Bishopsteignton School

Bishopsteignton Primary School

Reporting inspector : Fred Ward OFSTED No: 18605

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Bishopsteignton Primary School

Dates of inspection : 20 - 23 September 1999

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Bishopsteignton Primary School

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Crown Copyright 1997

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Bishopsteignton Primary School

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.

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Bishopsteignton Primary School

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.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address : Cockhaven Close Bishopsteignton Teignmouth TQ14 9RJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors : Mr Stuart Goodchild [where appropriate]

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection : February 1995

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Special Educational Needs Leadership and management

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Hilary Smyth, Lay Inspector Equal Opportunities Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Support, guidance and pupils' welfare Partnership with parents and the community Wendy Hiscock Under fives Curriculum and assessment English,

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Robin Grist Mathematics Staffing, accommodation, resources Information technology

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

This table lists all team members and also indicates, in the subject column, the team member with responsibility for Under fives, Special educational needs, Equal opportunities and English as a second language. The inspection contractor was:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

19 Meadow Close Downend South Gloucestershire BS16 6QS

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE

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Paragraph

What the school does well Page 7 Where the school has weaknesses Page 7 How the school has improved since the last inspection Page 7 Standards in subjects Page 8 Quality of teaching Page 8 Other aspects of the school Page 9 The parents' views of the school Page 9

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Paragraph

Characteristics of the school 1 - 4 Key indicators Page 12

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school Page 14

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Attainment and progress 5 - 22 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 23 - 32 Attendance 33

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Teaching 34 - 48 The curriculum and assessment 49 - 58 Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 59 - 65 Support, guidance and pupils' welfare 66 - 73 Partnership with parents and the community 74 - 81

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The management and efficiency of the school Page 24

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Leadership and management 82 - 96 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 97 - 113 The efficiency of the school 114 - 118

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

Areas of learning for children under five 119 - 127

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

English, mathematics and science 128 - 182

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PART C: INSPECTION DATA

Summary of inspection evidence 234 - 235

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What the school does well

Attainment in reading, mathematics and science has risen for seven and eleven year-olds in the past four years. Generally pupils’ behaviour is good, they have a positive attitude to learning and relationships between pupils and adults are very good. The curriculum is broad and balanced and provision for pupils' spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is good. A third of the teaching is very good. Parents are fully involved in the life of the school and provide good support. The headteacher and governing body work very well together and have an obvious commitment to continuous improvement. Financial planning and controls are very effective so that the school makes good use of its resources. Knows its weaknesses and is tackling them.

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Where the school has weaknesses

Standards in writing of able seven-year-olds are not high enough. Standards of spelling in Key Stage 2 are unsatisfactory. The behaviour of a few Year 3 and 4 boys is inappropriate in class, around the school and in the play ground.

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Where the school has weaknesses

The school's strengths overwhelmingly outweigh its weaknesses, The governors' action plan will set out how the weaknesses are to be improved. The plan will be sent to all parents or guardians of pupils at the school.

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

The school has successfully dealt with most of the weaknesses from the last inspection. In Key Stage 2, standards of attainment in English and mathematics have improved and the more able are generally given hard enough work, apart from in aspects of writing at Key Stage 1. The school has appropriate subject guidance and assessment procedures that are used effectively by teachers to plan work to match the stage of pupils' learning. Responsibilities for managing subjects are spread evenly amongst staff and they are beginning to have an impact on raising standards through the systematic monitoring and support of teaching and learning. The governing body and headteacher regularly consider the effects of their planning and financial decisions on further improvements. The school is well prepared to make further improvements and continue to meet or exceed its targets.

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Standards in subjects

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds in 1998 based on the National Curriculum tests:

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similar schools

Attainment in English, mathematics and science in the current Year 6 is above average. While provisional 1999 national assessment results in mathematics and science show standards are continuing to improve, there was a slight dip in English. This is because last year's Year 6 class had a significant proportion of boys with special educational needs who joined the school late in Key Stage 2. Standards in religious education and information technology are in line with national levels. Almost all pupils in the reception class are on course to exceed the national expectations in language, literacy, number, and in their personal, physical and creative development and knowledge and understanding of the world by the time they are five years old.

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

English Very good Good Satisfactory Mathematics Very good Good Satisfactory Science Not applicable Very good Good Information technology Not applicable Insufficient evidence Insufficient evidence Religious education Not applicable Insufficient evidence Insufficient evidence Other subjects Not applicable Insufficient evidence Insufficient evidence

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

The quality of teaching is satisfactory or better in 96% of lessons. In 34%, it is very good and in 34% good; it is less than satisfactory in 4% of lessons. During the inspection, any shortcomings were successfully tackled. A common feature of the very good teaching is the secure knowledge and understanding teachers have, particularly in English, mathematics and science. As a result, their lessons are thoroughly planned and all pupils are given appropriate work which they find challenging but within their grasp. Not enough lessons were able to be observed in other subjects to make secure judgements about the quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 and 2. However, the teaching of the under-fives was consistently very good because the teacher knows her pupils very well and plans very interesting and varied lessons with an appropriate focus on their personal and social development and literacy and numeracy.

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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.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour Generally good with instances of inappropriate behaviour by a few difficult Year 3 and 4 boys Attendance Good. Pupils are punctual

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Aspect Comment

Ethos* Good. Relationships are very good and there is a commitment to raising standards. Pupils generally have a positive attitude to work. Leadership and management An effective partnership between the headteacher, governors and teachers with management responsibilities, all share a very clear vision for the direction of the school Curriculum Good, The curriculum is planned well and focuses on raising standards in literacy, numeracy and science. Test results are used effectively to identify and tackle common weaknesses. Good provision for the under-fives. Pupils with special educational needs Good. Work is suitable and pupils make good progress, particularly in reading and numeracy. Assistants and helpers provide effective additional support. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Good. There are effective links between religious education and personal, social and health education lessons Staffing, resources and

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Aspect Comment

accommodation Support for staff is good. The school is well resourced and makes efficient use of the limited space. Value for money Good. While costs are high, many improvements have been made, particularly in raising standards in reading, mathematics and science.

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Aspect Comment

* Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards.

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happy about

The school is approachable The way parents are encouraged to be involved in the school The positive values and attitudes Their children like school The range of additional activities The amount of homework How complaints are handled The behaviour of some children on the

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happy about

Inspection findings support what the parents like about the school. The range of extra curricular activities was found to be good and homework sufficient. No complaints were received during the inspection but procedures were sound. However, the behaviour of a few children on the playground was a justifiable cause for concern.

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

The governing body, headteacher and deputy headteacher need to raise standards in:

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

spelling at Key Stage 2; - (Refer paras 6, 15, 134, 138, 144) writing of high attaining pupils at Key Stage 1; and - (Refer paras 15, 134, 137) the behaviour of a few Year 3 and 4 boys; - (Refer paras 23, 28, 39, 51, 145)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

by continuing to help and support less experienced teachers and staff lacking confidence to:

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

develop their knowledge and understanding of teaching literacy; - (Refer paras 37, 41) raise their expectations about the writing capabilities of higher attaining pupils in Key Stage 1; and, - (Refer paras 38, 147) manage pupils' inappropriate behaviour more effectively; - (Refer paras 34, 47, 66, 94, 167)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

identifying pupils' weaknesses more accurately in these areas; setting specific targets for improvement; planning appropriate activities; and, monitoring and evaluating the effects of these actions on the teaching and pupils' learning and behaviour.

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

In addition to these key issues, the following less important weaknesses should be considered for inclusion in the action plan:

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

Writing in not always promoted consistently in all subjects. (15, 199) Insufficient time is left for review sessions in some literacy and numeracy lessons - (Refer paras 37, 147)) Midday supervising staff are not always given sufficiently clear guidance (Refer paras 70) Communication about safety hazards is not always prompt enough (72) Minor omissions from the governors annual report to parents and school prospectus - (Refer paras 78, 96) No benches or equipment for craft work and insufficient emphasis on research and evaluation in design technology - (Refer paras 111, 212)

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Characteristics of the school

Bishopsteignton Primary School is in the village of Bishopsteignton on the northern bank of the River Teign estuary in South Devon. There are currently 153 pupils on roll with slightly more boys than girls. The number of pupils has been rising slowly over the past five years. Although the school draws pupils from a wide variety of home backgrounds, the families are generally socially and economically advantaged. Nearly all pupils have had pre-school experience. A quarter of four-year-olds on entry have attainment in language and literacy and mathematics above national expectations and nearly all the rest are in line with a few below. The school has a good reputation locally for the support it gives to pupils with special educational needs and a small but significant proportion of new entrants joining at Key Stage 2 have attainment below that expected for their age. Currently, there are eight pupils on the special educational needs register and three have statements of special

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Characteristics of the school

educational needs. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is well below average. There is one pupil from an ethnic minority group.

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Characteristics of the school

The characteristics of the school have altered considerably since the last inspection as half the teaching staff has changed and the interior of the building has been re-designed to make more effective use of space. Moreover, the head teacher now has responsibility for a Year 3/4 class for two days a week.

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Characteristics of the school

The main aim of the school is to provide a caring, secure and positive learning environment in which the potential of each child is developed to the full.

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Characteristics of the school

The school's current priorities are to: raise standards in writing at Key Stage 1 and in spelling at Key Stage 2; introduce the numeracy initiative effectively; develop information technology as part of the national grid for learning project; and, be more precise in setting learning targets for individuals, groups and classes.

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Results

Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year above Total 18 17 16

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Results

Percentage at NC School 95 (91) 89 (86) 84 (85)

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Results

Level 2 or above National 80 (80) 81 (80) 84 (83)

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Teacher Assessments

Percentage at NC School 95 (91) 89 (95) 95 (95)

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Teacher Assessments

Level 2 or above National 81(80) 85 (80) 86 (84)

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National Curriculum Test Results

Percentage at NC School 81 (64) 75 (68) 75 (60)

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National Curriculum Test Results

Level 4 or above National 65 (63) 59 (62) 69 (69)

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National Curriculum Test Results

Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year

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Teacher Assessments

Level 4 or above National 65 (63) 65 (64) 72 (69)

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Attendance

Percentage of half days (sessions) 1998/99 %

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Attendance

missed through absence for the Authorised School 4.9 latest complete reporting year Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.3 Absence National comparative data 0.5

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Exclusions

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during the previous year: Number

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Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is : % Very good or better 34 Satisfactory or better 96 Less than satisfactory 4 Bi h t i ht P i S h l 15

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Attainment and progress

Standards of attainment are generally above the national average for most seven and eleven- year-olds. Overall pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in both key stages.

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Attainment and progress

Since the previous inspection in 1994, standards of attainment in mathematics and reading have risen steadily. Standards in science have fluctuated but are now rising and are above the national average. This improvement has come about through the school's systematic identification of its weaknesses, the appointment of new staff, a realistic training programme, and changes to the organisation of teaching groups and the development and use of more appropriate subject guidance, including the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Overall, standards of English are now above average but improvements have been less rapid, particularly with the writing of high attaining pupils at Key Stage 1 and spelling in Key Stage 2. The school recognises that this is because teachers have not always had sufficiently high enough expectations in writing and have not been confident in using a variety of ways of teaching spelling. While new approaches

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Attainment and progress

are being introduced, they have not yet had time to be effective.

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Attainment and progress

Standards of attainment in information technology and religious education are as expected at the end of both key stages. At the last inspection, standards of attainment in information technology were reported as good but across a narrow range of areas. Currently, most pupils' attainment is more evenly spread. Standards in religious education have improved at Key Stage 2 since 1994, when they were described as unsatisfactory. In physical education, nearly all pupils swim 25 metres confidently by the time they leave school.

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Attainment and progress

Assessment results at Key Stage 1 from 1994 to 1998 have generally been slightly better than the national trend. At Key Stage 2, results for the same period have been generally higher in mathematics and have fluctuated in science. Although they have increased in English at the same rate as in most schools, they dipped last year because Year 6 included a significant number of boys with special educational needs who joined the school in Key Stage 2.

