Cherry Grove Primary School

Cherry Grove Primary School

Dates of inspection: 24 th January 2000 – 26 th January 2000

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Cherry Grove 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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Cherry Grove 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. Cherry Grove Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and junior, with nursery

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Chapel lane Boughton Chester Postcode: CH3 5EN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 15 th – 18 th April 1996 Cherry Grove Primary School - 4

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Team members

Kari Manning Registered inspector David Haynes Lay inspector Peter Graham Team inspector Mike Bowers Team inspector

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Team members

Thresher House Lea Hall Park Demage Lane Lea-by-Backford Chester CH1 6LP

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Cherry Grove 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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Cherry Grove is larger than most primary schools and has 252 pupils in classes from reception to Year 6. In addition, there are 52 children who attend the nursery part-time. After the reception year pupils are taught in mixed-age classes. There has been little change to the school population and surrounding area in recent years. Almost all pupils are of white ethnic origin and everyone speaks English as their first language. Although most pupils live close to the school, a few travel from further afield. The number of pupils entitled to free school meals is broadly in line with the national average. When they start in the reception classes, the attainments of four-year-olds are above average. Consequently, the number of pupils who have special educational needs is lower than in most other schools.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school. Very good leadership and management ensures that it is improving all the time. As a result of good teaching, pupils achieve high standards in English, mathematics, science and in art. Pupils are mature and behave very well. The school achieves all of this at an average cost and gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Very good leadership and management set a clear direction for the school to continue to improve the quality of teaching and to raise standards. • Most of the teaching of literacy and numeracy is very good and as a result standards are high in English and mathematics. • The school’s behaviour policy 1 works extremely well and is a significant factor in pupils’ very good behaviour and mature attitudes to learning. • Pupils with special educational needs are supported particularly well and make very good progress. • The quality of art and display is outstanding and makes the school an attractive place in which to learn.

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What could be improved

• While it has made significant improvements to the quality of teaching in raising standards in information technology, the school now has an important step to make in order to raise standards even further. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The last inspection, in April 1996, found Cherry Grove to be a school with many good features. Since then the headteacher, staff and governors have done as much as they could to tackle the key issues identified for development in the last report. They have been particularly successful at reviewing the quality of teaching and analysing the results of tests in English and mathematics. This has led to continued high standards in both subjects. Having worked out effective means of doing this in English and mathematics, teachers are in a good position to do the same in other subjects. The provision for information technology is also much improved, with better resources, more confident teaching and higher standards than previously. Provision and standards are likely to continue to improve

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

1 Teachers, pupils and parents refer to this as the ‘assertive discipline policy’. Cherry Grove Primary School - 7 because teachers have a good scheme of work to help them plan work and assess pupils’ attainment. The school has not just maintained a positive ethos, it has raised teachers’ and pupils’ expectations of high standards. Two years ago, the school introduced a behaviour policy, which has proved to be very popular with pupils and parents. It has also been particularly effective in improving behaviour and helping pupils gain more mature and responsible attitudes to the school and their work. In general, pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics is higher than at the time of the previous inspection, showing that the school has continued to aim for high 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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schools

science A* A A A Key well above average above average average below average well below average A B C D E

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schools

The table shows that standards are consistently high when compared to all schools and schools with similar intakes. Where there is an A*, pupils’ test results were in the top five per cent of all schools. Evidence from this inspection confirms that standards in English, mathematics and science are high and that seven and eleven-year-olds achieve well beyond what is normally expected for their age. Standards in information technology are typical for both seven and eleven-year-olds. Pupils’ knowledge of religious education exceeds expectations for their age. The school sets realistic targets in English and mathematics for eleven-year-olds. By the time they leave school, all pupils have achieved as well as they can. Cherry Grove Primary School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to work and school. They listen attentively, concentrate well and try hard to do their best.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good in lessons and at other times. Pupils are polite and courteous towards one another and adults.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Excellent. Pupils are mature and willing to take on responsibility. The relationships they have with teachers are very good and they work and play with other children in a friendly way.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is good. Pupils enjoy coming to school and arrive on time.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ response to the school’s behaviour policy is a particular strength of the school. They understand the need for school rules and link them with their behaviour towards others. Pupils of all ages are proud of the stickers they get for effort or behaviour. Gaining a bronze, silver or gold certificate is a cause for celebration involving classmates, teachers and parents.

