Plumbland CofE School

PLUMBLAND CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short 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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PLUMBLAND CE 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. Plumbland CE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Parsonby Aspatria Wigton Cumbria

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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 Simon Astill

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1996 Plumbland CE Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 12908 David J Halford Registered inspector 19431 John D Holmes Lay inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

113 – 115 High Street Uppermill Saddleworth Oldham OL3 6BD

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Plumbland CE 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

Plumbland CE Primary School is situated in the village community of Parsonby and serves the parish of Plumbland. It is maintained by the Cumbria Local Education Authority. The school has a good reputation amongst parents and the community it serves and pupils come to the school from a considerable distance. There are currently 29 pupils on roll between the ages of 4 to 11 years. There are 11 boys and 18 girls. The numbers on roll are currently rising. Just over seventeen per cent of the pupils have special educational needs, and two pupils have statements of special educational needs. Almost fourteen per cent of pupils are entitled to meals without charge and there are no pupils from ethnic minority families for whom English is an additional language. Children enter the Reception Year in the September of the year in which they are five. Almost all have had the experience of the good pre-school provision which operates within the school. The school admits pupils from a wide area, and

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

whilst all abilities are represented, the pupils’ attainment on entry is above average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good and effective school with many very good features and no major weaknesses. It is well led by an experienced headteacher who has the confidence of the governors, staff and parents. The quality of teaching is consistently good and pupils make good progress in their learning. This leads to the pupils achieving well and attaining high standards by the age of eleven. The pupils’ attitudes to learning are good and relationships in the school are very good. Although this is a small school and costs are high, the school gives good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Very good relationships are central to the success of this good school. A very good atmosphere for learning is created in which the individual needs of pupils are very well known and met effectively. • The consistently good quality of teaching – particularly in Literacy and Numeracy – leads directly to pupils attaining high standards of work and achieving well. • The school enjoys the overwhelming support and confidence of parents • Good leadership from the headteacher and a well-informed governing body are steering the school’s improvement well.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The consistency of teachers’ marking to accurately identify what it is the pupils need to do to improve the quality of their written work • Giving more precise targets for improvement in each pupil’s annual report 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 school was last inspected in June 1996. Since then, more systematic procedures for curriculum planning, monitoring and review have been introduced. However, because the school is small and the pupils’ individual needs are so well known by all staff there is still room for improvement in the recording of the pupils’ individual progress. The school now has effective procedures for identifying, monitoring and evaluating the targets set on the school development plan. Governors are effectively Plumbland CE Primary School - 7 involved in the strategic management of the school. The school has made good overall progress in dealing with the key issues for improvement identified at the time of the last inspection.

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STANDARDS

This is a school where the number of pupils taking the national tests for 7 and 11 year olds frequently falls below 10. This means that national comparisons need to be looked at with some caution. When looking at the pupils’ performance at the age of 11 and comparing it with their performance at the age of 7 there is evidence of good progress being made by the majority of pupils. Effective and challenging targets are set and regularly met. The work currently seen from older pupils is above that expected for their age in aspects of English and mathematics. Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 can demonstrate a good understanding of negative numbers and can write imaginatively and effectively. Work being undertaken by the current Year 2 pupils shows attainment which is broadly in line with that expected for their age and often better. Pupils readily identify a wide variety of geometrical shapes and can group them accurately by the number of sides they can count. The pupils’ enthusiasm

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STANDARDS

for and competence in reading can be seen, particularly amongst the younger pupils, when they concentrate for a sustained period of time in the library as the class teacher works on guided reading with the youngest pupils in the class. Information and communication technology is used consistently in classrooms and across a wide range of subjects.

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STANDARDS

When children first start school they show levels of attainment above that expected for their age. Most pupils are confident speakers. Every opportunity is taken to involve each individual child so that they are keen to take part in discussions and eager to express their point of view or share their ideas and experiences. By the time they start Year 1, many have exceeded the goals anticipated in each area of learning and they are keen to use their developing skills. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs are well supported. Their needs are identified at an early stage and there are good arrangements to identify what they need to do next to improve. A great strength of the school is the fact that the individual needs of pupils are very well known and teachers plan effectively to ensure that each pupil reaches the highest standards of which they are capable.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils regularly rise to the challenge of the tasks offered to them. They are keen to learn and participate fully in lessons.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Younger pupils channel their energies purposefully into their work. Older pupils do so when the work offers appropriate challenge. Pupils’ behaviour around the school and in the playground is equally impressive.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. Relationships between pupils of all ages are exceedingly positive. The personal development of the pupils is a strength of the school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Very good. The school has very good procedures for encouraging high levels of attendance. Plumbland CE Primary School - 8

