled and sufficient for the present curriculum, and the curriculum budget is monitored well and spent effectively. The use of visual resources during mental sessions is good and ensures all pupils participate in the session while giving an appropriate visual assessment of pupils’ understanding. This does not happen so often at Key Stage 2. Overall the management of the subject is very good and well supported by the deputy

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MATHEMATICS

head who has good monitoring systems of the coordinators’ roles. The half termly change of teachers for the mathematics sets in years 3, 4, 5, and 6 does not always suit the needs of all pupils, as the lower attaining pupils sometimes suffer from a lack of continuity.

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SCIENCE

Cottenham Primary School - 33 106 Performance in the 1999 National Curriculum tests for Key Stage 2 for pupils reaching the expected level four and the higher level five was above the national average. The results were in line with the average for schools of a similar background. A smaller than average number of pupils gained the lower level three. Boys performed slightly better than girls in 1999, but over the last 4 years this trend is less significant. The Key Stage 2 results are a continuation of a trend of rising standards. The rate of progress over time is higher than that found nationally.

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SCIENCE

107 Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress at Key Stage 2. The standards shown by the pupils in Year 6 during the inspection are above average. Pupils are particularly good at planning and carrying out experimental investigations. They use their reasoning powers well to work out the links between their measurements and the scientific conclusions to be reached, and use graphs well to display their results. They absorb a good quantity of subject knowledge in their lessons on the human body. Most pupils can clearly explain for instance why the heart beats faster after exercise, and how the blood circulation system carries energy to the very fingertips. What they are not yet doing so well is using information technology both for measuring data and for analysing it. Provision for science teaching has improved since the previous inspection, with the introduction of a whole school scheme of work which guides consistency of

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SCIENCE

108 The teachers’ assessments of pupils’ standards at Key Stage 1 for 1999 showed attainment to be below both the national average and the average for similar schools. The weaker position at Key Stage 1 might be accounted for, partially, by an over cautious approach by teachers in deciding their assessments, and partially by the larger than usual number of pupils with special educational needs in that particular year. Pupils make good progress at this key stage. Standards by the end of Year 2 are above average, on the basis of work seen during the inspection. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported, and make progress similar to their peers. Pupils are good at using their thinking skills, for instance, to expand a simple wiring diagram into a complex circuit.

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SCIENCE

109 Pupils’ response to science is good. They maintain a sense of curiosity and are mostly attentive in class, which improves their recall of facts. They work steadily and with determination, which means that they usually finish their work. When in pairs and small groups they relate well and their discussion adds to the learning quality. They share ideas and equipment sensibly, which adds to the clarity of their understanding.

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SCIENCE

110 Teaching has improved since the last inspection, and is good throughout the school. Teachers plan thoroughly. They employ classroom methods which create good, and at times very good, learning conditions. They put the pupils in charge of doing the thinking and solving the problems, with backup help ready when needed. Good question and answer sessions draw out the pupils’ previous experience and recall earlier learning. The clear explanations given within a framework of shared objectives, enables the pupils to see where the lessons are leading. Most lessons are well paced, sustaining interest and leading to good productivity by the pupils. On the few occasions when teaching is only satisfactory no time targets are set for the pupils, the lesson pace is slow, and the teachers do too much for the pupils, inhibiting their intellectual effort.

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SCIENCE

111 The coordinator provides good leadership for the subject and has a clear view of the pupils’ achievements and progress. This is based on information from the strong assessment system from Year 3 upwards. The expansion of this system to include features such as the pupils’ own evaluation of their work, opening up the knowledge of their own learning, is an area for development, leading to the setting of individual targets. Overall, numeracy skills of estimating, counting and measuring various quantities are well used to support effective investigations. Literacy, too, promotes pupils’ developing ideas, as most read their texts purposefully and write their conclusions in a clear style suited to scientific recording.

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ART

112 The pupils make good progress through both key stages. The older pupils are particularly good at working in the style of famous artists. They are also good at planning their work through stages to completion of a project, often using previously learned skills such as observational drawing to help them. They can draw on a wide repertoire of techniques. They have a good background knowledge Cottenham Primary School - 34 of painters, designers and sculptors. They are not as good at expressing their interpretations of art, lacking some of the technical vocabulary to do this. They do not use computer art packages as art media in their own right as much as they might.

