Other · Ofsted report

Beer Church of England Primary School

Inspected — · published 22 Jun 2000 · URN 113424

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Summary

No overall grade in this framework

West Yorkshire

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Inspectorssingle source
West Yorkshire
URN verified
113424

Page 1 of 21

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What needs to improve3590w+80

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Pages: 21
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Full report text

Beer C. E. Primary School

Reporting inspector: Mr R. W. Burgess OIN 20950

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Beer C. E. Primary School

Dates of inspection: 21 st – 22 nd March 2000

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Beer C. E. Primary School

Inspection number: 182734 Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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Beer C. E. Primary School

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Beer C. E. Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Mare Lane Beer Seaton Devon Postcode: EX12 3NB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs A. Harding

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 17 th June 1996 Beer C. E. Primary School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Mr R. W. Burgess Registered inspector Mrs S. Dixon Lay inspector Mrs L. Brackstone Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

6 Bridle Dene Shelf Halifax West Yorkshire HX3 7NR

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Beer C. E. Primary School - 6

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Page

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Progress in pupils’ learning is good reflected in high standards of attainment by the end of Key Stage 2, especially in English and mathematics. 10

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The headteacher and governing body provide excellent leadership and management. 10

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The school provides a broad and balanced imaginative curriculum. 11

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

There is a very strong commitment to assessment, monitoring and 11 – 12 evaluation to raise standards and the quality of teaching and learning.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is very good. 12 – 13

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and standards of behaviour are very good. 13 – 14

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The school enjoys a very good partnership with the parents. 14 – 15

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Attendance patterns of a very small number of pupils. 16

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 16

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 17 – 20 Beer C. E. Primary School - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Beer C of E Aided Primary School is situated in east Devon near to the coastal town of Seaton. Most pupils come from the immediate area. The pupils come from a range of social backgrounds. On entry to the school, a significant number of children’s levels of attainment are similar to levels expected nationally for children of their age. The school admits children in September and January before their fifth birthday in accordance with the policy of the local education authority. The majority of children attend pre school provision within the local area. There are 111 children in the school. English is the first language of all the pupils. Unemployment, in most parts of the school's catchment area, is similar to the national average. At the time of the inspection, seven per cent of pupils are in receipt of free school meals, which is below the national average. There are 66 girls and 45 boys, aged from four to 11 years. The school has recognised 26

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

pupils as having special educational needs, which is above the average for a school of this size and type, three of whom have a Statement of Special Educational Need.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school with many very good features. The school benefits from excellent leadership and management and a very good standard of teaching. Pupils achieve high standards, progress in learning is good and test results are higher at the end of Key Stage 2 than at the end of Key Stage 1. In light of the costs involved, the standards achieved and the quality of education provided, the school gives very good value for money.

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What the school does well

♦ Standards of attainment are high, especially in English and mathematics. ♦ The headteacher and governing body provide excellent leadership and management. ♦ The school provides a broad and imaginative curriculum. ♦ There is a very strong commitment to raising standards and the quality of teaching and learning. ♦ The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good. ♦ The pupils have very positive attitudes to learning and levels of behaviour are very good. ♦ The school enjoys a very good partnership with parents.

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What could be improved

No areas of the school’s work were judged to be unsatisfactory during the inspection. ♦ The school has already begun to effectively target pupils’ writing and spelling as areas for improvement. ♦ The school is currently reviewing its systems for day-to-day assessment to ensure they are practical and effective. ♦ The levels of attendance of a very small number of pupils.

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What could be improved

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

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Beer C. E. Primary School - 8 The school has made a very good improvement since the last inspection in June 1996. The key issues regarding accommodation, provision for children under five and curriculum monitoring have been effectively addressed. There is a shared will to build on the school’s strengths and to progress further through a programme of review and development. The headteacher, staff, governing body and parents have a very good and effective partnership. The school has successfully developed and implemented plans to tackle all the weaknesses identified in the last report. The standards of teaching observed during the inspection represent a significant improvement since the last inspection. The curriculum is planned as a whole, to include literacy and numeracy hours. It is monitored and evaluated very effectively by the headteacher, governors and curriculum co-ordinators. The school

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

has identified clear and realistic targets and is well placed to continue to build on its recent improvements, for example, in targeting pupils’ performance in the core subjects.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

The number in each year group varies, also the number of pupils with special educational needs. This has a significant impact when comparing performance both nationally and with similar schools. The performance in recent years reflect the school’s commitment to high standards with all pupils, with the exception of a small number on the higher stages of the register of special educational needs, attaining the levels expected nationally for pupils aged 7 and 11 with a significant number of pupils attaining above these levels. This is a positive indication of the school’s success in ensuring all pupils attain their potential.