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching 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 AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is consistently good throughout the school and shows a number of very good features. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen during the inspection. Teaching is regularly seen at its best in literacy and numeracy lessons, where every pupil is thoroughly involved. Throughout the school, lessons are concluded with pupils being asked what they have learned and all are expected to respond. They are asked to say why they enjoyed the lesson or not. A significant part of the success of the teaching stems from the personal nature of the interaction between the class teachers, assistants and the pupils themselves. Individual needs of all pupils are very well known in this school. Expectations of what individuals can achieve are therefore very high and teachers have a clear understanding of how securely all pupils have grasped the important parts of the lessons. The consistency of this good quality teaching has a very positive impact on the pupils’ learning. Classroom

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

assistants have an equally good understanding of the pupils’ needs and they offer very good support to class teachers. There are no significant weaknesses in the quality of teaching, but greater consistency in the written records of the pupils’ achievements would be helpful should the classes be taken by a teacher who does not know the pupils well.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Most pupils learn effectively. Even the youngest children are able to concentrate very well, and they work with high levels of interest, enthusiasm and independence. Older pupils concentrate better when the tasks are demanding and challenging. Pupils with special educational needs are well provided for and make good progress in their learning. A clearer focus in the teachers’ marking on what it is the pupils need to do next to improve and develop their knowledge, skills and understanding.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The school is particularly strong in developing the pupils’ basic skills and supplements the whole curriculum by a wide range of extra- curricular activities and educational visits.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils’ individual needs are very well known and identified at an early stage. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in their learning.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. The school provides well for the spiritual, moral and social development of the pupils. Pupils gain a good understanding of their own culture but more could be done in these secure surroundings to develop the pupils’ understanding of those whose culture is different from the pupils’ own.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares Good. The school cares well for its pupils. Their individual needs are Plumbland CE Primary School - 9 for its pupils well known and their academic progress is monitored well. Valuable personal records of achievement are maintained.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has the confidence of the parents and works very well alongside them. Much progress has been made in the quality of the information given to parents and this is reflected in the parents’ confidence in the school. In reports to parents on individual pupils’ progress, a sharper focus on what pupils may do to improve their standards of work in English, mathematics and science would further develop this very good working relationship.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher provides clear leadership for the school. He is experienced and has the confidence of the staff, governors and parents. All involved with this school are committed to its work and are keen to see its continued improvement.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. There is a good mix of new and established governors. Parents are well represented on the governing body. The governors are well informed and carry out their duties well. They fulfil all their statutory requirements and effectively seek best value in their decision-making.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school staff and governors know the strengths and weaknesses of the school and are steering its improvement well.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Good. Financial planning is secure and ensures that funding is allocated to agreed priorities and that resources are effectively directed to raise standards.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Staffing levels are good and support staff are very effective in their roles. They have a clear understanding of the needs of individual pupils. The accommodation is satisfactory. Space is limited and PE lessons and meals are taken within classrooms. Opportunities for outdoor play for younger children are limited. A new school field has been recently leased and much thought has been given to a good quality adventure playground which has been constructed on the school grounds. Learning resources are generally good.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases almost all parents most What a few parents would like to see improved • Children like school, behave well, work hard and make good progress • Virtually all parents feel that the school is well led and that all staff are approachable • Parents are confident that the teaching is good. • A small minority of parents feel that the range of out-of-school activities could be greater • One parent felt that pupils had too much homework

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

This school enjoys the overwhelming support of its parents, the vast majority of whom praise it highly. The inspection team agree with all the positive points listed. The inspectors feel that given the size of Plumbland CE Primary School - 10 the school the extra-curricular activities provided are sufficiently wide-ranging. The negative comment made about homework included a written comment which directed the parent’s concern at the government requirements on homework rather than a criticism of the school. Plumbland CE Primary School - 11

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atmosphere for learning is created in which the individual needs of pupils are very well

