Sampford Arundel Community Primary School

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 6 - 7 February 2001

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 182818 Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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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. Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Sampford Arundel Near Wellington Somerset Postcode: TA21 9QN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr David Tredwin

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: May, 1996 Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 21184 Alan Fullwood Registered inspector 7834 Catherine Rentoul Lay inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Full Circle The Brow 23 Trewartha Park Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset BS 23 2RT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 17

Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Sampford Arundel is a small primary school situated in the village of Sampford Arundel, Somerset. There are 82 pupils on roll, taught in three mixed-age classes. Currently, there are slightly more boys than girls. At the time of the inspection there were 26 pupils in the reception class, 12 of whom were under five years of age. The school serves a wide geographical area and admits pupils from the rural area surrounding the school and the nearby town of Wellington. Approximately 15 per cent of pupils are on the school’s register of special educational needs, and four per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals. These figures are below national averages. There are no pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds. There is quite a large amount of movement of pupils to and from the school at times other than their normal first admission or when they transfer to secondary school. The attainment of the pupils on entry to the school, although wide ranging, is average overall. The

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

headteacher has been absent through illness since December of last year and at the time of the inspection there was an acting headteacher in his place.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Sampford Arundel Community Primary School is an effective school where many pupils make good progress to achieve high standards in English and mathematics. It provides a good education for its pupils, and successfully encourages them to develop good attitudes to learning and to behave well. The school is well led and managed. Despite having unit costs above the national average, the school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the standards they attain are well above average. • The provision made for pupils with learning difficulties. • Pupils enjoy school, have good attitudes to their learning, and behave well. • Staff work well as a team and have a common sense of purpose in managing the school during the absence of the headteacher.

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What could be improved

• The teaching of science, particularly the provision made for more able pupils. • Systems for monitoring the work of the school. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress since the time of the last inspection in May 1996 when it received a good report. Since that time the school has maintained an upward trend in pupils’ attainment in national tests at the end of Key Stage 2 above the nationally improving trend. Standards are particularly high in English and mathematics. Pupils’ attainment in information and communication technology and design and technology has improved as a result of better curriculum planning, improved resources and improvements in staff confidence and expertise in these subjects. Good procedures have been established for tracking pupils’ progress in English and mathematics, and in analysing a variety of assessment information to improve teaching and the curriculum. Assessment procedures are developing in other subjects. The senior management team monitor the work of the school effectively through the detailed analysis of the results of both national tests and other assessments which the

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

school carries out, and through sampling pupils’ work. Teaching in English and mathematics has been closely monitored by the school and outside agencies but the monitoring of Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 8 teaching in other subjects has been limited. The school continues to provide a good education and staff work well as a team. They have a common sense of purpose in raising pupils’ achievement and improving the quality of education the school provides. The school is well placed to make further improvements.

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STANDARDS

Due to the small numbers of children involved, attainment on entry to the school varies from year to year. In the current group of reception children it is average overall. By the end of the Foundation Stage 1 , most children meet the requirements of the Early Learning Goals 2 in all areas of learning and a significant minority of children are well on their way to achieving National Curriculum levels.

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STANDARDS

Due to the small numbers of pupils involved, the comparisons of pupils’ standards of attainment with national averages at the end of key stages need to be interpreted with great caution. The performance of one pupil can put the school’s standards above or below national averages. At the end of Key Stage 1, standards of attainment have varied widely from year to year in reading and mathematics. In writing they have improved in line with the nationally improving trend. Inspection evidence indicates that the attainment of the current group of Year 2 pupils is above average in mathematics and reading, and average in writing.

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STANDARDS

At the end of Key Stage 2, standards in English, mathematics and science have improved since the time of the last inspection. In English and mathematics, standards have remained well above national averages over the last few years and a considerable number of pupils attain the higher than expected Level 5 3 . Standards in English were in the highest five per cent nationally last year. Evidence from the inspection suggests that pupils in the current Year 6 are on track to achieve well above average standards in these subjects in this year’s national tests. Pupils make good progress due to the good teaching they receive. In science, although the number of pupils achieving Level 4 over the last four years has been consistently above national averages, fewer pupils gain the higher Level 5. Evidence from the inspection indicates that more able pupils are not always provided with sufficiently challenging work and that expectations of what these pupils can achieve are not high enough.