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Attainment and progress

The results of the 1998 teachers' assessments and tests at the end of Key Stage 1, the latest reporting year, indicate that standards are above average when compared with all and similar schools in reading and about the same in writing, mathematics and science. Overall, the proportion of pupils reaching the level expected for their age is more than found nationally in mathematics, about the same in reading and below in writing and science. Provisional results for 1999, show more pupils reaching the higher level in mathematics and science and similar standards in reading and writing as in the previous year.

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Attainment and progress

At the end of Key Stage 2, the 1998 assessment results show that standards are above the national average when compared to all and similar schools in mathematics and about the same in English. In science, while results are in line with the national average for all schools, they are below when compared to similar schools. The proportion of pupils reaching a higher level is close to the national average in mathematics and science but below for English. Provisional assessment results for 1999 show an improvement overall Bi h t i ht P i S h l 16 with more pupils reaching the higher level in English, mathematics and science.

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Attainment and progress

From 1996 to 1998, girls have performed better than boys at Key Stage 1 in reading and writing while boys have done better than girls at mathematics; this has followed the national trend. At Key Stage 2 however, while girls have out-performed boys in English as expected, they also have done better in mathematics and science. This is because a small but significant number of boys with special educational needs joined the school late in Key Stage 2.

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Attainment and progress

Inspection findings confirm the improvements indicated by the provisional national assessment results for 1999 in mathematics and science and also highlight areas with shortcomings in the writing of high attainers at Key Stage 1 and spelling at Key Stage 2.

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Attainment and progress

Nearly all pupils under five start school with attainment at least as expected with around a quarter performing at a high level in language, literacy and mathematics. There are only a few with attainment below expectations in any area.

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Attainment and progress

Overall, the under fives make good progress as their individual strengths and weaknesses are quickly identified and they are given interesting and stimulating learning opportunities. As a result, nearly all are on course to exceed the learning outcomes in the national guidelines by the time they start compulsory schooling.

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Attainment and progress

In English at both key stages, nearly all pupils make good progress in speaking and listening and reading. Teachers take every opportunity to develop pupils' vocabulary not only in the literacy hour but in other subjects. Classroom and corridor walls are full of written texts that encourage pupils to read for meaning. The support given to teaching and learning reading is good with effective use made of a wide range of material in addition to structured reading schemes. Pupils with special educational needs are particularly well supported, especially those pupils joining the school in Key Stage 2. While pupils' progress in writing is generally satisfactory as basic literacy skills are taught systematically since the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy, aspects at both key stages have shortcomings. The high attaining pupils in Key Stage 1 are given an appropriate amount of work but this is not always hard enough; and in Key Stage 2, many pupils do not take

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Attainment and progress

sufficient care with spelling, particularly when making notes or working in draft. Writing across the curriculum is not consistently developed; for instance in religious education, there are few written records of the interesting issues and topics covered.

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Attainment and progress

In mathematics at Key Stage 1, most pupils make good progress as an appropriate focus is given to helping pupils acquire basic numeracy skills. The high attaining pupils make consistently good progress in all aspects of mathematics now that they are given more opportunities to use and apply their knowledge and skills in problem solving. At Key Stage 2, most pupils continue to make good progress overall. The headteacher works in partnership with individual colleagues to make sure pupils who learn at different rates are given activities that more accurately reflect their stage of learning. This additional support has been most effective in helping more pupils reach attainment levels above that expected for their age. Although the National Numeracy Strategy has only just started in the school, the previous emphasis on developing the use and application of mathematics in other subjects has helped pupils be more confident in these skills, such as when making

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Attainment and progress

accurate measurements in science and design and technology.

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Attainment and progress

In science at Key Stage 1, good progress is now being made by most pupils in experimenting and investigation as well life processes and living things, materials and their properties and Bi h t i ht P i S h l 17 physical processes. This is an improvement from previous years when teachers lacked confidence in teaching practical work and consequently pupils made unsatisfactory progress in acquiring scientific skills. Training and support from science specialists have helped teachers provide more opportunities for pupils to use their generally good knowledge and understanding in investigating the world around them. This has also helped pupils refine their observational skills and make accurate records of what they see. In Key Stage 2, the smaller numbers in the single year classes have given pupils the opportunity for more closely supervised practical sessions. Together with the greater emphasis on a systematic approach to experimentation, this has helped pupils more easily

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Attainment and progress

build on their previous learning and, therefore, most make good progress or better.

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Attainment and progress

In information technology, the attainment of most pupils by the end of both key stages is around that expected for their age. Progress is satisfactory overall and good in word processing for older pupils. This results from the use of laptop computers in Key Stage 2, which pupils use confidently to re-draft and edit their work. Pupils are beginning to use information technology to support their studies in other subjects but until recently there were insufficient learning resources available.

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Attainment and progress

In religious education, most pupils' attainment at seven and eleven-years-old meets the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Most make satisfactory progress through both key stages as teachers are now more confident in interpreting Devon's agreed syllabus. They provide an appropriate programme of activities that satisfactorily helps pupils reflect on meaning and knowledge and understanding of religions.

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Attainment and progress

Insufficient first-hand evidence was available during the inspection to make secure judgements about the overall attainment and progress of pupils in other subjects.

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Attainment and progress

Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in reading and numeracy because the targets for those with individual education plans are clear and specific. Teachers and assistants are adept at helping them by providing appropriate learning activities.

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Attainment and progress

The school has set realistic targets for improvement over the next three years. For literacy, 82% of Year 6 pupils should exceed the attainment level expected for their age by 2002 and in numeracy 75%. Currently, provisional national assessment results for 1999 indicate that the school is on course to meet the literacy target and should exceed that for numeracy.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

Throughout the school, almost all pupils' attitudes towards learning, their behaviour and personal development are good. There is no evidence of bullying. However, the behaviour of a few difficult boys in Years 3 and 4 is inappropriate. These findings are broadly in line with the last inspection.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

The personal and social development of the under fives is good. They are confident and quickly learn routines; they are eager, interested learners who happily come to school.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

Throughout Key Stage 1, pupils respond well in lessons. They are lively and alert, listen well and are keen to participate. In a Year 1 literacy lesson, pupils appreciated the very good teaching and brisk pace, sustaining their concentration throughout, thinking through problems and confidently answering questions.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

At Key Stage 2, nearly all pupils have a positive attitude to learning. In a Year 5 literacy lesson, Bi h t i ht P i S h l 18 the very good teaching ensured pupils were fully engaged in the reading exercise. In discussions, they showed respect for the ideas of others and confidently offered their own ideas while working in groups and with the class.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

However when work is too easy or too hard, some pupils become inattentive and are more interested in talking to their friends. In a Year 3 numeracy lesson, a number of pupils found the writing of calculations tedious when they already knew the answer and quickly lost concentration. However generally throughout the school, pupils are becoming independent learners and find the work interesting. They are able to select reference books and other resources to support their work. Older pupils are also developing their capacity for study. They research, design, write and publish their own work. A Year 4/5 class produced its version of the school prospectus; this has been made widely available and is on the Internet.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

The behaviour of nearly all pupils, in classrooms and around the school, is good. They respond well to the school’s clear rules and routines and to the staff’s high expectations. They want to behave well and most work productively and play happily together. The exception is the behaviour of a few difficult boys in the Year 3 / 4 class who do not show sufficient self- discipline. They behave inappropriately in lessons, where they disrupt the learning of others and disregard school rules in the library and hall by being noisy and disrespectful to adults and other pupils using these facilities.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

There was concern by some parents that poor behaviour by a few pupils on the school bus had a detrimental effect on their attitude to learning when they arrived in school. During the inspection, no evidence was found to support this view. Some parents reported that boisterous behaviour of older boys in the playground was intimidating to younger pupils. Inspection findings confirm that sometimes large groups of older pupils dominate the play area and smaller pupils are restricted to one end and on occasions are bumped into or knocked over. However, the school has provided sufficient facilities for quiet and secure play in the form of fenced patio areas.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

Generally, the pupils are courteous to each other and to other adults in the school. They are friendly and welcoming, greeting visitors politely, open doors and offer help. Most pupils show respect for property, using school resources and equipment with care. The school has not had to exclude any pupils in the past year or since the last inspection.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

Relationships throughout the school are very good and this makes a positive contribution to the caring ethos of the school. Pupils generally show concern about others, particularly towards younger ones. In the playground, two Year 6 girls comforted a friend from a Year 2 class when she tripped over. Similarly in a Year 3 numeracy lesson, pupils spontaneously applauded when a boy explained how he had made and used a chart to calculate his answers. The relationship staff and voluntary helpers have with pupils is very good. All adults provide good role models by demonstrating a friendly and respectful attitude to each other and pupils. As a result, pupils are happy to ask for advice when needed.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

Nearly all pupils' personal development is good. They are learning to be independent and willingly share resources, ideas and offer help to others. They are fully and willingly involved in the daily routines of the school community. They volunteer for and enjoy carrying out simple tasks, such as giving out and returning resources, which they do with care. Even the youngest pupils see what needs to be done and are keen to help. Reception pupils, who have only been in school for a few weeks, were happy to be involved in tidying up the Bi h t i ht P i S h l 19 classroom. As pupils get older, there are many opportunities to take on extra responsibility, which they do eagerly. They help supervise younger children during wet playtimes, act as 'buddies' to the new entrants and serve as hall monitors and library assistants.

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Attendance

Attendance is good and above the national average. Following a fall of 2.3% since the last inspection the rate of attendance is now rising. There are few absences, which is an improvement on the previous year. The number of authorised absences for pupils on family holiday for last year is low. The vast majority of pupils arrive at school on time and lessons start promptly so that no time is wasted.

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Teaching

1. Teaching is satisfactory or better in 96% of lessons of which a third is very good. There are very few instances of unsatisfactory teaching. This is an improvement since the last inspection when nearly a third of the teaching was unsatisfactory. While a half of the teaching staff has changed, the weaknesses identified have very largely been tackled: these were mainly in Key Stage 2 where teachers' planning was not sufficiently linked to the National Curriculum programmes of study. There were also problems with managing pupils' behaviour, which, although mainly eradicated, are still present in a few lessons.

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Teaching

2. The teaching of the under fives is usually very good. This is because the teacher has a very secure understanding of the needs of young children and, in the short time these pupils have been in school, she already knows them very well. She has given a priority to ensuring they are well settled and developing appropriate social and personal skills. She plans thoroughly with a focus on language and literacy. The topics she has chosen are interesting and cover the six recommended areas of learning well.

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Teaching

3. Throughout the school, the teaching of literacy and numeracy is benefiting from teachers following the national guidelines. Teaching in the literacy hour is generally good with some examples of very good teaching in almost every year group. As a result of the effective training by the local education authority and support from the experienced co-ordinator, all teachers have a clear understanding of the principles involved and are confidently adapting their teaching. Teaching during the introductory sessions is well directed at developing skills and group work is organised effectively, taking account of the different rates and stages of pupils' learning. As all classes in the school have pupils with at least two years difference in their ages, this approach has ensured the wide range of abilities is catered for appropriately. Teachers generally make satisfactory use of the review session to check pupils' understanding but on occasions they do not allow sufficient time to

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Teaching

adequately prepare the class for the next lesson.

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Teaching

4. In numeracy, all teachers have responded to the national guidance. As the school had already adopted a more structured approach to mathematics' lessons in response to the last inspection and their own evaluation, the introduction of the numeracy hour has gone relatively smoothly. The short initial session of oral questioning is generally improving pupils' mental agility. Good teaching occurs when teachers fully involve pupils in talking and thinking about different ways of solving problems when introducing or practising new skills. In a few instances in these class sessions, less confident teachers do not have sufficient ways of varying their approach and some pupils lose concentration. This was evident in some Year 5/6 and Year 3/4 lessons. However in group work, as for literacy, the work is appropriate for different pupils and teachers are generally effective in checking pupils' progress and helping them overcome difficulties. Again as in the literacy hour, the

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Teaching

final reviews are often not long enough or sufficiently structured to allow pupils to learn from each other's experiences.