1. Relationships are very strong in this school and are central to its success. The number of pupils in each class is very small and this enables particularly good relationships to develop between the teacher and individual pupils. This leads to effective teaching in which teachers can direct specific questions to challenge individual pupils. Pupils of all ages get on very well together. For example, in a science lesson, where Reception children, together with pupils in Year 1 and Year 2, all worked together at observing seeds, it was noticeable that some of the older pupils ensured that the youngest children all had the opportunity to closely examine each specimen. 2. Teaching assistants are equally skilful at developing strong relationships with the pupils and they are effectively deployed to ensure that the pupils with whom they work are appropriately challenged in their tasks. This is especially the case when pupils on the special educational

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atmosphere for learning is created in which the individual needs of pupils are very well

needs register are being supported alongside their peers. It enables these pupils to make good progress in their learning. 3. Many adults undertake several roles within the school. For example, the leader of the Pre- School group spends time as a classroom assistant when the Pre-School is not operating. The School Clerk acts as a Teaching Assistant in the Key Stage 2 class. She takes temporary charge at midday to supervise the pupils at lunchtime. All the adults are happy to undertake whatever role is required for the benefit of the school and its pupils. This means that the pupils are always confident in the company of the adults around them, treat them with respect and know that they are being cared for well. 4. The school is very successful at creating a good atmosphere for learning and the pupils respond to this very well. They show good attitudes to school and their desire to learn is very

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atmosphere for learning is created in which the individual needs of pupils are very well

evident. After lesson introductions, the pupils move quickly to start their individual or group work because they enjoy it and are keen to learn more. 5. The pupils’ behaviour is consistently good. In most lessons, a quiet word is all that is required to keep pupils focussed on the activities they are undertaking. As a result the teachers can concentrate fully on their teaching. This contributes particularly well to the good rate of progress seen in many lessons. The pupils’ behaviour as they move around school and in assemblies is also good. Assemblies take place in classrooms and it was noticeable how efficiently the younger pupils arranged their classroom furniture to accommodate older pupils when assembly was located in their classroom. They had songbooks readily available and were able to operate the tape recorder with very little adult supervision or assistance. The young pupils were also very willing to sit on the carpet and give up their chairs so that the older

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atmosphere for learning is created in which the individual needs of pupils are very well

pupils could use them. 6. Pupils are polite, interested in what they are doing and very willing to talk about their activities and generally lucid in their explanations when working unsupervised. Many show good levels of responsibility for their age. The pupils treat the resources they work with and the property of others with great care 7. The personal and social development of the pupils is very good. In the classes there is a good rapport between adults and pupils. This is a noticeable feature of many lessons and it allows Plumbland CE Primary School - 12 the teachers to get the best from the pupils in a purposeful atmosphere. The pupils work well to support each other in their groups often discussing how to solve problems. This was seen to good advantage as pupils in Year 5 and 6 worked at finding sequences of number patterns involving negative numbers. These pupils are clearly confident and secure within this school.

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atmosphere for learning is created in which the individual needs of pupils are very well

They trust the adults with whom they come into contact and they are very well known by them. This happy and purposeful environment has a strong bearing on the good quality of teaching taking place here and the good quality of learning on the part of the pupils. In enables the pupils to achieve well in their lessons and contributes strongly to the high standards of work produced by the pupils. 8. The one area of concern which stems from the high quality of the personal relationships in this school is that, because each individual child is known so well by the teachers and the teaching assistants, the quality of the teachers’ written records of pupils’ progress does not match the detailed knowledge teachers have of their pupils effectively enough. In the absence of the teacher, more written information about the progress made by individuals would be useful to a colleague who does not know the pupils quite so well.

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The consistently good quality of teaching – particularly in Literacy and Numeracy – leads

directly to pupils attaining high standards of work and achieving well.

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The consistently good quality of teaching – particularly in Literacy and Numeracy – leads

9. The quality of teaching is consistently good, and sometimes very good. There is a very good emphasis placed on assisting the pupils to develop numeracy and literacy skills.

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The consistently good quality of teaching – particularly in Literacy and Numeracy – leads

10. During the inspection no unsatisfactory teaching was seen and in eighty-six per cent of the lessons, teaching was good or better. This means that the good teaching reported by the last inspection has been maintained. Good teaching has a positive impact on the quality of learning of the pupils.