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STANDARDS

The school set overly ambitious targets of 100 per cent in both English and mathematics last year and fell a little short in both subjects. Targets for this year are more realistic and pupils are on track to achieve them in this year’s national tests. Standards in other National Curriculum subjects are in line with national expectations and a significant number of pupils achieve above expectations. In the swimming aspect of physical education, standards are above national expectations and most pupils leave the school as proficient swimmers. In

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STANDARDS

1 The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three and finishes at the end of the reception class year. It is a distinct stage in preparing children for later schooling and is based on six areas of learning. These mainly refer to communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development, but also includes knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. 2 Early Learning Goals - these are expectations for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They refer mainly to achievements children make in connection with the following six areas of learning: communication language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. There are many goals for each area of learning, for example, in language and literacy pupils should be able to write their own

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STANDARDS

name and other things such as labels and begin to write simple sentences. 3 The National Curriculum has been written on the basis that pupils, by the end of Key Stage 1, are expected to reach Level 2. If a pupil is attaining Level 3 then he or she is reaching standards above that expected for a child of his or her age. At Key Stage 2 the nationally expected level for pupils to reach by the end of Year 6 is Level 4. If a pupil is attaining Level 5 then he or she is reaching standards above that expected for a child of his or her age. Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 9 most subjects pupils make good progress and achieve well in relation to their previous attainment. Standards in information technology and design and technology have improved since the time of the last inspection.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils enjoy coming to school, and have good attitudes to their learning. They listen attentively to their teachers and work well together when required.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils are well behaved in classrooms and around the school. They are generally considerate of others and show respect for other people’s property.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils generally have good relationships with one another and respect others’ feelings, values and beliefs. Year 5/6 pupils have limited opportunities to show initiative and to take responsibility.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good and above the national average. Pupils are punctual for the start of school and arrive for lessons on time.

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

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

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

The quality of teaching is good overall and varies from very good to satisfactory. During the inspection it was never less than satisfactory, and good or better in 62 per cent of lessons, of which 15 per cent was very good. It was very good overall in the reception and Year 1 class. Across the school, the teaching of English and mathematics are particularly good. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught well. Lessons are well planned and contain stimulating activities that are well matched to the needs of all pupils. The quality of teaching in science is satisfactory but the needs of more able pupils are not always met. Teachers are hardworking and know their pupils well. They enjoy good relationships based on mutual respect. They generally have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. The quality of teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. These pupils are well supported

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

by classroom assistants. Planning is closely linked to the targets in pupils’ individual education plans. Across the school, homework is used effectively to consolidate and extend what pupils have learned in lessons.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of Good. The school provides a stimulating range of learning Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 10 the curriculum opportunities. Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 11 Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils with learning difficulties are well supported by teachers and classroom assistants.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. There is good provision made for pupils’ moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are aware of right and wrong and are aware of the needs of others, including those less well off than themselves. Through the curriculum pupils learn about their own culture and the cultures and beliefs of others. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The staff are caring and supportive of pupils. Pupils are supervised well at lunchtimes and enjoy the extra-curricular activities the school provides. Arrangements for child protection are satisfactory. There are good procedures for tracking pupils’ progress in English and mathematics and are developing in other subjects of the curriculum. The school has maintained a positive partnership with parents.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The acting headteacher has a clear view of the future educational direction of the school and is ably supported by the staff. The monitoring of teaching of English and mathematics is good but as yet there is no regular system of monitoring other subjects.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. The governing body is developing formal procedures monitoring the work of the school. Many governors are new to the school and are beginning to take an active part in its future development. Some governors make regular visits to the school and observe lessons. The governors have an effective committee structure in place and monitor effectively the school’s spending. They are kept well informed by the acting headteacher and staff. The chair of governors is new to his role and visits fortnightly to observe the work of the school and to talk with staff. These procedures help the governing body to be suitably informed about the work of the school. However, formal monitoring of the work of the school by the governors is at an early stage of development. The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The management of the school monitors the school’s

