Prettygate Junior School

PRETTYGATE JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 14 – 16 February 2000

p.1

PRETTYGATE JUNIOR SCHOOL

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.

p.1

PRETTYGATE JUNIOR 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. Prettygate Junior School i

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Plume Avenue Colchester Essex

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1995 Prettygate Junior School ii

p.3

Team members

Mike Thompson Registered inspector Christine Laverock Lay inspector Gavin Jones Team inspector June McNaughton Team inspector

p.4

Team members

Westminster Education Consultants Old Garden House The Lanterns Bridge Lane London SW11 3AD

p.4

Team members

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

p.4

Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

p.4

Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Prettygate Junior School iii

p.4

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 1

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

p.5

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 7

Attainment in English, mathematics and science Teaching Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships Provision for pupils’ welfare and social and moral development Leadership

p.5

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 11

Information technology Monitoring the quality of teaching and learning Curriculum planning

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Prettygate Junior School is situated in the western outskirts of Colchester. The school was built in 1959 to serve the Prettygate estate, an area of mixed local authority and owner- occupied housing. It shares its large site with the adjacent infant school. The school is popular with parents, and demand for places exceeds its capacity.

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is of average size, with 267 pupils on roll. Almost 9 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals. This proportion is below the national average. Fifteen per cent of pupils are identified as having special educational needs. This is below average. There are no pupils with statements of special needs. Pupils from homes in which English is not the first language spoken are thinly represented at the school.

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

From June 1997 the school was led and managed by a small number of acting headteachers during the illness of its former headteacher. This period of uncertainty ended with the appointment of a new headteacher at the start of 1999.

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Data from previous years shows that the attainment of pupils on entry to the school at the start of Year 3 varies from average to above average. At the start of the current academic year, pupils in Year 3 were working at levels above those normally expected of pupils of a similar age.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school is very effective. It builds on pupils’ generally good standards of achievement when they enter the school and further develops their potential, so that by the age of 11 they achieve high standards in English, mathematics and science. Pupils in all classes are eager to learn, interested in their work, and behave well. The quality of teaching is good and has significantly improved since the previous inspection. The headteacher, staff and governors work together well to achieve their aim of enabling pupils to become confident, capable and caring young citizens. Although the school has above average income, it provides good value for money.

p.6

What the school does well

• Standards in English, mathematics and science are high. • The quality of teaching is good or better in eight out of ten lessons. • Pupils are keen to learn, behave very well, and relate very well to each other and to their teachers. • Pupils flourish within the school’s caring environment. • The headteacher has made a significant impact on the school’s development within a short time. Prettygate Junior School 2

p.6

What could be improved

• Standards in information technology. • The role of subject co-ordinators in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects. • Curriculum planning. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.7

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Overall, the school has made satisfactory progress since its last inspection in June 1995. Up to the appointment of the present headteacher, progress had been slow, but over the past year rapid improvements have been made in a number of important areas. Three of the five key issues from the previous inspection related to the curriculum. These were the most important issues, and the ones in which the least progress had previously been made. While these have now been satisfactorily addressed, further refinements need to be made to the recently introduced curriculum planning. The fourth key issue, about the quality of books and the establishment of a ‘book culture’, has been fully addressed. There are now well-stocked, attractive fiction and reference libraries, and pupils are confident in using them and have positive attitudes towards reading. The final key issue, relating to health and safety checks,

p.7

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

has been very well addressed. These checks are regularly made and close attention is given to all issues concerning the well being of pupils and staff. A lot of work has recently been put into improvements in information technology, including the opening of a very good computer suite. However, the school had not kept up with the rapid pace of change in this subject in previous years and, as a result, standards in information technology are currently below average.

p.7

STANDARDS

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

p.7

schools

English A B A B well above average above average A B Mathematics A A A A average below average C D Science A B A B well below average E Prettygate Junior School 3 Standards achieved in national tests have remained consistently above or well above average for the past three years in comparison with all schools nationally, and also in comparison with schools with a similar proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals. A particularly good feature of the school’s performance has been in the proportion of pupils exceeding the national target of Level 4. In 1999, this proportion was well above the national average in English, mathematics and science. The rate of year-on-year improvement in the average points scores achieved is broadly in line with national trends.

