St Martin's Primary School

St Martins Community School

Dates of inspection: 29 November – 3 December 1999

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St Martins Community 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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

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St Martins Community School

Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the appropriate authority must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. Every registered parent of a registered pupil at the school should receive a free copy of the summary of the report within ten working days of receipt of the summary by the appropriate authority. A charge not exceeding the cost of supply may be made by the appropriate authority for any other copies of the report and/or its summary provided to any person who asks for one. The appropriate authority should make a copy of the report and the summary available for inspection by members of the public at such times and at such a place as may be reasonable Any enquiries about this legislation should be addressed to the OFSTED Compliance Helpline Tel. 0171421 6567 St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Ross Road Hereford Herefordshire HR2 7RJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Revd Richard Green

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 3 June 1996 St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities Mrs M Hulme, RgI Religious education Characteristics of the school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

History Attainment and progress Equal opportunity Leadership and management Provision for Travellers Mr. S Vincent, Lay Inspector Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Links with parents and the community Staffing, accommodation and resources Ms B Pollard Areas of learning for children under five Under-fives

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Geography Curriculum and assessment Mr J Barley Science Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Music Mrs R Eaton Special educational needs in mainstream school and in the special needs centre. Teaching

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Information technology Art Design and technology Mrs M Owen English Efficiency of the school Mr J Taylor Mathematics Attendance Physical education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Lincolnshire Education Associates The Innovation Centre Europarc Grimsby North East Lincolnshire DN37 9TT

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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 which are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to: The Registrar

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 5

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MAIN FINDINGS

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

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INTRODUCTION 1 - 5

Characteristics of the school Key indicators

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Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school 6 - 30

Attainment and progress Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance

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Quality of education provided 31 - 65

Teaching The curriculum and assessment Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents and the community

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The management and efficiency of the school 66 - 81

Leadership and management Staffing, accommodation and learning resources The efficiency of the school

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Data and indicators 165 - 168

St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 6

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What the school does well

• . Teaching has improved. There is now a very significant amount of very good and excellent teaching in most classes, particularly at Years 5 and 6. • . Curriculum planning and assessment have improved considerably, resulting in better progression and continuity in learning • . The governors have a strategic view of school developments and work well with the headteacher and staff in providing direction for the work of the school • . Significant improvements have taken place in information technology at Key Stage 2 and there are plans for further development • . Being part of an Education Action Zone has enabled the school to take advantage of many opportunities for improvement, particularly training for support staff and the co-ordination of special educational needs. This is having a positive impact on children’s progress. • . The provision for children under five in the nursery and reception classes is good and has a positive

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What the school does well

effect on their good progress • . The provision for children in the special education centre is very good • . The school takes very good care of its children. • . The funds provided from the South Wye Regeneration budget have improved community initiatives, particularly those involving parents in their children’s education • . The accommodation now provides a very effective place for children to learn.

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What the school does well

I. Standards in English and mathematics could be higher by the end of Key Stage 1 II. Not all teachers apply the agreed behavioural strategies as well as they might, which results in some children making limited progress in lessons III. There is no designated leader to manage the specific needs and curriculum of children under five IV. Some subjects lack leadership from a co-ordinator, which results in less satisfactory direction for teachers V. The school prospectus lacks important information, which results in some statutory requirements not being met VI. Not all the individual education plans for children with special needs reflect pupils’ needs, in that they are insufficiently precise to enable progress to be measured accurately

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What the school does well

The school has more strengths than weaknesses. The governor’s action plan will set out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or guardians of pupils at the school. · St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 7 ·

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

Some of the important weaknesses pointed out in the previous inspection have been tackled well and the school is better than it was. The curriculum planning has been improved and it is now very good. There are effective schemes of work for most subjects. Year group teachers meet regularly to plan work in detail and subject co- ordinators monitor planning from year to year to ensure that there is continuity. Subject co-ordinators have played a major part in the development of curricular planning but not all subjects have leaders. Training has taken place in literacy and numeracy. The literacy initiative is well established. The numeracy hour has been introduced successfully but some additional training is needed in numeracy as some teachers still feel insecure. Staff are now more confident in teaching information technology resulting in wider opportunities for children and improved communication skills in the older classes. Although schools have more flexibility in the

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

requirements for design and technology there is still very little time made for it and some aspects of it are included with art and science. The shortcomings found in the reception year during the previous inspection no longer exist and significant improvements have been made to the curriculum for those children. Assessment is very good. Apart from the National Curriculum tests, the school also uses standardised testing. There is a useful policy for marking which is applied in all classes and a range of records of what pupils can do.

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

The management and efficiency of the school have been improved and are now good overall. Governors have a good understanding of their roles and committee structures have been established that cover important areas such as finance and the curriculum. This has led to greater governor involvement in decision making, more effective use of governor’s time.

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

The school has benefited greatly from additional funding as part of an Education Action Zone and from the South Wye Regeneration bid. This funding has been provided for additional work and initiatives such as additional classroom support for literacy and numeracy, the training of support staff to assist pupils’ progress and community learning programmes that are extending the level of parental involvement in their children’s learning.

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

There are sufficiently clear views and determination backed by reasonably effective strategies and systems so that improvements in future are at least in line with what might be expected.

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

· St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 8 · Standards in subjects This table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds in 1999 based on the National Curriculum tests:

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similar schools

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

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similar schools

An assessment on entry shows that the majority of children under five enter the school with low levels of literacy and numeracy for their age and have poor social skills. They make good progress and by the time they are five they are within reach of the targets set for their age in all six areas of learning.

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similar schools

When compared with all other schools the results of the National Curriculum tests show that pupils did better in English or science than mathematics but few children reached the higher levels. The comparison with similar schools relates to the number of pupils eligible for free meals. Although the school knows how many children take free meals this number is smaller than those eligible. The local education authority has supported the school in its efforts to determine a more accurate figure and parents have provided clear evidence that there are 23 per cent of pupils eligible, although many families do not choose the sandwich meal, which is all that is available. Therefore the results of the National Curriculum tests are better when compared with schools who have pupils from similar backgrounds.

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similar schools

The National Literacy Strategy is well established and is having a positive impact on improving standards. Although the school is doing well in implementing the National Numeracy Strategy, the school has recognised that a minority of teachers are experiencing difficulty in teaching pupils during oral work and is planning to highlight a more flexible approach.

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similar schools

Attainment in information technology is improving now that children at Key Stage 1 have the resources they need and by the time they leave school it is at least what is expected for age. Some pupils are using more sophisticated techniques using the digital camera and others demonstrate a good understanding of the Internet and the school’s web site. Pupils’ attainment in religious education is closely linked to the Hereford and Worcester Agreed Syllabus. By the time they leave school they have a good knowledge of Christianity and have extended their Bible knowledge. They have a growing understanding of other principal world faiths.

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similar schools

Progress is mainly good in all other subjects but very little time is given to design and technology and there is insufficient evidence to make any judgement. St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 9 · Quality of teaching

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Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years 7 – 11 years

English Good Good Very good Mathematics Good Good Very good Science Good Very good Information technology Satisfactory Satisfactory Religious education Insufficient evidence Good Other subjects Good Good Very good

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Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years 7 – 11 years

Overall, the quality of teaching is good. During the inspection the teaching was good in 26 per cent of lessons, very good in 35 per cent of lessons and excellent in five per cent. Just over 30 per cent was satisfactory and in three per cent was unsatisfactory. This represents a significant increase since the previous inspection, in that the proportion of very good and excellent teaching has increased from 14 per cent, and the amount of less than satisfactory teaching has reduced from 12 per cent to three. In just a few lessons teaching was unsatisfactory, mainly the result of some teachers not managing the poorly behaved pupils as well as they might.

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Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years 7 – 11 years

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour Overall good but in several classes there are children whose behaviour problems disrupt others and who challenge the authority of the teachers. In most classes this is handled well. Attendance Satisfactory. Most children are punctual and lessons start on time.

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Aspect Comment

Ethos* Overall good. The majority of pupils have good attitudes to work, persevering with tasks. Relationships are mainly very good particularly between teachers and children. There is a commitment to children doing as well as they can which is particularly noticeable in the older classes. Leadership and management Overall good. Considerable improvements in some areas, supportive governing body but a few weaknesses need attention Curriculum Overall very good. Significant improvement at the reception stage. Particularly good range of extra-curricular activities Pupils with special educational needs Overall, provision is good. In the special education centre the provision is very good. Pupils join with mainstream pupils for some lessons and activities. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Overall very good. Considerable improvements in pupils’ cultural development Staffing, resources and accommodation

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Aspect Comment

Overall good. Teacher training in literacy and specialist courses for support staff are having an impact on pupils’ progress. Improved accommodation makes children happy to be in school Value for money Good.

