Kilkhampton Junior and Infant School

BUDE

Dates of inspection: 17 th -18 th January 2000

p.1

BUDE

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996

p.1

THE SCHOOL

School address: - Kilkhampton Bude Cornwall EX23 9QU

p.2

THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: - Mrs M Gomez

p.2

THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: - 6 th -9 th February 1996

p.2

Aspect responsibilities

Mr Peter Kemble Registered inspector What sort of school is it? How high are standards? How well are pupils and students taught? How good are curricular and other opportunities? How well is the school led and managed? Mr Paul Widdowson Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils and students? How well does the school work in partnership with the parents?

p.3

Aspect responsibilities

National Educational Services, Linden House, Woodland Way, Gosfield, Essex CO9 1TH

p.3

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:

p.3

Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar, Inspection Quality Division

p.3

Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House, 33 Kingsway, London WC2B 6SE 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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

p.3

Aspect responsibilities

Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 and the Education Act 1993, 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.

p.4

MAIN FINDINGS 4 - 9

Information about the school The effectiveness of the school How the school has improved since the last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school and its management The parents’ views of the school

p.5

COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN FINDINGS 10 - 13

What the school does well What could be improved

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This school is a small County primary school for boys and girls 4-11 years old. It has 72 full-time pupils and 2 part-time pupils. Taken together, pupils’ attainment on entry is typical of that found nationally. Eighteen pupils have special educational needs, a figure higher than the national average. There are no pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds. The average class size is 22.7.

p.6

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SCHOOL

Kilkhampton Junior and Infants is a good school. Pupils are keen to come to school because teachers provide challenging and motivating activities, which help pupils attain high standards. The school is very well led by the headteacher. She is successful in creating a caring and supportive ethos. Parents and members of the local community are closely involved in the life and work of the school.

p.6

What the school does well

• Attainment in science is very high and attainment in mathematics is above average at the end of both key stages. • Teachers successfully encourage pupils to attain high standards by enthusiastic teaching and the provision of interesting activities. • The headteacher is very effective in identifying what does or does not work well in lessons. • Parents are closely involved in their children’s learning and are kept very well informed about how their children are getting on.

p.6

What could be improved

• The management and organisation of group work in Key Stage 1 do not ensure that pupils make consistently good progress during these activities.

p.6

What could be improved

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan which will be sent to all parents and carers of pupils at the school.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION

Action taken by the staff and governors since the last inspection in February, 1996 has been sufficient to maintain the high standards in mathematics and science attained in national tests by pupils at the end of Key Stage 2. Their action has successfully promoted a marked improvement in the standards attained by pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics. Standards in English at the end of Key Stage 2, as shown by the results of the1999 national tests, were below those of previous years, as the attainment on entry of this group of pupils was lower than usual. However, inspection evidence supports the teachers’ assessment that the current Year 6 pupils are likely to attain high standards similar to those achieved in 1997 and 1998. Monitoring and evaluation of what does and does not work well in lessons is now very effective. Teachers plan each term’s work together and subject schemes of work have been reviewed. Effective

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION

adjustments to the creation and implementation of the school development plan have been made. A recent appointment has strengthened the teaching staff at Key Stage 1. Lessons planned for Key Stage 1 pupils are now closely matched to their different abilities, but the management and organisation of group activities do not promote consistently good progress.

p.7

Standards in subjects

The table shows the standards achieved by eleven year olds in 1999 based on the National Curriculum tests:

p.7

Standards in subjects

Performance in Compared with all schools Compared with similar schools Key Very high A* well above average A above average B English C C average C

p.7

Standards in subjects

The five year olds in the current Reception year group are achieving what is normally expected for their age in language and literacy and numeracy. By the end of Key Stage 1, standards are well above average in mathematics and science, above average in reading and broadly in line with the national average in writing. By the end of Key Stage 2, standards in science are very high when compared with all schools and with similar schools. Standards in mathematics are above the national average and those of similar schools. Standards in English are broadly in line with all schools and with similar schools. The work pupils were doing during the inspection confirmed the standards in mathematics and science at both key stages, and in reading and writing at Key Stage 1. Standards in English at the time of the inspection in Year 6 were above average and higher than the standards obtained in the 1999 tests.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to learning Pupils are keen to come to school. They try very hard to achieve the standards set by their teachers. Conduct and relationships Behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. Pupils have very good relationships with each other and with their teachers. Personal development Personal development is very good. Pupils are provided with a wide range of opportunities to take responsibility. They support several local, national and international charities. Attendance Attendance is very good.

p.7

Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

The lessons seen overall Good Good Very good

p.8

Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses.