p.7

schools

Inspection findings generally reflect the test scores achieved in previous years. Currently, the proportion of pupils likely to achieve or exceed the national target of Level 4 and above in English, mathematics, and science is above average. In previous years, the school has successfully improved the performance of targeted, individual pupils during the course of Year 6 and as a consequence has raised overall attainment even further. Provided that additional help given is as successful as in the past, test results at the end of the current academic year are likely to be as high as in previous years.

p.8

schools

Results achieved in the national tests contrast considerably with the school’s published targets, which were set during the former headteacher’s absence and are far too cautious.

p.8

schools

In information technology, the standards currently being achieved by Year 6 pupils in word- processing are generally above average, and pupils use their skills in these areas to good effect in their work in other subjects. However, their skills in graphics, data handling and control technology are at levels below what is expected nationally of pupils at the age of eleven. This is because, in previous years, not enough attention has been paid to the systematic development of pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding year by year. All elements of the information technology curriculum are now in place, but have not yet been taught.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils are keen to learn. They work hard and concentrate well.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good, both in and around the school.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils work and play together very well, even when not directly supervised by adults.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. Pupils enjoy coming to school.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Throughout the school, pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good. They listen carefully to their teachers, co-operate well with each other, and share resources. Standards of presentation of work are generally good. Pupils are polite, friendly and courteous. Relationships in the school are very good. The mutual respect shown by staff and pupils contributes significantly to the school’s caring environment. The attendance rate is above the national average. Pupils enjoy being at school and few arrive late. Lessons begin punctually. Prettygate Junior School 4

p.8

Teaching of pupils: aged 7-11 years

Lessons seen overall 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.

p.9

Teaching of pupils: aged 7-11 years

The quality of teaching is good and has significantly improved since the previous inspection. Eighty per cent of lessons were good and, of these, fifteen per cent were very good or better. One lesson out of the twenty observed was unsatisfactory.

p.9

Teaching of pupils: aged 7-11 years

Teachers are particularly good at teaching basic skills of literacy and numeracy. They manage their pupils well and, because they generally have good subject knowledge, they are usually able to choose the most appropriate way of teaching different topics. However, the large numbers of pupils in some classes limit the ways in which some subjects can be taught.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Teachers provide a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum in all subjects except information technology. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school quickly identifies these pupils. It plans for their needs well, and as a result they make good progress. Provision for pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development A strong moral code underpins the work of the school. Pupils are given very good opportunities to develop socially. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is good, and spiritual development is satisfactory.

p.9

Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Staff know and care for pupils very well.

p.9

Aspect Comment

To improve its curriculum planning, the school has adopted nationally recommended schemes of work in almost all subjects. These schemes have yet to be fully adapted by teachers and better integrated, so that pupils can be given more planned opportunities to practise skills learned in one subject across other areas of the curriculum.

p.9

Aspect Comment

While provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall, not enough opportunities are provided for moments of reflection in pupils’ learning. The School Council is a particularly good feature of the very good provision for pupils’ social development.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are very good. Prettygate Junior School 5

p.9

Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides very clear direction for the work of the school. Currently, the headteacher carries out almost all of the monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning; the role of the subject co-ordinators in monitoring standards in their subjects is underdeveloped.

p.10

Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors are effective in guiding and supporting the school’s work.

p.10

Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Under the headteacher’s leadership the school reflects critically on its work and has a very good capacity to improve further.

p.10

Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources All resources are well used. Good use is made of classrooms that are too small for the number of pupils on roll, particularly in Years 5 and 6.

p.10

Aspect Comment

The school is very well led and managed. There are very good relationships within the school, and staff work well together as a team. Subject co-ordinators know the significant strengths and weaknesses of their subjects, but the way in which they monitor the quality of teaching and learning is not rigorous enough to identify inconsistencies in the way in which subjects are taught from class to class.

p.10

Aspect Comment

Good use is made of all sources of funding, and the effects of spending decisions are carefully monitored and evaluated. Prettygate Junior School 6

p.10

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children enjoy coming to school. • The progress that their children make. • Standards of behaviour. • The quality of teaching. • Teachers are approachable. • The school’s high expectations of pupils. • The way in which the school is led. • The way in which the school helps pupils to become mature and responsible. • The quantity of homework provided. • The quality of information provided. • The range of extra-curricular activities.

p.11

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors’ judgements support parents’ positive views. In particular, the school is effective in providing a high quality learning environment in which all pupils are valued as individuals.