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Teaching

5. In Key Stage 1, the teaching is very good in just under a third of lessons and good in nearly all the rest. The strength of the teaching is in the teachers’ good all round competence, so that lessons are well planned and managed with effective use of resources; they set and obtain high standards of behaviour and positive attitudes to work; they know their class well; and identify and tackle the weaknesses of individuals effectively. However, they do not always pay sufficient attention to the needs of high attaining pupils, particularly in writing, where they set an appropriate amount of work but it is not always hard enough. They are aware of this shortcoming and are beginning to try out new approaches but, in the short time since the beginning of term, the effects are not yet apparent.

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Teaching

6. In Key Stage 2, the teaching varies from very good to sound and, in a very few instances, is unsatisfactory. In just under a quarter of lessons, the teaching is very good and in nearly a half, it is satisfactory. The teaching is predominantly very good by the senior, experienced teachers taking Years 3/4 and 4/5 classes for English, mathematics and science. The two instances of unsatisfactory teaching are in mathematics where less confident teachers in Years 3/4 and 5/6 are having some initial difficulties with aspects of the numeracy hour, particularly managing the class oral sessions. During the inspection, these shortcomings were tackled successfully and the teaching improved as the teachers became more familiar with the pupils at the start of the new school year.

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Teaching

7. Insufficient teaching was observed in subjects, other than English, mathematics and science in both key stage to make a secure judgement about the overall quality of teaching in these areas.

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Teaching

8. Generally the quality of teaching promotes the learning of the majority of pupils. It is not always successful with the writing of higher attaining pupils in Key Stage 1 and with the spelling of many pupils in Key Stage 2.

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Teaching

9. Since the last inspection, as a result of the appointment of new staff and the planned programme of training and development of subject guidance, teachers generally now have a secure knowledge of all the subjects they teach. This is particularly so for mathematics and science. As a consequence, most lessons are planned well and teachers are confident when explaining or questioning pupils in order to help them move on to the next learning stage.

p.20

Teaching

10. Teachers usually set high expectations and are particularly good at encouraging pupils to think carefully and sustain their concentration. This is as a result of planning interesting and stimulating experiences and varying the pace and activities appropriately. In physical education, both the Year 1/2 and Year 4/5 teachers showed by their own demonstration the high standards they were looking for and then, throughout the lesson, consistently challenged pupils to make the effort to improve their performance.

p.20

Teaching

11. All teachers organise pupils and manage resources well. This is particularly necessary in the small classrooms and they have successfully overcome the limitations of space. In science, the organisation of Key Stage 2 split years into single age classes has been especially effective in creating smaller teaching groups for practical work.

p.20

Teaching

12. Throughout the school, teachers are good at monitoring pupils' progress in lessons and intervening appropriately, often correctly anticipating difficulties before pupils become discouraged. In a Year 6 science lesson on light, the teacher quickly checked to see which group was having trouble organising their equipment and immediately made effective teaching points to help them set up the experiment correctly.

p.21

Teaching

13. Teachers generally follow the marking policy consistently and write helpful comments, which encourage and indicate what pupils need to do to improve their work. They use homework effectively to reinforce learning in reading, spelling and remembering multiplication facts. A good partnership has been developed with parents and nearly all pupils have benefited from this joint approach.

p.21

Teaching

14. Nearly all teachers manage pupils well and achieve good standards of discipline. The exception is in Year 3/4, where a few difficult boys are allowed to disrupt the learning of the rest of the class through inappropriate behaviour.

p.21

Teaching

15. Good attention is paid to pupils who have special educational needs by teachers and assistants working closely together both in the class and for individuals and group work outside classrooms. Those pupils with a specific special educational need are usually well looked after. Generally staff are fully aware of the assessment findings and individual education plans of statemented pupils and provide appropriate teaching and support. As a result these pupils make good progress.

p.21

The curriculum and assessment

1 The school plans a generally broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils including the under fives. Provision for pupils’ intellectual, physical and personal development is good and they are prepared well for the next stage of education. The curriculum makes an effective contribution to the overall attainment of the majority of pupils, particularly in mathematics, reading and science.

p.21

The curriculum and assessment

2 A rich curriculum is provided for children under five with an emphasis on developing their literacy, numeracy and social skills. Due attention has been given to national guidelines and work is planned around interesting activities which are carefully matched to nationally recommended areas of learning.

p.21

The curriculum and assessment

3 The curriculum meets statutory requirements and provides appropriately for religious education, sex education and health and drug education. There is generally equality of access and opportunity for all pupils. On occasions, some pupils in the Year 3 / 4 class are prevented from learning by the inappropriate behavior of a few difficult boys. The curricular requirements of pupils on the special educational needs register are usually met fully in line with the Code of Practice.

p.21

The curriculum and assessment

4 The curriculum is planned systematically. It ensures that pupils build on their past learning easily and straight forwardly. This is an improvement since the last inspection when there was insufficient subject guidance available. Schemes of work are now in place for all curriculum areas. They identify what is to be taught in each year group and make sure that pupils in classes with mixed ages do not repeat topics. In their medium term plans, teachers make effective links across the curriculum. This gives pupils opportunities to practise their literacy and numeracy skills in different subjects; for example artwork is included in history and measurement in science. Weekly plans provide appropriate support for teaching and most clearly describe activities for pupils who learn at different rates. This results in a high proportion of lessons where pupils are learning the right things and making good progress.

p.21

The curriculum and assessment

5 The school has effectively established the National Literacy Strategy and all staff use this guidance well in their planning. The Numeracy Strategy has been introduced satisfactorily this term and the framework is beginning to be used effectively by most teachers to plan appropriate work.

p.22

The curriculum and assessment

6 There are comprehensive systems for assessing pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science. Effective use is made of standardised tests and national assessment results to identify common weaknesses in the attainment and progress of year groups throughout the school. Currently the school is developing the use of this information to identify and improve the progress of individuals. This has been particularly effective in helping boys who do not read as well as expected and is beginning to tackle those pupils with poor spelling. 7 Pupils are assessed appropriately on entry to school and the information is used well by the reception teacher to provide them with suitable work. However, there is insufficient reliable entry data from previous years to make comparisons with national assessment results when they are seven-years-old in order to help support judgements about their progress through Key Stage 1.

p.22

The curriculum and assessment

8 There are appropriate assessment procedures in other subjects. Teachers collect samples of pupils’ work and record the significant strengths and weaknesses of individuals. This information is used satisfactorily by teachers in their planning.

p.22

The curriculum and assessment

9 The special education needs assessment and review arrangements are thorough and provide very useful information to help staff support pupils on the register. As a result these pupils are integrated fully into the life of the school.

p.22

The curriculum and assessment

10 Extra curricular provision is good. At various times throughout the year, well-supported clubs are organised which cover a range of competitive sports, art and craft, environmental studies, music and library skills. Pupils regularly go on educational visits, including residential camps in Year 5 & 6 and trips to historic houses, nature reserves, Exeter cathedral, the theatre and other places of interest. All these excursions are carefully linked to topics being studied in school. These first-hand experiences make a valuable contribution to extending pupils’ understanding and knowledge.

p.22

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

1 The quality of the school’s provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. It is promoted though a wide range of activities that reflect the values expressed in the school's aims. This is an improvement since the last inspection when there were shortcomings in the way pupils’ spiritual awareness was developed.

p.22

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

2 Pupils’ spiritual development is good. The curriculum and daily acts of collective worship are planned to include adequate coverage of knowledge and insight into values and religious beliefs. The content of school and class assemblies provides many opportunities for spiritual reflection. Teachers frequently encourage pupils to reflect on their feelings, the wonders of the natural world and human achievement. 3 In a Year 2 religious education lesson, pupils explored the feelings of fear through the story of Gopal, a Hindu boy, and then related these to their own life. In Key Stage 1, the science topic of creatures great and small was used to encourage pupils to marvel at the way spiders made their webs. In religious education and worship, knowledge and understanding of beliefs such as Hinduism and Judaism are explored as well as Christianity. Attractive displays of pupils’ work reflect the respect staff has for pupils' ideas

p.22

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

4 Pupils' moral development is good. There is a well-understood moral code promoted through the life of the school. The staff make particularly effective use of religious education and personal, social and moral education lessons to promote appropriate values. Pupils are made aware of what is expected of them and the difference between right and wrong. The school fosters values of honesty, fairness and respect for truth and justice. This is reinforced by pupils’ everyday positive experiences with the adults they meet in school. The head teacher and staff work together as a team sharing a common approach to promote pupils’ personal development by encouragement and praise rather than through fear of punishment or reward.

p.23

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

5 Pupils regularly discuss moral issues. A Year 5 class studied conservation, following a visit to Dartmoor, and drew up their own country code to encourages respect for living things. Other subjects in the curriculum are used effectively to illustrate the value of rules and the benefit of fair play. In a Year 5 / 6 religious education lesson, pupils looked at the significance of the Ten Commandments for Jews and then discussed their relevance for people today.

p.23

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

6 Provision for promoting pupils' social development is also good. The organisation of the school and contents of lessons give pupils many opportunities to experience and understand social relationships and the rights and responsibilities of individuals. The school has appropriate rules to encourage pupils to relate effectively to each other and take responsibility for their own actions. Across both key stages, opportunities are planned for pupils to work together in pairs and groups. For example in science, classes have deliberately been made smaller to enable teachers to give more support to pupils carrying out practical work in groups. From the earliest age, as in the reception class, pupils learn to share resources, take turns, help others and share ideas. Pupils are encouraged to take part in at least one sport, including athletics, cross country, swimming, football, netball and tag rugby. This participation effectively develops teamwork,

p.23

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

competition and fair play. The annual school production gives pupils opportunities to learn how to work together in a large group and to contribute to the life of the school as a community. All pupils are expected to undertake duties in class and around the school, such as distributing and collecting resources, taking messages to other classes and keeping their classrooms and shared areas clean and tidy. There are opportunities for pupils to show initiative. For example, the library assistants choose to spend every lunch time working carrying out their duties. The wide range of day visits and residential experiences also enhance pupils’ social development and give them a sense of being involved in the wider community.

p.23

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

7 Pupils' cultural development is similarly well provided for. There was a concern by some parents that multicultural issues were not being looked at sufficiently. This was not supported by inspection findings. The school has provided an appropriate range of resources and ensured that the curriculum is well planned to enrich the pupils' knowledge and experience of their own and other cultural traditions. Positive contributions come from school and class assemblies and aspects of religious education, music, history, art, English, design technology, physical education, geography and science. In Key Stage 1, pupils study celebrations from around the world, appreciating music and special foods, such as for the Chinese New Year. In Key Stage 2, pupils study Greek , Roman and Egyptian culture and look at and listen to the work of many artists, including Van Gogh, Rousseau, Picasso, Mozart and Bach. Pupils also have opportunities to work with visitors,

p.23

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

such as an author and an African drummer. Many other opportunities are provided for pupils to experience their own cultural traditions, particularly through sport and musical activities in lessons and after-school activities.

p.24

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

1 Overall, the school generally provides satisfactory support and guidance. There are shortcomings regarding the supervision of the behaviour of a few older pupils in class and in the playground and also in the reporting of potential hazards. These findings reflect those of the last inspection.

p.24

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

2 The schools' procedures for monitoring pupils' academic progress and personal development are good and help provide an accurate record of each pupil's progress. Caring, respectful relationships have been established between adults and pupils and staff are responsive to pupils’ needs. The head teacher, teachers and other helpers are very approachable and accessible to pupils and often stop and talk to children as they move around the school. Consequently, pupils feel well cared for, valued and have confidence in staff for advice and help.

p.24

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

3 This supportive and caring climate has created an environment where pupils come to school happily and are enthusiastic about their work. This has a positive effect on pupils’ progress, confidence and ability to cope in school. Achievements in school are appreciated and acknowledged in school assemblies by certificates and stickers. 4 There are records of achievement for each pupil. Staff and pupils together set realistic targets for improvement and regularly update them. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by teachers and assistants. Their needs are appropriately monitored and discussed with parents. The measures help these pupils integrate well with other pupils and cope with their work in class.