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Aspect Comment

*Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards. St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 10 · The parents’ views of the school

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

VII. the school is approachable VIII. children like coming to school IX. children are encouraged to get involved in more than just their daily lessons X. parents are encouraged to play an active part in the life of the school XI. parents are kept well informed about children’s progress XII. the school enables children to achieve a good standard of work XIII. the school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on the children XIV. a few parents were dissatisfied with the

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

XV. a few parents were dissatisfied with the

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

Although 499 questionnaires were sent out only 34 were returned and only ten parents attended the parents’ meeting to give their views of the school. Inspectors mainly agree with the positive views expressed by parents but more needs to be done to improve pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 1. The range of homework is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. The homework includes reading, spellings, tables and sometimes there are additional tasks for literacy and numeracy. By the time they reach Year 6, pupils are expected to do English, mathematics and science homework and they have to carry out a personal study of their own choice. No evidence supported the parents’ views about the handling of complaints and during the inspection there were several incidents that demonstrated good practice resulting in satisfied parents.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

To improve standards and the quality of education provided the school should:

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

XVI. improve the standards in English and mathematics by the end of Key Stage 1 by: a) improving teachers’ knowledge and understanding, particularly in numeracy; (paragraphs: 11, 13,33,93,103,107,) b) implementing more consistently the school’s policy for behaviour management (paragraphs: 26,37,60, 110, 111,127,129)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

• ) designate a leader to manage the specific needs and curriculum of children under five ; (paragraphs: 71, 92 )

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

• ) ensure that all subjects have the co-ordination and leadership which results in appropriate support and direction for teachers (paragraphs: 44, 70,,71,134, 137,151.)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

• ) ensure that planned developments are carried out to a suitable conclusion and give priority to those aspects not yet completed from the previous inspection ( paragraphs: 66,72,)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

Minor issue for inclusion with action plan • ) ensure that the targets in pupils’ individual education plans consistently reflect their needs and are sufficiently precise to enable progress to be measured accurately (paragraphs: 49, 59) St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 11 · INTRODUCTION

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

1. The school is situated on the south side of the city of Hereford and is surrounded by housing, mainly council dwellings. The building dates back to 1937 but in the last few years considerable improvements have been made and the accommodation is now very good, providing a stimulating place for children to learn. The children come from a wide range of backgrounds and the area is recognised as one that has many socio-economic problems. Its recognition as a social priority school has led to Education Action Zone status and with other schools in the area has benefited from funds to provide additional support in literacy and numeracy that will help improve standards. Many children are living with only one parent and the school tries to support them as their need dictates. There are many caring families who show concern for their children and want them to do well. However, some have problems and the area has

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

several families who have been involved in the misuse of drugs and even some who deal in drugs. The school seeks parents as partners with them in the education of their children and has undertaken several initiatives to involve themselves more in the life of the community. More recently the school has taken advantage of the South Wye Regeneration budget to extend community initiatives and this is resulting in more parents who are involved in their children’s education.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

2. The school is twice as big as the average sized primary school having 499 pupils on roll. In addition there is a 45 full time equivalent place nursery that provides 90 part-time places for children from the age of three. The special education centre, situated in the middle of the school, has 12 places for children with moderate learning difficulties who may come from any part of Hereford. In the rest of the school there are almost 29 per cent of pupils on the special needs register but this percentage is deceiving since in some classes there are over 50 per cent with special educational needs. There are few children from minority ethnic groups and the majority of the school population is white. The number of children from Traveller families is much reduced at present and makes up two per cent of the school roll. Some of these families live at the nearby Traveller base, although some have chosen to live in

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

permanent house accommodation. A very few children have been identified as those for whom English is an additional language but they understand and speak English satisfactorily and no additional support is required. Families from a local army base live near the school and children from these families total 30 per cent. Owing to the nature of their parents’ work this means there is a constant turnover of children from this base. There are 114 children who are eligible for free meals which is a bigger percentage than those who actually take them.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

3. The school has a large number of children under five. Apart from the 90 part-time pupils in the nursery there are 81 others who are educated in the school’s three reception classes. Children normally enter the nursery at the age of three and move to the reception classes when they are four years of age. They stay in the reception classes for a year and enter Year 1 in the term following their fifth birthday, when they begin the statutory curriculum. Each nursery session has 45 part-time pupils who are taught by one teacher who is assisted by three support staff. Children enter the school with poor levels of literacy and numeracy skills for their age and teachers’ assessments undertaken at this time also confirm poor social skills.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

4. The school’s priorities since the last inspection have been as follows: • . curriculum planning. Teachers now meet in year groups and plan together for consistency. There is support from curriculum co-ordinators; • . the National Literacy Strategy and National Numeracy Strategy have been the main focus for staff St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 12 development and both strategies are now implemented; • . well-planned use of science resources and sustained attainment; • . information, communication and technology has been addressed with two staff responsible for the subject. Staff are more confident and opportunities for pupils have been extended; • . the development of dance, drama and music has improved; • . closer collaboration with local schools has resulted from Education Action Zone initiatives in planning projects; • . the single regeneration budget has enabled better opportunities for community involvement.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999 26 37 63

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

1 Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 13 5. National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

Number of pupils Boys 20 21 21 at NC Level 2 or Girls 31 33 32 above Total 51 54 53 Percentage at NC School 81 (69) 86 (72) 84 (72) Level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

5. Teacher Assessments Reading Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 20 23 23 at NC Level 2 or Girls 33 33 33 above Total 53 56 56 Percentage at NC School 84 (71) 89 (75) 89 (81) Level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999 30 31 61

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

5. National Curriculum Test Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

Number of pupils Boys 20 20 26 at NC Level 4 or Girls 19 19 24 above Total 39 39 50 Percentage at NC School 64 (55) 64 (68) 84 (85) Level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

5. Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 22 22 25 at NC Level 4 or Girls 20 20 23 above Total 42 42 48 Percentage at NC School 69 (53) 69 (68) 79 (85) Level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) 5. Attendance

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed % through absence for the latest complete Authorised School 5.6 reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0 Absence National comparative data 0.5 5. 5. Exclusions

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during Number the previous year: Fixed period 0 Permanent 0

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

2 Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 14 5. Quality of teaching

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 40 Satisfactory or better 97 Less than satisfactory 3 St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 15 5. PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

5. EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

1. Children enter the nursery at the age of three and attend part-time. They spend a year in the nursery before transferring to three reception classes where they attend full time. The previous inspection judged attainment at the age of five years to meet expectations for their age but found progress in the reception year to be too slow. An assessment on entry shows that children start school with low levels of literacy and numeracy for their age and their social skills are well below average. By the time they are five years old, the majority attain, or are within reach of, the national targets for the age group in all six areas of learning.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

2. Their progress is particularly good given the low starting point, at which many children are unable to communicate their needs and wants and have difficulty in concentrating and lack confidence. The good progress is the result of the good provision made for them. Children make good progress in all aspects of the curriculum right to the end of the reception year. This is a significant improvement on the last inspection. They increase their vocabulary, begin the early stages of reading and writing and develop a better awareness of numbers. Children’s confidence grows as they become more independent. An enjoyment of learning emerges and they show an enthusiastic response to questions asked by staff.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

3. At Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils’ attainment is compared with all other schools and with those schools who have children from similar backgrounds. Schools with similar backgrounds are based on the percentage of children eligible for free meals. Herefordshire schools do not provide cooked meals and subsequently some families who are eligible do not take the free sandwich meal offered and their eligibility is not registered. However, St Martins school has provided more accurate information from parents of eligibility and it was found that the school has a much higher percentage of children eligible for free meals than was previously considered; 23 per cent of children are eligible. When their National Curriculum test results for eleven-year-olds are compared with those in similar schools they are above average for English, average for mathematics and well above average for science.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

4. In 1998 the attainment of seven year old pupils in the National Curriculum tests for English, in both reading and writing, was well below average for all schools. In 1999, the number of pupils reaching Level 2 or above improved and was in line with the average in reading and writing. However, many pupils’ scores were at the lower end of Level 2 and only a small number attained the higher Level 3. This is partially explained by the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the school. On the evidence of work seen during the inspection, overall attainment, including skill in speaking and listening, is below that expected at the end of Key Stage 1.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

5. The percentage of eleven year old pupils reaching Level 4 or above in the National Curriculum English tests in 1998 was well below the average for all schools. In 1999 overall attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 improved. Although tests show that the percentage of pupils attaining Level 4 and above was still below the national average, the results are in line with those achieved at similar schools. The number reaching the higher Level 5 increased from 4 per cent in 1998 to 24.59 per cent in 1999. This is broadly in line with a national average of 22 per cent and is well above the average for similar schools.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

6. Overall, children’s progress in English is satisfactory at the end of Key Stage 1. Although they have entered school with very underdeveloped speaking and listening skills, the teachers at reception stage and Year 1 work hard to encourage them to listen carefully and develop their ability to concentrate. Progress at this earlier stage is often better. Despite the many difficulties the reception teachers do succeed in getting the majority of children under five to the appropriate stage to begin the National St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 16 Curriculum. These opportunities are seized at Year 1 but progress slows at Year 2. At the beginning of Key Stage 2, progress continues to be satisfactory but in the final two years almost all pupils work at a faster pace and make good progress. Good teaching and the positive impact of the literacy hour are instrumental in raising standards. The literacy co-ordinator has been instrumental in setting realistic

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

targets for improving standards. There are many examples of the ways that literacy is influencing standards in other subjects such as history, geography, religious education and science.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

7. In the 1999 National Curriculum tests for mathematics 74 per cent of seven year olds attained the average Level 2 and 5 per cent of these the higher Level 3. This was well below the national average of 90 per cent for Level 2 and above in all schools and below the average of 84 per cent for similar schools. Also in 1999, 64 per cent of eleven year olds attained the average Level 4 and 16 per cent of these the higher Level 5. This was below the national average for all schools of 72 per cent and 22 per cent respectively. Results were in line with the average of 64 per cent attaining Level 4 and 17 per cent attaining Level 5 in similar schools. The inspection evidence confirms the below average attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 and the average attainment at the end of Key Stage 2.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