p.8

Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

Teachers at both key stages have a secure knowledge of the subjects taught and teach them in an enthusiastic and interesting way, so that pupils are motivated by the tasks they undertake. Relationships with pupils are very good, and effectively encourage pupils to try to attain the standards set by their teachers. Whole-class activities in all subjects are taught very effectively at both key stages. Pupils benefit from well-managed and organised group activities at Key Stage 2, but these are sometimes less effective at Key Stage 1.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum has good breadth and balance and fulfils the aims of the school. Residential visits, trips to places of interest and extra-curricular activities are successful in extending pupils’ experiences. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Work is well matched to pupils’ specific needs and they make good progress Personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Pupils’ personal development is promoted very well and they have a very good understanding of their moral and social responsibilities. Pupils are involved in establishing their own class rules and show care and respect for each other and for adults. Good provision is made for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. Leadership and management The school is very well led by the headteacher with good support from the governors. She has created a very good ethos, which successfully involves staff, governors, parents and the local

p.8

Aspect Comment

community in supporting pupils’ learning. Monitoring by the headteacher of the quality of teaching and learning, in order to continue to improve standards, is very effective. The school’s evaluation of its performance Staff and governors have a good understanding of the work of the school. They gather information in a variety of ways and analyse it well to decide whether or not their decisions have been successful. Use of the school’s resources Teaching and non-teaching staff, materials and equipment and the accommodation are used very well. The lack of a school hall limits provision for gymnastics, but good use is made of a local swimming pool to enhance and extend pupils’ physical development. Value for money Standards are high, the quality of education is good and resources are used effectively. The school gives good value for money.

p.8

with

• Children like school and make good progress; • Children’s behaviour is good; • Teaching is good; • The school gives close attention to parents’ problems or concerns; • Links with parents and the community are strong ; • The leadership of the school is good; • The school promotes positive values and attitudes. • A small minority of parents want more homework; • The school does not have a hall and so some aspects of physical education are restricted.

p.10

with

The inspectors support parents’ positive comments. The amount of homework required is similar to that of other primary schools and is judged to be appropriate. The school is unable to provide a full programme of gymnastics due to the lack of a hall, but the programme of physical education is judged to be satisfactory overall in order support pupils’ physical development.

p.10

Attainment in science is very high and attainment in mathematics is above average at the

1. The pupils achieve very high standards in science in their National Curriculum tests at the end of both key stages.

p.11

Attainment in science is very high and attainment in mathematics is above average at the

2. In the Infant class, pupils make good gains in their knowledge and understanding of the natural world as the result of regular opportunities to use the school grounds. Knowledge and understanding of physical processes is particularly well developed through links with other subjects, for example, through art work based on the way light casts shadows onto different coloured backgrounds. Pupils learn quickly and by the end of Key Stage 1 have very well developed observational skills.

p.11

Attainment in science is very high and attainment in mathematics is above average at the

3. In the Junior classes, the strong emphasis on investigative and experimental science established in Key Stage 1 is successfully continued. Pupils’ work shows that they develop a very good understanding of why experiments need to be carried out carefully and they record their results systematically. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils confidently make choices of their own about how investigations should be carried out and use what they have learned previously very effectively to draw conclusions from their results.

p.11

Attainment in science is very high and attainment in mathematics is above average at the

4. The pupils achieve above average standards in mathematics in their National Curriculum tests at the end of both key stages.

p.11

Attainment in science is very high and attainment in mathematics is above average at the

5. In the Infant class, pupils are provided with a wide range of activities, which successfully promote good progress, particularly in number work. Higher attaining pupils are given helpful opportunities to solve problems and extend their skills. All pupils are able to apply number to simple every day problems.

p.11

Attainment in science is very high and attainment in mathematics is above average at the

6. In the Junior classes, pupils are given regular opportunities to apply their knowledge and understanding to practical activities. These are successful in developing an enjoyment and enthusiasm in pupils for using numbers and helps them to make good progress.

p.11

Attainment in science is very high and attainment in mathematics is above average at the

7. In both subjects at both key stages, teachers have high expectations of what their pupils can achieve and this is reflected in the good quality of their planning. There is a good balance between whole-class and group activities so that, after initial discussions at the start of a lesson, pupils go on to their practical work with a clear understanding of the purpose of their work. For example, Years 5 and 6 pupils moved purposefully to their group activities after their teacher had discussed the main objectives of the lesson. This helped them to explore successfully different ways of multiplying and dividing and promoted good quality discussion as they shared ideas. Whole-class sessions at the ends of lessons are particularly effective. Teachers review the main points of the lesson and pupils talk about what they have learned and this makes a significant contribution to pupils’ understanding of the lesson. Teachers mark their pupils’ work well and, by

p.11

Attainment in science is very high and attainment in mathematics is above average at the

pointing out areas for improvement help pupils to move on in their learning at a good pace.