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ART

113 Teaching is good. The teachers use the long term planning well as a guide to developing skills in stages year by year. The simpler techniques in drawing, clay and printing clearly grow in complexity and feeling each year. The basic wax resist prints of Year 2 pupils develop into fabric batik dying in the following lesson. By Year 6 pupils are making their own printing blocks with intricate designs. The teachers draw on a wide range of sources. They are good at including elements from their own interests, bringing an enthusiasm to the teaching which rubs off on the pupils. Year 6 pupils, for instance, were amazed at the range of items in their classroom which were influenced by Charles Rennie MacIntosh. Lesson resources are always well prepared, giving pupils a clear idea of what they are going to do and enabling them to make a quick start.

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ART

114 Most teachers usefully share their lesson objectives with their pupils. This gives the pupils a good framework to operate in, and is a valuable starting point to extending the pupils’ awareness of their own learning. What the teachers are particularly good at is allowing time for the pupils to investigate and explore the facilities of given techniques and materials, useful in extending their awareness of their potential, while developing personal interests. The quality of resources does not match the high expectations of the teachers, and the pupils are at times working with inferior equipment.

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ART

115 The pupils respond well to art lessons. They have a very positive attitude and respect each other’s work. They behave well in the sometimes crowded conditions. The teachers give particular support to the pupils with special educational needs, enabling them to make as good progress as their peers.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

116 Pupils make satisfactory progress at both key stages and achieve standards normally expected of seven and eleven year olds. The school has acted in a determined manner to overcome the weaknesses found in the previous inspection. Because there is now a good scheme of work and policy, the teachers have an effective curriculum map to plan skills’ teaching progressively step by step from Reception to Year 6. By the end of Year 2, the pupils can draw up designs which reflect their ideas on, for instance the making of motor vehicles, and use those designs to guide their making of the objects. These skills are gradually extended so that by the end of Year 6, the pupils can confidently tackle a much wider range of challenging tasks. The pupils are particularly good at working together to solve problems. They can see what is needed from their plans and use considerable independence in choosing and testing the materials they need for component parts or

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

for fastenings. They are not quite so good at organising their workspace so that they can get the most effective use out of the tools they use.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

117 Teaching is good and contributes significantly to the progress made. Lessons are always well prepared so that the pupils can make a quick start to their work when the instructions have been given. The teachers have precise objectives for their lessons and explain these very clearly to the pupils. The teachers are particularly good at creating effective learning conditions where the pupils have to do most of the thinking for themselves.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

118 Year 6 pupils had to concentrate carefully on judging the effectiveness of the materials they were using, not just to enable the building of their Anderson shelters but also to reflect the historical purpose of these items. Many pupils used their scientific knowledge of weak and strong shapes to guide them, some seeing that the original curved shape would work best. Others weren’t too sure and tested triangular shapes.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

119 The teachers are good at planning in links with other subjects, and technology is often a vehicle for learning more about mathematics in a practical situation. The pupils extend their range of writing when they are using the particular style of recording their evaluations of the success of their work. Sometimes they link their technology work with geography, or with science. For example, pupils in Year 1 made apparatus to show how their bulb circuits work. The teachers and assistants give good support to the pupils with special educational needs, and they build considerable confidence. Their work is at least as good as, and often better than, their peers, and they make good progress. What the teachers are not as good at is in anticipating just how far the pupils will get when they are Cottenham Primary School - 35 following their own lead. So occasions arise when the pupils need tool handling skills which have

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

not yet been taught. At present there is no strategy to take account of this. Information technology is not used as much as it could be as a medium for drawing up designs.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

120 The pupils’ work is displayed in an attractive form. The quality of finish of their models demonstrates the care which pupils take. They rightly show off their work with pride. They have a very positive attitude to technology. At times their level of involvement and concentration is excellent. They listen well, as shown in Year 1 where some pupils had taken on board what their teacher said about letters in posters needing to be big. They were intent on checking each others’ work holding up their work in the furthest corners of the classroom. Older pupils work effectively in the sometimes cramped conditions. Cottenham Primary School - 36

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GEOGRAPHY

121 In the last inspection, attainment was in line with national expectations, although the standard of teaching was not reported. This standard has been maintained, despite the reduction of time available. The detailed curriculum planning is much improved since the last inspection. Geography is planned to be taught through a series of topics which are effectively linked to work in other subjects. The topics have been very well planned to incorporate investigative research and to develop the pupils’ knowledge of important world issues such as global warming. There is clear step by step progression of knowledge and skills across the school, and lesson observations and samples of the pupils’ work indicate that by the end of both key stages, most pupils attain in line with those normally expected.