8. The last inspection report identified irregular progress as pupils moved through the school. The inspection evidence confirms that this is still inconsistent. Pupils in the first year of Key Stage 1 make good progress but this is not sustained in Year 2, where it is merely satisfactory. Some numeracy skills acquired in Year 1 are well consolidated in Year 2 but only a minority of pupils progress to the understanding of place value to enable them to extend their skills in number computation. There is satisfactory progress in Year 2 in their knowledge of two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes, in telling the time and ordering the days of the week and months of the year. Progress in Key Stage 2 is similarly inconsistent. It is satisfactory in Year 3 and in one Year 4 class and good in all other classes. Good progress is made in measuring angles, the knowledge of the names of shapes, particularly the less

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

familiar ones such as heptagon, nonagon and decagon, and understanding differences by comparison of their properties. Pupils are making good progress in using aspects of numeracy. For example, younger children use it in a shopping experience and older pupils solve challenges such as one linked to a garden supplies company. In other subjects such as history it is extending pupils’ chronological skills and in science extending understanding and opportunities for investigative work.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

9. In science, pupils’ attainment, at the end of Key Stage 1 is what might be expected for their age and is in line with the 1999 National Curriculum teacher assessments. By the end of Key Stage 2, most pupils are attaining the national average and a significant number are doing better. When these results are compared with schools that have children from similar backgrounds the results are well above average. By the time they leave school, pupils are developing a sound scientific approach, asking appropriate questions, using fair tests and repeating observations and measurements to ensure accuracy. They have acquired a good knowledge base including the main functions of such parts of the body as the heart, how to conduct investigations and the appropriate uses of such methodology as filtration or evaporation.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

10. Children’s progress in science is good at both key stages. Although they enter the school with little scientific knowledge and understanding, the use of assessments and appropriate activities help them gain the knowledge, skills and understanding that are expected by the time they reach Year 2. They make particularly good progress in work associated with the properties of materials. At Key Stage 2, progress has been good in the investigative and experimental elements of science, thus ensuring that pupils have a proper scientific approach to the work they do.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

11. Overall, pupils’ attainment in information technology is below what is expected for their age at the end of Key Stage 1 owing to a lack of appropriate resources in the past. They lack skills in handling information and operating programmable, robotic toys. Although the provision of resources has improved recently there has been insufficient time for them to have an impact on pupils’ attainment. However, standards are satisfactory in word-processing. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ attainment St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 17 is mainly in line with national expectations. Some pupils are using more sophisticated techniques by superimposing photographs taken with a digital camera onto a scanned background and others demonstrate use of their own web site and are familiar with the Internet.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

12. During Key Stage 1, pupils make satisfactory progress because the provision of resources has recently improved and is giving pupils a wider range of information technology applications. During Key Stage 2, pupils make good progress overall, particularly at Years 5 and 6, when progress accelerates rapidly. These pupils are given many opportunities to develop their skills. This is a big improvement on the previous inspection. Pupils in the special education centre make good progress as they use information technology to enhance their work in a range of subjects.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

13. In religious education, by the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment is in line with the criteria of the Hereford and Worcester Agreed Syllabus and is at least satisfactory. Attainment for faster learners is better. This term the focus of work has been Christianity. By extending their knowledge of stories from the Old Testament they have learned about the way beliefs influence the way that people live. The topic of harvest has extended knowledge and understanding of the Christian celebration of Harvest Festival and the Jewish Sukkot. Children have shown interest in the lives of such Christians as Dr Barnardo and have a growing appreciation of how Jesus’ teaching about loving one another was reflected in their lives and work. At the time of inspection the work was related to Advent and Christmas. At Key Stage 2, pupils’ attainment follows the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. By Year 6, the majority of

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

pupils have a good knowledge of Christianity and have extended their Bible knowledge. They have a growing understanding of some other principal world faiths practised in this country such as Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism. They are developing an awareness of the characteristics common to religions and understand the part played by symbolism.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

14. Pupils’ progress in some classes is good at both key stages. At Key Stage 1, progress is mainly good, particularly for faster learners whose writing is more extensive and well presented. Children are making particularly good progress in their knowledge of aspects of Christian worship and the concept of celebration. Some Year 2 children demonstrated good progress as they talked about their written accounts of people in the Old Testament and their growing understanding of the role of angels, particular in the nativity story. Progress is satisfactory at Year 3 and 4 although the poor behaviour of a few children in Year 4 slowed the progress of others during lessons. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have a well-developed understanding of Christianity and a growing knowledge of the beliefs and practices of other principal religions. They understand the need to be tolerant and show respect for

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

those who have different beliefs to themselves.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

15. Progress is mainly good in all other subjects. At both key stages it is good in art, music, physical education and in geography and history at Key Stage 2. It is satisfactory in geography and history at Key Stage 1. No judgement can be made about design and technology for which there was insufficient evidence. Very little time is given to this subject and some skills are taught through art and science.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

16. In the special education centre the pupils make very good progress. Their progress is particularly good in English, mathematics and in their personal development. Their individual education plans clearly show the progress they make from one step to another. In two years, for example, they move from ordering numbers 1-20 to 1-1000, they progress from learning initial letter sounds to making consonant blends, they move from a personalised book to using a commercial scheme reading book and progress from writing very short sentences to neat, well formed, joined script. Pupils become more confident and independent. Those with behavioural difficulties learn to modify their behaviour, form working relationships and co-operate with others. The very good progress is attributable to the high quality of teaching and support provided.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

17. In other classes the children with special needs make progress at a rate similar to other pupils. They St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 18 make the best progress in lessons where there is additional adult support and where the work is closely matched to their specific needs. Some pupils make less progress in numeracy than in literacy. This is because their needs may be less clearly identified or because teachers take insufficient account of these when planning work.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

18. Traveller children make progress at a rate similar to other pupils. They often work best once they have settled in and feel secure and have the support of an additional adult. Parents say they are making better progress in this school than they have done in previous schools because the teachers provide work that is interesting to them but at an appropriate level for their stage of learning.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

23. Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

19. Children’s personal and social development is given a high priority in the nursery, which prepares them well for the reception year. By the time they are five, children establish appropriate attitudes to learning and they grow in confidence. The good relationships with staff and one another make them become more independent in dressing themselves, tidying away equipment and making choices of what to do and when to do it. They play co-operatively with others and know how to share and wait for their turn. Although most children behave appropriately for their age there are some with behavioural problems who find this difficult.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

20. Overall, pupils’ attitudes to work are good at Key Stages 1 and 2. In all classes there are many pupils who are keen to get on and are properly motivated but there is a significant number who are not and they become restless, lack the ability to apply themselves consistently to their work and do not respond well to their teachers. This is particularly noticeable in Years 2, 3 and 4. As the pupils become older they show a better response to their work and by the time they are ready to leave the school their attitudes are very good.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

21. The majority of pupils behave well, are courteous and show respect to adults and their surroundings. However, the behaviour of a few pupils in some classes is unsatisfactory or even poor. This poor behaviour can create disruption within the classroom, which reduces the progress made by other pupils. A few teachers do not use all the agreed strategies for the management of poor behaviour, and disruption continues to the detriment of others.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

22. Overall, relationships within the school are very good. The very good relationships that exist between teachers and children provide the basis for good management and discipline and help to keep children motivated during lessons. Pupils enjoy working together in small groups or pairs, particularly when they can carry out research and find things out for themselves. In class most listen to each other’s point of view and are happy to offer their ideas to the rest of the class. This is more evident in Key Stage 2 and is linked to their increasing maturity. In discussion, the older pupils say that the school is a fair place, people are friendly and teachers are nice, although they too confirm that there is some bad behaviour.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

23. All classes have duties which pupils carry out in turn, such as taking registers to the office, collecting work and giving out books. The school frequently engages in fund-raising and this is both for the pupils’ own benefit and for many charities both at home and overseas. Older pupils say they enjoy homework and by the time they leave the school, they are suitably prepared for the next stage of their education. St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 19 28. Attendance

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

24. Attendance of 94.4 per cent and authorised absence of 5.6 per cent for the school year 1997-1998 were broadly in line with national averages and there was no unauthorised absence. The figures for 1998-99 are similar. Attendance is satisfactory. The school has good procedures in place and uses them effectively to keep absences down to a minimum. There are very few latecomers and school sessions begin promptly.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

25. The school has addressed the issues raised in the last inspection report. Registers are now being marked correctly and attendance data published in accordance with statutory requirements.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

26. Overall, the quality of teaching is good. During the inspection the teaching was good in 26 per cent of lessons, very good in 35 per cent of lessons and excellent in five per cent. Just over 30 per cent was satisfactory and in three per cent was unsatisfactory. This represents a significant increase since the previous inspection, in that the proportion of very good and excellent teaching has increased from 14 per cent, and the amount of less than satisfactory teaching has reduced from 12 per cent to three. One reason for the improvements is that schemes of work have been developed for most subjects, so that teachers have more guidance to help them plan lessons. Additionally, staff development has had an impact on teachers’ knowledge and confidence in subjects such as information technology. In Key Stage 2, the teaching is very good in Years 5 and 6, and has a very positive impact on the progress