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STANDARDS

Levels of attainment upon admission to the school are broadly average. By five years of age almost all pupils attain at least satisfactory standards in all the areas of learning. During the inspection standards for the majority of pupils were good and above national expectations for pupils aged 7 and 11 in English, mathematics, science and information technology. Evidence from the lessons observed and a sample of pupils’ work indicates progress is good throughout the curriculum for the majority of pupils, including talented pupils and those with special educational needs. Beer C. E. Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils show very positive attitudes to school and a will to make good progress. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils behave very well in the classrooms, the playground and around the school generally. Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is very good and this is supported by the very good relationships throughout the school. Attendance Levels of attendance are satisfactory. The majority of pupils arrive punctually.

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Aspect Comment

The school has an excellent ethos. Pupils have a positive attitude to their work. Relationships are very good throughout the school. The staff are very hardworking and committed to the care and education of the pupils. The number of absences of a very small number of pupils has had a detrimental effect on their progress and standards of achievement.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall Very good Very good Very good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is very good. It was excellent in 15 per cent of the lessons observed, very good in 54 per cent and good in the remainder. Particular strengths lie in literacy and numeracy where teachers show good knowledge and expertise, especially in the teaching of basic skills. Where teaching is most effective there are high expectations of what the pupils can achieve. The teaching meets the needs of all the pupils, including talented pupils and those with special educational needs. Pupils have very positive attitudes and are challenged and engaged in their learning.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and balanced, containing all the appropriate subjects. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision is very effective and pupils make good progress, especially in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school makes very good provision for the pupils’ development in these areas. The school functions like a large family, whose members look after one another. It effectively prepares pupils for the opportunities and responsibilities of adult life. How well the school cares for its pupils The school has a caring, Christian ethos and cares very well for its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The curriculum is planned imaginatively to make learning interesting for the pupils. The school has effectively and successfully introduced the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy and maintained very good coverage of the other areas of the curriculum. There is a very good partnership with parents. They are made to feel welcome and offer support to the school, attending Beer C. E. Primary School - 10 performances and consultation evenings. Some parents give of their time voluntarily to provide useful help and support in the classroom.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher, well supported by the staff, is providing excellent leadership and management.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is extremely supportive and fulfils its statutory and other responsibilities very effectively. The school’s evaluation of its performance The school is fully committed to self-review and evaluation of its performance, informing clear, realistic and appropriate goals to further raise the quality of teaching and learning. The strategic use of resources The school manages its resources in a prudent way. Very good use is made of time, personnel, accommodation and the resources available.

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Aspect Comment

An important aspect of leadership and management has been the careful analysis and monitoring of pupils’ performance to inform planning and set clear targets with the intention of raising standards. The governors monitor the effectiveness of financial decisions to ensure best value, for example, through an evaluation of the contribution of classroom assistants.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

♦ The good progress children make. ♦ The high standards of behaviour. ♦ Good teaching. ♦ The expectation that children will work hard and do their best. ♦ The quality of leadership and management. ♦ The school’ values, attitudes and the support given to help the children become mature and responsible. ♦ They find it easy to approach the school. ♦ Their children achieve good standards of work. ♦ Their children like school. ♦ There were no concerns expressed by parents. ♦ A small number of parents would like to see more extra-curricular activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

At the meeting held before the inspection, virtually all the views expressed by parents were positive and inspectors support these views. The responses to the questionnaire sent to parents prior to the inspection indicate a high level of satisfaction with the standards achieved by the school. Inspectors’ judgements support parents’ views. Parents work in partnership with the school and make a very good contribution to the education provided. Inspection evidence indicates the school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities. Beer C. E. Primary School - 11

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Progress in pupils’ learning is good reflected in high standards of attainment by the end of

Key Stage 2, especially in English and mathematics.