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GEOGRAPHY

122 During this inspection, lessons were only observed in years 3 and 4. The pupils are effectively learning mapping skills in the reception classes. In Year 1, they learn about their local community and compare Cottenham with the seaside. In Year 2, the pupils identify physical and human features in their village. They research animal habitats and have a good sense of conservation. They have a sound knowledge of geographical terms. At Key Stage 2, the pupils learn effectively from a variety of sources of evidence, such as videos, maps and visits from parents with knowledge of places such as Kenya. They make comparisons with schools in Kenya and India. At the end of Key Stage 2, they benefit from visiting North Norfolk to explore the coast and consider pollution. They try to predict future changes to the world. The pupils have a good knowledge of rivers, oceans, and continents. They have a good understanding of the corrosive effects of climate. The

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GEOGRAPHY

pupils undertake fieldwork, including pond dipping and measurement of weather. Throughout the school, pupils’ rate of progress is satisfactory.

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GEOGRAPHY

123 The pupils have positive attitudes towards their geography studies. They particularly enjoy class discussion times and show an interest in the topics they are covering. Their behaviour is usually good and the few occasions when pupils’ attention starts to wander are because the follow up activity does not interest them.

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GEOGRAPHY

124 The teachers work hard to develop the pupils’ geographical knowledge. Lessons vary in quality. They are always satisfactory, and sometimes good. The teachers have a good subject knowledge. This enables the teachers to question effectively, recall previous knowledge and extend the pupils’ thinking while developing their understanding. Features of good lessons are when the teachers motivate their class effectively to work hard, make use of interesting resources and emphasise the use of correct geographical terms. Tasks are appropriately challenging and good support is given to the pupils with special educational needs. This helps them to make similar good progress to their peers in gaining geographical knowledge. Less effective teaching is characterised by the pupils’ confusion when it is not clear what they have to do and waste time talking to each other. The teachers often skilfully link their topics with other subjects, such as mathematics. Skills are

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GEOGRAPHY

practised when for instance block graphs are used to record data about the number of cattle in Kenya. A residential visit to North Norfolk and other educational visits enhance pupils’ learning effectively.

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HISTORY

125 No history lessons were observed during the inspection. In the last inspection, attainment was judged to be in line with the national expectations and this standard has been sustained, although since then there has been a reduction in time available for history.

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HISTORY

126 The pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress in developing a sense of chronology and they confidently use dates and terms relating to the passing of time. At Key Stage 1, they identify differences between life now and in the past. For instance, in a ‘Home and Away’ project, the pupils considered seaside activities and noted the changes that have occurred in beach wear over the years. In Year 3, they examine old photographs and look at equipment from the past, for instance, the kitchen equipment commonly used in the 1930s. They research local war memorials for information about the villagers killed in world wars. At Key Stage 2, the pupils have an increasing awareness of the past and they understand that the past is divided into different periods, such as the Celtic, Roman, Tudor and Victorian eras. In Year 6, the pupils consider broader world issues and realise that life and conditions for the poor people were very

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HISTORY

Cottenham Primary School - 37 different before the introduction of modern support services. They consider sustainable life styles. They make good progress and learn particularly quickly when work is developed from first hand experiences, such as the visit to a Tudor re-enactment. The pupils make sound progress in developing a sense of historical enquiry and they know how to find out and combine information from a range of sources, such as photographs, books, pictures, and visits to museums. The use of computer based research for older pupils is at an early stage of development. Pupils at all levels of ability make satisfactory progress throughout the school.

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HISTORY

127 The pupils are enthusiastic and they enjoy talking about their topic work. They are curious and have good attitudes to this subject. They take care with drawings and diagrams in their topic books.