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Aspect Comment

performance closely and involves all staff in identifying strengths and areas for improvement. The school improvement plan identifies appropriate priorities for development.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school satisfactorily applies the principles of best value to its spending decisions but has yet to calculate the cost effectiveness of major spending decisions. Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 12

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children enjoy school and the activities provided are stimulating. Their children are expected to work hard. • Pupils are well behaved, care for one another and become more mature in their attitudes. • The good teaching their children receive. • They feel that staff are approachable when any problems or concerns arise. • The amount of homework their children receive. • The information they receive about how their children are getting on. • The activities provided outside of lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors’ judgements support parents’ positive views. Inspectors feel that the amount of homework now set by the school is appropriate for the ages of the pupils. The school’s annual reports to parents are informative and clearly show what pupils know, understand and can do. Parents at the pre-inspection meeting felt well informed about how their children were getting on and thought that reports were individual to their children. The school provides a satisfactory range of activities outside of lessons, including visits to places of interest and visitors to the school. However, there are no after-school clubs for Key Stage 1 pupils. Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 13

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

standards they attain are well above average.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

1. Care needs to be taken with interpreting national tests results in any one year, because of the small numbers of pupils involved. However, in English results have been at least above, and often well above, national averages over the last four years. In the year 2000 national tests in English at the end of Year 6, the results were in the highest five per cent nationally. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher than expected Level 5 was very high. The standards attained were very high in comparison with all schools, and with schools who take their pupils from similar backgrounds. The school has maintained an upward trend in standards above the nationally improving trend, since the time of the last inspection. Pupils achieve well in relation to their attainment on entry to the school. They achieve very well in relation to their attainment at the end of Key Stage 1. This is because of the good teaching they

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

receive, the challenging work provided for all pupils, and the good support given to pupils with special educational needs.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

2. At both key stages, pupils are given numerous opportunities to discuss their ideas and express their opinions in whole-class and small group discussions. Standards of attainment improve considerably as pupils move through the school so that by the end of Key Stage 2 they are above national expectations in speaking and listening. Pupils learn to speak confidently to a variety of different audiences and talk knowledgeably about the work they are doing. More able pupils use an extensive vocabulary in explaining, for example, the work they have done in design and technology making pop-up books for younger pupils. They are aware of the need to use plain language that younger children understand, but to choose their words with care so that their stories are interesting and engage the reader.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

3. Standards in reading in the current group of Year 2 and 6 pupils are above average. The very good teaching that pupils receive in their first years in school ensures that pupils systematically build up their knowledge of phonics and develop a widening sight vocabulary. The subject co-ordinator has grouped the high frequency sight vocabulary words to be taught as part of the National Literacy Strategy into groups that make up an animal or mini-beast. They provide pupils with good motivation to learn them as they enjoy achieving, for example, the ‘elephant’ or ‘butterfly’ words. At Key Stage 2, pupils are encouraged to read and explore language in increasingly complex texts, such as Charles Dickens’s ‘Great Expectations’ and William Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’. These serve to extend pupils’ vocabulary and range of writing for different purposes. Teachers give good attention to encouraging

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

pupils to make imaginative use of words. For example, pupils in Year 5 and 6 use phrases such as “The frantic flapping of its feathered wings“ and “The heat penetrated the wrecked fuselage…” in their poems and stories. Pupils’ attention is also drawn to correct spelling rules and grammar. For example, pupils in Year 2 begin to use correctly prefixes such as ‘un’ and ‘dis’ in their work. One of the main reasons for the good progress that pupils make, is that teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils to read and write in different genre.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

4. At both key stages, the teaching of English is good overall. In the lessons observed during the inspection it was never less than satisfactory, and was good or better in Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 14 two thirds of lessons, of which one third was very good. It was consistently very good in the reception and Year 1 class. Teachers’ planning ensures that pupils of different abilities are provided with appropriate work that challenges them and motivates them to give of their best. The teaching of basic literacy skills is good. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the teaching of literacy and make good use of all aspects of the National Literacy Framework in their lessons. In most lessons pupils know what it is they are to learn by the end of the session. Generally the pace of learning is good. In the very good teaching, the teacher makes use of a range of strategies, including the singing of instructions, to keep pupils working at a very good