p.11

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

With regard to aspects of the school’s work that some parents would like to see improved, inspectors’ judgements are as follows:

p.11

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

∗ The recently introduced homework policy is not clearly understood by some parents. Homework is set regularly; it generally supports what is being done in class and helps pupils to learn; ∗ The school works hard to keep parents well informed. Overall, the information provided by the school is good, but annual written reports are not detailed enough; ∗ The school offers a very good range of extra-curricular activities. Prettygate Junior School 7

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Standards in English, mathematics and science are high.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. The pupils achieve high standards in English, mathematics, and science in their National Curriculum tests.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. Standards achieved in tests were broadly confirmed by inspection evidence, which shows that skills in all elements of English, mathematics and science are systematically developed as pupils progress through the school. Teachers make good use of previous learning as a firm basis for teaching new skills, and good opportunities are provided for pupils to use their skills in numeracy and literacy across all areas of the curriculum.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Skills in speaking and listening are very well developed. Almost all pupils speak confidently and are good at listening, and by the end of Key Stage 2 they clearly articulate their views during discussions. They use a wide range of vocabulary, including technical terms, and speak with clarity and good use of grammar. Pupils are given good opportunities to develop their skills in public speaking in class, in assemblies, and in activities such as the meetings of the School Council. During the inspection a group of pupils from the School Council spoke to the rest of the school as part of an assembly. They confidently outlined the contributions that they had made in response to the local council’s consultations about the plan for Colchester.

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. Skills in reading are well developed. Throughout the school pupils use a good range of strategies to decipher unfamiliar words and, by the time they are in Year 6, most read fluently and expressively. Pupils’ enjoyment of stories and their appreciation of a wide range of fiction is due to the way in which teachers help them to develop skills in analysing text and in understanding the features of different types of writing. For example, pupils in a Year 5 class were enthused by the teacher’s expressive reading of ‘The missing garden gnome’ before beginning their own investigation of short stories. The result of their investigation was an understanding that the setting of a story is an important element to be considered when judging the category in which a story is to be placed. Pupils make good use of the fiction and non-fiction libraries. They know how books are classified, and confidently use contents and

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. Writing skills are well taught throughout the school, and pupils are given good opportunities to use their skills in many other subjects. For example, pupils in Year 4 produced interesting pieces of writing about life in Ancient Egypt, following a period of research. In literacy hour sessions and in other subjects pupils produce a wide range of different types of writing such as play scripts, poems, newspaper reports, letters, lists and book reviews as well as stories. Most pupils write cursively, with letters consistently sized and correctly spaced. Work is usually well punctuated, with older pupils making good use of devices such as colons and hyphens. Prettygate Junior School 8 6. Skills in numeracy improve at a good rate and pupils have good opportunities to practise basic skills in a variety of situations. The important skill of estimation, which underpins all work in mathematics, is developed well throughout the school. By the time

p.12

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

pupils are in Year 6 they are able to round numbers up or down to give them a good idea of the likely answer to a problem. For instance, Year 6 pupils successfully use their knowledge of doubling numbers, together with estimates of the likely range of the answer, to help them to solve long division problems. Good use is made of mental arithmetic sessions at the start of lessons to reinforce learning, and pupils are encouraged to use their emerging knowledge of patterns created by numbers. A good example of such encouragement was observed in a Year 3 lesson, where pupils were able to use their knowledge of the pattern created by the five times table when counting on or back from various starting points.

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to use a range of mathematical skills in other subjects. For instance, pupils in Year 5 used their knowledge of telling the time in seconds together with skills in doubling numbers and accuracy in producing graphs to support their work about pulse rates in a science lesson.

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. Skills in scientific enquiry are well developed. By the time pupils reach Year 6 they are secure in their understanding of the principles of fair testing. They achieve good standards in a range of topics from electrical circuits to filtration and the solubility of different materials.

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. In some classes, particularly Year 6, the large numbers of pupils make it difficult for teachers to provide a wide range of practical, investigative work in mathematics and science within the classrooms.

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The quality of teaching is good or better in eight out of ten lessons.

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10. The quality of teaching is good and has significantly improved since the previous inspection. Eighty per cent of lessons were judged to be good and, of these, fifteen per cent were very good or better. One lesson out of the 20 observed was unsatisfactory.