p.24

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

5 Generally, there are sound procedures for promoting good behaviour. Teachers discuss any concerns about individuals with the head teacher and in persistent cases, these are shared with parents. Pupils at the start of each year draw up class rules with their new teacher. The sound home/school agreement, introduced this term, complete these procedures. Appropriate measures to deal with bullying and harassment are described in the behaviour policy. Staff have very high expectations of discipline and good behaviour but these standards are not always consistently applied to a small number of difficult Years 3 and 4 boys. In addition, mid day supervisory assistants, while very caring and enjoying good relationships with the pupils, are not given sufficiently clear guidelines. As a consequence, they are unable to be fully effective during playground supervision. Occasionally, pupils are out of sight and older boys tend to dominate one end of the

p.24

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

playground with their boisterous play creating a safety hazard for younger pupils.

p.24

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

6 The school has effective procedures for monitoring and following up absences and these are successful in maintaining the good rate of attendance. The school adopts a firm approach to authorising absence and the policy for dissuading families taking holidays during term time is clearly stated in the school prospectus. 7 There are effective child protection procedures and all staff are made aware of their responsibilities through staff meetings and appropriate guidance. Regular visits from trained specialists promote awareness of various issues related to the well being of pupils. Generally, the school is alert to potential hazards but, on occasions, there is a break down in communication. During the summer holidays, the fence surrounding the swimming pool was broken and, although noted by a member of staff, the head teacher was not made aware of the damage. When this was pointed out during the inspection, the fence was

p.24

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

8 Staff and adult helpers are aware of health and safety procedures and are provided with appropriate guidance. The head teacher and governors carry out informal health and safety checks to identify concerns. An external inspection was carried out in June 1999 but the local education authority has not yet submitted its report to the school.

p.25

Partnership with parents and the community

9 The school's partnership with parents and the community is good. Parents are very supportive and welcomed into the school and there are good links with the community. These findings are similar to those of the last inspection.

p.25

Partnership with parents and the community

10 Parents’ involvement with the school is very good. A significant number of committed parents regularly help in classrooms with a wide range of activities. Parents organise and run a crèche each morning so they can help. In a Year 2 English lesson, there were 17 parents supporting reading. Valuable and much appreciated support is given in many areas, such as art, information technology, design and food technology. Parents report they felt welcome in school and receive good guidance from teachers.

p.25

Partnership with parents and the community

11 These well-established links make a significant and effective contribution to pupils’ learning. An active parent - teacher association, through its dedication and hard work, raises significant additional funding for a range of resources. It has funded the refurbishment of information technology facilities, a new classroom and an art and craft studio. Parents are encouraged to be involved with their children’s learning at home, hearing them read and checking their spelling and re-call of multiplication tables. Many parents report they enjoy this involvement. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are fully consulted at all stages. When parents are involved in these ways, their children make good progress.

p.25

Partnership with parents and the community

12 The quality of information provided for parents about the school and pupils’ work and progress is good. There are fortnightly newsletters from the head teacher and notices from the parent teachers’ association. This correspondence is much appreciated by parents. Well-attended meetings are held by the school to inform parents of changes in the curriculum, such as the introduction of the Literacy Hour. There is a wide range of information for parents displayed by the school entrance and in classrooms. However, a number said they would appreciate earlier information on topics to be studied so they could help support their children’s learning.

p.25

Partnership with parents and the community

13 Information provided in the governors' annual report to parents is clear and well presented. There are some omissions: term dates, progress since the last inspection, a statement on school security, required information about disabled pupils and a lack of clarity on how sporting aims have been met. The school prospectus is also well presented and contains appropriate information. It also has omissions: the number of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 and 2, national assessment comparative data, the total number of pupils at the school, authorised and unauthorised absences and disability details. The school is currently reviewing its prospectus to meet requirements.

p.25

Partnership with parents and the community

14 Parents meet formally with the staff at least twice a year and the pupils' annual reports contain helpful information on their children’s attainment progress and personal development. Teachers make themselves available after school for informal talks with parents to discuss any concerns. Parents are aware of the complaints’ procedure and are happy to talk to class teachers and the head teacher. They feel the school responds quickly.

p.26

Partnership with parents and the community

15 The life of the school with the community is enriched through a wide range of good, well established contacts. There are many visitors to the school, including poets, theatre companies, peripatetic music teachers and sports personnel. There are links with the wider community through the school’s support of several charities, and its sponsorship of a child in Ecuador. There are many extra curricular activities, including opportunities to go on day visits and residential trips, as well as attending any of several out of school clubs and activities. There is a concern by some parents that the range of clubs offered is narrow. This was not upheld by inspection findings

p.26

Partnership with parents and the community

16 A playgroup is based in the school grounds and their leaders and the school reception teacher meet regularly. The playgroup children join in with some school activities which helps them become familiar with routines before they start school. There are strong links with secondary schools in the area and Year 6 pupils appreciate the opportunities to make visits.

p.26

Leadership and management

1. The leadership and management of the school are generally good with some significant strengths. They have made an important contribution to improving the quality of education provided and the above average standards achieved. This is an improvement since the last inspection when there were weaknesses in the way development plans and actions were monitored and evaluated at all levels.

p.26

Leadership and management

2. The governing body has a very well-thought out, long term view of the future of the school and has agreed realistic priorities for the next three years based on a careful analysis of the school's strengths and weaknesses. This performance information is being gathered systematically by teachers with management responsibilities who are effectively helped by the local education authority.

p.26

Leadership and management

3. Governors, especially the chairs of committees as well as the full governing body, are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities. They are very supportive of the headteacher, senior staff and new members of the governing body. Governors regularly allocate considerable time in their meetings to discuss ways of improving the quality of education and raising standards. They have given appropriate attention to the introduction of the literacy and numeracy initiatives and have already made a good start in preparation for the national information and communication technology project.

p.26

Leadership and management

4. The headteacher provides strong, positive and supportive leadership. He has been successful in building an effective team, ensuring the accommodation has been re- designed to provide a more suitable teaching and learning environment and has played an active part in the steady rise of standards in mathematics and reading and the improving performance in science.

p.26

Leadership and management

5. He is well supported by the deputy head; they meet frequently to discuss everyday management issues and more formerly, once a week, to review progress. Teachers have management responsibilities for co-ordinating subjects' special needs, early years’ provision and assessment. These responsibilities are clearly described in job descriptions that are well understood by staff. Their duties are realistic and appropriate. This is a considerable improvement since the last inspection when it was identified as a key issue.

p.27

Leadership and management

6. Teachers with management responsibilities are given good support. In staff meetings, they discussed how they should operate and drew up a timetable to indicate the level of activity for their area of responsibility. This ensures that each subject or aspect has appropriate attention and staff are not over-burdened. Co-ordinators are given release time from class teaching to monitor and support colleagues, including classroom observation. They produce an annual evaluation report for the headteacher and governing body indicating strengths and weaknesses.

p.27

Leadership and management

7. These systematic arrangements have been most effective in collecting valid and reliable information to help the school identify development priorities for improvement. They are having a significant impact on sustaining and improving the quality of teaching and curriculum development, particularly in mathematics, science and reading. While actions have begun to tackle weaknesses in spelling and writing and raise overall standards in English to the level of the other two core subjects, they have not yet had time to be effective.

p.27

Leadership and management

8. The school has clear and appropriate aims produced by the headteacher, governors, teachers and support staff and shared with parents. They focus on providing a supportive, yet challenging, learning environment where pupils are expected to achieve their potential. These values and principles are evident in most aspects of the school. Relations are very good and in most classes, teachers set high expectations for behaviour and work. The care and concern for the few pupils with special educational needs is also good.

p.27

Leadership and management

9. Teachers with management responsibilities, with the support of nominated governors, produced policies and procedures. They were considered carefully by teachers and support staff before being presented to governors for comment and ratification. A handbook contains all these policies and guidelines; all staff, including those new to the school, have copies. Policies and procedures are systematically monitored and reviewed according to a timetable in the school's development plan. As a result of these policies being produced and shared by the school community, an ethos has been created in which all pupils come to school enthusiastically and work and play happily, knowing what is expected of them.

p.27

Leadership and management

10. Everyone associated with the school is involved in planning its future. The headteacher has made it a priority to ensure that governors, teachers, other staff and, whenever possible, parents are consulted fully about important changes. The school's development plan has a number of appropriate and specific targets. Needs have been identified systematically with an appropriate focus on raising standards. Programmes for action are detailed showing clearly what has to be done, by whom, with what resources and in priority order. The school has very good procedures for monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of these programmes. This is again a significant improvement since the last inspection. In the past four years, this planning has been effective in developing teaching and pupils’ learning. Staff have used research findings to try out different approaches and refined their teaching, particularly in helping low and high attainers make better progress.

p.27

Leadership and management

They have become more aware of the requirements necessary to support more effective teaching and learning and their views have influenced the re-designing of the internal accommodation.

p.28

Leadership and management

11. There is a strong commitment to promote equal access by all pupils to opportunities where they can succeed and excel. All achievements are acknowledged and celebrated and there is a weekly school assembly where the success of individuals and teams are shared and applauded. Newsletters regularly describe achievements and the headteacher takes care to ensure that effort and attitude is given equal importance to attainment.

p.28

Leadership and management

12. The co-ordinator for special educational needs is experienced and very well qualified. She works effectively with the nominated governor in managing appropriate support for pupils. They have been particularly successfully in helping pupils with reading and are now targeting spelling.

p.28

Leadership and management

13. Pupils' behaviour is generally well managed which results in very good relationships. However, a few difficult boys in Year 3/4 have caused staff lacking confidence problems in class management. When this happens, many pupils in this class become inattentive and make unsatisfactory progress in their learning.

p.28

Leadership and management

14. It is very evident that the team of governors, headteacher and staff with management responsibilities actively promotes positive attitudes to learning and high achievement. Their intentions are well documented, shown in their actions and have resulted in rising standards.

p.28

Leadership and management

15. The school meets nearly all statutory requirements apart from some minor omissions in the governors' annual report to parents and school prospectus.

p.28

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

1. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources are generally good but there are shortcomings in the adequacy of parts of the accommodation. This is an improvement since the last inspection when teachers were not being given appropriate training to improve their subject knowledge and understanding.

p.28

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

2. There are sufficient appropriately qualified teachers. They have the knowledge and experience to teach the National Curriculum, religious education and the areas of learning for the under-fives. The specialist knowledge of the co-ordinators for English, mathematics and science has been particularly effective in supporting less confident teachers.

p.28

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

3. One classroom assistant is deployed to help pupils with special educational needs and two are supporting the teachers at Key Stage 1 and the lower years in Key Stage 2. They work effectively with all teachers in the planning, teaching and recording of pupils' progress. They are a valuable resource offering good support particularly in literacy, practical work and with information technology.

p.28

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

4. The administrative staff is appropriately qualified and experienced and the day-to-day running of the school is efficient. The caretaking and cleaning staff maintain the school in good order, which enhances the learning environment.

p.28

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

5. Staff working on special educational needs are well trained and pupils make good progress. The pupils with specific special education needs receive regular support from appropriate specialists and the requirements of individual statements are fully met.

p.29

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

6. The school has an induction programme for teachers and assistants new to the school. For newly qualified teachers, this takes account of national and local authority guidance. The teacher, who received this support last year, reported she found the help and guidance very effective. New staff are well helped to integrate into school life.

p.29

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

7. Procedures for teachers' appraisal meet current requirements. There is an appraisal scheme for other staff. They report that is has helped them considerably with their job and professional development. One teacher was given effective support to enable her to change the age group she was teaching.

p.29

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

8. The professional development of staff is well organised to meet the needs of individuals and the priorities of the school. The school has a comprehensive staff development policy and training makes a significant impact on the quality of teaching. This is particularly marked in literacy, numeracy and science.

p.29

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

9. The school makes good use of the accommodation to promote pupils' learning. All classrooms are well organised to make use of the available space for practical work, group and class teaching. The limited space in most classrooms at Key Stage 2 creates problems for the effective teaching of art and design technology.