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

pace throughout the lesson. While the class are involved in reading the shared text, the teacher makes constant links to work already completed by pupils, and the work they do during the lesson. The teacher makes very good use of questioning, focusing particular questions to pupils of different ages and abilities. In this way all pupils make very good progress, enjoy their work and apply themselves well. In all classes teachers make good use of praise to encourage pupils to have a go at answering difficult questions and to be adventurous in their use of words.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

5. Individual target setting involves pupils in their own learning. Targets for higher attaining pupils in Years 5 and 6 include keeping to the same tense in their work and for average pupils, trying to join sentences together and making them more complex. Pupils’ work is well marked with positive comments and appropriate points to learn and check on. The subject is well managed by the enthusiastic and knowledgeable co-ordinator. She ensures that from the very start, pupils enjoy reading and writing and playing with words to get maximum effect in their writing. The teaching of the subject is monitored well and good practice effectively spread throughout the three classes.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

6. Results in the year 2000 national tests in mathematics at the end of Year 6 were well above the national average for all schools and for schools who take their pupils from similar backgrounds. Although results have varied from year to year because of the small numbers of pupils involved, they have remained well above national averages over the last three years. In 2000 approximately a third of the pupils achieved the higher than expected Level 5. Inspection evidence indicates that the attainment of pupils in the current Year 6 is on track to be above average in 2001. National tests results at the end of Key Stage 1 were also well above average in 2000.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

7. The teaching of mathematics and numeracy is good overall. It was never less than satisfactory in the lessons observed during the inspection and good in three quarters of lessons. Teachers plan well and provide challenging activities, which motivate pupils of all abilities to give of their best. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the National Numeracy Strategy. Mental arithmetic sessions at the start of lessons are brisk and pupils enjoy the rapid fire questions they have to answer. Staff make good use of questioning to probe pupils’ understanding of mathematical concepts and to explain to others how they have made their calculations to arrive at their answers. By the end of Year 6, pupils are competent in using the four operations of number. They are confident when finding equivalent fractions and comparing fractions and percentages. They mentally calculate well with speed and accuracy.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

8. Although attaining good results annually the school is continually seeking to improve teaching and the curriculum. The subject is monitored well and teachers plan together to ensure good coverage of all aspects of mathematics, with an appropriate emphasis given to number work. A detailed analysis is made of end of key stage test Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 15 results to identify areas of strength in pupils’ attainment and any areas where pupils have difficulties.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

9. In both English and mathematics, there are good, manageable procedures for tracking individual pupils’ progress and attainment. As well as showing coverage of the curriculum for English and mathematics, teachers’ records note individual pupils who need to revisit areas of work already covered and those who need more extension work in future lessons. These records are effectively used to plan future work.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

10. Teachers use homework effectively to consolidate and extend pupils’ learning in English, mathematics and science. Homework tasks are frequently provided, particularly for Year 5/6 pupils and they complete this work well and generally hand it in on time. Pupils are well supported in their homework tasks by parents. However, a significant minority of parents who answered the parent questionnaire before the inspection, did not feel that sufficient homework was set particularly in the early stages of Key Stage 2.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

The provision made for pupils with learning difficulties.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

11. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported in their learning. They make at least satisfactory progress in relation to the targets set in their individual education plans, and often their progress is good. This is due to good teaching they receive and the good support they receive from the co-ordinator and classroom assistants at the school.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

12. The school has a clear policy for pupils with special educational needs, and this fully conforms to the national Code of Practice 4 for these pupils. The policy is due to be reviewed, when the new advice expected from the Department for Education and the Environment is received by the school. All pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs have individual education plans. The targets set in them are specific and attainable by pupils and are used fully to plan work that effectively matches their needs. The school has a good number of classroom assistants who provide good support to these pupils and ensure that they make good progress in their learning. They are fully involved in the planning process and work side by side with teachers in the classroom. Most of the support these pupils receive is given during class lessons. However, when appropriate, pupils are withdrawn for individual