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

11. Throughout the school, basic skills of literacy and numeracy are well taught and provide pupils with a good platform for their work in all subjects. A particularly good feature of teaching is the use of challenging, subject-specific vocabulary in all classes. For example, in a Year 6 literacy lesson of the highest quality, the teacher used terminology such as ‘hyperbole’ when explaining how poets sometimes use exaggeration as a tool in humorous verse.

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

12. Almost all lessons are well managed. All pupils are enabled to concentrate on their work, and to make good progress, through the very good working atmosphere created by teachers’ high expectations of behaviour and by clearly established classroom routines.

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

13. In the large majority of classes, work is well matched to pupils’ abilities. This is often difficult to achieve, given the large class sizes and the wide range of pupils’ abilities. Where teachers are most successful in providing achievable challenges for all pupils, they use classroom support assistants very effectively to give extra help to individuals or to small groups of pupils. Prettygate Junior School 9 14. Lesson planning, while satisfactory overall, is the weakest element of the teaching. In about half of the lessons, where planning is best, teachers set out very clear learning objectives. These are then shared with pupils at the start of lessons so that the purpose of the work is understood by all. A good example of such practice was observed in a Year 4 history lesson about Ancient Egypt. The direct result of the shared learning objectives was that pupils were very clear about what they had to achieve and wasted no time in settling down to

p.13

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

work. During the important plenary session at the end of lessons, when learning is reviewed and reinforced, teachers often make good links to the learning objectives set out at the start of the lesson. In the best lessons the plenary sessions are very well used to give pupils the opportunity to reflect and to evaluate their own progress in achieving the lesson’s objectives. In many classes, however, these moments of reflection and spirituality in pupils’ learning are generally too brief. Where planning is very good, teachers include approximate timings for the separate elements of the lesson. This helps to ensure that a good balance is struck between direct teaching, activity by the pupils, and time to review what has been learned. Where planning is brief, lessons lack pace and teachers tend to have difficulty in keeping to time. Sometimes this results in the important plenary session being shortened or even missed

p.14

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

15. Teachers generally have a good knowledge of the subjects they teach and the difficulties that are likely to be encountered as pupils learn. This subject knowledge enables them to use the most appropriate ways of presenting information to pupils and helps them to sustain a good pace to their lessons. For instance, in a Year 4 mathematics lesson, the teacher skilfully helped individual pupils to solve problems involving the use of subtraction, by using similar problems with smaller numbers as a starting point. Other techniques such as the use of mnemonics are effectively used. For example, the short verse: ‘ In the door and up the stairs.’ helped pupils in one of the Year 3 classes to remember to use the co-ordinates on the horizontal axis before those on the vertical axis when locating the correct square on a grid.

p.14

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

16. Teachers have to work hard to overcome the difficulties presented by the large numbers of pupils in some classes, particularly in Year 6. Activities such as investigative and experimental work in science and mathematics are limited by the lack of space. An example was in a Year 6 science lesson about changes that occur in materials when they are heated or cooled. The activities had to be very closely directed by the teacher because there was no room to allow pupils the opportunity to plan and carry out their own experiments.

p.14

Pupils are keen to learn, behave very well and relate very well to each other and to their

17. Throughout the school, pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good, a factor which contributes significantly to the academic standards that they achieve. Pupils enjoy coming to school; they are highly motivated and are keen to learn. Teachers are generally skilled in providing a good range of interesting activities and in sustaining a good pace to their lessons through questioning and well-timed help. As a result, pupils listen carefully, set about their work quickly, and sustain very good levels of concentration. For example, very good use was made of the first-hand experiences of grandparents of pupils in Year 3 to interest and motivate pupils learning about World War II. Pupils asked sensible questions, listened very well to the answers, and sustained good levels of concentration throughout the activity. Prettygate Junior School 10 18. Teachers’ high expectations of their pupils are reflected in the good standards of

p.14

Pupils are keen to learn, behave very well and relate very well to each other and to their

presentation of work. Pupils are proud of their efforts and are eager to share their work with adults.

p.15

Pupils are keen to learn, behave very well and relate very well to each other and to their

19. Pupils’ behaviour is of a high standard. They move around the school sensibly and show consideration towards others. When entering and leaving the school hall at the beginning and end of assemblies, pupils do so quietly. Pupils work and play well together, even when not directly under adult supervision.

p.15

Pupils are keen to learn, behave very well and relate very well to each other and to their