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The consistently good quality of teaching – particularly in Literacy and Numeracy – leads

11. Throughout the school, lessons are well structured and pupils managed very well. The teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are always high, particularly in the class for Reception and Year 1 and 2 pupils. For example, in a numeracy lesson the teacher carefully frames her questioning towards small groups of pupils and individuals. At the start of the lesson, Reception children are challenged to find a number which is ‘more than’ or ‘less than’ the digit on a card which the teacher holds up. Numbers up to 20 are used. Pupils answer eagerly, and are regularly correct in their answer. The Reception and Year 1 pupils then count on in twos. They undertake this at speed. Sequences of numbers are followed and Year 1 pupils are asked to explain their answers. Year 2 pupils are required to group numbers in tens and count up to 100. They do this effectively and it is noticeable that most of the

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The consistently good quality of teaching – particularly in Literacy and Numeracy – leads

Reception group try to keep up with the pace of the Year 2 pupils. The mental exercises last only a short time, but all pupils have been able to take part, and the challenge in the task, particularly for the younger children, is at a good level. After the group work, undertaken in Year groups, and well supported by volunteer parents and a teaching assistant, the plenary session is of a very high standard. Each individual child is questioned on the work they have undertaken. They are then asked whether the session has been good (‘thumbs up’), alright or not so good (‘thumbs down’). An explanation is required and given effectively. For example, one child, for whom the number game had been a ‘thumbs down’, said it was not so good because she kept losing the game! In a numeracy lesson in the class containing the Key Stage 2 pupils, the older pupils worked effectively on a challenging task to sequence negative

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The consistently good quality of teaching – particularly in Literacy and Numeracy – leads

numbers. They had a clear understanding of the principles involved and knew that they would see negative number values on a Celsius Thermometer. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 worked on equivalent fractions and demonstrated a clear understanding of the fractions equivalent to one Plumbland CE Primary School - 13 half and one quarter. One boy was sufficiently motivated by the task that he spent most of his break-time checking his answers using a calculator. Computer work is a regular feature of classroom activity and the programs used almost invariably relate directly to the main focus of the lesson. The younger pupils are often supported by an adult in their computer work. Most older pupils need only a little guidance to make good use of the computer.

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The consistently good quality of teaching – particularly in Literacy and Numeracy – leads

12. Lessons are planned well. Every adult working with the pupils has access to and a thorough knowledge of these plans, so that all staff know exactly what is expected of them in whatever role they play. This was particularly evident in the consistently good quality of the questioning which takes place. The strength here lies in the good personal knowledge each adult has of the pupils with whom they work. Questions are very clearly related to the known individual needs of the pupils. Equally, with numbers being small, every pupil is questioned. To this end, teaching is intense. Teachers regularly ask questions which challenge the pupils to explain their reasons for answering in the way they do, and for the pupils, there is no ‘hiding place’ in the hope that the teacher will miss them out and ask someone else.

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The consistently good quality of teaching – particularly in Literacy and Numeracy – leads

13. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is incorporated well into lessons. The structure of lessons accurately reflects the requirements of the national strategies, and the school makes effective links between literacy and numeracy and work in other subjects. This is seen to be the case in ICT, where older pupils use the computers confidently and in science for the younger pupils where they count the seeds in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, consider their shape, and they recall a number of flowers they know during a school assembly.

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The consistently good quality of teaching – particularly in Literacy and Numeracy – leads

14. Pupils throughout the school respond well to this combination of good teaching and positive atmosphere for learning. End of Key Stage test and assessment results for seven and eleven year olds are difficult to interpret because of the small numbers of pupils involved in each year group, but the work currently undertaken by pupils shows that most are achieving standards which are at least those expected for their age and better.

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The consistently good quality of teaching – particularly in Literacy and Numeracy – leads

15. Many pupils read expressively and with good levels of understanding. Children in the Reception classes have good levels of access to books and the majority know how to use them and enjoy using their developing reading skills. Through Key Stage 1 all pupils are able to use books in a wide variety of contexts. They read for enjoyment and for information. In Year 2 they are able to use simple indexes to locate information. Teachers make extended use of stories in a wider range of lessons and this helps to maintain the pupils’ interest in reading as well as developing their skills.

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The consistently good quality of teaching – particularly in Literacy and Numeracy – leads

16. Pupils in Key Stage 2 are also able to talk lucidly about what they have read. They use books well for information and for pleasure. They make good progress with their reading and many parents express the view that they are well prepared for secondary education by the age of eleven.