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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 Very 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

In more than half of the lessons seen during the inspection teaching was good and in another third it was very good. The remainder was satisfactory. Most of the teaching of English and mathematics in Key Stages 1 and 2 is very good. The teaching of language and literacy and mathematical development is good in the foundation stage. Staff develop children’s language and number skills in a wide range of activities and through encouraging children to talk about what they are doing. In Key Stage 1, the basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught effectively and well. Teachers make good use of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies to plan work and assess what pupils know and can do. In Key Stage 2, teachers have very high expectations that pupils will behave well and try hard. They also make good use of homework to support pupils’ learning in lessons. As a result, pupils achieve high enough standards by the time they leave the school. In both key

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

stages, pupils with special educational needs are taught very well and make very good progress, often reaching levels that are expected for their age. Teachers make good use of support staff and other adults to work with pupils. Cherry Grove Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and relevant. It is enriched by special art days and by the many and varied opportunities that pupils have to take part in interesting activities during and after school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school makes very good provision for pupils with special educational needs. Carefully planned work enables many of these pupils to reach standards in English and mathematics that are expected for their age.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development This is one of the strengths of the school. The school’s behaviour policy is used extremely well to promote pupils’ moral and social development. It pervades all of the work of the school and is part of its ethos. Pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is promoted strongly through lessons and assemblies.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Pupils are looked after well. The school’s behaviour policy is extremely effective in promoting pupils’ personal development.

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Aspect Comment

The curriculum meets statutory requirements and goes beyond this to include several features that enrich it considerably. The first is the way that teachers organise art days, when pupils can spend the whole day working on a project or piece of work. A second strength to the curriculum is the effort put into the many sports activities and clubs that take place during and after school. In addition to being very popular, they help promote pupils’ spiritual and cultural development very well. These activities and many educational visitors and outings give pupils a wide experience and help them learn. A particular strength of the curriculum is the very good provision that is made for pupils with special educational needs. Finally, the school’s behaviour policy is the starting point for much of the social, moral, and personal development of pupils. Cherry Grove Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The school is led and managed very well. The headteacher and deputy headteacher are dynamic leaders. Everything the senior management team and curriculum co-ordinators do is based on helping pupils achieve the best they can.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors fulfil all of their statutory responsibilities very ably. Through their commitment, they help give direction to the work of school. They make sure that the school is always striving for improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance A firm understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses helps the team of headteacher, staff and governors to continue to improve the quality of teaching and raise standards. Staff have worked hard to improve procedures for monitoring the curriculum and the quality of teaching. They now do this very successfully in English and mathematics.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources All of the school’s resources are used to help pupils reach high standards. Good use is made of support staff and volunteers to work with small groups and they make a significant contribution to the quality of teaching.

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Aspect Comment

One of the main reasons for the school’s success is the very good leadership provided by the senior management team and curriculum co-ordinators. They are particularly good at determining the strengths and weaknesses of teaching and learning. As a result, they know what needs to be done to improve and prioritise initiatives for raising standards. This is evident in the way that literacy, numeracy and information technology have been given priority for development in recent years. Pupils’ performance in tests is compared with local, similar and all other schools. The school does this well. Decisions about teaching and the curriculum are constantly reviewed to see if they are effective in maintaining high standards. Governors and the senior management team keep a close eye on spending to ensure that they get the best possible value for money and that pupils have good quality resources to help them learn. Parents’ views about the school are sought regularly. They

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Aspect Comment

play an active part in shaping decisions about issues such as the policy for behaviour. Cherry Grove Primary School - 11