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Progress in pupils’ learning is good reflected in high standards of attainment by the end of

The school has consistently achieved high results in the National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 2. In 1999 the results in English and mathematics were well above the national average and the average for similar schools, whilst in science they were above the national average and the average for similar schools. The available information on teacher assessments at the same time confirms this picture of high attainment.

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Progress in pupils’ learning is good reflected in high standards of attainment by the end of

National performance data adds to this picture over a longer period and shows that this pattern of high attainment is similarly reflected when considering the results at the end of Key Stage 2 from 1996 to 1999. Taking the four years together, the performance of pupils in English and mathematics was well above the national average. The science results were also commendable, being consistently higher than the national average.

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Progress in pupils’ learning is good reflected in high standards of attainment by the end of

Although cohorts vary from year to year, the consistently high test results achieved at the end of Year 6, when compared with baseline assessments when children start school and National Curriculum assessments at the end of Key Stage 1, are clear evidence of good progress in pupils’ learning throughout the school and reflect well on the quality of teaching.

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Progress in pupils’ learning is good reflected in high standards of attainment by the end of

The headteacher and governing body provide excellent leadership and management.

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Progress in pupils’ learning is good reflected in high standards of attainment by the end of

The governors, headteacher and staff make an excellent contribution to the quality of education in the school and the standards pupils achieve. There is a very clear vision of what sort of school it should be and this vision is shared by all staff, pupils, the governing body and parents. Pupils work hard and seek ways to improve their performance. Staff and pupils are committed to learning and have high expectations of success.

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Progress in pupils’ learning is good reflected in high standards of attainment by the end of

The leadership and educational direction provided by the headteacher and governing body are excellent. Governors have a strategic view of the school's development. The school development plan covers the current financial year in detail and a further period in brief detail. It clearly identifies priorities. There is provision for monitoring and evaluation of the impact of initiatives and responsibilities are clearly identified. The priorities set are relevant for the school. All staff and governors are involved in setting these priorities and there are links with the budget. Co-ordination of the school's curriculum and aspects of school life are suitably delegated. The role of individual curriculum co-ordinators has been effectively developed.

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Progress in pupils’ learning is good reflected in high standards of attainment by the end of

Teaching staff have clear written descriptions of what is expected of them and these are reviewed regularly. Targets set are precise and the high quality feedback which is given from monitoring of teaching and learning in the classroom ensures that teachers make good progress in developing their teaching skills. Consequently the staff are a confident and enthusiastic team who are committed to creating an ethos which strongly supports learning.

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Progress in pupils’ learning is good reflected in high standards of attainment by the end of

The school provides a broad and balanced imaginative curriculum. Beer C. E. Primary School - 12 The school provides a wide range of stimulating activities designed to make learning interesting and to fire the pupils’ imaginations. The quality of display is generally high and work contains useful and interesting information which pupils enjoy reading. Pupils have the opportunity to write on a wide range of interesting subjects and to express their thoughts and feelings, particularly in creative writing and poetry during their literacy work. There is evidence of a recent improvement in writing as a direct result of the school identifying writing as an area to be developed.

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Progress in pupils’ learning is good reflected in high standards of attainment by the end of

Teachers work very hard planning a range of stimulating activities to support the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. They welcome the very good input they receive from parents and classroom helpers in supporting these activities. Care is taken to ensure that pupils with special educational needs are well supported and talented pupils are suitably challenged.

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Progress in pupils’ learning is good reflected in high standards of attainment by the end of

The curriculum includes time for personal and social education, with aspects of health and safety education being appropriately covered in science and physical education. An increased time allocation has been given to literacy and numeracy and these are both very well developed throughout the school and are making a significant contribution to raising and maintaining high standards in English and other subjects. Although there has been a slight decrease in the time allocated to such subjects as history and geography, they are planned and taught well and still cover the required areas. The curriculum ensures good provision for the development of creative arts.

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There is a very strong commitment to assessment, monitoring and evaluation to raise

standards and the quality of teaching and learning.