p.29

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

10. All other areas in the school buildings are used efficiently to improve opportunities for pupils to learn. The large hall is a good facility but is not used as fully as it was since the introduction of the literacy and numeracy hours. The library is centrally sited, accessible and well organised

p.29

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

11. Pupils' work is attractively displayed in classrooms and around the school. It has a clear purpose, pupils' achievements are acknowledged and the learning environment improved considerably. This is very evident at the entrance to the Key Stage 1 classes where a project on mini-beasts celebrating pupils' achievements in many areas of the curriculum is very creatively displayed.

p.29

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

12. The outdoor areas are appropriately laid out and maintained. Sufficient space is available for large equipment and practical work for the under fives and there is easy access to a large playground. The play ground is secure and large enough to accommodate the youngest and oldest pupils. There are sufficient opportunities for a range of activities for quiet and active play. The most recent resurfacing and marking of the playground enable pupils to take part in a range of games.

p.29

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

13. Greenfield spaces are large and conveniently sited. The flat field is marked out for a good sized football pitch. There is an enclosed swimming pool that has not been in use this year because of health and safety concerns. There are areas for environmental studies, which include a large pond, a 200 year old hedge and a large variety of trees visited by squirrels and green woodpeckers. The external environment is clean and well maintained with no graffiti and litter. There is no suitable access for pupils with physical disabilities as the school is on different levels. 14. Provision for pupils with specific learning difficulties is satisfactory. The area allocated for group and individual teaching is accessible although rather small. There are good facilities for information technology.

p.29

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

15. The school is suitably resourced in all areas except in design and technology as there are no benches or equipment, such as saws and hammers. This is because there is very limited space to site equipment and work safely. Generally, the quality and quantity of resources are good. The school library is well stocked and used regularly by pupils as a significant part of their personal study.

p.30

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

16. Information technology resources are sufficient and are used effectively to support learning across the curriculum. The recent decision to lease computers will further improve the provision.

p.30

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

17. The school makes good use of resources beyond the school. For example, pupils have opportunities to attend residential camps, and to go on educational visits in the locality and further afield.

p.30

The efficiency of the school

1 The school plans its finances very well to improve the learning environment and resources and teaching and raise standards, particularly in mathematics, reading and science.

p.30

The efficiency of the school

2 Priorities in the school’s development plan are accurately costed and effectively monitored to help governors to evaluate the effects of their spending decisions. This is an significant improvement since the last inspection. Governors receive regular budget summaries and have a accurate picture of their expenditure. Governors are kept informed by the head teacher and staff with management responsibilities about progress towards the educational targets. As a result, the involvement of the governing body in the school's strategic development is very good because of the quality of financial information and their knowledge of the school’s current state. For example, governors discussed fully the implications of creating an extra class for science at Key Stage 2.They were particularly concerned about the additional workload for the head teacher. They have monitored carefully the effects of these changes, noted the rise in standards but are still keeping a

p.30

The efficiency of the school

close check to ensure the head teacher’s responsibilities remain manageable.

p.30

The efficiency of the school

3 The head teacher has a clear long-term view of how the school should develop. This helps the planning of future financial priorities. The use of staff, accommodation and learning resources to promote pupil's progress is good. Effective support is provided for pupils with special educational needs and they make good progress.

p.30

The efficiency of the school

4 The few recommendations in the external audit of 9 June 1999 were promptly implemented. The routine daily administration of the school is efficient and unobtrusive. This allows the head teacher to carry out his professional duties effectively.

p.30

The efficiency of the school

5 Taking into consideration the above average attainment of the majority of pupils on entry and their broadly favourable home backgrounds, they generally make good progress and leave school with attainment above that expected for their age in English, mathematics and science. In addition, their attitudes, behaviour and personal development are generally good. Although the cost of achieving this for each pupil is very high compared to similar schools, just over two thirds of the teaching is good or better. This indicates that the school gives good value for money.

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

1. At the time of the inspection the ten four year olds were in their third week at school. They attended part-time for the first two weeks as part of good induction procedures. They come to school happily and confidently and quickly adapt to routines. The children begin school with similar prior experience and varying levels of attainment; all have attended playgroup or other nursery provision. Children who have their fifth birthday between September and February start school at the beginning of the school year; all others start in January. They are accommodated in a class with some Year 1 pupils.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

2. Pupils make a good start to school. In all areas of learning they make good progress and almost all pupils in the reception class are on course to exceed the national expectations in language, literacy number and their personal physical and creative development and knowledge and understanding of the world by the time they are five years old. These findings reflect those of the previous inspection.

p.31

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

3. There is good provision for pupils’ personal and social development, which is given a high priority during the first weeks in school. The teacher and classroom assistant help pupils acquire self-esteem and confidence by the way they welcome them to school and praise their efforts. They are encouraged to be independent. For example at the start of the day, they put their belongings away and confidently select a book to read. Good opportunities are provided for children to share and co-operate with each other through play. Good behaviour is constantly reinforced and pupils know right from wrong. As a result they behave well and the classroom has a friendly, working atmosphere.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

4. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are well developed through role-play, group discussions and classroom activities. They listen attentively. In a literacy lesson, they recognised when the teacher intentionally made mistakes reading a story. The talk enthusiastically about their experiences and are confident in expressing their thoughts and ideas. Pupils make good progress in developing their early reading skills and they understand how books are organised. They talk about characters and are already beginning to match pictures to words. The majority hear initial sounds and some match letter to these sounds. Pupils are given many opportunities to practise and experiment with writing. In the ‘country vets’ role-play area they wrote messages using marks, symbols and some letters. The majority write their names accurately.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

5. Mathematical skills are being well developed through a good range of practical activities. When playing skittles, high attaining pupils explained how many were left standing and knew if this was more or less than the number knocked over. The majority could say what would happen if one was taken away or added. They are confidently learning to use mathematical vocabulary in practical activities. Pupils working on the computer recognised and continued sequential patterns and explained the reasons for their decisions.

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Knowledge & Understanding of the World

6. Most children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is typical for their age. After a walk around the school, they talked about sources of light and explained their uses. They looked carefully at an illustration of a busy street and, using small toys and a large play map, recreated the scene. They know that roads are for vehicles and talk about their personal safety. They select appropriate homes for the farm animals and give reasons for their choice.

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Creative development

7. Pupils have made a good start in acquiring skills in music. They select instruments to play to make different sounds and copy a rhythm when asked. They join in action songs and are beginning to sing in tune. Pupils enjoy cutting and sticking and are developing competence in using scissors and glue spreaders.

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Physical Development

8. Good provision is made for children’s physical development ,including an outdoor play space for using large wheeled toys and a climbing frame. Fine manipulative skills are developing well through the use of a wide range of resources, including dough. Pupils observed number shapes and used the dough to make their own which they then matched to number cards. They are developing control and co-ordination in physical education as well as when using the wheeled toys and other large equipment.

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Physical Development

9. The teaching of the under fives is very good. The curriculum is well planned to meet the learning needs of young children and a rich variety of stimulating practical activities is provided. These are matched to the nationally recommended areas of learning. Pupils are encouraged to explore and learn new skills. Very good questioning by the teacher helps them effectively to extend their knowledge and understanding. The classroom assistant and teacher work together as a strong team supporting pupils in their learning. They effectively monitor and assess pupils’ attainment and use the information gained to plan the next stage in learning. The teaching is lively and enthusiastic; it effectively engages pupils and makes them want to learn. The early year’s environment is stimulating and a good range of resources is used well.

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English

1. Since the previous inspection, there has been considerable improvement in raising attainment, particularly in reading throughout the school. Results in Key Stage 1 tests in the past three years are generally above the national trend. At Key Stage 2, results for the same period show a definite improvement overall. The performance of girls has been well above the national average whilst that of boys has been generally below. The school reports that this is due to the small, but significant, number of boys with special educational needs who joined the school late in the key stage during this time. The appointment of a specialist English teacher, helpful guidance from national and published programmes and training for teachers have all had a positive impact on teaching, resulting in the raising of standards in English.

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English

2. The results of the 1998 assessments and tests at the end of Key Stage 1 indicate that standards in reading are above average when compared to all and similar schools.

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English

3. Overall, the proportion not reaching the level expect for their age in reading is lower than found nationally whilst the proportion achieving the higher level 3 is about the same. Standards in writing are about average when compared with all and similar schools. Whilst the proportion of pupils not reaching the level expected for their age is less than found nationally, the number achieving higher is below what is expected.

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English

4. Provisional 1999 assessment results show that standards in reading are rising at Key Stage 1 with all pupils reaching or exceeding the national expectation. Writing results for the same period are the same as the 1998 with no pupils achieving levels above the national expectation.

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English

5. At the end of Key Stage 2 assessment results in 1998 show that standards were about the same as the national average in speaking and listening, reading and writing. Generally these results are about the same as those in similar schools.

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English

6. The number of pupils not reaching the level expected for their age was below average. The proportion reaching higher levels was also below what is expected. Provisional 1999 test results show that there has been a slight drop in the number of pupils reaching national expectation. This is because the Year 6 class had a significant proportion of boys with special educational needs. Since the last inspection, there has been an increase by almost a third of pupils reaching standards beyond national expectation.

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English

7. Inspection evidence confirms the national assessment results for Key Stage 1 reading and while more able pupils in Year 2 are being given harder work in writing, their attainment is still not high enough. In Key Stage 2, standards in spelling are unsatisfactory and do not match pupils overall writing abilities.

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English

8. The school has set realistic targets to continue to raise standards of literacy by 2002 to 82% of the oldest pupils achieving or exceeding the level expected for their age.

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English

9. The National Literacy Strategy has been introduced effectively. Teachers have been well supported through a structured training programme in different aspects of literacy and this is having a positive impact on their expectations of pupils. Teachers are confident with the content and planning for literacy hours. They ensure that pupils receive a broad English curriculum which includes drama and opportunities for sustained writing.

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English

10. Progress throughout the school is good overall. At Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils make good progress in reading and speaking and listening. This is because teachers use the Literacy Hour well to teach a wide range of reading skills. Their teaching is well planned to ensure that they systematically build on pupils’ previous knowledge. They are given good opportunities to talk about their experiences and to practise reading in other activities. Good support from parents at Key Stage 1, which includes reading with their children at home and helping in school, has a positive effect on pupils’ progress. Whilst progress in writing across Key Stage 1 is satisfactory overall, high attaining pupils have not made enough progress.

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English

11. Pupils at Key Stage 2 do not make enough progress in spelling and have gaps in their knowledge of phonics and spelling strategies. The school has recognised this and has introduced a number of strategies. These include teaching regular additional spelling lessons outside the Literacy Hour and providing specific help for pupils who perform well in other areas but are poor spellers. These actions have not yet had time to be fully effective. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and benefit from carefully targeted support which clearly focuses on their specific areas of difficulty.

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English

12. Standards of speaking and listening are above national expectations by the end of Key Stage 1. Nearly all pupils are confident speakers and listeners for their age. Pupils are given time to express their views and teachers value their contributions. As a consequence they are keen to join in class and group discussions. Year 2 pupils listen attentively to their teacher and each other. They successfully retell the main points of a story and use new vocabulary appropriately. In a history lesson as “detectives”, they confidently asked a range of relevant questions and adapt their suggestions according to other pupils’ response.

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English

13. By seven years old, most pupils read well. Year 2 pupils practise their reading skills with obvious enjoyment and benefit from class reading sessions in the Literacy Hour. Teachers promote good comprehension skills and explain different ways of working out new words. They are taught how to use sounds, how to look at illustrations for clues and to predict to help them to develop a good level of accuracy. They talk confidently about their favourite books and authors. They read with expression and use simple reference books to find information. Low attaining pupils do not always look for meaning in their reading but study pictures and sounds carefully to interpret the text.

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English

14. Pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 are confident writers. They put pictures in order and re write simple sentences to retell a story. They use knowledge of sounds to help them spell and are beginning to use capital letters and full stops with some accuracy. Their handwriting is becoming more consistent in size and is mostly correctly formed. Pupils concentrate on their writing and try hard to completed it in the time available. They extend their imaginary writing in role-play. For example, in the Post Office they write letters and address envelopes.