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• They feel that their children achieve good standards in their work. • Parents are happy with the progress their children make. • The school listens to their suggestions and concerns and takes appropriate action. • The range of after-school clubs and sports provided by the school. • The school helps their children become mature and responsible. • Some parents are not happy with the amount of homework their children get. • The information they get about how their children are getting on.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Only a small number of parents attended the meeting before the inspection or returned questionnaires. Inspection findings confirm that parents are right to believe that the school enables their children to achieve high standards of work. They are also right to praise the school for the effort put into providing after-school clubs and sports. These are very popular with pupils and help them gain the maturity and responsible attitudes that parents value. Parents have plenty of opportunities to discuss their children’s work with teachers at open evenings, which are held once a month, and at the beginning and end of the school day when teachers are readily available. All pupils are given regular homework, which increases in quantity as they get older. Cherry Grove Primary School - 12

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Very good leadership and management sets a clear direction for the school to

continue to improve the quality of teaching and raise standards.

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Very good leadership and management sets a clear direction for the school to

1. The headteacher provides strong leadership, which sets clear educational direction for the school and contributes to the quality of education provided and the high standards achieved by pupils. During his two-term secondment the school was managed very well by the deputy headteacher, who continued initiatives that had already been started and ensured that the school ran smoothly. Together, they form a very good senior management team whose dynamic approach and enthusiasm has contributed to the high percentage of good teaching in the school, the success of the school’s policy for promoting good behaviour and the effectiveness of arrangements for pupils with special educational needs.

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Very good leadership and management sets a clear direction for the school to

2. Since the previous inspection, the headteacher and deputy headteacher have led the way in monitoring the quality of teaching in English and mathematics. Together with subject co-ordinators, they have devised clear and rigorous procedures for monitoring planning, observing teachers at work and analysing the results of standardised tests. As a result of looking closely at medium and long-term planning, teachers have begun to group pupils in Key Stage 2 into classes of similar ability in both subjects. This is working well and results in standards remaining well above average by the time pupils leave the school. Similarly, teachers are more aware of the strengths and weaknesses in their teaching. As a direct result of co-ordinators observing teaching and looking at pupils’ books, teachers have been able to improve the way they mark work and have agreed standards for setting out work. The school is in a good position to continue to

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Very good leadership and management sets a clear direction for the school to

improve the quality of teaching and raise standards because these procedures can be extended to other subjects.

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Very good leadership and management sets a clear direction for the school to

3. Staff with leadership and managerial roles continue to contribute to the effective management of the school. Subject co-ordinators support their colleagues in the classroom and each is aware of how their subject needs to develop. An example of this is in the subject of information technology. This was a key issue at the time of the last inspection. Now, as a result of hard work by all staff and good leadership by the co- ordinator, pupils’ attainment is in line with expectations for their age. Despite this, the co-ordinator feels that more work needs to be done because standards are not yet high enough in a school where pupils generally do better than average. Teachers are in a good position to make this possible by using the same monitoring procedures that have worked effectively in English and mathematics.

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Very good leadership and management sets a clear direction for the school to

4. Members of the governing body show high levels of commitment to supporting the work of the school. They meet in a variety of committees to examine aspects of their designated roles in greater detail and are not afraid to challenge decisions about spending and curriculum. They ensure that the school competes for best value for money. They compare critically the school's results in tests with other schools and look particularly to see whether there are any differences between the attainment of boys and girls. The governing body takes pride in supporting the headteacher in setting targets for attainment in English and mathematics and in seeking the views of parents on important issues such as the policy for promoting good behaviour. Cherry Grove Primary School - 13

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The teaching of literacy and numeracy is very good and as a result standards are high

5. Teachers regard literacy and numeracy as fundamental to pupils’ academic success. Consequently a good deal of time is spent on both English and mathematics. In Key Stage 1, pupils get an hour of English each day and lessons follow the guidelines in the National Literacy Framework. In Key Stage 2, each afternoon begins with half an hour of reading, one group works with the class teacher while others read books they have chosen. Pupils enjoy this quiet time. Very often the only sound, other than the turning of pages and muttering of text, is when one pupil stops to tell another about the book they have chosen. Similarly, pupils have responded very well to changes in teaching mathematics. Their enjoyment of mental mathematics sessions is evident in the enthusiasm with which they use the number fans in Key Stage 1 and their determination to beat the clock when trying to complete a tables loop in a class in Key Stage 2.