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There is a very strong commitment to assessment, monitoring and evaluation to raise

The procedures for assessment are very good. The assessment policy contains clear aims for developing the effective monitoring of pupils’ attainment throughout the school. Good use is made of baseline assessment when children start school to ensure that activities meet their needs in all areas of learning, including their personal development. Further information is gained from the results of the Key Stage 1 tests, reading ages and other assessment procedures. Teachers, in consultation with the older pupils, agree challenging targets for improvement. Portfolios are developed for individual pupils as they progress through the school, including examples of assessed work, the results of formal assessments and standardised tests. Daily assessment and evaluation of work is used very effectively in both key stages.

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There is a very strong commitment to assessment, monitoring and evaluation to raise

Using both informal and formal discussions, self-review exercises, questionnaires and analysis of a wealth of information, including the national and local education authority performance data, targets have been set and action plans put in place. These form part of the comprehensive school development plan. In literacy and numeracy, teachers set challenging, yet realistic, targets for each pupil for the end of the appropriate key stage. Teaching and learning strategies to support these targets are in place.

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There is a very strong commitment to assessment, monitoring and evaluation to raise

The school has clear aspirations to benefit all its pupils with high quality teaching. To this end, the school has introduced focused monitoring of teaching which is providing targets for improvement. These targets are monitored and reviewed. This is serving to enhance teacher performance which is having a positive impact on pupils’ attainment and progress. This work is being well supported by the local education authority‘s monitoring of the teaching and learning which produces helpful reports to inform improvement.

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There is a very strong commitment to assessment, monitoring and evaluation to raise

The school makes a thorough diagnostic analysis of all test results and uses the information gained to set targets for future planning to raise and improve standards. Assessment procedures are very good and they are used very well. The school has developed portfolios of annotated and levelled work for the core subjects. Pupils write an assessment about their own achievements, recording good Beer C. E. Primary School - 13 evaluative comments about their performance, which they use to set their own targets. Effective daily assessment and evaluation of work are consistent across the school. Teachers discuss work with their pupils and provide them with constructive comments on how to improve.

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There is a very strong commitment to assessment, monitoring and evaluation to raise

An in-depth analysis of National Curriculum test results has highlighted clear areas for development and improvement. There are clear targets to improve both attainment in writing and spelling and the number of pupils attaining the higher level 3 at Key Stage 1 and at Key Stage 2, to raise the number of pupils attaining the higher level 5.

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There is a very strong commitment to assessment, monitoring and evaluation to raise

In both key stages, there are strengths in the teaching and few shortcomings. The teaching of English is at least good with some very good features, particularly for pupils at Key Stage 2. The staff use the approaches in the National Literacy Strategy well and make good use of resources to interest the pupils. They make good teaching points about the mechanics of language, such as punctuation and spelling, and link this well to the sharing of texts as a class. They provide appropriate challenge for the pupils and give clear guidance on the teaching of skills such as grammar. In mathematics they emphasise the importance of the quick and accurate recall of number facts, lessons have good pace and include challenging tasks. Teachers make good use of skilful questioning to ensure that the pupils have understood what is taught. The homework activities provided offer additional challenge to extend and reinforce the pupils’ learning. The very good

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There is a very strong commitment to assessment, monitoring and evaluation to raise

quality of support staff has a good impact on the standards attained.

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There is a very strong commitment to assessment, monitoring and evaluation to raise

The marking of pupils' work has been effective in improving performance. There are many good examples of helpful and encouraging comments that tell pupils how they might improve their work. Throughout the school pupils work is praised and a reward system of good work is regularly celebrated. Achievements recognised are not only academic but may be for attitude or behaviour.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

The personal development of pupils is very good, it is well supported by a full personal and social education programme which is incorporated into relevant areas of the curriculum and in specific personal and social education lessons which are of a high quality. Pupils accept the wide range of responsibilities offered with pride, this includes a variety of classroom and assembly duties. Pupils display a high level of self-responsibility and confidence. A good range of extra-curricular activities enhances social skills, including a residential opportunity for older pupils and involvement in the life of the community. The needs of the less fortunate are considered by supporting the work of different charities.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

The school’s provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. It supports very good levels of behaviour, the excellent attitudes and relationships within the school and makes a very significant contribution to its excellent ethos.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

The pupils respond well to the school’s very good provision which permeates the life of the school. There is a caring, Christian ethos which embodies clear values and enables pupils to explore values, standards and rules. The school functions like a large family, whose members look after one another. It plays a key role in preparing pupils for the opportunities and responsibilities of adult life.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