20. Relationships in the school are very good. Pupils relate very well to each other and to all adults in the school. They are friendly, polite, and well mannered, and many enthusiastically initiated conversations with the inspection team. The fruits of these positive relationships are seen in lessons, where pupils co-operate well in paired and group work, share tasks equally, and organise their work without fuss.

p.15

Pupils are keen to learn, behave very well and relate very well to each other and to their

Pupils flourish within the school’s caring environment.

p.15

Pupils are keen to learn, behave very well and relate very well to each other and to their

21. The school has very good procedures for ensuring the care and welfare of its pupils, and makes very good provision for pupils’ moral and social development.

p.15

Pupils are keen to learn, behave very well and relate very well to each other and to their

22. A strong moral code underpins all the school’s work. Pupils are very well aware of what is expected of them through the clearly displayed rules in classrooms, and through the school’s very clear Code of Conduct. All pupils are signatories to an agreement about behaviour in class and at playtimes. Good quality policies provide staff with clear guidance about expectations of behaviour and about dealing with instances of bullying. Pupils’ social skills are very well developed in a variety of ways. There is an active School Council made up of elected representatives from each class. The Council meets regularly and makes important contributions to developing pupils’ sense of good citizenship.

p.15

Pupils are keen to learn, behave very well and relate very well to each other and to their

23. As a result of the very good procedures, the school is an orderly place in which pupils are able to flourish and to become confident, caring members of the community.

p.15

The headteacher has made a significant impact on the school’s development within a

24. Following a time of uncertainty during the lengthy illness of the former headteacher, the school has experienced a period of rapid improvement under the guidance of its new head. Through good quality monitoring, he quickly formed a view of the main strengths and weaknesses of the school and has implemented a number of initiatives designed to raise standards even further. Most of these are included in a recently reviewed school development plan, which provides a good long-term strategic view of school improvement.

p.15

The headteacher has made a significant impact on the school’s development within a

25. The first major task addressed was to ensure that the curriculum met legal requirements. To achieve this, guidance provided by the national Qualifications and Curriculum Authority was used in many subjects. This guidance is now firmly underpinned by a range of good subject policies which clearly set out the school’s aims and objectives. Although only a first step in providing a good quality curriculum, the use of this national Prettygate Junior School 11 guidance provides a firm basis for the development of detailed medium-term planning by teachers. Work to improve the curriculum has been supported by in-service training designed to raise standards of teaching, and by the development of an increased role for teachers in monitoring what happens in the subjects for which they have responsibility.

p.15

The headteacher has made a significant impact on the school’s development within a

26. The good working relationships that exist within the school, together with teachers’ willingness to reflect critically on their practice, and the changes recently made in the management structure, contribute to the school’s good capacity for future improvement.

p.16

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

27. The opening of the new computer suite and the significant improvements recently made in the curriculum have not yet resulted in higher standards across the breadth of the subject.

p.16

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

28. Within the very limited range of work currently being produced, many pupils are achieving good standards in word processing. For example, during a Year 3 literacy lesson a pupil showed confidence in using the keyboard when drafting and then editing a ‘rap’ poem, while in Year 4 a pupil quickly produced a piece of text following her research about life in Ancient Egypt. By the time pupils are in Year 6 they competently carry out tasks such as merging text and graphics, and use ‘click and drag’ techniques to position images correctly on screen. Data handling skills are beginning to be developed. For instance, pupils in Year 5 were using a spreadsheet program to enter data about their pulse rates after their work in a science lesson. However, apart from word processing, pupils generally have limited experience in other elements of the information technology curriculum. They rarely use graphics software and have little, if any, experience of using information technology

p.16

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

equipment to monitor and record external events, to systematically explore the effect of changing variables in simulation packages, or to predict outcomes of different decisions.

p.16

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

29. The decision to use guidance provided by the national Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as the basis for the information technology curriculum is sensible and provides the school with a good framework for future development. This curriculum guidance has not yet been in place for a year, and for this reason not all elements of the planned curriculum have been taught. While this situation is unsatisfactory, it represents a significant improvement on the situation that existed a year ago.

p.16

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

30. The task of co-ordinating the development of information technology was taken on by the headteacher, following his appointment. He has a very clear understanding of all of the issues relating to the future development of the subject, including improvements needed in teachers’ expertise in using a range of software and in developing strategies for teaching information technology skills.