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HISTORY

128 No lessons were seen but the pupils’ work shows that the school covers a range of interesting projects which support the National Curriculum. The topic planning is very good. As well as meeting legal requirements, the teachers encourage the pupils to consider questions such as ‘Why did the Romans invade Britain?’ Although the teachers ensure the pupils record their work in a variety of forms such as lists, letters and descriptions, spelling mistakes are uncorrected which means pupils misspell the same word repeatedly. For instance, in an above average Year 6 pupil’s work, good historical research work was titled ‘reserch’ and the teacher had written ‘Good Research’, but had made no comment on the spelling. The good use of interesting historical visits and visitors enriches the curriculum. For instance, the school invited a villager who was an evacuee in the war to talk to classes. The pupils have also made visits to the Cambridge Folk Museum and have taken

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HISTORY

part in re-enactments. The teaching effectively promotes pupils’ cultural development.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

129 Standards by the age of eleven are unsatisfactory, and the pupils, including those with special educational needs, make unsatisfactory progress at Key Stage 2. The introduction of a new computer suite, which had only been in operation for a couple of weeks by the time of the inspection has not yet had time to affect standards being achieved. Standards in word processing are average. The pupils are able to edit text on screen and produce pleasing end results using borders and clip art to decorate their work. Some work in control technology is done using a programmable machine. Some of the older pupils have used a digital camera to produce pictures and have edited these pictures. The school also has a set of pocket books which are used by the pupils for research, for example finding capitals of countries, and for word processing in class. The pupils at Key Stage 2 also have appropriate skills of using CD-ROMs for research. Interactive modelling programs are

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

also used. The school does not possess any equipment for the monitoring of external events, so this aspect of the curriculum is not covered. There is also little evidence of information technology yet being used to support subjects such as mathematics and science, by using data handling programs to analyse data and produce graphs.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

130 By the age of seven, standards are unsatisfactory, though only just below average. The pupils have experienced communicating data in word processing, where they are able to use a menu to make satisfactory choices to improve the presentation of their work. The pupils in the reception classes already know their way around the keyboard, and many can type in their own name. The younger pupils at the key stage have produced some attractive pictures, showing satisfactory levels of skill in the use of menus and the keyboard. By Year 1, the pupils can create sentences with full stops, and use the shift key for capital letters. However, the same skills were being taught in a lesson in Year 2. The newness of the computer suite is a factor in this apparent lack of progress, as all pupils are having to be taught the skills from the beginning. Some of the pupils in Year 2 are able to add a clip art picture to their word processing. Computers are also used in some classes to support learning in

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

other subjects. For example in a reception class, some children were using a computer to reinforce counting skills during a mathematics session. However, the range of opportunities is not yet sufficiently broad, and progress for all pupils at this key stage, including those with special educational needs, is also unsatisfactory.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

131 The pupils enjoy using the computers and there is obvious enthusiasm when classes are taken into the computer suite. The novelty of the experience at present sometimes causes a little over enthusiasm which slows progress. When a whole class is taken into the computer suite, the room is rather crowded, and the pupils have to share computers. They do this very sensibly. When using Cottenham Primary School - 38 computers in their classrooms, the pupils are confident and sensible, and take turns and share the tasks well.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

132 Lessons were only observed at Key Stage 1, and in these lessons the quality of teaching was satisfactory overall. The teachers observed are generally confident with the computers and therefore know what they want the pupils to achieve. Lessons are well planned and the pupils are given progressively more challenging tasks. At present basic skills are being taught, and these are being taught effectively. The teachers are well aware that many pupils have computers at home, and are ensuring that bad habits learnt on home computers are being corrected. The teachers plan well for the use of the computers in their own classrooms, with clear indication given of what is to be covered during a term, and which pupils have completed the given tasks.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

133 The subject is well led. The coordinators have produced clear plans and a good curriculum statement which has taken into account the new suite. The curriculum planning includes all aspects of the National Curriculum, but it is not yet all being taught. There is a clear system of assessment of the pupils’ attainment and progress. However, at present this does not record small steps in progress or whether particular skills have been mastered. Although most teachers are confident in their use of computers, many have not yet had specific training for the presentation of all aspects of the National Curriculum.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

134 The school is linked to the Internet and the National Grid for Learning, and has produced its own web page. These initiatives are giving the pupils experiences of modern communication possibilities. The computer suite is rather cramped when a whole class is using it, and was more effectively used in the lesson observed with only half a class. This enabled pupils to work on their own, which increased their individual understanding. The furniture in the suite is also unsatisfactory, as it means that the central processing units have to be placed on the floor under the tables, which leaves them vulnerable to accidental damage. Although there is sufficient software to teach all areas of the curriculum, except for the monitoring of external events, much of this software is specific to some of the older computers in the classrooms, and is not yet available in the computer suite.