The provision for the pupils’ spiritual development is very good. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to reflect on their own and other people’s lives and beliefs, for example, in class work on Christianity and other religions. Thoughtful assemblies provide opportunities for silence and quiet Beer C. E. Primary School - 14 reflection. A wide range of themes is incorporated into assemblies to encourage pupils to relate very well to each other and care for other members of the community. The quality of these assemblies makes a positive contribution to pupils’ spiritual development. The use of stories and music enriches the experience and the celebration of pupils’ achievements and has a positive impact on raising their self-esteem and appreciation of others.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

The provision for moral development is very good and contributes to the pupils’ clear understanding of right and wrong. Pupils show respect for each other and success is celebrated, for example, through assemblies. It is evident from the very good behaviour of pupils throughout the school that the consistent approach and expectations by staff have a positive effect on the atmosphere in the school. Pupils are encouraged to think of the needs of others and help people who are less fortunate than themselves, through contributing to a wide range of charities. All pupils show respect for each other, the school and its environment. All adults in the school offer very good role models in their caring and supportive attitudes.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

The provision for social development is very good. Many opportunities are provided for pupils to gain exemplary social skills and this is a very good feature of the school. Pupils are encouraged to work and play together and to value and respect one another’s contributions in lessons. The school provides good opportunities for pupils to take on tasks of responsibility for themselves and others. Older pupils willingly carry out responsibilities in helping to ensure the smooth running of the school. Staff provide very good role models. Through valuable residential visits, older pupils learn about living together in a community setting away from home.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

Provision for cultural development is very good. Pupils learn of their own local heritage, partly through a productive involvement in their own local community. They learn of other times and places through history and geography. The school makes a good contribution towards preparing its pupils for the multicultural society in which they are growing up.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and standards of behaviour are very good.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

The attitudes, behaviour and personal development of the pupils is a strength of the school. Since the last inspection, the school has continued to maintain its high standards. It is very successful in developing positive attitudes and relationships between pupils and staff and it promotes confidence and self-esteem in each child. Parents show full support for the attitudes and values taught by the school. They feel that the school encourages high standards of behaviour within a caring and supportive atmosphere. They say that the school is like ‘a big family’ where pupils and staff have strong and respectful relationships. Parents report that their children like coming to school. They say that their children want to learn through positive encouragement and that children are proud of their school.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

Pupils have very good attitudes to their work. They are industrious and maintain concentration and effort throughout lessons and the school day. Questions and requests are answered enthusiastically; pupils of all ages are able to provide full and well considered replies. Pupils listen attentively to their teachers and each other and when required offer their own opinions and ideas with confidence. For example, an assembly was observed where all pupils listened attentively to the speaker and responded very well to the questions put to them. They work very well alone, in pairs or in groups, for example, in a Key Stage 2 science lesson where pupils worked in pairs to observe and discuss the wear patterns caused by friction on their training shoes. Pupils are encouraged to celebrate each other’s successes by sharing work in class and through attractive and interesting displays. Pupils show pride in their work, for example, when discussing the displays of information technology and

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

art work. Beer C. E. Primary School - 15 Pupils’ independent learning skills are developed well in pupils of all ages, for example, in working with minimum supervision on the computer using spreadsheets to cost a planned holiday. Pupils demonstrate a very good capacity to organise their own activities. They show effort and enthusiasm for their work and are satisfied when they achieve well. They are well organised and handle books and other equipment responsibly and with care. Pupils respond very well to the use of praise and encouragement by teachers. They appreciate the encouraging comments that teachers make in their books and try hard to improve themselves. They are positive about the work they do and are very willing to discuss it with others, their teachers and with visitors to the school.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

Behaviour throughout the school is very good and has a positive effect on pupils’ learning. Pupils behave consistently very well throughout the school day, in lessons, assemblies and lunchtimes. They display high levels of self-discipline. Movements around the school and in the classrooms are orderly and carried out swiftly and quietly contributing well to a purposeful and happy atmosphere. Pupils understand and respond well to the school’s system of rewards and sanctions which are applied consistently throughout the school. Parents have expressed their pleasure with the high standards of behaviour that exist.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