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The consistently good quality of teaching – particularly in Literacy and Numeracy – leads

17. Throughout the school the pupils are encouraged to develop and use their writing skills. Children in the Reception classes have many opportunities to write because writing activities are always available to them. Pupils in Year 1 are encouraged to be thoughtful about how they write. A piece of writing from a Year 1 pupil said, ‘The cow helped to push the bed to get the famr out. The amnus teld the hole story.’ The writing displayed correct use of sentence structure and the handwriting was beginning to show the start of connected writing. Plumbland CE Primary School - 14 As pupils move into Year 2, they are able to write with a good level of fluency and their stories show careful structure with clear beginnings, middles and ends. Older pupils show good progress in their writing. They show good levels of description, for example, when writing a description a pupil describes ‘a moth-bitten cloth lay nearby’. There are also very good

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The consistently good quality of teaching – particularly in Literacy and Numeracy – leads

examples of imaginative writing, for example, ‘Hope is blue Hope smells like roses on a bush Hope tastes like sunbeams and rainbows’. 18. Pupils throughout the school show a good level of understanding of mathematics by the age of seven. The vast majority of pupils are secure in their understanding of number sequences and values up to 100. Pupils in Key Stage 1have a good level of understanding of shape. They are able to classify shapes correctly by the number of sides, and are able to identify straight and curved edges. Even at this stage there is good challenge in the work Pupils clearly enjoy their work in mathematics and most can talk knowledgably about what they are doing. Pupils in the Key Stage 2 class have a good understanding of fractions and can demonstrate an effective understanding of negative numbers. 19. The skills the pupils develop are used well in other subjects. For example, ICT is incorporated

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The consistently good quality of teaching – particularly in Literacy and Numeracy – leads

into many lessons, and appropriate programs are used to ensure that the activity undertaken on the computer is directly related to the activity undertaken in the class. The school makes good use of educational visits to enhance the work done in lessons. A detailed photographic file illustrates how well the curriculum is enriched by the visits the pupils make and by the visitors who come to school. Outdoor pursuits are undertaken away from school, a traffic survey has been undertaken close to school, a wide range of sporting activities are undertaken and visitors to school include travelling players, musicians and a lady speaking about the life and culture of Japan. For a small school the curriculum is enriched well by the number and the variety of the visits undertaken by pupils of all ages.

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The school enjoys the overwhelming support and confidence of parents

20 Parents hold the school in high esteem. Over eighty-five per cent of the parents sent back their parental questionnaire and the parents meeting was very well attended. Several parents made written comments about the school and some wrote at length. Very few comments were critical of any aspect of the life and work of the school. Many parents express confidence in the school, believing it does well for their children and helps them gain confidence in a wide variety of situations.

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The school enjoys the overwhelming support and confidence of parents

21 The school is highly valued in the community it serves and a significant number of parents take their children considerable distances to be admitted to this school. Parents value the personal nature of the school and know that the relationships developed in it add positively to the quality of learning offered to the pupils.

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The school enjoys the overwhelming support and confidence of parents

22 All the parents who responded to the questionnaire believed the school to be well led and they felt comfortable approaching the school, believing that it worked closely with parents. They felt that the school gave their children confidence to tackle new work thoughtfully and gave them a wide range of opportunities to take part in many different activities.

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Good leadership from the headteacher and a well-informed governing body are steering the

school’s improvement well. Plumbland CE Primary School - 15 23 The headteacher is experienced and has been in post since before the last inspection. He is giving the school clear direction and purpose and has the confidence of the staff, pupils, governors and parents. Effective procedures ensure that school improvement is continuous. All who are involved in the school work to the common purpose of ensuring that the pupils attain high standards. 24 The school development cycle and the financial implications are closely inter-related. Staff and governors are all involved in the cycle of development at an appropriate time. There is a good balance between planning for the immediate needs of the school and the need to address outside initiatives. 25 All the staff, in whatever role they play, know the systems that are in place and they work effectively for each other to ensure that high standards are maintained. The pupils’ needs are

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Good leadership from the headteacher and a well-informed governing body are steering the

well know and detailed records of the pupils’ personal achievement are kept. 26 Support staff are very effectively deployed to ensure that the pupils’ individual needs are met. Frequently, individual members of the support staff fulfil more than one role. Pupils with special educational needs are integrated well into classrooms and are able to work alongside their peers often undertaking the same tasks. Mid-day supervision is of a high standard. Lunchtimes are pleasant family occasions, although the space available for dining is limited and is part of classroom. The school is maintained to a high order of cleanliness and provides an appropriate environment in which the pupils and staff work and learn. There are only limited opportunities for younger pupils to take part in outdoor play, and during lessons in physical education, apparatus has to be erected in classrooms as there is no hall. The school has

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Good leadership from the headteacher and a well-informed governing body are steering the

recently developed a good adventure playground facility within the school grounds and has further enhanced its outside facilities by the lease of an adjacent field. 27 The leadership of the school is a strength. There is a clear and shared purpose in all that it undertakes. The school has a clear vision of what it needs to do in the future and has the ability to sustain its consistent improvement.