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MUSIC

135 Pupils at both key stages achieve standards above those of most pupils of seven and eleven years of age. The performing skills of the older pupils are of a high quality. The scheme of work covers all elements of the National Curriculum for music. It provides very good, clear and effective procedures for assessing the pupils’ progress in performing, composing and in their knowledge and understanding of music. There is a very good level of clear and thoughtful leadership. Improvement since the previous inspection is good.

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MUSIC

136 At Key Stage 1 the pupils achieve standards above those expected for pupils of seven years of age. They have a good level of skill in playing musical instruments to create sound effects. They control their voices well. For example, most pupils maintain correct tune and rhythm when they sing. They listen attentively and understand the need for silence in music. The pupils carefully select musical instruments to represent sounds. For example, they decide on cymbals to represent the clock striking one. By the end of the key stage, the pupils understand how to compose and perform from a score and understand the importance of following the conductor’s directions. This shows good improvement since the previous inspection.

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MUSIC

137 At Key Stage 2 the pupils achieve standards above those expected for pupils of eleven years of age. Throughout the key stage their singing skills are good. They maintain the correct pitch when they sing in harmony and four part round. Most of the pupils sing with expression. They understand the need for correct posture, breathing, diction, dynamics and phrasing, and control their voices well. An example of this is the very well supported rehearsal for the millennium celebrations. The pupils’ composing skills are good. They use their voices well to create sound effects. For example, they develop the monkey chant well from the story of Ramayana and perform this in five parts. The pupils listen carefully and attentively to music and correctly identify the instruments playing. They perform with confidence to each other and to wider audiences. Examples of this are the concerts and performances in which the pupils take part. This shows a good level of improvement since the

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MUSIC

previous inspection. Cottenham Primary School - 39 138 By the end of Key Stage 2 the pupils make very good progress in their learning in music. This begins in the reception classes and continues through Key Stage 1 where the pupils make good progress. They learn new skills well as they develop and refine their ability to compose and perform. All the pupils at Key Stage 1 make good progress in their ability to learn about music. They listen carefully and appraise musical compositions. At Key Stage 2 the pupils build very well on their skills of performing and receive very good support from visiting music teachers. They work hard to improve their singing and performing skills. They develop their ability to respond to feelings in music very well. Throughout Key Stage 2 the pupils increase their rate of progress in developing their musical skills. This reflects the high quality of teaching. The pupils make very good progress

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MUSIC

in all areas of their musical learning. The pupils with special educational needs make good progress at both key stages in developing and increasing their musical skills.

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MUSIC

139 The pupils respond very well to music throughout the school. All the pupils show respect for the efforts of others and respond well to their teachers. The pupils at Key Stage 1 have positive attitudes to work in music and good levels of concentration and determination to succeed. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils show high levels of perseverance and determination to produce work of a high quality. They cooperate very well together and work collaboratively when composing and performing. The pupils clearly enjoy their work in music lessons and show a very good level of response to the lively and enthusiastic teaching. They are enthusiastic, eager to learn and have very positive attitudes to music.

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MUSIC

140 The quality of teaching at Key Stage 1 is consistently good. The teaching at Key Stage 2 is consistently very good. Fifteen per cent of this teaching is outstanding. All the teachers have good subject knowledge and are confident in their teaching of music. Where the teaching is very good, lesson planning is thorough, tasks match the pupils’ abilities very well and the lively and enthusiastic teaching makes the pupils become eager and enthusiastic in their learning. In these lessons the teachers have high expectations of what the pupils can achieve. They ensure that all the pupils enjoy their music, participate and succeed.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