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

made by pupils at the end of the key stage. The few unsatisfactory and poor lessons were observed in Year 2 and in Year 4. The consistency in the quality of teaching in the classes for children under five has improved since the previous inspection.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

27. In the last inspection the quality of teaching was judged to be good in the nursery but varied in the reception classes. There is now more consistency and teaching is good overall in all the classes for children under five. In 65 per cent of lessons teaching was at least good, often very good and sometimes excellent. Teamwork is effective between teachers and support staff and this contributes to the good progress made by all children, including those with special educational needs.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

28. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding are good. In the nursery and reception classes, the teachers are very knowledgeable about the needs of young children, and the children make good progress as a result. In Key Stages 1 and 2, teachers’ knowledge is used well in such subjects as physical education, science and art. Additionally, teachers in Years 5 and 6 have particularly good levels of knowledge and their competence in such subjects as religious education and history results in teaching which is often confident, enthusiastic and rigorous, and which contributes to the good progress made by pupils during these years. In some classes in Years 2, 3 and 4, a weakness is teachers’ knowledge of how to teach numeracy, which sometimes means that not all pupils are given appropriate work or attention. In the special education centre, the teacher is has a very good knowledge of teaching pupils with special

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

educational needs and of the subjects of the curriculum. As a consequence, these pupils make very good progress.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

29. Overall, teachers’ expectations are realistically high. Teachers often pay good attention to promoting specialist vocabulary, in subjects such as English and science, and insist that pupils try to use the St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 20 correct terminology. Occasionally, in mathematics, teachers have high expectations of the level of work done by pupils, but not of the amount produced or the concentration required. This limits the progress pupils make. In Years 5 and 6, teachers have very high expectations. They use challenging material - for example, by work on Dickens in Year 6 English lessons - and they consistently ask pupils to try harder and improve their standards. All pupils are expected to contribute fully to lessons. Pupils respond very well to these expectations, and their progress accelerates in these classes. In the special education centre, the teacher has high expectations of pupils’ participation and independence. This

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

contributes to their progress in communicating effectively and in their personal development, as well as across the subjects of the curriculum.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

30. Teachers’ lesson planning is very good and has improved since the previous inspection. Lesson plans are detailed and teachers are usually clear about what they want pupils to learn. In the most effective lessons, teachers share their intentions with the pupils, so that they are aware of the purpose of tasks and of the progress they are making. The best lessons are characterised by a carefully planned structure to support pupils’ progress. This often involves constant revision and reinforcement of previous learning and the introduction of new skills and knowledge. In physical education lessons, teachers frequently plan for a very good balance between vigorous activity and controlled movements. Teachers are very imaginative, and regularly plan interesting tasks which motivate pupils and make learning fun, through for example, the use of teddy bears in the early years and in Year 1, and of mime and games in

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

31. Teachers generally use a good range of methods, providing an appropriate balance of whole class, individual and group activities. Direct teaching methods are often used very successfully, so that pupils learn skills and knowledge. However, in a few lessons, pupils spend too long sitting together on the carpet and some get restless. In an excellent literacy lesson in Year 6, pupils remained in their desks, so that the teacher was able to circulate, keeping their attention and maintaining high standards of discipline. Similarly, some teachers find it advisable to move round the class when pupils are working independently, in order to keep them focused on their work 32. In general, teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well. In the special education centre, the teacher manages her pupils very well. She has high expectations and sets clear parameters, so pupils know how they must behave. In the rest of the school, a minority of teachers have difficulty in maintaining control,

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

especially at lower Key Stage 2. These teachers rely on quietening and containing pupils: they ignore some incidents of challenging behaviour and they do not apply the school’s agreed strategies to control pupils and modify their behaviour. In a number of classes, particularly at the end of Key Stage 2, teachers manage pupils very well. Here, relationships are very good and successfully motivate pupils: they want to please their teacher. At the same time, teachers set out their expectations of behaviour clearly and take immediate action when pupils fall short of these standards – for example, refusing to proceed with the lesson whilst pupils are not listening. Some teachers use praise and rewards very effectively and discriminatingly. In the best instances, pupils are made aware of why praise is given. This helps them to appreciate what standards they are aiming for.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

33. In the classes for children under five, teachers make good use of the available time and resources although there is a need to provide more intensive bouts of teaching in basic skills to accelerate progress in literacy and numeracy in the nursery. In Key Stages 1 and 2, teachers make very good use of time and resources. Occasionally the pace of lessons is too slow, particularly when pupils spend extended periods sitting together listening to the teacher. Some teachers are skilled at judging when to move to a different activity, before pupils’ concentration lapses. An effective strategy is when teachers set time limits for tasks, which encourages pupils to work hard. In the special education centre, the support assistants are extremely well briefed and deployed and make a significant contribution to pupils’ progress. Similarly, the teamwork between teachers and support staff is effective in the under fives

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

classes, and contributes to the children’s good progress. Otherwise, support staff are generally well deployed, although they are sometimes not sufficiently involved when the teacher is talking to the whole class. In particular, they do not act to correct pupils who misbehave, nor do they record pupils’ St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 21 responses.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

34. Teachers know the pupils and their needs well. In the classes for children under five teachers assess pupils’ needs very well. Some teachers are very skilled at using questioning techniques to assess pupils’ understanding. In the most effective lessons, they modify their plans in the light of this information – as in a Year 6 literacy lesson, where the teacher provided an additional activity because she had realised that pupils had not understood fully the work they had been set. Most teachers use their knowledge of pupils to place them in working groups – either of similar attainment or to enable higher attaining pupils to support lower attainers. In the Special Education Centre, the teacher matches tasks very closely to the needs of the pupils. In the main school, the effectiveness of this is variable. In numeracy there are some weaknesses, owing to deficiencies in teachers’ knowledge of the subject or because they do not

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

take enough account of higher or lower attaining pupils’ needs.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

35. Homework makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ progress. In Key Stage 2, teachers make good provision, helping pupils to develop their independent learning skills – for example, when they conduct research for a project in Year 6.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

36. The previous inspection found the curriculum to be generally sound, broad and balanced but there were shortcomings in the reception year and statutory requirements were not met for design and technology and information technology. Schools now have more flexibility in the requirements for design and technology but the status of information technology has been enhanced. This inspection finds significant improvement in the curriculum in the reception classes and in information technology in Key Stages 1 and 2 but provision for design and technology is still weak.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

37. In the under-fives classes, all the recommended areas of learning for the age group are given an appropriate balance but the focus is, necessarily, on personal and social development, language and literacy. There is a consistent approach from nursery to reception classes where children gradually make the transition from the curriculum designed to meet to help them meet the national targets for five- year-olds to the early stages of the National Curriculum. Planning and assessments of what children can do are very good.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

38. In Key Stages 1 and 2, the curriculum effectively promotes pupils’ intellectual, physical and personal development. It is, generally, broad and balanced but there is one subject - design and technology - for which the school makes very little time. This subject lacks status because it is almost always taught through other subjects such as art, history and science. In the rest of the curriculum, effective links are planned between subjects and this helps to reinforce pupils’ learning. The literacy hour is well- established and the numeracy hour has been introduced successfully. They are both helping to raise standards. The curriculum makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal and social education through appropriate sex education, drug abuse awareness and studies of healthy lifestyles in science. Opportunities are provided for pupils to work in a variety of social settings and in religious education

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

lessons they learn respect for the beliefs of others. Assemblies are used well to develop a sense of worth and belonging. The school is careful to ensure that the curriculum provides equality of opportunity for all pupils to learn and make progress.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

39. Curriculum planning is now very good and this represents a major improvement since the last inspection. The school has worked hard to produce effective schemes of work for most subjects and lesson plans are detailed and informative about what pupils need to learn in order to make progress. Proper reference is made to National Curriculum Programmes of Study and to attainment levels where they exist. The school is also adopting QCA documents and making very good use of the folders for the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Subject co-ordinators have played a major role in the St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 22 development of curriculum planning except in the case of design and technology where there is no subject leader.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

40. The curriculum is enriched by a very good range of extra-curricular activities. Visits to places of interest are wide-ranging and relevant and in Key stage 2 include a coalmine, waterworks, a Roman amphitheatre and a Hindu temple; pupils in Key Stage 1 visit a safari park, a local church and museums. Pupils in Year 6 have the benefit of a residential outdoor pursuits visit. The English and music curriculum is enhanced by regular visits from an actor who presents poetry sessions and a musician who develops group music-making skills. Sporting activities include football, for girls and boys, and rounders, athletics and cricket in summer. After-school clubs include dance, drama, art, choir and computer. Funding from the Education Action Zone provides additional provision after-school. Pupils take an active role in the community through fundraising for charities, parcels sent to Eastern Europe and entertainment for old people. Visitors from the community include local ministers and Sikh

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

41. A suitable range of homework is provided which involves reading, learning spellings and tables and sometimes includes additional tasks for literacy and numeracy. By the time they are in Year 6, pupils are expected to regularly engage in English, mathematics and science tasks at home and they are required to carry out a personal study of their own choice.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