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

and small group work to address individual problems that the rest of the class do not have. Some Year 5 and 6 pupils were observed being taught the programme of the ‘Catch-up’ mathematics scheme which helps pupils to achieve the expected Level 4 at the end of Key Stage 2. They were well motivated by the work provided and given individual attention to overcome any personal difficulties.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

13. The co-ordinator for special educational needs, who works one day a week in the school, maintains detailed records of pupils’ attainment and ensures that appropriate support is given to pupils by classroom assistants throughout the week. Pupils’ progress is regularly reviewed and parents are fully involved in this process.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

Pupils enjoy school, have good attitudes to their learning, and behave well.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

4 Code of Practice This gives practical advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities and tasks to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the 1993 Education Act. Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 16 14. In their responses to the questionnaire, parents identified as a strength their children’s enjoyment of school. Parents at the pre-inspection meetings thought that the school was excellent in its maintenance of good discipline and in making activities enjoyable for children.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

15. Inspectors found that pupils of all ages have positive attitudes to all that the school has to offer. Pupils enjoy lessons and are highly motivated, particularly when challenged by the work set for them. From an early age, pupils acquire good learning habits and learn to concentrate well in lessons. For example, in typical lessons seen during the inspection, reception and Year 1 pupils listened very attentively to their teacher and responded well to her questions. They copied the sounds of the letters of the alphabet or identified common two-dimensional shapes, and were eager to be the one to answer. The teacher was effective in ensuring all pupils joined in discussion and took a full part in the learning. Likewise, the teacher in a Year 2/3/4 mathematics lesson involved all pupils in the lesson by varying the difficulty of questions about time, to the age and ability of the pupils. Such lessons ensured that pupils made good

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

progress and applied themselves well to their work.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

16. Relationships are good among pupils. They enjoy very good relationships with their teachers and other adults in the school. This contributes to the very positive ethos within the school. Pupils are polite and friendly and generally considerate of others’ needs and feelings. Pupils are keen to do well and appreciate the achievements of others.

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At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils do very well in English and mathematics and the

17. Pupils’ behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. Pupils listen attentively, and are well aware of the high expectations of their teachers to concentrate and work hard. The good behaviour of pupils ensures that little time is lost during lessons due to the need to manage inappropriate behaviour. This results in a good pace of learning and good progress being maintained. The headteacher and staff are vigilant in maintaining high standards of behaviour around the school. Staff, including midday supervisors, apply consistently the school rules, with the result that pupils are left in no doubt about what is, or is not, acceptable behaviour. Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities but Year 5/6 pupils have limited opportunities to do so.

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Staff work well as a team and have a common sense of purpose in managing the

school during the absence of the headteacher.

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Staff work well as a team and have a common sense of purpose in managing the

18. Teachers, classroom assistants and the acting headteacher, work well together in managing the school during the absence of the headteacher. The acting headteacher gives a strong educational direction to the work of the school and is ably assisted by the senior teacher and staff.

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Staff work well as a team and have a common sense of purpose in managing the

19. The acting headteacher provides good support to staff and the governing body. Her quiet presence around the school ensures an orderly community, high standards of behaviour and consideration for others. As well as regularly ‘visiting’ classrooms, she formally monitors the quality of teaching of staff, particularly in English and mathematics. Together with the senior teacher, the acting headteacher ensures that staff have regular feedback about the strengths in their teaching and help and advice about improving areas that are not so strong.

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Staff work well as a team and have a common sense of purpose in managing the

20. Staff work well as a team in managing the school. They discuss the progress of targets in the school development plan and welcome the opportunity of being more actively involved in the management of the school. Together the staff monitor one Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 17 another’s planning and give good support to their colleagues in their own areas of expertise. For example, the new co-ordinator for science, who has only been at the school for a few weeks, has already begun to look at assessment procedures for the subject and how these can be used more rigorously to provide suitably challenging for all pupils in the mixed age classes. Other teachers appreciate her expertise in this subject and are encouraging her in her new role.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The teaching of science, particularly the provision made for more able pupils.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