141 Standards in physical education are average at the end of each key stage and progress is satisfactory for all pupils, including those with special educational needs. The pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 can throw and kick a ball accurately and have learned the basic skills of a range of ball games including rugby, netball, football and cricket. All pupils are given good opportunities to learn to swim and, by the time they leave, 95 per cent swim 25 metres or more. During the inspection there were no opportunities to see gymnastics or dance at the end of Key Stage 2 as their timetable this term covers games. At the end of Key Stage 1 pupils balance on different points of their body and can describe their actions. They can climb on and jump off apparatus of different heights and travel along benches and over exercise tables in a variety of ways using different parts of their body. They refine their performances and are taught to start and finish their sequence of movements

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

appropriately. They can hit a ball to a partner with a reasonable accuracy. At both key stages pupils have a good understanding of the effects of exercise on their bodies and understand the purpose of the warm up and stretching exercises in their lessons. At Key Stage 2 pupils are able to choose appropriate exercises for stretching their muscles.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

142 Most pupils enjoy their lessons and there are few pupils who do not bring their kit on the correct day. They respond well to their teachers and listen carefully to instructions. They show a high degree of sportsmanship. This is clearly fostered by the teachers who are excellent role models for their pupils and show a high level of commitment to the subject at both key stages by participating in a range of sports themselves at school in their own time.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

143 The quality of the teaching is good. During the inspection all four lessons observed at Key Stage 1 were good. At Key Stage 2 six lessons were observed of which two were satisfactory, three good and one very good. Planning shows sequenced activities that develop pupils’ skills and the teachers are aware of the health and safety requirements of the subject. They demonstrate high expectations of their pupils’ behaviour and reinforce these throughout the lessons. They use a range of groupings to develop the lesson and create opportunities for the pupils to work in pairs and partnerships to foster a sporting attitude. This is very effective and permeates the whole school and contributes Cottenham Primary School - 40 greatly to the school’s ethos. The teachers use their lesson times well, particularly as time is short in the hall and the getting out and putting away of apparatus can take a large part of the lesson. The

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

pupils are taught to carry equipment safely and with due care of others who are helping or in the hall. They maximise the time by setting tasks for the pupils to do when moving between apparatus such as moving on three points of balance to the next piece of apparatus or practising a floor jump in between. In good lessons, the teachers ask the pupils to identify the skills they have learned during the lesson and encourage them to develop their own assessment. The teachers use assessment continually during lessons and circulate and discuss the pupils’ activities in a group or on an individual basis.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

144 Key Stage 1 has a complete scheme of work while Key Stage 2 has more limited guidelines at present. However, the support within the key stage is very good, enabling the teachers to prepare good lessons to teach the skills of games and gymnastics. There were no unsatisfactory lessons and lesson plans were appropriate to the needs of the subject. However, the school is awaiting the publication of a nationally recommended document to complete its scheme of work at Key Stage 2. The pupils begin to learn to swim at Key Stage 1 and continue to have lessons up to Year 6. The opportunities available to the pupils to participate in a variety of sports are wide ranging in lessons and in extra curricular activities. Extra curricular lessons are well attended and include gymnastics, netball, football, cross country running, rugby and ballet. At present there are no formal assessment procedures although the coordinator is investigating these. However, pertinent comments are made

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

145 The coordination of the subject is good. The subject has maintained a high profile in the school despite the pressures of other curriculum innovations and this demonstrates the teachers’ commitment to a broad and balanced school curriculum. The accommodation for the teaching of the subject is very good. The school benefits from specialist teaching areas such as the studio, the all weather cricket pitch, a swimming pool, a large playing field and playground space. These are used effectively. The provision of small equipment is good and it is stored tidily in easily accessible and well labelled areas.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

146 At the end of both key stages the pupils achieve standards that exceed the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus for pupils of seven and eleven years of age. This represents a good level of improvement since the previous inspection.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

147 The pupils’ attainment in religious education at Key Stage 1 exceeds the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. The pupils learn about special books and special places. They identify the similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam. The pupils know that the Bible is a special book for Christians and that the Qu’ran is a special book for Muslims. They show a suitable level of care and respect for religious artefacts. For example, the pupils know not to walk on a prayer mat. Most of the pupils make links between religions. An example of this is their developing ability to make inferences between their knowledge of Christianity and relate these to their understanding of Islam. The pupils know that stories about Jesus are in the New Testament. They know that a church is a special building because it is the home for the Christian family. All the pupils understand that the Bible and other holy books teach people about ‘truth’ and ‘being good’. The