42. The curriculum provided for children from Traveller families is the same as that offered to all other children. They are integrated well into classes throughout the school and particular care is taken to see that they feel secure and happy when they have had a spell away from school. There are now few Traveller families compared with numbers in earlier years but the school understands the difficulties experienced by these children when they first start school and continues to provide the support they need to get them off the ground. In support of these efforts the Department for Education and Employment is to provide some part-time adult support, particularly for those children just starting school. Most children have made slow progress for their age only because attendance has been poor but this improves when some additional time can be provided and helps them to catch up. The school is doing all it can to

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

ensure that Traveller children have the same opportunities and access to all aspects of the curriculum as do all others.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

43. The curriculum for pupils in the Special Education Centre is very good. It is broad and balanced and is highly relevant to the needs of these pupils. A suitably strong emphasis is placed on literacy and numeracy and on information technology and these areas are reinforced very effectively through work in other subjects. Planning is closely linked to the school’s curricular plans; this enables these pupils to work alongside those in the main part of the school, with support, for some lessons and activities.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

44. The provision for pupils with special educational needs in the main school meets the requirements of the Code of Practice. All pupils on the school’s register have individual education plans: these set out clearly the pupils’ particular difficulties. However, the short-term targets for pupils to achieve vary in precision. In some cases they are very sharply focused and enable teachers to measure progress accurately; others are too vague. Targets are, appropriately, focused on literacy, but sometime insufficient attention is paid to pupils’ numeracy and behavioural difficulties.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

45. Assessment is very good. A wide range of records is kept of what pupils can do and what they need to do next. The school has a useful written policy for marking which is applied across all classes. Teachers use the results of assessments to set targets for pupils in order to raise standards. Suitable opportunities for assessment are included in lesson plans and they correspond to the learning objectives set for the tasks. These help teachers to plan work for the range of abilities in their class and ensure that pupils make appropriate progress. Annual reports to parents are full, contain details of attainment and progress and highlight weaknesses which need improvement.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

46. In the special education centre, assessment procedures are very well thought out. Pupils’ progress towards their targets is carefully monitored and records are informative and well maintained. Annual St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 23 reviews are carried out according to statutory requirements.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

47. In the main school, assessment procedures are used to quickly identify pupils with special educational needs and to place them on the school’s register. Individual education plans are regularly reviewed but records do not always indicate clearly when targets have been achieved.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

52. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

48. The provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is very good and this represents a significant improvement since the previous inspection.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

49. In the classes for children under five these areas are promoted effectively. The major Christian festivals such as Christmas are celebrated and children are introduced to Bible stories. Books and resources reflect the multicultural nature of society. Children are provided with a range of experiences to make them more aware of the world around them and these include visits to places of interest and visitors to the school such as musicians and fire fighters. Through stories and discussions, children are encouraged to identify right from wrong and the consequences of their actions.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

50. At both key stages spirituality is developed very well through the acts of worship. The stories used in worship are used very effectively, particularly by the headteacher, who is a very skilled story teller. He is able, through good voice modulation and by detailed preparation, to create a spiritual atmosphere in the hall which captivates and holds the attention of all the pupils. The pupils respond well to the atmosphere created and their singing is spiritually uplifting, showing great sensitivity for the mood of the hymn or song. Groups of pupils, such as the choir or flautists, often perform on these occasions and their efforts and quality of performance are fully appreciated by fellow pupils. In literature pupils experience stories which enable them to develop their own set of values. For example, in history they learn to appreciate the feelings of life in Victorian times when young children were made to work as

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

chimney sweeps. Religious education provides pupils with insights into other beliefs and enables them to compare their beliefs and traditions with others. During field trips pupils are provided with opportunities to explore and appreciate the world of nature for instance looking at the beauty of trees and leaves and the colours of nature.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

51. Moral development is a strong feature throughout the school. Again the assemblies contain stories which have a moral message. Pupils discuss such issues in literature, history and geography. The behaviour policy gives due emphasis to rewarding positive behaviour and is backed up with the award of certificates for good behaviour and good attitudes. Pupils understand and generally accept the school rules, particularly when they are applied consistently and fairly. Pupils are set good examples by the staff, who often show that they are willing to listen to pupils and appreciate their contributions to the lessons.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

52. Social development is very good. Relationships are generally very good between pupils and are particularly good between staff and pupils. Children are given many opportunities to develop their social skills. The youngest children are given simple responsibilities such as carrying the register to the secretary while the older pupils ensure that the audio visual aids required for the assemblies are all in place and tidied away at the end. Some of the older pupils took part successfully in the Children’s Parliament in which they debated some current issues, such as the environment. As part of this they visited the Houses of Parliament and met the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the House and other Members of Parliament. By the time they leave the school most pupils are polite and confident and willingly engage in conversation with adults. They all will have experienced residential visits where

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

they have developed further their social skills of living together away from home. St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 24 53. The cultural provision is now very good and the school has made a very good effort to improve this aspect. Their knowledge and understanding of the diversity of cultures in this country is developed through art, music and religious education and supported by the displays around the school. The school corridors are decorated with paintings, done by a parent, of scenes from books and stories from other cultures. Stories in assemblies are often taken from other countries, such as the story of the Japanese flute player. The school provides very well for pupils' own cultural development. During the week of the inspection a visiting specialist drummer took much of the music and created great excitement and stimulation as he got pupils to perform different rhythm patterns on a wide range of drums and

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

percussion instruments. A performer also visited the school to promote poetry and his excellent dramatic performance captivated pupils of all ages and exposed them to the power of language that few would experience out of school. Pupils sing songs from other countries in choir and in their music lessons and listen to and read stories from all over the world.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

54. The school’s arrangements for pupils’ support, guidance and welfare is caring and very thorough. Class teachers maintain very full records of academic progress in core subjects, as well as notes about behaviour, and concerns about social development. The family and personal circumstances of all pupils are well documented and this helps staff give them very good support. Parents are involved promptly whenever pupils have problems and the school has good working relationships with outside agencies who offer specialist help. These arrangements have improved since the last inspection. However, the records relating to pupils with special educational needs in mainstream classes are insufficiently consistent in setting targets that give a clear indication of the progress being made.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

55. There is a very effective behaviour policy and staff work hard to discourage all forms of unacceptable behaviour, but a few teachers do need to be more consistent in its application. Parents present at the pre-inspection meeting stated their belief that generally, pupils’ behaviour was good and that when bullying occurred it was dealt with effectively. Inspection findings confirm this belief. The midday supervisors play their part fully in the consistent application of the policy. All staff promote a caring attitude amongst pupils and as a result relationships are very good at all levels. The school’s procedures for monitoring attendance and following up absences are very good and there is effective support through the education welfare service.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

56. The child protection procedures are well understood and are based on agreed local guidelines. Members of staff are fully aware of what steps are to be taken should they have concerns about any pupil. The school has a suitable curriculum of personal and social education that gives pupils the opportunity to explore their feelings and emotions as they grow up.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

57. Pupils are well prepared to begin their time in the school when they join the nursery or reception classes. When they are older, they are well prepared for moving on to secondary education. Additional finance has been provided through the Education Action Zone to develop this aspect of pupil welfare, as well as an After School Club. Very thorough procedures are in place to ensure that all the related matters of health and safety, medicines and first aid, risk assessments, fire drills and precautions are dealt with to very high standards. Parents confirm their satisfaction with the school’s efforts and say that their children enjoy coming to school. St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 25 62. Partnership with parents and the community

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

58. The school actively seeks parents as partners in their children's education and the questionnaires indicate that parents feel encouraged and find the school very approachable. A good number of parents work in the classrooms, helping with practical activities. Another group are working with their children on an additional literacy programme. All are asked to read and undertake other tasks with their children at home. A group of parents run the ‘Friends of St. Martins’, organising social and fund-raising events and these are well supported providing valuable contributions to school funds as a result. The planned refurbishment of the two halls will be largely funded by their efforts. Parents play an appropriate part in school life and make a good contribution to the standards that their children achieve.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

59. The school provides a good range of information to parents based on regular newsletters, twice- yearly parent consultations, clear and informative pupil annual reports and very good informal contacts on a daily basis. Parents of children with problems or special educational needs are well informed about progress and contribute to periodic reviews. Nevertheless, there are still a few improvements which can be made; more information needs to be provided about each term’s topics and themes; and the prospectus lacks sufficient information on such aspects as curriculum and special needs.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

60. The school has a very important position within the local community. It has a key role in the South Wye Regeneration Programme and through this a number of community based programmes, often working in alliance with parents, have been introduced: there are additional literacy classes; there is an After School Club; many parent helpers have achieved qualifications in child care; holiday play schemes are run; there have been various adult education classes. There are strong links with the local churches and residents and the community policeman visits to support topics in the curriculum, particularly on drugs awareness. The emergency services all visit at various times to explain their role in society. There are frequent student visitors from other schools and colleges. All of these activities greatly enrich pupil’s understanding of the community in which they live. Some work has been done with the Education and Business Partnership and this remains an area for future

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

61. In the previous inspection report this aspect was judged to be sound overall, with strengths and weaknesses in important areas. The management and efficiency of the school were seen as requiring some improvement. In the last three years the governors’ action plan identified ways in which the weaknesses could be improved and it is better than it was. Although work on the prospectus is still to be completed since the previous inspection the leadership and management is now good. Contributions from governors and staff as well as those of the headteacher are encompassed in leadership.