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to improve the quality of their written work

28. The teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is regular, careful and supportive. It regularly points out errors and often indicates how work should be corrected. Positive comments clearly indicate to pupils when they have done well and that their work is valued.

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to improve the quality of their written work

29. Marking of work, however, does not always indicate to pupils what steps they should take to improve the quality of their work. For example, rather than indicate ‘Well done’ at the end of a piece of writing it is of more help to the pupil, to indicate what it is about the work that gives the impression that it has been done well. In writing, for example, it may be the choice of words, or more specifically, the carefully chosen adjectives. This greater clearly indicates to a pupil why the writing has been successful.

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to improve the quality of their written work

30. Additionally, marking that tells a pupil what it is they must do to improve their work gives, over time, a clear indication of the progress being made. Where work is clearly dated, this gives an on-going view of the pace of the pupils’ improvement – or lack of improvement. This continuous record of progress, through teachers’ marking, would also assist the school in keeping a documented account of progress, which would be readily available in the absence of Plumbland CE Primary School - 16 the teacher and complement the good information on the pupils’ individual progress that teachers currently carry in their heads.

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to improve the quality of their written work

Giving more precise targets for improvement in each pupil’s annual report.

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to improve the quality of their written work

31. Individual annual reports are detailed, personal and meet statutory requirements. At the parents’ meeting, held before the inspection, parents were satisfied with the quality of annual reports which they received and expressed the view that they accurately reflected the progress made by their children and the standards they are attaining.

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to improve the quality of their written work

32. Although the reports meet the statutory requirements, their quality could be improved by the inclusion of specific and precise targets for improvement. This is particularly the case in English, mathematics and science, where there are clear national indicators available to show how pupils are progressing through the National Curriculum levels.

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to improve the quality of their written work

33. In recommending this as an area of improvement, the inspectors are bearing in mind the fact that because the number of pupils in each year group are so small, the school is not obliged to publish percentages of pupils gaining particular levels in the end of Key Stage tests. However, many parents want to know the progress their children are making. The inclusion of specific targets for improvement in the context of a personal report on an individual pupil would be useful information for both parents and pupils. This would contribute to maintaining high standards of attainment and good levels of achievement.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

34. In order to continue to develop this good school, the Headteacher, staff and governors should:-

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• improve the quality of the teachers’ marking to accurately identify what it is the pupils need to do to improve the quality of their written work

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• include more precise targets for improvement in the core subjects of the National Curriculum in the annual reports to parents on individual pupils’ progress. Plumbland CE 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 [ ]

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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

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. [When the total number is substantially less than 100, add] Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one [two, three, etc] percentage point[s]. [Where the total is close to or greater than 100, use only the first sentence.]

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/a 29

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/a 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR– Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/a 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/a 5

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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 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1

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Attendance

% % Plumbland CE Primary School - 18 School data 1.4% School data 0.6%

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6% National comparative data 0.5%

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Plumbland CE Primary School - 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 3 2 5

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 2 2 2 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 1 1 1

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 60 (75) 60 (100) 60 (75) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 2 2 2 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 1 1 1

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 60 (75) 60 (75) 60 (75) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 5 1 6

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 4 4 5 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 1 1 1

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 83 (80) 83 (80) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 4 4 5 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 1 1 1

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 83 (80) 83 (80) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Plumbland CE Primary School - 20

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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 0 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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) 2.3 Financial year 2000/2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 12.6

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 111 137

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 102 977

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 29 Expenditure per pupil 3 550

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 3 190

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/a Balance carried forward to next year 11 350

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/a

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 0.2

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0 Plumbland CE Primary School - 21 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Plumbland CE Primary School - 22

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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. 68 32 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 80 20 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 72 24 0 4 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 72 28 0 0 0

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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. 96 4 0 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. 76 24 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 68 32 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 80 20 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 84 16 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. 60 16 20 0 4

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