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English

15. Standards in speaking and listening are above average by the end of Key Stage 2 and pupils express themselves very well. In performing poetry they use varied expression and vocabulary to engage the audiences interest. They refine and improve their presentations learning from their mistakes. Pupils have a wide vocabulary that they use well when answering questions or giving explanations. They talk with enthusiasm about their work and think carefully about what they want to say.

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English

16. Standards in reading are above average by the end of Key Stage 2. Most Year 6 pupils read fluently with good expression. High attaining pupils identify with characters and show a high level of maturity when discussing the impact of their reading on their own feelings. Most pupils read a wide range of books and are making good progress in discussing what they have read. Boys in particular are enjoying reading non-fiction and are well motivated. The majority of pupils have good library skills and are well supported by the librarian. They know about the Dewey system and use contents and indexes to locate information. They explain the different skills needed to read fiction and reference books.

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English

17. Standards in writing are variable at the end of Key Stage 2 ranging from above average to average. This is because pupils’ spelling skills are unsatisfactory and not up to the standard that would be expected from their overall writing ability. Whilst high attaining Year 6 pupils usually spell accurately they often make mistakes when spelling common prefixes and suffixes. There are gaps in pupils’ phonic knowledge and they do not consistently apply the rules and skills they have been taught. Pupils punctuate their work correctly and use a range of punctuation well and accurately. They confidently write a first draft of their work and then edit it learning from their mistakes before producing a final copy. At this stage, their writing is well presented and handwriting is neat legibly formed and joined. They write in a range of forms and for different purposes. Their wide vocabulary is well used to create atmosphere and humour.

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English

18. Pupils have regular opportunities to share their work with the class. They show enthusiasm for these tasks and the majority concentrate well in the independent section of the literacy hour. Behaviour in English lessons is usually good; the exception being that of a few Year 3/4 boys who disrupted a library session through inappropriate behaviour.

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English

19. The quality of teaching is good at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory overall at Key Stage 2. There are examples of very good teaching in Years 3/4 and 4/5. This is balanced by satisfactory teaching in Year 6 and in the remaining Year 3/4 lessons. Very good teaching is characterised by lessons in which there is an effective balance of whole class, group pair work and individual work. Lessons are purposeful because teachers have high expectations of pupils. The pace of the lesson is brisk. Questioning is very well used to develop pupils’ thinking. Resources are appropriate and effective; for example, the Year 1/2 teacher provided dressing-up props to encourage a shy pupil to participate in a speaking and listening activity. The review at the end of a lesson is well used to reinforce learning and pupils make a good contribution to the sessions.

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English

20. In otherwise satisfactory lessons, the introductory and review sessions do not always involve pupils sufficiently and they become restless towards the end. In a Year 6 writing workshop lesson, the sessions were too long and there was a lack of focus. Sometimes, expectations of independence when starting group work are not high enough. In Year 3 / 4 lesson, pupils moved from the carpet to their places and became noisy and restless whilst waiting for their tasks.

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English

21. Teachers’ relationships with their pupils in English lessons are consistently good throughout the school. This is particularly evident in the effective intervention teachers make when checking individuals’ progress, particularly when they are working independently.

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English

22. The co-ordinator provides very good leadership and has made an effective contribution to raising standards in literacy. Following an audit of English teaching and learning, she has a clear overview of strengths and weaknesses and has put strategies in place to deal with them. For example, the underachievement of boys is being tackled by providing resources and writing activities that appeal to their interests.

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English

23. The head teacher monitors the Literacy Hour and teachers are given feedback to help them improve their teaching. The Literacy framework provides the school with an effective scheme of work. To this has been added drama, speaking and listening and extended writing sessions. This ensures that all pupils are taught the full range of the National Curriculum. The school makes good use of a range of standardised tests to inform target setting. ‘First of the Month’ writing books are kept for each child which show their progression as writers throughout the school. A wide range of resources is available to support the Literacy Hour and these have a positive impact on pupils’ motivation. The library is attractive and well used by the school.

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Mathematics

1. Since the previous inspection, there has been considerable improvement in raising attainment. Assessment results at Key Stage 1 and 2 between 1994 and 1998 were better than the national trend. The school reports that this is mainly because they have placed a greater emphasis on the teaching of mathematics and in improving the attainment of the more able pupils.

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Mathematics

2. The results of the 1998 national assessment at the end of Key Stage 1 indicate that standards are about average when compared with all and similar schools. The proportion of pupils not reaching the level expected for their age is less than found nationally while the proportion achieving higher is above the national average. At the end of Key Stage 2, assessment results show that standards are above the national average. These results are also better than similar schools. The number of pupils not reaching the level expected for their age is below average. The proportion reaching a higher level is above the national average. At both key stages the performance of girls is about the same as boys, which is against the national trend.

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Mathematics

3. Provisional national results for 1999 show a significant improvement in the number of pupils attaining a higher level at Key Stage 1and a continuing improvement at Key Stage 2 for all pupils. Inspection evidence confirms these results.

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Mathematics

4. The school set the target to raise standards of numeracy by 2002 to 75% of the oldest pupils achieving or exceeding the level expected for their age. This target has already been passed and has not yet been reviewed in the light of this overall improvement.

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Mathematics

5. Preparations for introducing the National Numeracy Strategy are satisfactorily underway. The co-ordinator and one other member of staff have attended local authority courses and all staff have benefited from a days in-service from one of the national numeracy experts. Parts of the strategy are in place and the school plans to complete preparation by January 2000.

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Mathematics

6. Progress across the school is variable. In Years 1, 2 and 5 most pupils make good progress while in other classes progress is sound. There were instances of unsatisfactory progress in Year 3/4 and 6.

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Mathematics

7. Teachers have successfully adopted most of the national numeracy guidelines and increased the time spent regularly on oral and mental work and ensured work matches the different stages and rates of pupils’ learning. In a Year 2 class, the warm up activities were appropriately targeted at individual pupils, the pace was brisk and a good recap of mathematical vocabulary was used. All pupils were interested and fully engaged in the session. They worked hard and made good progress.

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Mathematics

8. When progress is unsatisfactory, there are parts of the lesson where pupils are not working hard enough at the appropriate activities.. These teachers do not always put into practice the national numeracy strategy. While they are spending an appropriate time on oral and mental mathematics, the work is not planned sufficiently to take account of the different rates pupils learn and build on previous experiences. In a Year class 6 class reinforcing place value, the warm up activities were very limited and not challenging enough for all pupils as the teacher did not know his pupils sufficiently well at this early stage in the term. The group work activities linked to multiplying numbers by 10, 100 and 1000 were too similar for the different ability groups. They were not planned thoroughly enough to enable the teacher to check pupils’ progress. In addition, the amount of work pupils were expected to achieve was too low.

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Mathematics

9. The progress high attaining pupils make is good at Key Stage 1 and generally good at Key Stage 2. At Key Stage 1, teachers ensure there is sufficiently difficult work available and are effective at encouraging these pupils to sustain their concentration. At Key Stage 2, the higher attainers in all years receive additional support from the head teacher in one session per week working on interesting and challenging activities. These strategies have made a significant contribution to the continuing improvement in standards of these pupils.

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Mathematics

1. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress with class teachers and assistants having a clear structured programme targeted to meet their needs. A Year 3 pupil was effectively helped by the class assistant to break down numbers between 10 and 20 into tens and units. She made good use of learning materials, carefully watched how he grouped the units and used questions and discussion appropriately to help him succeed. There was good liaison between the assistant and class teacher both in planning the activity and reporting on progress.

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Mathematics

2. By the end of Key Stage 1, almost all pupils use numbers and measures confidently for their age. Many pupils are skilful at handling addition and subtraction of pairs and triples of number up to 50. They show a good understanding of the varied mathematical vocabulary in use. A few are beginning to develop mental strategies for using the most appropriate methods for addition of numbers. A significant number have a quick and accurate working knowledge of table facts using 2, 5, and 10s, handle money up to £1 and show a good understanding of place value.

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Mathematics

3. By the time pupils are 11 years old, almost all have acquired standards in numeracy around or above the national average. They understand place value, have a working knowledge of the four arithmetical operations when dealing with whole numbers and decimals. They handle work on fraction and percentages and solve problems that deal mainly with number. They have a sound knowledge of work on shape and space, analyse data and construct and understand various types of graphs.

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Mathematics

4. Generally, pupils apply their understanding in mathematical investigations and problem solving satisfactorily. They are given sufficient opportunities to take part in practical activities and can handle equipment well. This was evident in Year 4 work on symmetry and pattern and also a statistical survey requiring results to be presented in an accurate pictorial form where the graphs were well constructed and explained.

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Mathematics

5. Numeracy skills are also developed in other subjects but not always to the same degree. At Key Stage 2, in science and design technology some teachers make good teaching points when discussing shape and measures. This was evident in a Year 5 science lesson on constructing parachutes and a Year 6 design and technology lesson making book covers. At Key Stage 1 teachers use basic numeracy skills in many of their cross-curricular topics, such as counting songs in music and describing their physical characteristics in a topic on themselves.

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Mathematics

6. The quality of mathematics teaching is generally good. There are examples of good and very good teaching in Years 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 balanced by unsatisfactory teaching in two lessons in Years 3/4 and 6. 7. Very good teaching is characterised by teachers’ very secure knowledge and understanding of mathematics, particularly of the Numeracy Strategy. Teachers have high expectations and plan thoroughly to take account of what pupils can do. Each part of the lesson is well organised to allow all pupils to participate with appropriate activities and good quality and sufficient resources. In a Year 1 lesson using money, the teacher led an effective practical class session on the floor with individuals and pairs playing games to exchange 2p and 1p coins. They all were able to handle the money and were eager to discuss why the teacher was wrong when she made a deliberate mistake. They grew in confidence and were able to

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Mathematics

tackle more difficult problems with the coins when they worked on their own.

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Mathematics

8. Where there are shortcomings in the teaching of mathematics, teachers do not always ensure that pupils conform to their expectations of work and behaviour. The work is not planned with enough variety to motivate and maintain their interest, particularly of pupils who have not developed self-discipline. This was evident in a Year 3 class when counting and adding in 10s. The teacher had chosen a strategy of using pieces of paper on which pupils wrote and displayed their answers to oral questions. The paper was too small and the pupils were not used to this approach. Consequently, a small number of boys used the opportunity to behave inappropriately and disrupt the learning of others. The review session was too short and lacked focus.

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Mathematics

9. The head teacher is the mathematics co-ordinator. He is experienced, confident and has made an effective contribution to raising standards of numeracy at Key Stages 1 and 2, particularly by improving the progress of high and low attaining pupils. He has undertaken monitoring of teaching and learning and identified and is beginning to tackle some common weaknesses, especially the matching of work to take account of pupils’ prior learning.

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Mathematics

10. Standards in mathematics are continuing to improve. Staff are currently involved in planning activities that will make the introductory sessions more effective in developing pupils’ mental facility in mathematics.

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Science

1 Since the previous inspection, standards in science have fluctuated but are now rising and are above average at the end of both key stages.

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Science

2Results of the 1998 national assessment of seven-year-olds indicate that standards were generally above average when compared to all and similar schools. The proportion achieving the level expected for their age in experimental and investigative science was well below the national average but above in other aspects. No pupils reached the higher level in 1998 but provisional results for 1999 show an improvement and are now in line with the national trend.

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Science

3At the end of Key Stage 2, assessment results in 1998 put standards around the national average but below for similar schools. Provisional national assessment figures for 1999 also show an improvement, particularly in the proportion reaching the higher level.

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Science

4The school explains the improvement as a result of teachers being effectively helped to be more confident in teaching experimental and investigative science through training and the support of the specialist co-ordinator. Also in Key Stage 2, pupils are organised in single year groups for science on Tuesday afternoons, the headteacher taking the additional class. Science is now taught in major and mini units covering the programmes of study so that pupils' learning builds progressively on their previous experiences without repeating topics as sometime happened in split year classes in the past. 5Inspection findings confirm that this more systematic approach to practical science is helping pupils to recognise the importance of identifying clearly what they are investigating, observing carefully what happens and recording accurately their findings. Pupils are less confident at making predictions and drawing conclusions but current work planned throughout the school

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Science

focuses on these aspects. Year 1 and 2 pupils had to suggest what the inside of exotic fruits might look like before slicing them and making observational drawings. In Year 6, much discussion took place about the effects on the size of an image when moving the object away from a mirror before carrying out an experiment to test a hypothesis.