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

62. The governing body has always recognised that it has specific statutory responsibilities. Discussions with governors provide clear evidence of their understanding of their roles. Committee structures have been established that cover important areas such as finance, appointments and curriculum. These committees may be of any size – small groups reporting to the full governing body or even the full St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 26 governing body if there is a particular interest. This has led to greater governor involvement in decision making, more effective use of governor time and ultimately governor satisfaction. Those governors who have expressed a particular interest in a curricular subject are able to discuss this with co-ordinators, see the subject being taught and understand the concerns and successes identified by staff. For example, the literacy governor has monitored the implementation of the National Literacy Strategy and seen it

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

taught at first hand. She has acquired a wide range of knowledge and understanding that enables her to be well placed to advise the governing body, support staff and contribute to informed decision making. Teachers have attended governors’ meetings to explain new initiatives or policies. Governors confirm that they do see their role including that of ‘critical friend’ but they respect the professionalism of the staff and are insistent that it must be carried out in a non-threatening way.

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

63. The governors and staff bring together their respective knowledge of the community and its families. All have a good awareness of the difficulties they school may encounter when children start school. The school is not complacent about its standards and know that staff must continually work hard to enable the majority of pupils to achieve an acceptable level of attainment. The difficulties of educating children with limited social skills and low levels of literacy and numeracy have been recognised and efforts made to set up initiatives to improve standards. The school now benefits from funding as part of an Education Action Zone and from the bid for South Wye Regeneration. These funds are being used for initiatives to improve pupils’ attainment and progress and extend parental understanding of the part they can play in their children’s education. This is good but governors and staff now need to look at the

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

fluctuating progress in the school and determine how the good progress, which begins at the under-five stage, can be maintained and have an impact on standards at the end of Key Stage 1 as it is doing at the end of Key Stage 2.

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

64. The headteacher is well supported by the deputy, senior management team and administration staff as he directs the work of the school, particularly the day-to-day management and organisation. Equality of opportunity for all pupils has received considerable attention. There are strategies to ensure that the school affirms and supports ethnic, cultural, religious and social diversity and effectively promotes good personal and community relations. There is a small number of Travelling children who have unhindered access to schooling and are integrated fully into mainstream education. The Department for Education and Employment has agreed to provide some funding for part-time adult support to particularly assist those Traveller children who have recently started school.

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

65. Teachers who have subject or aspect co-ordination responsibilities have leadership and management functions. Oversight of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream classes is maintained competently by the special needs co-ordinator. She consults regularly with class teachers, the headteacher and the designated governor. Every effort is made to ensure that outside agencies are involved when appropriate, to support pupils’ progress. However, there is a need to monitor more closely the writing of individual education plans to ensure that standards are consistently high. The special needs centre has its own co-ordinator who oversees the work of the 12 pupils with statements of specific educational need. The centre is very well managed and children thrive here. The expertise of the co-ordinator is used very effectively to support the work of the mainstream co-ordinator. All subject

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

co-ordinators make opportunities to monitor pupils’ work and some have had time to monitor the teaching and learning at first hand. This was effective in literacy last year and numeracy is receiving attention this year. This good practice needs to be extended as the school moves into the next stage of its development. Some subjects such as art, design and technology and music still lack co-ordination and management. This should not be a problem with such a large staff. When responsibilities are reviewed attention should be given to these posts and how they are supported to ensure that all teachers have some curricular responsibilities in line with their conditions of service.

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

66. The Key Stage 1 co-ordinator is responsible for the under-fives provision and she is knowledgeable about the work of this section of the school. Curricular reviews since the previous inspection have resulted in better consistency between the nursery and reception classes and teamwork is good. St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 27 However, the nursery and four under-fives classes represent a significant proportion of the school and a leader designated specifically for this area would give higher status to this stage of learning and take on the necessary work of preparing the school for the new curriculum for children under five which must be in place by next September.

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

67. Governors try to keep up to date on all statutory requirements and the action plan identified three areas that needed attention. That relating to the marking of registers has been remedied and work has taken place on the information missing from the Governors’ Annual Report to Parents. All the required information has been added and the report now awaits the next annual meeting. However, the work identified for the prospectus is still outstanding. It has no new format and lacks important areas of information. This leaves the school unable to fulfil all its statutory responsibilities and this matter is now an urgent requirement.

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

72. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

68. The school has a good number of suitably qualified and experienced teaching staff to meet the needs of the National Curriculum, areas of learning for children under five and religious education. Staff are deployed according to their expertise and interests and have responsibilities for subjects and various aspects of school organisation. The number of support staff is particularly good and they are well qualified. Their knowledge and skills are used most effectively to assist pupils’ progress, including those with special educational needs.

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

69. The arrangements for staff development are good, reflecting whole-school development issues as well as individual needs. Many staff have undertaken recent training, particularly on literacy and numeracy. Additional funding has been provided through the Education Action Zone budget from which support staff have had opportunities to take part in the Support Teacher Assistant project with two people gaining distinctions. The staff appraisal programme is continuing and is used to evaluate opportunities for training and personal development.

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

70. The school stands on an open site, with extensive grassed and hard areas. When the headteacher first came to the school the premises were unattractive and often lacking stimulation and comfort. Improvements to the premises became a priority to enable both pupils and teachers to have a pleasant place for learning. The accommodation was judged to be good in the previous inspection report and there have been many improvements since. Classrooms have been added, toilets improved and there has been redecoration and some refurbishment. Work on improvement to the school library has been delayed as other priorities become more pressing. These include an information technology suite and the refurbishment of the two halls. Accommodation is now very good.

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

71. Most of the deficiencies in resources which were listed in the previous report have been rectified and the school is suitably equipped for most subjects. In some subjects the resources are good. There are still some minor shortcomings. There are too few books in the library, although many are borrowed to supplement them; there is a shortage of artefacts in history and Christian artefacts in religious education. The most significant future development will be the upgrading of the school’s computer facilities as it is linked into the National Grid for Learning.

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

72. The efficiency of the school has improved since the last inspection. Although funds were found to be St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 28 appropriately distributed to major spending headings, the links with the school’s development plan were not sufficiently close or well developed. This has now been remedied and all developments are carefully costed. Governors were also found to lack confidence in their ability to oversee financial administration. Now, the head teacher and more experienced governors ensure, through careful financial planning and the work of the finance committee, that the resources available to the school are used fully to support the educational development of the pupils.

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

73. The school benefits from a number of funds. Those provided for special educational needs in mainstream school are used effectively, mainly for additional adult support. The school is part of an Education Action Zone and the extra resources this brings are directed mainly towards support assistants and their training, special educational needs co-ordinator time, a Fathers and Reading project, home visits, learning support lunchtime project and liaison with the secondary school. The South Wye Regeneration budget is used very effectively to assist parents’ involvement in their children’s education and raise the awareness of the community to the numeracy and literacy needs of children at home. Improvement in children’s progress is already evident but it is too soon yet to make judgements about improvements in attainment.

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

74. There is careful deployment and effective use of all teachers whose individual expertise and interests are used across the school. Particularly effective use is made of support staff. Their training has significantly improved the contributions they can make to both literacy and numeracy sessions and there are good indications of the benefits to pupils’ progress. The school budgets systematically for well- focused expenditure. For example, new learning resources for the literacy hour have contributed to an improvement in attainment in National Curriculum English tests by the oldest pupils. Various grants have been used well to update the accommodation and enhance the learning environment. This has made the school a stimulating place for children to learn.

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

75. Financial administration is efficient and supports the purposes of the school, allowing the teachers to focus on their work with pupils. Future plans include the allocation of money to curriculum areas and this delegation will enable co-ordinators to plan more fully for the development of their subject. Purchases for under-fives resources are made as and when required. Although a considerable amount of money has been spent on outdoor equipment in the last year in the nursery, funding should be put on a more formal basis so that resource provision is a result of careful audit of needs and setting of priorities according to developments designed to improve standards.

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AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

76. With the improved standards of attainment achieved, and the quality of education provided, the school is judged to give good value for money. St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 29 81. PART B:

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Areas of learning for children under five

77. Children enter the nursery at the age of three and attend part-time. They spend a year in the nursery before transferring to three reception classes where they attend full time. The curriculum for children under five covers all these classes and is based on the six areas of leaning recommended for this age group. The previous inspection judged attainment at the age of five years to meet expectations for their age but found progress in the reception year to be too slow.

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Areas of learning for children under five

78. A baseline assessment shows that children start school with low levels of literacy and numeracy for their age and their social skills are well below average. Many children are unable to communicate their needs and wants and they have difficulty in concentrating. Although there are a few who are eager to learn, many lack confidence. By the time they are five years old, the majority attain, or are within reach of, the national targets for the age group in all six areas of learning and they make good progress because of the good provision made for them.

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Areas of learning for children under five

79. Children’s personal and social development is given a high priority in the nursery, which prepares children well for the reception year. By the time they are five, children establish appropriate attitudes to learning and they grow in confidence. Relationships with staff and one another are good and they become more independent in dressing themselves, tidying away equipment and making choices of what to do and when to do it. They play co-operatively with others and know how to share and wait for their turn. Most children behave well and obey the classroom rules although there are some with behavioural problems who find this difficult. Most persevere at tasks until they are completed and do the best they can. They consider the plight of others by raising money for charity through a penny trail.