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

pupils recognise that many religions have a welcoming ceremony in which they give an infant a name. The pupils have a good understanding of the development of Christianity and relate this effectively to their understanding of what it means to belong to a family.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

148 By the age of eleven the pupils have a good knowledge of Christianity and other major world religions. They identify similarities and differences between Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Sikhism. The pupils show a good level of understanding of the different beliefs. For example, they explore the meaning of ‘The five K’s of Sikhism’ and apply these to their own lives. Most pupils’ understanding of the application of Christian values to everyday life is above that for pupils of similar age. They give clear definitions of what is good and what is bad. They understand that people worship in different ways, as they explore the principles of the Baptist church. By Year 6, the pupils show a mature level of thought and reflection as they prepare questions for the visit of an Anglican priest. For example, one pupil prepared a question that explored the concept of living a holy life. ‘Do you think of yourself as the same as everyone else or someone holy?’ All the pupils

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Cottenham Primary School - 41 understand the need for prayer and know that people pray in different ways. They show a good level of awareness of the meaning of prayer and worship. The pupils have a good understanding that all religions have a set of rules. They develop this knowledge to devise their own code of conduct.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

149 The pupils make good progress in their learning about religions at both key stages. They are developing a good understanding and awareness of the similarities between religions. For example, at Key Stage 1 they make significant gains in developing their understanding that all religions have special books and artefacts. They increase their understanding that all religions celebrate similar events. By the age of eleven, the pupils show an increasingly good ability to use and apply ideas they learn from religious practices. They have a well developed understanding of the similarities and differences between a range of major world religions. The pupils are developing a good understanding of the different practices within Christianity. An example of this is the progress the pupils in years 3 and 4 make in their knowledge about the Baptist faith. All pupils understand the need to care for others as well as themselves. The pupils with special educational needs receive

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

effective support in the classroom. This enables them to learn well and make good progress in their work.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

150 The pupils respond well to work in religious education at both key stages. Most of the pupils have positive attitudes to their work and think carefully about issues. They show a good level of respect for the ideas and opinions of others and are confident in sharing their thoughts. The pupils are enthusiastic and eager to put forward their own ideas. At Key Stage 1, most of the pupils concentrate well and ask sensible questions. Most of the pupils at Key Stage 2 discuss feelings and emotions at a mature level, prepare thoughtful questions and cooperate well together. They relate well to their teachers and to each other. Throughout the key stage the pupils are sensitive to the feelings of other pupils and value each other’s thoughts and ideas. They have good levels of motivation to learn and enjoy the level of challenge in their work. All the pupils respond well to the opportunities for quiet contemplation they have during lessons.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

151 At both key stages the pupils use and apply their writing skills effectively to produce interesting pieces of work about religious events. At Key Stage 2 the pupils write confidently in the style of a newspaper reporter. Some of the pupils do not pay enough attention to presenting their work neatly and carefully.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

152 The teaching of religious education is good overall. All of the teaching observed at Key Stage 1 was good. Eighty five per cent of teaching at Key Stage 2 was good and the remaining fifteen per cent was satisfactory. This is a good level of improvement since the previous inspection. The teachers are confident in the subject and prepare their lessons thoroughly. They give careful thought to providing a calm and reflective atmosphere in the classroom for the teaching of religious education. Planning follows the locally agreed syllabus for religious education and gives a good level of attention to the areas of learning in the agreed syllabus. The school provides a suitably wide range of opportunities to enable pupils to become aware of the religious element in life. This includes the provision of quiet areas in the playground. The teachers encourage pupils to reflect on their own experiences and to relate them to those of other people. The teachers and pupils are sensitive to

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

sacred religious artefacts and treat them with respect and care.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

153 The school’s scheme of work gives teachers clear guidance and suggestions to assist their teaching. The teachers keep formal records of the areas of work that pupils cover, but do not keep systematic records of pupils’ attitudes towards religious education. This situation is normal, but is an area that the school has plans to improve. The school’s resources for the teaching of religious education are good. There is a good and relevant collection of artefacts and an adequate supply of good quality books. The pupils and teachers make good and effective use of these resources.

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