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Science

6Progress across the school ranges from sound to very good. In Years I and 2, most pupils make good progress. This is because the quality of teaching is usually good or better. A combination of well thought out planning and very secure knowledge and understanding of science and their pupils, enables teachers to introduce interesting and appropriate topics that stimulate pupils to think carefully and question what they observe. Teachers have high expectations and use questions well to help or encourage pupils to maintain their concentration. In a Year 1 lesson on animal habitats, pupils used their observations from a walk in the school grounds to make suggestions on where to place different creatures on a large model tree they helped make. As a result of the teacher pitching questions at an appropriate level, the high attaining pupils were able to discuss the characteristics of common animals and put forward

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Science

sensible ideas about why they lived in different places. The teacher's well-prepared visual aids helped the low attaining pupils learn and use the correct animal names when talking about each habitat.

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Science

7By the end of Key Stage 1, nearly all pupils have an appropriate range of scientific knowledge and understanding for their age and carry out simple experiments confidently. They know about the seasons and how these affect the weather and plant and animal life. They recall the names of animals and insects and describe some of their characteristics and habitats. They know about the cycle of day and night and that the sun is a source of light and heat. They have studied their bodies, can name some of the major features and know a little about healthy eating habits. They correctly sort everyday materials by their properties and have carried out simple tests to sort them into categories. Their observational skills have been developed and they are particularly adept at producing accurate sketches of what they see.

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Science

8In Key Stage 2, progress is generally good or better. On occasions, it is satisfactory. While all teachers are planning thoroughly and have very good knowledge and understanding of science, not all are managing their use of time in lessons as well. The quality of teaching is generally good or better.

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Science

9When progress is very good, pupils are quickly reminded of their previous work as the teacher involves them in recapping what they have learnt. This helps them focus their minds on the topic being introduced so that when they are told what is planned for the lesson, they have no difficulty in making the appropriate links. In a Year 5 lesson on physical processes, the effect of gravity as a 'pulling' force was reviewed and then the new concept of a 'pushing' force was introduced; pupils were easily able to interpret this as resistance when the two were in opposition. The teacher chose a very suitable investigation, making and testing parachutes, which appealed to the pupils' interest and also illustrated dramatically the effects of wind resistance over gravity. Questions were used well to engage both high and low attaining pupils, particularly in determining the factors to control in a 'fair test'. However in the recording and writing notes, pupils’ spelling

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Science

10When progress is satisfactory but not better, the teacher tends to take too long over the introductory session, giving too much information with out involving pupils sufficiently. In these cases, many pupils tend to lose concentration after about 20 minutes. However once the group practical work starts, their attention is regained and the teacher's frequent checking of their progress by helpful intervention enables them to complete experiments effectively. In a Year 6 lesson on light, the teacher continually reminded pupils to be careful in their design and setting up of the apparatus to ensure that all the variables were controlled. This paid off when they began to introduce changes as the measurements they obtained were accurate and showed a pattern which upheld their prediction. This practical use of number also helped develop their numeracy skills.

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Science

11Similarly by the time pupils are 11 years-old, most have acquired knowledge and understanding of science appropriate for their age and an increasing proportion are exceeding this level. They have a firm foundation in electricity, forces, light and sound and have used this knowledge to gain a basic understanding of the planet earth and its place in the solar system. They carry out investigations systematically, such as examining the properties of materials and, through their experiments, know how they change their state under different conditions. By the time they leave school, they have a clear idea of the human life cycle and how to be healthy and fit. They also are beginning to know how to classify plants and animals and understand how they survive. They also have a good understanding of conservation gained as part of a study of the local area.

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Science

12The few pupils with special educational needs in each class make good progress because the teachers and assistants are very aware of how they can be helped. The pupils are fully involved in class and group sessions by being encouraged and helped to make useful contributions through the sensitive support offered by adults.

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Science

13The science co-ordinator has worked hard over the three years he has been at school; his first appointment. He has made an effective contribution to raising standards through contributing to staff training, advising on the review of the science scheme of work and monitoring the effects of the changed organisation of teaching single year groups. While the size of classrooms and design of the shared work areas limits the space available for practical work in the main building, teachers have successfully overcome these limitations through effective planning and grouping of pupils. Resources are well organised, accessible and sufficient to allow all pupils to have appropriate opportunities to carry out investigations; their availability has been a significant factor in helping teachers be successful and gain confidence in introducing more practical work into their science lessons.

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Information technology

1. Since the previous inspection, there has been little improvement in raising standards in information technology. The quality and quantity of learning resources have only recently been improved. Teachers have not been able to plan a sufficient range of learning activities to develop pupils’ information technology skills in supporting their learning in other subjects.

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Information technology

2. However, progress across the school is consistently sound as teachers have encouraged pupils to use information technology whenever possible within the limitations of what has been available. This has been particularly evident in word processing in literacy, research in history, and presenting information in pictorial form using both two and three- dimensional graphs in mathematics. 3. Teachers' medium term plans and a scrutiny of work by pupils last year, show that the requirements of the National Curriculum are being met. Pupils speak enthusiastically about the use of information technology with many of them bringing quite detailed knowledge from working with computers at home.

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Information technology

4. Generally, high-attaining pupils make good progress. They are well motivated and rise to the challenges presented by the work presented to them as the programs used, are well matched to their interests and prior learning.

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Information technology

5. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress as they receive guided help from both the teacher and classroom assistant, particularly in the development of key board skills and word processing.

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Information technology

6. Generally, those pupils with the opportunity to use information technology outside school are making better progress. The many opportunities to practise their keyboard skills at home are evident in the way in which they can operate the computer, access the Internet and use e-mail .

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Information technology

7. As a consequence, by the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils have appropriate knowledge and understanding of information technology for their age and satisfactorily use these skills to support their learning. Most pupils use computers confidently for a range of appropriate purposes: they draw pictures and paint, word process and update text, do simple modeling, control programmable machines and to carry out a series of instructions. Most confidently use a video, a television remote control and listening centres. They have a wide knowledge and understanding of the place of information technology in their homes. Pupils also receive valuable support in school using the computers from numerous parent helpers.

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Information technology

8. By the time pupils are 11 years old, most have attainment in information technology around that expected for their age. They ably demonstrated their skills using portable word- processing machines to produce the magazine "Cool Mag". They use a CD-ROM appropriately for research, as they did in their history project on "The Tudors" . They construct and amend a database and display the findings. They edit text and use the computer for drawing and painting. The use of the computer for control is being introduced this year for the first time to Year 6. They also understand and construct a simple spreadsheet.

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Information technology

9. Only one lesson of information technology was observed making it impossible to make secure judgements about the teaching overall.

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Information technology

10. The information technology co-ordinator is fairly new to teaching and has made an effective contribution to supporting colleagues. In addition to technical help, he has produced a detailed and helpful policy and guidance. He is in the process of introducing the Internet as part of developments to implement the national strategy for information and communication technology.

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Information technology

11. Additional grant funding from the local education authority has enabled the stock of computers and learning resources to be considerably improved. These have only just been received and have not had time to have an impact on raising standards.

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Religious education

1. Since the previous inspection, there has been some improvement in raising attainment in religious education. There were shortcomings in the curriculum offered, as it did not fully meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. There is now a comprehensive scheme of work that covers both reflection on meaning and knowledge and understanding of religion. Consequently, teachers have sound guidance and most pupils at seven and eleven-years-old have attainment in religious education as expected by Devon's agreed syllabus.

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Religious education

2. During the inspection, only two lessons of religious education could be observed. Judgements have been made on these observations, talking to pupils and examining their work, discussions with teachers and looking at their plans.

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Religious education

3. Progress in these lessons was good. Both teachers had made effective links in their planning to recent experiences. This helped pupils relate what they were studying to ideas still fresh in their minds. In a Year 2 lesson on 'bad' feelings, the teacher successfully helped pupils deal with fear by comparing their personal thoughts to a Hindu story of a child being comforted by the presence of Krishna; previously told the day before in the school assembly. In a Year 4 lesson, the teacher helped pupils distinguish between 'loneliness' and 'being alone' by exploring the feelings pupils might have in the play ground if nobody played with them to somebody wanting to be alone and quiet. The success of both these lessons was in the way the teachers set the scene and used sensitive questions to focus pupils' thinking and then allow individuals to express their thoughts, knowing they would be valued. As a result by the end of both lessons, most pupils had

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Religious education

gained a deeper understanding of these strong feelings and how to cope with them. They also could see how people use prayer for support when they feel frightened or sad. Pupils with special educational needs were fully involved in these lessons as they were helped to make contributions by the teachers.

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Religious education

4. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils have appropriate knowledge and understanding of religious education for their age. They know some of the important facts about the major Christian festivals of harvest, Christmas and Easter. They re-tell Bible stories from the Old and New Testament and know the names of important biblical figures, such as Noah, Moses, Mary, Joseph and Jesus. They understand there are different religions in the world and that people pray to say 'thank you' and 'ask for help'. They also know that people also go to places of worship on special family occasions, such as for weddings and funerals. 5. By the time pupils are 11 years old, most have attainment in religious education around that expected for their age. They can describe what happens at important Christian and other world religious festivals such as Christmas, Divali and Hanukkah. They know some of the similarities and differences between religious ceremonies, particularly those

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Religious education

concerning important stages in life, such as initiation, marriage and death. They have visited the local church and Exeter cathedral and name and describe the important features of the buildings. They are beginning to appreciate how people's religious experiences have influenced history and how prejudice and bigotry have caused harm and destruction. They have an appropriate understanding of basic moral issues and know that religions have helped set guidelines for human behaviour, such as the Ten Commandments. They are able to reflect on their own lives and confidently express their feelings.

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Religious education

6. The headteacher co-ordinates religious education and has made an effective contribution to raising attainment by producing a helpful scheme of work and ensuring sufficient resources are available to help teaching and learning. The school reports that much religious education is taught through discussion. The headteacher is aware of the need to develop more permanent ways of recording work in order to identify pupils' strengths and weaknesses more accurately and provide specific help to improve individual's progress.

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Art

1. During the inspection it was only possible to observe one lesson in Key Stage 2. Judgements have been made on this observation, talking to pupils and examining their work (particularly in displays around the school), discussion with the co-ordinator and looking at teachers’ plans.

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Art

2. Insufficient recorded evidence was available to make secure judgements about pupils’ progress and attainment and teaching of art at either key stage. These samples of work seen and discussions with pupils indicate that currently the attainment of most of the oldest pupils in the school is about what is expected for their age.

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Art

3. In Key Stage 2, pupils use sketchpads to record their observations and ideas. In their drawings pupils show well developed observational skills and they demonstrate shading to good effect.

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Art

4. Linked to their history work, Year 4 and 5 pupils recognised characteristics of Tudor paintings. They confidently expressed their own ideas and opinions about the paintings using a wide art vocabulary. They learnt from their mistakes, reviewed their work and improved their first attempts, producing detailed work with care and concentration. 5. From the limited evidence available, there are indications that by the end of Key Stage 1 most pupils have appropriate knowledge and understanding of art for their age.

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Art

6. A wide range of work is displayed to good effect showing that pupils’ achievements in art are shared and celebrated. They learn to record their ideas and observations using a variety of media including pencils, work, paint and clay. They use their skills to good effect, for example, drawing fruit from careful observation using wax crayons. Pupils experiment with clay and make good representative models. Year 1 and 2 observed snails carefully and made and decorated attractive clay figures.

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Art

7. Good teaching in the Year 5 lesson observed on Tudor painting was characterised by detailed planning of a well-sequenced lesson. There was a clear focus on experimenting with drawing skills and in looking very closely for fine detail in paintings. Individuals and groups were well supported while they were working and good use made of questioning to encourage pupils to evaluate and improve their work. Pupils were encouraged to use magnifying classes and challenged to identify what was in the background and how the artist had constructed the painting. They found the task very interesting and the quality of discussion showed how observant they had been.