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Areas of learning for children under five

80. In language and literacy, the majority of children, at age five, reach the national targets, although around a third of them do not. They listen to instructions from teachers and respond appropriately. They can talk about their experiences, although many still have problems with pronunciation and have a limited vocabulary. They handle books correctly and enjoy hearing stories. Many can retell a familiar story such as the Three Bears. They can recognise their names and some can write them unaided. They are learning letter sounds and how to write words either by tracing them or copying under the teachers’ print. They know that print conveys meaning and a few have begun the formal reading process. They take part in role-play and are currently practising for a Christmas concert to be performed for parents. The literacy hour sessions are having a positive impact on reading and writing skills but the reception

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Areas of learning for children under five

classes are short of big books linked to the reading scheme for whole class lessons.

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Areas of learning for children under five

81. In mathematics, the majority of children are in reach of the national targets by age five, although around a third of them are still working towards them because they have special educational needs. Most children count to ten with some going up to twenty. They recognise numbers, at least to ten, and learn to form them correctly. They can add, and sometime subtract, in practical ways, for example by counting the spots on a teddy bear with measles. Children recognise common two-dimensional shapes and know their names and are beginning to identify three-dimensional ones. They learn the vocabulary associated with size, shape, capacity and time.

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Areas of learning for children under five

82. In the area of learning known as knowledge and understanding of the world, the majority of children learn to observe and explore living things such as plants. They identify similarities and differences when comparing wet and dry sand. Reception children learn about toys which move by being pulled or pushed and they make rocking ones. Through visits such as walks in local woods and round the immediate locality of the school, they find out more about their environment and trips to museums St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 30 provided them with a sense of life in the past. They study the work of people such as dentists and fire- fighters. A visit to a safari park brings to life work on exotic animals. They can use a computer mouse to move pictures on the screen and to play literacy and numeracy games. In the nursery class, the computer tends to be dominated by boys and care needs to taken that girls have equal access to it.

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Areas of learning for children under five

83. In physical development, an improvement in resources since the last inspection helps most children to attain the national targets by age five. In the nursery, children can ride three-wheeled toys and change direction to avoid others sharing their space. In reception, they can control balls, run, skip, jump and hop, balance and climb. Children learn to use tools and implements to make marks, draw, glue, cut and mould. They pay due attention to safety.

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Areas of learning for children under five

84. In creative development, children respond, at an appropriate level, to what they see and experience through painting, making models, using collage and fabric. They use a range of media to express their feelings and use their imagination in music, dance and drama. They learn the techniques for mixing colours and their drawings become increasingly realistic. They benefit greatly from the additional teaching of a musician who is a regular visitor to school.

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Areas of learning for children under five

85. Children make good progress in all aspects of the curriculum for the under-fives from their starting point on entry to the nursery to the end of the reception year. This is a significant improvement on the last inspection. They increase their vocabulary, begin the early stages of reading and writing and develop a better awareness of numbers. Confidence grows as they become more independent and develop more control over their co-ordination. Children extend their knowledge of how things are made and how they work. They begin to master a wide range of techniques in art and join with others to make music. A noteworthy feature is the enjoyment of learning they begin to show and their enthusiastic response to work and questions asked by staff.

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Areas of learning for children under five

86. In the previous inspection report the quality of teaching was judged to be good in the nursery but varied in the reception classes. There is now more consistency and teaching is good overall in all the under- fives classes. In 65 per cent of lessons teaching was good, often very good and sometimes excellent. Teamwork is effective between teachers and support staff and this contributes to the good progress made by all children, including those with special educational needs. Curriculum planning and assessments of what children have learned are very good. Teachers prepare lessons very carefully, seeking imaginative ways to stimulate children’s interest and maintain motivation. Relationships are warm and supportive and praise is used effectively to build children’s self-esteem. Teachers are very knowledgeable about how young children learn and provide an appropriate balance of tasks children are

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Areas of learning for children under five

required to do and freedom to choose from carefully structured activities. Although the nursery programme provides for staff to focus on groups of children to teach or assess specific skills and concepts, children lack enough opportunities for short bouts of intensive teaching in order to accelerate their progress in those aspects in which they are weakest, such as literacy and numeracy. Secure foundations are laid for the National Curriculum.

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Areas of learning for children under five

87. The Key Stage 1 co-ordinator is also responsible for the under-fives. Given the size of the under-fives department, the importance it has in settling children into school and preparing them for the National Curriculum and the imminent introduction of a revised curriculum for the age group, the lack of an under-fives co-ordinator is a weakness. This stage needs a leader specifically designated for the early years.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

92. English St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 31 88. Following the previous inspection in 1996, standards in English were judged to be satisfactory at both key stages. The picture now is more complex. In 1998 the results of seven-year-old pupils in the National Curriculum tests was well below the national average in both reading and writing. The results improved in 1999, with the percentage of pupils reaching Level 2 or above broadly in line with the national average in both reading and writing. However, many pupils’ scores were at the lower end of Level 2 and only a small number attained the higher Level 3. This is partially explained by the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in that particular year group. Inspection findings show that attainment for the subject, including skill in speaking and listening, is currently below that expected for seven-year-old pupils. Although these Year 2 children are not yet at the end of the year

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

and there are a significant number with special educational needs, their progress has slowed since the efforts made at reception year and Year 1.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

89. The percentage of eleven-year-old pupils reaching Level 4 or above in the National Curriculum tests in 1998 was well below the national average. The 1999 test results show an improvement in attainment at Year 6. Although tests show the percentage of pupils attaining Level 4 and above to be still below the national average, the results are in line with those achieved at similar schools. The number of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 increased from four per cent in 1998 to well over 20 per cent in 1999. This is broadly in line with a national average of 22 per cent and is well above the average for similar schools. Inspection findings confirm that by eleven, pupils attainment is at least in line with the national average and is better when compared with similar schools.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

90. Seven-year-old children, including those with special educational needs and those from Traveller families make satisfactory progress. Progress is the same at Year 3 as pupils consolidate their skills of reading, spelling and writing. By Years 5 and 6, almost all pupils work on challenging material, at a faster pace, and make very good progress. In these two years the good teaching and the positive impact of the literacy hour, are having raising standards and most pupils are making good progress in English by Year 6. Progress of pupils in the special education centre is very good because of the high quality of teaching and support provided.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

91. Most children enter the school with very underdeveloped speaking and listening skills and this has an influence on the progress they make in all aspects of English. In the early years, staff work hard to encourage pupils to listen carefully and to develop their ability to concentrate in lesson time. Speaking and listening skills develop at a satisfactory pace and by the end of Key Stage 1 most pupils have learned the conventions of taking turns to answer questions and listening to what others have to say. This is much improved by the end of Key Stage 2 and pupils express their opinions with confidence. They listen carefully to the views of others and respond appropriately. Earlier this year an articulate group of pupils from the school were selected to represent the region in a debate for the Children’s Parliament. They were able to assemble their views, speak clearly and articulately when expressing

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

them and confidently add further points to support their motion. They did this so effectively that they were judged to have the best debating skills of those who took part. This year these skills are already being well developed at Year 5 in such subjects as history.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

92. Throughout the school most pupils practise reading for homework and efficient home/school reading records are kept. Younger pupils soon learn to recognise key words and by the age of seven the more able pupils are avid readers with a good understanding of what has been read. Standards in reading are improving overall, although a limited vocabulary and poor concentration skills limit the progress of a significant minority. When spellings and phonics are taught in the literacy hour, most pupils show interest and enjoy identifying words that rhyme.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

93. This does not always transfer into their written work however, and many children need a lot of support with spellings when writing independently. Many pupils in Years 3 and 4 continue to need support with individual reading and writing. The quantity of work they produce is lower at Year 3 and pupils need St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 32 more encouragement to use a word-book or dictionary. Often, pupils forget to check through what they have written and do not identify spelling mistakes. In Years 5 and 6 most pupils can read fluently with good expression. They tackle challenging material with enthusiasm and are able to make inferences and predictions from what they have read. Pupils are able to write for a range of purposes in all year groups and poetry and play scripts are very popular. By the age of eleven most pupils produce written work of the standard expected for their age and they have neat joined handwriting. The presentation of pupils’

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

work is of a high standard throughout the school.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

94. Most pupils respond well to the National Literacy Strategy that is now well established throughout the school. The first part of each lesson, when the whole class is taught together, is proving very successful. Pupils in Key Stage 1 are keen to read enlarged texts with their teacher, and they enjoy changing their voices to show expression. They are aware of punctuation and pause confidently at commas and full stops. Together, they analyse more challenging literature than they might otherwise read and show interest and enthusiasm in class discussions. In both key stages behaviour is generally good and in Years 5 and 6 it is very good or excellent. However, in a small number of classes, a minority of pupils find it difficult to sit still and concentrate on their work. Their behaviour disrupts the learning of others.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

95. Overall, the quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 is good in two thirds of the lessons and sometimes very good. It is satisfactory in the rest. In Key Stage 2, the teaching is good overall. Teaching in one third of lessons is excellent. With the exception of one unsatisfactory lesson the rest ranged from satisfactory to very good. All staff plan their lessons well and ensure that work is interesting and carefully matched to the different needs of pupils in the class. Pupils with special educational needs are given suitable support. With the exception of the first part of the literacy lesson, classroom assistants are well used.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