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The teaching of literacy and numeracy is very good and as a result standards are high

6. Teachers have adapted the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies very well to meet the needs of pupils and to suit the organisation of classes and year-groups. In Key Stage 1, pupils’ work is planned thoroughly so that both Year 1 and Year 2 pupils are given work at the right level of difficulty. A strength of the teaching is that higher attaining pupils are given the chance to work with older pupils on more challenging tasks. Pupils in Key Stage 2 are taught in groups of similar ability and this is working very well. Lower attaining pupils get the extra help they need and higher attaining pupils benefit from greater challenge in their work.

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The teaching of literacy and numeracy is very good and as a result standards are high

7. Children in the nursery and reception class get a good start to their learning of literacy and numeracy. In the nursery, there are specific literacy and numeracy times, when the whole group sit together to share a story, learn rhymes or engage in counting activities. Children are quick to join in reading activities by getting their favourite books and pointing out the best bits. One or two children are confident enough to tell the story from pictures and most enjoy joining in with rhyming lines or repeated words, nodding their heads and getting the rhythm of the words. The strength of teaching in the nursery and reception class is the way staff encourage children to talk about their experiences. Children respond well by repeating new words and mathematical terms confidently. This is a significant factor in children’s widening vocabulary and increased confidence as they get older. In the reception class, teachers ensure that there is a good balance

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The teaching of literacy and numeracy is very good and as a result standards are high

of whole-class session, when children read books or learn about mathematics and practical activities when children get to practise what they have learned.

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The teaching of literacy and numeracy is very good and as a result standards are high

8. Most of the teaching of English and mathematics is very good. In Key Stage 1, teachers make good use of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies to plan lessons that capture the interest and meets the needs of pupils in mixed-age classes. In Key Stage 2, teachers plan work that is particularly challenging for higher attaining pupils, sometimes working towards two levels above what is expected for their age. This motivates pupils to such an extent that in one class, pupils suggested that the teacher set a target for completing their mathematics and then worked fast and furiously to meet it. Most succeeded and the satisfaction they felt was evident on their faces. In mathematics, pupils are further encouraged towards high standards through the booster classes , which offer challenge and work at higher levels.

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The teaching of literacy and numeracy is very good and as a result standards are high

9. Strengths in the teaching of literacy and numeracy include the many opportunities teachers plan for pupils to read, write and use number in other subjects. Consequently, by the time they are in Year 6 they write in a variety of styles and use words to stunning effect in some of their writing. For example, a pupil in a class in Year 6 wrote with great feeling about what life would be like as a Viking. Pupils also use their numeracy skills to produce charts and graphs to record data and information. Cherry Grove Primary School - 14

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The school’s behaviour policy works extremely well and is a significant factor in

pupils’ very good behaviour and mature attitudes to learning.

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The school’s behaviour policy works extremely well and is a significant factor in

10. The behaviour policy pervades all of the work of the school. It is a very simple but effective policy for promoting good behaviour and personal development. It works because everyone, staff, parents and pupils understand it and how it works. Teachers and other staff follow the procedures scrupulously. Everyone has the same approach and as a result, pupils know exactly what to expect. This is its strength. Their behaviour is not just a response to the rewards they get for effort or performance. Pupils of all ages know the difference between right and wrong behaviour and are polite and trustworthy. However, gaining stamps or stickers towards certificates is something that pupils strive towards. Children in the reception classes are already avid collectors of stickers and are keen to show them off to adults. Older pupils talk about their targets for getting gold or even platinum certificates before the end of the year. Another reason

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The school’s behaviour policy works extremely well and is a significant factor in

for its success is the way that achievement is celebrated and made into a special event involving the whole school and parents. The pleasure and pride pupils have from reaching each standard was evident when one boy dashed over to tell a visitor that he would be getting a bronze certificate the following Friday and his mum would be coming to see it.