Relationships amongst the whole school community are very good, the teaching and non-teaching staff, governors and parents form a close and supportive team. This is reflected in the relationships between staff and pupils and amongst pupils themselves. Pupils of all ages mix and play well together and conflict is rare. The atmosphere in school is one of genuine friendship and co-operation between all members of staff and all pupils. Pupils are encouraged to value and respect others. They are courteous and welcoming to visitors and enjoy talking about their school. The staff provide very good role models in their relationships with each other and the pupils.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

The school enjoys a very good partnership with the parents.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

The questionnaire and other evidence indicates that parents feel that the school is welcoming, approachable and works in partnership with them. The headteacher is readily available for talks with parents and staff actively encourage parental involvement in their children’s learning. A number of parents help with the various activities within the classroom, such as helping with practical activities and listening to pupils read. The support of the parents is valued by the school. Parents hear their children read at home as part of the home-school arrangements and this makes a good contribution to the high standards achieved in this area.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

The school reorganised its arrangements for parents to meet teachers and discuss their children’s progress in response to parental views expressed when the home-school agreement was written. Parents welcome these changes and the school views the changes positively. The parents receive good quality end of year reports detailing their children’s attainment and progress. Good quality and detailed information is provided by the school’s brochure and by the governing body’s annual report. Parents expressed their appreciation of sessions arranged for them to learn about curricular developments, such as the literacy and numeracy work.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural

The school is well supported by the successful parents’, teachers’ and friends’ group. Parents are in strong agreement that the school is well led and managed and that the school has high expectations for their children. These are important features of the school and inform the immense goodwill shown to the school and its staff. The effective links that the school has developed with its parents enhance the pupils’ learning and the quality of education provided. Beer C. E. Primary School - 16

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

There are no key issues for the school to address but, in the context of its many strengths, the following points for improvement have been recognised by the school and action taken to address these areas as part of the school’s clear commitment to further improving standards of attainment.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The school makes a thorough diagnostic analysis of all test results and uses the information gained to set targets for future planning to raise and improve standards. It correctly identified the potential to further improve standards in writing and spelling and has implemented clear strategies to achieve this. Inspection evidence indicates that these strategies are already having a positive impact with clear improvement in writing throughout the school and an improvement in spelling which is more marked for Key Stage 1 pupils and the younger pupils at Key Stage 2.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The very good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment in all the subjects in the National Curriculum, ensure that the pupils' attainment and progress is under constant review. Teachers are aware of the pupils’ strengths and weaknesses. The teachers assess pupils effectively and the quality of teachers’ marking is of a high standard. It is very carefully and regularly undertaken and is informative for the pupils. The records kept for each pupil are very comprehensive.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Day-to-day assessment is used well by teachers and they are currently reviewing the systems used to record these assessments to ensure they are practical and effective in informing plans for future learning. Pupils are in no doubt about the quality of their work and how they could improve. Teachers use a good range of ways to establish pupils' understanding, including observation and questioning. In the course of their work teachers successfully use such assessments to encourage further endeavour and raise the pupils' aspirations. Beer C. E. Primary School - 17 Attendance patterns of a very small number of pupils.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The rate of absence is above the national average. This is largely due to the absences of pupils from a minority of families.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The school has identified pupils with irregular attendance and its effect on their standards of attainment. It recognises the need to review existing procedures for promoting good attendance to ensure parents and carers are sufficiently aware of the impact of absences on their children’s standards of attainment.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to build on the good quality of education provided the school should continue to:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

♦ Fully evaluate the effectiveness of the current initiative to improve the quality of writing and spelling:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

♦ Continue with the current review of systems for day-to-day assessment to:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- ensure they are practical and effectively inform teachers planning for future learning and the identifying of targets for individual pupils; - identify appropriate targets for individual pupils; - improve the use of assessment to inform planning, by agreeing consistent methods, the criteria for assessment and formats for recording attainment and progress;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

♦ Continue to monitor the attendance patterns of pupils and seek to communicate effectively to parents the detrimental effects of absence on their children’s progress and standards of achievement by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- reviewing existing procedures for promoting good attendance to reduce the rate of authorised and unauthorised absence in the school; - continuing to develop the partnership with, and responsibilities of, parents as outlined in the good home-school agreement. Beer C. E. Primary School - 18

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