p.11

and the provision of interesting activities

1. In all classes, teachers plan their lessons very thoroughly to ensure that the activities pupils are asked to do are interesting. Teachers plan their lessons together and this stimulates helpful debate and discussion about the content and usefulness of activities. It is very effective in ensuring that each teacher knows what the others are doing and how their planning builds on what pupils have done before in other year groups and classes. As a result, pupils are motivated by the activities and try very hard to complete them successfully. For example, pupils in the Infant class responded well to their teacher’s enthusiasm for, and enjoyment of, the poem ‘The Eagle’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson. They answered her questions well and expressed views of their own, some of which showed a high level of understanding of alliteration.

p.12

and the provision of interesting activities

2. Years 3 and 4 pupils took part keenly in a mathematics lesson to develop their skills of adding mentally three or more single digit numbers. The teacher successfully encouraged pupils to think and talk about ways of finding missing numbers in ‘magic squares’. Pupils responded to the enjoyment gained in completing the squares and in talking about the methods they had used to obtain their answers. The teacher’s own enthusiasm for the activity was an important element in creating interest amongst the pupils and helping them to make good progress.

p.12

and the provision of interesting activities

3. The teacher’s good subject knowledge and enthusiasm for history were effective in stimulating Years 3 and 4 pupils’ interest in a lesson about Henry the Eighth. They looked carefully for clues in writing and pictures about the monarch to establish facts about his character. The good quality of the work sheets provided by the teacher helped pupils to keep a useful record of their conclusions.

p.12

and the provision of interesting activities

4. Years 5 and 6 pupils maintained good levels of concentration and motivation as they worked on activities related to word origins and derivations. The teacher had planned an activity based on phrases and words from the 1960’s, which are now part of the English language. Pupils found this activity interesting, and amusing and, as a result, worked very hard to find the original meanings of phrases such as ‘ urban sprawl’ and ‘pop art’.

p.12

and the provision of interesting activities

5. The very good relationships that teachers establish with their pupils, effective use of classroom assistants and other adult helpers and the good pace maintained in most lessons are features which help sustain pupils’ interest and enjoyment in their work and contribute significantly to the standards attained.

p.12

and the provision of interesting activities

The headteacher is very effective in identifying what does or does not work in lessons.

p.12

and the provision of interesting activities

1. The headteacher has made a significant contribution to high standards by her own good example in the classroom and by promoting positive relationships between staff, pupils, parents and the local community. The quality of teamwork amongst the teaching and non-teaching staff is of a particularly high standard. This has been achieved by the headteacher’s use of effective formal and informal procedures to gather a wide range of information about whether or not initiatives in the school development plan have been successful in improving the quality of teaching and learning in lessons.

p.12

and the provision of interesting activities

2. Regular staff meetings provide opportunities for teaching and non-teaching staff to share national and school test results, look at samples of pupils’ work, critically analyse planning and assessment methods and use national data to see how the school compares with other schools. This helps staff to keep in the mind the impact of their lessons on pupils’ attainment and progress. 3. The headteacher regularly observes teachers taking lessons and afterwards discusses with them the strengths of the lessons and aspects of teaching and learning that could be improved. She enters the details of this formal process on monitoring forms, which form an effective record of what works in lessons and what does not. Teachers are positive about this process and feel that it helps them to improve their lesson planning and to ensure activities are well matched to pupils’ needs.

p.12

and the provision of interesting activities

4. The headteacher successfully gathers much information informally by talking and listening to pupils, parents and members of the local community on a regular basis.

p.13

and the provision of interesting activities

5. Very good use is made of all the information to set targets for improvement. For example, the results of national and school tests, along with teacher assessments, have been used to identify aspects of writing requiring improvement and effective strategies have been introduced into lesson planning, particularly within the literacy hour, to raise standards at both key stages. Staff and governors have combined well to implement a range of initiatives designed to improve the quality of teaching and learning at Key Stage 1 after a weakness in this part of the school was identified. The appointment of a new class teacher, greater involvement of parents in their children’s learning and the purchase of good quality resources have been successful in raising and sustaining standards as a result.

p.13

Parents are closely involved in their children’s learning and are kept very well informed

1. The close links that the staff and governors have with the parents make a significant contribution to the high standards pupils achieve.

p.13

Parents are closely involved in their children’s learning and are kept very well informed

2. The headteacher has successfully created and fostered an atmosphere between staff and parents of mutual support for the pupils. This has been achieved by ensuring that staff keep parents closely informed about what their children are doing each week in school and always being available to talk and listen to parents. Parents report that they are very pleased with the level of information they receive in newsletters and annual reports and the involvement they have in contributing to their children’s education.

p.13

Parents are closely involved in their children’s learning and are kept very well informed