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The school’s behaviour policy works extremely well and is a significant factor in

11. However, the policy does more than promote good behaviour. Teachers also link it to pupils’ moral and social development. In an assembly for pupils in Key Stage 2, when the teacher had finished telling the parable of the Good Samaritan, he asked pupils how the school’s policy reinforced some of the teachings of Jesus. Many pupils showed their maturity and understanding of the policy by interpreting this as helping one another. Pupils not only know the rules of the school, they have helped determine them and think that they are fair.

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The school’s behaviour policy works extremely well and is a significant factor in

12. Teachers are thrilled with the effect the policy has on pupils’ behaviour and at the way pupils have become more mature and responsible since it was introduced. They feel that pupils settle to work far more quickly and much less time is spent on discipline. Because of this, teaching is more relaxed and more time is devoted to teaching. Parents are also happy with the policy. Some of those at the meeting held prior to the inspection said that pupils’ behaviour has improved since it was begun. When the school consulted parents about the policy their reaction was very positive. Almost 90 per cent of those who responded said that it is very effective.

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Pupils with special educational needs are supported particularly well and make very

13. The school makes very good provision for pupils with special educational needs. Teachers feel that it is important to identify pupils’ special educational needs as early as possible in order to provide additional support before pupils begin to feel that they are falling behind. In order to do this they have begun to test pupils in classes in Year 1 and analyse the results of assessments of children in the reception classes. As a result, pupils with learning difficulties arising from reading, writing and mathematics are quickly given the support they need, either in the classroom or in small groups withdrawn for extra help. The system has proved to be particularly effective in that last year, when all pupils reached the expected Level 2 in National Curriculum tests in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Pupils with special educational needs are supported particularly well and make very

14. Having identified pupils who need additional support, teachers and the co-ordinator work closely to create an individual programme for learning. The good quality of these is one of the reasons that pupils often catch up and no longer need additional support. They are very focused and the targets are not only well-matched to pupils’ needs but show that work has been planned carefully and in manageable chunks that ensure Cherry Grove Primary School - 15 pupils get a feeling of success. Pupils’ views are taken into consideration in setting targets and reviewing progress. They are encouraged to say how they can help themselves, which encouraged one boy to say he would ‘do his best’. Pupils’ opinions are also listened to during meetings to review their progress. An example of this was evident when one older boy said he would prefer to have his support in the classroom and no longer wanted to be taught in a small group. Teachers and the co-ordinator

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Pupils with special educational needs are supported particularly well and make very

were prepared to discuss whether this was possible.

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Pupils with special educational needs are supported particularly well and make very

15. The co-ordinator is very efficient in carrying out her duties and keeps staff up-to-date with their expertise. New initiatives for helping pupils are seized upon and made to work very quickly. The combined efforts of teachers, support staff and parents ensures that pupils with special educational needs make very good progress in English and mathematics.

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The quality of art and display is outstanding and makes the school an attractive place

16. Teachers feel that art has an important part to play in the curriculum and as such it is given a high profile in the school. Classrooms, corridors and shared areas are full of high quality displays that include some outstanding pieces of work. Much of this is produced during art lessons but some of the more ambitious projects, such as the ceramic work, the large and detailed pictures of Chester Cathedral and the architectural models have been produced during special art days. Teachers organise these well. Sometimes there are visiting artists to share techniques and on other occasions, pupils get their inspiration from the local environment. The most recent project has involved looking at architectural features of the school and reproducing them as models and pictures. Pupils enjoy having the extra time to spend on their work and know that care is necessary if they are to produce something of high quality. This was evident in a

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The quality of art and display is outstanding and makes the school an attractive place

class of Year 1 and Year 2 pupils, when one girl explained to the rest of the class how long it had taken to complete her model of a house.