p.16

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

31. The school’s provision for information technology is considerably enhanced by the good links that exist between the school and The Philip Morant School, to which almost all of its pupils transfer at the age of eleven. Visits by pupils to use the information technology facilities at Philip Morant, and visits by staff from the school, have helped to sustain pupils’ interest in information technology for a number of years. Prettygate Junior School 12

p.16

The role of subject co-ordinators in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in

32. Almost all of the monitoring of the school’s performance is currently carried out by the headteacher. Monitoring of standards by teachers is largely confined to scrutiny of samples of pupils’ work in English, mathematics and science. Recently, subject co-ordinators have observed a small number of lessons in literacy and numeracy as part of their monitoring of the implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies.

p.17

The role of subject co-ordinators in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in

33. The present procedures for monitoring by co-ordinators lack a systematic approach in terms of clear timescales for lesson observations and scrutiny of pupils’ work . They also lack a rigorous approach to the analysis of data, followed by evaluations of the information obtained and clear links to action to be taken in subject development plans.

p.17

The role of subject co-ordinators in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in

34. The use of guidance provided by the national Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as the basis for planning the curriculum in many subjects has enabled the school to address the weaknesses in the curriculum identified at the time of the previous inspection. However, the national guidance is of a general nature and needs to be adapted by schools to meet their individual circumstances. This adaptation of the curriculum has yet to be carried out in the school. As a consequence, some of the links that could be made between different subjects are missed, and opportunities are not always provided for pupils to practise skills learned in one subject across other areas of the curriculum. Prettygate Junior School 13

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensure that the new curriculum for information technology is fully implemented by:

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

∗ developing the use of graphics, data handling and control technology; ∗ developing teachers’ skills in a systematic way; ∗ producing a ‘software map’ to ensure that the programs used provide increasing levels of challenge from Year 3 to Year 6; ∗ integrating the use of information technology into planning in other subjects.

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Put into place a programme of regular, systematic monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning by subject co-ordinators, with a particular emphasis on the core subjects of English, mathematics and science.

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the newly implemented curriculum planning in all subjects by:

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

∗ developing good quality medium-term planning specific to the needs of the school; ∗ underpinning this medium-term planning with an overview of the step-by-step development of pupils’ skills, and clear targets to be achieved by the majority of pupils by the end of each school year. Prettygate Junior School 14

p.18

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 20 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 19

p.19

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 5 10 65 15 5 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.19

Pupils on the school’s roll

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 267 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 23 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.19

Special educational needs

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 40

p.19

English as an additional language

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0 Prettygate Junior School 15

p.19

Pupil mobility in the last school year

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 20 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 8

p.20

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 4.1 School data 0 National comparative data 5.7 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.20

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total for the latest reporting year 1999 42 28 70

p.20

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Boys 32 35 36 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 24 25 26

p.20

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 80 (80) 86 (79) 89 (82) at NC Level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

p.20

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 22 28 23 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 16 17 14

p.20

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 54 (69) 64 (74) 53 (79)

p.20

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

at NC Level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72)

p.20

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Prettygate Junior School 16

p.20

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 3 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.21

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.21

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – other 2 Black – other 0 0 Indian 1 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 1 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 1 Chinese 0 0 White 258 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 1 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.21

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. Prettygate Junior School 17

p.21

Qualified teachers and classes: Y3 – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9.6 Financial year 1998/1999

p.22

Qualified teachers and classes: Y3 – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 27.8

p.22

Qualified teachers and classes: Y3 – Y6

Average class size 33.4 £ Total income 446965.00 Education support staff: Y3 – Y6 Total expenditure 428446.00 Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 1630.00

p.22

Qualified teachers and classes: Y3 – Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 74 Balance brought forward from previous year 33503.00

p.22

Qualified teachers and classes: Y3 – Y6

Balance carried forward to next year 52022.00 Prettygate Junior School 18

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 45 50 2 1 1

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 40 53 2 0 5

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 30 45 22 2 1

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 23 50 23 3 0

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 48 47 5 0 0

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 61 34 2 0 2

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 31 51 16 2 0

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 57 36 3 0 3

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 38 58 2 0 2

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 24 56 14 2 5

p.23

Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number

One third of parents returned the pre-inspection questionnaire and 12 attended the meeting with the registered inspector.

p.23