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Art

8. Pupils’ progress in art is continuing to improve because there is a high level of expertise among staff. Less confident teachers are well supported by a thorough scheme of work, which provides them with guidelines and ideas to ensure pupils. are given appropriate work. A wide range and variety of resources are available. Visits to places of interest, such as Montacute House where they looked at examples of painting and sculpture, enrich the art curriculum for pupils.

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Design technology

1. During the inspection only one lesson of design technology could be observed. Judgements have been made on this, talking to pupils and examining their work and discussions with teachers and looking at their plans.

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Design technology

2. Insufficient recorded evidence was available to make secure judgements about the progress, attainment and teaching of design technology at Key Stages 1 and 2. Those samples of work seen and discussions with pupils indicate that currently, the attainment of most of the oldest pupils in the school is about what is expected for their age.

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Design technology

3. Pupils' work and teachers' plans indicate pupils undertake projects requiring them to use both their design and making skills but with limited emphasis on research and evaluation. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils have appropriate knowledge and understanding of design and technology for their age and designing and making skills are developed satisfactorily. This was evident in the work pupils recounted on making bread, Chinese dumplings and in their mini-beasts project. They also designed and made realistic beasts out of toilet rolls, pipe cleaners, card and paper to an appropriate standard.

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Design technology

4. Pupils have positive attitudes towards design technology. They are enthusiastic about their work and keen to talk about what they had been doing. They are provided with opportunities to work both independently and collaboratively and share equipment and resources. In the Year 6 class, pupils made book covers on their own but shared resources sensibly and safely. The teacher had planned the lesson appropriately and gave a clear explanation to the class. The task helped pupils refine their measuring and cutting skills but did not allow sufficiently for much development or creative thinking.

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Design technology

5. Space for practical work in most of the school is limited and there are no facilities for developing craft skills with a range of rigid materials such as wood and plastic. This restricts opportunities.

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Geography

1. During the inspection no geography lessons were observed. Judgements have been made by talking to pupils and examining their work, discussions with the co-ordinator and looking at teachers’ planning; and from displays around the school. Insufficient recorded evidence was available to make secure judgements about the progress, attainment and teaching of geography at either key stage. Those samples of work seen and discussions with pupils indicate that currently, the attainment of the majority of the oldest pupils in the school is what is expected for their age.

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Geography

2. Pupils at Key Stage 1 successfully compare the features of town and country environments. They describe the features of Bishopsteignton and explain how important it is to care for their village. They mark places they have visited on a map and practise their mapping skills when visiting places of interest. A recent visit to botanical gardens motivated pupils, dressed as pirates, to follow simple maps and read symbols to find hidden treasure. They talk confidently and enthusiastically about their work using appropriate geographical vocabulary.

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Geography

3. Key Stage 2 pupils develop a satisfactory range of skill in geography. They use a widening geographical vocabulary to explain accurately how to find information from atlases and maps. They confidently describe places and themes such as the effect of people on the environment. This knowledge was demonstrated following a residential visit to Dartmoor when pupils wrote letters of complaint and advice to imaginary visitors who had damaged the area. Pupils show an understanding of the similarities and differences between Dartmoor and their own locality and give reasons for different uses of land in these areas.

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History

1. During the inspection only two lessons of history were observed. Judgements have been made on these observations, talking to pupils and examining their work, discussions with the co-ordinator and looking at teachers’ plans.

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History

2. Insufficient recorded evidence was available to make secure judgements about the progress attainment and teaching of history at both key stages. Those samples of work seen and discussions with pupils indicate that currently the attainment of most of the oldest pupils in the school is about what is expected for their age in history.

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History

3. Pupils at Key Stage 1 are developing a sense of sequence and chronology. Year 2 pupils know that history is about the past. They make personal timelines to show key elements in their lives and compare old and new objects using appropriate vocabulary. They understand that information about the past can be gleaned from photographs, books, artefacts and from asking people about their own experiences of the past.

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History

4. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils have studies a range of historical period. They have factual knowledge about Tudors and Ancient Greeks and are enthusiastic to know more about the Victorians. Whilst studying life since the 1930’s, pupils asked questions and researched answers from a range of sources which included talking to people who were alive at the time. Their completed work is well represented in carefully produced topic books. Pupils talk confidently about history using dates and historical terms. They are well-motivated and enthusiastic learners.

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History

5. Very good teaching in a Year 4 and 5 class was helped by thorough planning and high expectations of pupils. Opportunities to link history with art and literacy were fully exploited. Pupils were encouraged to look carefully at paintings of people in Tudor times and to make suggestions about what they were wearing and doing. Questioning was used to very good effect to stimulate historical enquiry and to take pupils thinking forward. As a consequence pupils made good progress in their understanding of the period.

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History

6. Very good teaching in a Year 1 and 2 class was also helped by effective planning and also by the use of selected resources to help pupils make deductions from evidence. There was a good balance of information giving and practical activities, which kept the pupils interested. Pupils were encouraged to be history detectives and to guess who had lived in a house from objects in a dustbin. Through very effective questioning by the teacher the pupils built a picture of the character. They made very good progress in their understanding of using evidence and in their skills of enquiry. They successfully reached conclusions and were prepared to modify their own views in the light of others’ contributions.

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History

7. The curriculum is well researched and enriched by visits to places of historical interest. The use of historical texts in the Literacy Hour helps to support children’s learning in history.

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Music

8. During the inspection only three class lessons of music could be observed and one session of instrumental tuition. Judgements have been made on these observations, talking to pupils and examining their work, watching a video recording of a school musical production and discussions with teachers and looking at their plans. This was insufficient evidence to make secure judgements about the overall progress and attainment of pupils across the school.

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Music

9. Teachers in the lessons seen have benefited from the guidance in the commercial scheme of work followed by the school. This appropriately breaks down the National Curriculum programme of study into units and lessons that can be used by teachers who lack specialist knowledge.

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Music

10. In a Year 2 lesson combining sounds, pupils enjoyed the experience of trying out different ways of using their bodies to make loud and soft rhythms. They were effectively encouraged to listen carefully to their own performance and control their actions. The teacher ensured they followed her instructions and related this to the way a conductor leads an orchestra. She judged the appropriate time to introduce rhythmic words, such as 'black currant, apple juice and mineral water', to different groups. The pupils made good progress and were able to keep their parts when saying the words together. A tape recorder was used effectively to allow the class to listen to and appraise their performance.

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Music

11. A Year 6 lesson showed how these earlier experiences in the programme of study can be developed. The teacher introduced a reasonably complex rhythmic nonsense rhyme and, through his enthusiastic approach, enabled the class to perform a round in four parts within a relatively short time. He used praise and gave useful guidance to help individuals and groups to master each learning stage and, as result, pupils made good progress. He was particularly sensitive to the needs of a pupil with specific learning needs and regularly checked that she was fully involved. At the final evaluation, he gave a realistic appraisal, reminding the class that while their initial efforts were good, much needed to be done to reach the standard he expected.

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Music

12. Older pupils receive instrumental tuition from visiting specialist teachers, including strings, woodwind, brass and keyboard. In the clarinet lesson observed, the teacher ensured the two girls worked hard. He made certain they paid careful attention to technique and gave helpful advice when introducing new notes. The pupils were attentive and refined their playing in the light of the teacher's guidance.

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Music

13. The quality of singing in the school assemblies attended was not satisfactory. While most pupils sang in tune, many did not join in with enthusiasm. There was little attempt to put dynamics into the singing. The pupils remaining seated during the performance did not help this. However, the singing and playing of tuned percussion in the Spring concert last year was of a higher quality. The pupils showed obvious enjoyment and had practised hard to reach this standard, which was much appreciated by the audience of parents and friends.

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Music

14. The co-ordinator has been effective in introducing the commercial scheme and making sure sufficient high quality instruments are available in the Key Stage 1 classrooms and the hall. These have been purchased using funds raised by the parents’ association.

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Physical education

15. During the inspection only two lessons of physical education could be observed. Judgements have been made on these observations, talking to pupils and examining their work, looking at photographs of sporting and outdoor activities and discussions with teachers and looking at their plans. Insufficient recorded evidence was available to make secure judgements about the overall progress and attainment of pupils and the quality of teaching of physical education.

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Physical education

16. By the time they leave school nearly all pupils swim 25 metres confidently and are aware of the principles and skills of water safety. The few pupils who do not reach these standards have usually transferred from other schools late in Key Stage 2. The school has made a priority of ensuring that all pupils can swim and, until this year, was able to use its own swimming pool. This is now out of use for health and safety reasons.

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Physical education

17. The two lessons observed were in gymnastics. Both teachers set good examples in their demonstration of the learning activities being practised. They appropriately warmed up the class and explained clearly the purpose of the lesson. In the Year 5 lesson, the teacher helped maintain pupils' motivation by using recorded rhythmic marching music for the warm-up. Both teachers had high expectations of their class. Each activity was introduced in appropriate stages and the performance of individuals and groups checked. Effective teaching points were made from common mistakes, for instance, not to stretch too high on their toes to avoid over-balancing. Lessons went at a brisk pace and pupils had to use an appropriate amount of mental and physical effort. Most improved their performance and made good progress.

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Physical education

18. The physical education curriculum now has a helpful scheme of work; an improvement since the last inspection. Pupils are offered a range of additional physical activities to enrich their experiences. These are well supported. There are after-school sessions for football with visiting professionals, netball, tag rugby, cross-country, athletics and cricket. The school takes part in competitive sports where teams and individuals have gained considerable success. Older pupils attend a residential camp and experience a wide range of outdoor activities, including hiking, caving, canoeing, sailing and climbing. Good arrangements are made to cater for pupils with special educational needs and ensure they have full access to all physical activities.

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

19. The inspection took place between 20 th September 1999 and 23 rd September 1999 carried out by a team of four inspectors, including a lay inspector. The team spent 14 inspection days in the school. The total time spent in classes, discussions with pupils and evaluating their work was 45.92 hours, representing 70% of the time allocated for the inspection.

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

20. The evidence includes: Bishopsteighton Primary School - 49 C. 53 lessons or parts of lessons were observed; C. discussions were held with pupils, staff, governors, parents and friends of the school; C. a representative sample of 24 individual pupils’ work was read, and 27 pupils heard to read; C. class registrations were observed; C. extra curricular activities were sampled; C. a video of the latest school’s production was watched; C. a range of documents, including the previous OFSTED report, the school’s development plan, schemes of work and teachers’ plans were examined; C. national assessment results for Year 2 and Year 6 pupils from 1994 - 98 were analysed, together with reading tests, entry profiles and other standardised results; C. the budget figures and other financial records were read, along with minutes and policies of the governing body; C. a pre-inspection meeting was attended by 27 parents;

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

C. Parents completed 33 questionnaires and their responses were analysed Bishopsteighton Primary School - 50

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Pupil data

Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school's register of SEN Number of full- time pupils eligible for free school meals YR - Y6 143 3 8 16

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Qualified teachers (YR - Y6)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent) 6.8 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.65

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Education support staff (YR - Y6)

Total number of education support staff 7 Total aggregate hours worked each week 82.5

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Financial data

Total Income 263219 Total Expenditure 268972 Expenditure per pupil 1781.27 Balance brought forward from previous year 10169 Bishopsteighton Primary School - 51 Balance carried forward to next year 4416 Bishopsteighton Primary School - 52

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out: 150 Number of questionnaires returned: 33

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Responses (percentage of answers in each category) :

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 55 36 9 0 0 I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 58 36 0 6 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school handles complaints from parents well 15 52 18 12 0 The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 15 58 18 9 0 The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)'s progress 33 42 15 9 0 The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 33 42 21 3 0 The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 27 36 18 18 0 I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 24 45 15 15 0 The school's values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 30 58 12 0 0 The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 30 48 21 0 0 My child(ren) like(s) school 39 48 3 9 0

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Other issues raised by parents

Some parents were concerned about inappropriate behaviour on the school bus and Bishopsteighton Primary School - 53 how this affected pupils’ responses in school.

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