21. End of Key Stage 2 national test results in science were above the national average in 2000. The percentage of pupils reaching the expected Level 4 was above average and the percentage of pupils reaching the higher than expected Level 5 was close to the national average. Standards of attainment overall were above the average for all schools and in line with the average for similar schools. However, this group of pupils achieved far better standards in English and mathematics than they did in science. Far fewer pupils achieved a Level 5 in science than they did in English and mathematics. The scrutiny of work from the current class of Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils reveals that, although many pupils are attaining at the expected level for their age, the work of more able pupils varies little from that expected of other pupils. In the majority of lessons the same work is given to the different ages and abilities in the class. This

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

is also evident in some work in the Year 2, 3 and 4 class.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

22. The school adopts a practical approach to teaching science and activities are opened ended so that pupils of higher ability have the opportunity to take their experiments further. However, this often does not happen and the same quality of work is evident from different ability pupils. Teachers do not have sufficiently high expectations of what more able pupils should be achieving and do not make clear to pupils that better standards of work expected of from. Practical investigations are provided for pupils, but seldom do older and more able pupils have the opportunity to set up their own experiments.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

23. The school has good procedures for tracking pupils’ knowledge and understanding of science, which are similar to assessment procedures in English and mathematics. However, a scrutiny of teachers’ records reveals that very few comments are made of the attainment of individual pupils. Sometimes comments are blanket ones which apply to all pupils. Pupils’ previously completed work indicates that these assessments are not always used rigorously to set suitably challenging work for more able pupils, and this is a weakness.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

24. The school is aware that fewer pupils are achieving the higher National Curriculum levels and are currently looking at monitoring the subject more closely.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Systems for monitoring the work of the school.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

25. Although the school has carried out close monitoring of the curriculum and teaching in English and mathematics, other subjects have had little emphasis in recent times. In discussions with teaching staff it was evident that, although they had carried out monitoring of one another’s planning and the sampling of pupils’ work, they had had little opportunity to monitor their colleagues’ teaching and would welcome more opportunities to do so. Only recently were they aware of the need to look again at science and the provision made for this subject. At present there is no regular Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 18 system for monitoring teaching in other National Curriculum subjects and religious education.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

26. The governing body has begun to monitor more closely the work of the school and in recent times the chair of governors and the named governor for numeracy have observed lessons and reported back their findings to the full governing body. These procedures are at an early stage and few governors are involved in this process. Increasing the role of the governing body in more directly monitoring the work of the school is a target in the current school development plan.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

27. In order to continue the improvements made since the time of the last inspection, the governors, headteacher and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) raise standards in science at both key stages by;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

i. raising teachers’ expectations of what more able pupils can achieve;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

ii. making more detailed assessments of what individual pupils achieve in lessons;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

iii. using this information to provide activities that successfully challenge more able pupils;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) improve the monitoring of the work of the school by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

i. developing more regular monitoring of the quality of teaching in foundation subjects;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

ii. improving the governors’ procedures for monitoring the work of the school in line with the target in the school development plan.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

28. In addition to the key issue above, the following areas should be considered for inclusion in the action plan:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) continuing to develop manageable assessment systems for subjects other than English, mathematics and science;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) provide more opportunities for Year 5/6 pupils to take responsibility and show initiative. Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 19

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 11

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 82

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 12

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 12

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 11

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 20

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 8 3 11

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 91 (83) 91 (83) 100 (83) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 82 (83) 82 (83) 55 (75) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

As there were fewer than ten boys and ten girls who took the national tests at the end of Key Stage 1, the number of boys and girls is not published separately in the inspection report.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

As there were fewer than ten pupils who took the national tests at the end of Key Stage 2, the results of the tests are not published in the inspection report. Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 3.9 Financial year 1999 –

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 153,809

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 1,923

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 82 Balance brought forward from previous year 3,268

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 8,205

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Sampford Arundel Community Primary School - 22

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 57 37 6 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 71 29 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 43 34 17 6 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 29 49 14 6 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 66 29 6 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 66 29 3 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 23 60 14 3 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 31 54 9 6 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 74 23 3 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 11 54 17 2 14

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Parents were happy with the high standards of attainment and personal development of their children. They felt that fund-raising issues took up too much of the staff’s time and that teachers had enough of a workload without having to raise money. They also felt that the PTA raised a lot of money and shouldn’t have to. Parents felt that the job share in Class 3 had worked well.

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