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The quality of art and display is outstanding and makes the school an attractive place

17. Teachers show how much they value pupils’ efforts by displaying their work attractively. Pupils respond to this by stopping to look at the work of others in the hall and corridors. On one occasion, two boys talked about a display featuring pictures of stonework on the school and then set off at a trot to find one of the examples during playtime.

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The quality of art and display is outstanding and makes the school an attractive place

18. The work on display shows that pupils know how to use a wide range of techniques in art and craft and do this expressively and creatively. Because teachers use art to support work in other subjects they have many opportunities to design and make models and to improve their drawing and painting skills through regular practice. Pupils are rightly proud of their efforts and talk enthusiastically about their work. Cherry Grove Primary School - 16

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standards in information technology, the school now has an important step to make in

19. Since the last inspection, the school has done as much as it could to tackle the issue of developing the use of information technology across the curriculum. It is now in the position of having been successful in improving the quality of teaching and the curriculum and of raising standards to a level that is in line with expectations at the end of both key stages. However, because this is a school where pupils achieve high standards, the headteacher and co-ordinator want to turn their attention to raising standards in this subject to the same high level as in English and mathematics. There are several steps the school needs to take if it is to do this successfully.

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standards in information technology, the school now has an important step to make in

20. While the school recognises where improvements are required they have not used the rigorous systems that have proved successful in English and mathematics to identify precisely what needs to be done to raise standards. As a consequence, there are decisions to be made about the organisation of resources and time and about planning and assessment.

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standards in information technology, the school now has an important step to make in

21. The school has recognised that teachers will need further training if they are to keep up-to-date with fast changing technology and in particular if they are to make use of the Internet and electronic mail to support pupils’ learning. At present, they are confident in using the computers and software that are in school. However, as pupils gain experience and skills, teachers know that they will need to keep one step ahead of new technology.

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standards in information technology, the school now has an important step to make in

22. The time spent teaching information technology is similar to that in most other schools, but because there is only one computer in each class pupils have only limited opportunities to practise their skills. This is an important factor if the school is to raise standards further.

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standards in information technology, the school now has an important step to make in

23. Teachers use a good quality scheme of work to plan lessons. However, the time allocated to information technology lessons is not enough to ensure that all of the units can be covered in sufficient depth. The co-ordinator recognises the need to monitor teachers’ planning very closely if there are to be no gaps in pupils' learning. This is important because many information technology skills are taught in other subjects. In addition, while log books of what pupils have learned give a reasonable picture of what they can do, teachers’ record keeping does not show whether pupils are making fast enough progress for their age and ability.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school should now tackle the issue of raising standards of attainment in information technology by (1) improving the expertise of teachers through additional training, (2) giving all pupils regular opportunities to practise and improve their skills, (3) ensuring that the curriculum for information technology is covered in full and that sufficient time is devoted to it, (4) improving the system of recording what pupils can do so that it is possible to see whether they make fast enough progress. Cherry Grove Primary School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 28

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

0% 33% 52% 14% 0% 0% 0% The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 26 278

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 41 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 49

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 10

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.7 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Cherry Grove Primary School - 18

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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 26 24 50

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 26 26 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 24 24 24

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (92) 100 (100) 100 (88) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 26 26 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 24 24 23

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (96) 100 (96) 96 (92) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 80 (79) 86 (85)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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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 33 18 51

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 25 31 30 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 17 17 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 84 (86) 94 (86) 96 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 27 29 30 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 17 16 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 90 (86) 92 (84) 98 (92) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (71) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Cherry Grove Primary School - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 9 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.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 11 Financial year 1999

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25.3

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 531343

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 1587

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 83.5 Balance brought forward from previous year 60994

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 42286

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 13 FTE means full-time equivalent. Cherry Grove Primary School - 20

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Number of questionnaires returned 43 (14%)

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 49 49 0 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 40 51 5 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 33 37 26 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 28 51 19 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 35 5 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 44 51 0 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 37 51 7 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 30 51 5 0 14

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 37 63 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 37 63 0 0 0

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Other issues raised by parents

6 (14%) parents made additional comments

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Other issues raised by parents

Points arising • The school is very approachable and has good communications with parents.

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