3. Every two years parents are asked to complete a questionnaire about all aspects of school life. The results of the questionnaire are reported to parents and significant views are included in the school development plan. In this way, parents have tangible evidence of the notice taken by staff and governors of what they consider might improve standards. Parents find the school very approachable when they wish to discuss matters of concern or find out more about their children’s progress. This successfully maintains the trust that parents have in staff for the care and interest shown for their children’s welfare and personal development.

p.13

Parents are closely involved in their children’s learning and are kept very well informed

4. One successful way that the school links with parents is through the effective use of reading diaries. Pupils take reading books home on a regular basis and parents are familiar with the teachers’ expectations of the best ways to share books with their children. Parents make observations and comments in the reading diaries about how their children have coped with their books and teachers respond to these comments either in lessons or by writing replies in the diaries.

p.13

The management and organisation of group work for the Key Stage 1 so that they make

consistently good progress during these activities.

p.14

The management and organisation of group work for the Key Stage 1 so that they make

1. Staff and governors successfully identified the need to improve the quality of teaching and learning at Key Stage 1 as a priority in the school development plan in 1997. This was because standards, as shown by pupils’ end of key stage national test results, particularly in reading and writing, were below the national average. Standards have risen steadily since then. The 1999 results show standards to be above the national average in reading and mathematics, and in line with the national average in writing. Effective monitoring and evaluation by the headteacher of standards at Key Stage 1 and good teaching by all staff have largely contributed to these improvements.

p.14

The management and organisation of group work for the Key Stage 1 so that they make

2. The appointment of a new teacher for the Key Stage 1 class in September 1999 has been successful in increasing the rate of progress in the improvement in standards.

p.14

The management and organisation of group work for the Key Stage 1 so that they make

3. Overall, pupils of differing attainments make good progress at Key Stage 1. However, in lessons progress is not always consistent, especially when pupils are engaged in group activities.

p.14

The management and organisation of group work for the Key Stage 1 so that they make

4. At the start of the school day, pupils take part in a variety of group activities related to reading, writing and information technology. Whilst these activities are interesting and well matched to pupils’ needs, some groups of pupils are left for too long without adult supervision. Those pupils receiving attention from the class teacher, the classroom assistant or other adults sustain concentration and make good progress. Those pupils who receive little or no adult intervention lose concentration and their rate of progress decreases.

p.14

The management and organisation of group work for the Key Stage 1 so that they make

5. The organisation of parts of some lessons, for example in the literacy hour, involves as many as five separate groups working on a variety of tasks and this can result in some pupils receiving less productive teaching time than others.

p.14

The management and organisation of group work for the Key Stage 1 so that they make

6. In one literacy lesson, a very good quality whole-class discussion was observed at the beginning and the teacher made effective use of questions to involve Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 pupils in making comments and observations about a poem. When pupils moved on to their written activities, one group of pupils of average attainment was left to work without any input from the adults in the classroom. They found some of the words on their worksheet difficult and this hindered the progress that they made in extending their knowledge and understanding of alliteration.

p.14

The management and organisation of group work for the Key Stage 1 so that they make

7. The management and organisation of lessons contain some effective elements. For example, the class teacher hears all pupils read on a regular basis and lesson planning shows that pupils are given activities that are closely matched to their needs. The classroom assistant provides very good support for pupils of differing attainments during group activities and other adults are given specific tasks to carry out by the class teacher, which help individual or groups of children. The quality of whole-class sessions is very good.

p.14

ISSUES FOR ACTION

The school should now ensure that Key Stage 1 pupils make consistent progress during group activities by: i) reviewing procedures for classroom management and organisation; ii) increasing the amount of teacher or adult intervention that groups receive during lessons; iii) checking that pupils fully understand the instructions on worksheets.

p.15

PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out 74 Number of questionnaires returned: 39

p.16

PARENTAL SURVEY

Responses (percentage of answers in each category) :

p.16

PARENTAL SURVEY

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know My child likes school 97 3

p.16

PARENTAL SURVEY

My child is making good progress in school 77 23

p.16

PARENTAL SURVEY

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home 51 41 8

p.16

PARENTAL SURVEY

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on 51 49

p.16

PARENTAL SURVEY

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems 90 10

p.16

PARENTAL SURVEY

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best 90 10

p.16

PARENTAL SURVEY

The school works closely with parents 72 28

p.16

PARENTAL SURVEY

The school is well led and managed 90 10

p.16

PARENTAL SURVEY

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible 90 10

p.16

PARENTAL SURVEY

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons 26 10 8 12

p.16

Other issues raised by parents

At the parents’ meeting, the following views were expressed: • The school is supported very well by parents; • There is no sports hall and the library is very small; • Some parents stated that there are not enough computers, whilst others stated that the school • had more than most other comparatively sized schools; • All staff, including the secretary, cleaners and kitchen staff, are very good.

p.16