96. The literacy co-ordinator has provided strong effective leadership and has led the development of the Literacy Strategy throughout the school. She has worked with staff to produce high quality policy documents and monitors all plans and the delivery of the subject. She is involved in the assessment of pupils’ learning and in setting realistic targets for improving standards.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

97. During the last two years resources for literacy have been substantially increased. There is good provision in all year groups, although the reception classes would benefit from a greater range of large print books. The school has an adequate stock of new group reading books and graded reading books and many paperback editions of popular fiction. There are also many suitably enlarged materials for shared reading. However, the reference library is small and inadequate with many old books in poor condition. The school sensibly supplements this provision with a good range of picture books and reference books from the public library. These are located in the classrooms to ensure that pupils have access to a good range of non-fiction when working on information retrieval skills. Pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 are able to search efficiently for information using a reference book, encyclopaedia and

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

thesaurus. Plans to re-site and improve the library have been overtaken by a greater need to provide an information technology suite for the teaching of that subject. Therefore plans for the library have been deferred as a temporary measure.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

98. In the 1999 National Curriculum tests 74 per cent of seven year olds attained the average Level 2 and 5 per cent of these the higher Level 3. This was well below the national average of 90 per cent for Level 2 and above in all schools and below the average of 84 per cent for similar schools. Also in 1999, 64 per cent of eleven-year-olds attained the average Level 4 and above and, of these, 16 per cent reached the higher Level 5. This was below the national average for all schools of 72 per cent and 22 per cent St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 33 respectively. However, when compared to similar schools, results appear better and are in line with the average of 64 per cent attaining Level 4 and 17 per cent attaining Level 5. The inspection evidence confirms the below average attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 and the average attainment at the end of Key Stage 2.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

99. By the age of seven, most pupils can count in ones and twos forward and backwards up to a hundred from differing starting points. They recognise patterns such as odd and even, although few can explain these numbers in terms of divisible or not divisible by two. Most can match, order, add and subtract numbers to at least twenty and some go beyond. Although some can describe what they are doing, few understand such processes in terms of place value. When measuring they use vocabulary such as heavier than , lighter than, longer than and shorter than correctly although they have little knowledge of the names of standard metric units. The majority of children have a good grasp of the names of common two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes and some of their properties such as edges and faces. Most know coin values and the more able have an understanding and can record amounts greater than £1. Almost all know and can order the days of the week and a significant number know the months

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

of the year. The majority can tell hours and half hour times and a minority can write these in both analogue and digital times. There is underachievement in the mental recall of pairs of numbers which add up to ten, the two times table, an understanding that subtraction is the inverse of addition and the meaning of multiplication.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

100. By the age of eleven most pupils have a satisfactory understanding of large numbers and can explain them in terms of place value. They can add and subtract numbers of two and three digits using methods such as doubling, halving, rounding up and down and partitioning. They understand vulgar fractions, how to find fractional parts but are unsure about fractional equivalents. They have good knowledge of the names of many two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes, understand the difference between regular and irregular, can classify shapes using criteria such as side length, parallel lines, angles and symmetry. Pupils measure angles although few understand angle as a measure of turn. There is some weakness in the understanding of decimal fractions and, although most can multiply and divide whole numbers mentally by 10, 100 and 1000 using place value knowledge, only a few can apply this to

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

decimal fractions. Although pupils have good recall of multiplication tables up to ten times and the inverse of these, very few know the tables of metric measure.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

101. In both key stages there is evidence of pupils using and investigating aspects of numeracy. Younger pupils have solved problems relating to the amount of money in purses, the position of children in a line and the measurements of windows and doors on a picture of a house. Older pupils have investigated the angles of a triangle and discovered that these add up to 180 degrees. They have used their numeracy skills in problem solving challenges such as the one linked to a garden supplies company. In other subjects, such as history, they have worked out the lengths of the reigns of queens and kings of England and in science they have measured pulse rates and the rate at which salt dissolves in water.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

102. The last inspection report identified irregular progress as pupils moved through the school. The inspection evidence confirms that progress is still inconsistent. Pupils in the first year of Key Stage 1 make good progress but this is not sustained in Year 2, where it is merely satisfactory. Good progress is made by the younger pupils in counting, reading, writing, ordering and adding and subtracting numbers to 20 and above, and some progress to numbers up to and beyond 100. This is consolidated in Year 2 and a minority of pupils progress onto the understanding of place value to enable them to extend their skills in number computation. Pupils make satisfactory progress in Year 2 in their knowledge of two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes, in telling the time and ordering the days of the week and months of the year. Progress in Key Stage 2 is similarly inconsistent. It is satisfactory in Year 3 and in

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

one Year 4 class and good in all other classes. Satisfactory progress is made in basic numeracy skills and in data work when using tallying techniques and understanding the meaning of frequency. Good progress is made in measuring angles, the knowledge of the names of shapes particularly the less familiar ones such as heptagon, nonagon and decagon, and understanding differences by comparison of St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 34 their properties.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

103. Generally, pupils with special educational needs make good progress. In the special education centre, most Year 5 pupils have progressed from the addition and subtraction of two-digit numbers at the beginning of the term to three-digit numbers and have grown in confidence in solving number problems mentally.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

104. Most pupils are interested in numeracy. When given the chance they are keen to participate by explaining the methods they have used to find an answer. Most concentrate well, are attentive and show good levels of perseverance when faced with challenging work. Many try hard to recall facts and improve their speed of calculation. They make good use of resources such as number squares, cards and protractors. The presentation of recorded work is mostly good. The majority of pupils are well behaved and co-operate sensibly with each other. However, in some classes, the poor match of work to abilities results in unsatisfactory behaviour that hinders progress.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

105. The overall quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection, when it was mostly satisfactory. It is now good overall, with some very good teaching. There were two lessons of unsatisfactory teaching. Most teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of numeracy but there is some weakness in Year 2, Year 3 and one of the Year 4 classes. Lesson planning showed clearly identified learning objectives and, in most plans, main tasks were well matched to pupils’ age and stage of learning, which is a particular strength. However, in a few lessons, work for the faster learners is not demanding enough and the starting point for their tasks is too low. Some teachers also find difficulty in planning for pupils of all abilities during the oral and mental session although there is some good practice in this respect. For example, in a counting session in a Year I class, most pupils achieved the

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

objective of counting on to numbers up to 20, but the teacher provided a demanding challenge for the faster learners with numbers up to 100. Resources such as fraction cards, number squares and protractors are used well. Good direct teaching skills are evident in most classes through the brisk pace and effective use of questioning, explaining and demonstrating. There was some imbalance in a few lessons, with too much direct teaching. In some lessons there were too few opportunities for pupils to develop their mathematical vocabulary by explaining their methods. In the better lessons there is very good practice in this respect; for instance, in a Year 6 lesson pupils had to use correct vocabulary such as parallel, regular and acute angles when describing two-dimensional shapes. Pupil management on the whole is good but there were two lessons where bad behaviour was not handled well and it disrupted

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

the lesson. Most teachers use assessment effectively to monitor progress and plan future work and pupils are encouraged to do homework to consolidate what they have learned.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

106. The school is making good progress towards the implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy. There is growing confidence in oral and mental mathematics but in some classes pupils are not given enough opportunities to explain their solutions and this is impeding the development of mathematical vocabulary. The school has recognised that a minority of teachers are experiencing difficulty in teaching pupils of all abilities during oral work and is planning to highlight the more flexible approach currently used successfully by some teachers. For example, one very good example was seen when the faster learners were given problems to do mentally while the teacher taught an oral session with the others after which the whole class came together to share their outcomes.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

107. Inspection findings show that by the end of Key Stage 1 the majority of pupils’ attainment is in line with national averages with only a small percentage working above. This is in line with the 1999 National Curriculum teacher assessments, which showed that 89 per cent achieved the average Level 2 or above St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 35 but, of these, only two per cent achieved the higher Level 3. These inspection findings are similar to those of the previous report. By the end of Key Stage 2, most pupils are attaining in line with the national average and a significant minority are achieving the higher Level 5. This is in line with the results of the 1999 National Curriculum test results when 84 per cent achieved Level 4 or above. When the 1999 test results are analysed by average grades the school's results are above average for all schools and well above average for schools with children from a similar background. This is an

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

improvement since the last inspection when three quarters of pupils were working in line with expectations and the rest below.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

108. By the age of seven, most pupils are able to conduct simple investigations and are able to observe, record and compare their findings when, for instance, considering how quickly ice will melt in different places in the classroom. Some are beginning to explore the need for ‘fair tests’. They know that living things are found in different places and need food, water, air or light to survive. Pupils are able to sort a range of materials according to their properties and are able to describe ways in which some materials are changed by heating or cooling. There was little evidence of work in relating to physical processes but teachers’ planning indicates that this is to be tackled later in the year. By the time they leave the school most pupils are developing a sound scientific approach and are using their knowledge and understanding of science to ask appropriate questions relating to outcomes when certain techniques are

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

applied. They are fully aware of the need for a fair test and are able to consider the impact of changing a variable on their investigations. They have begun to recognise the need to repeat their observations and measurement to ensure accuracy. They are able to describe the main functions of the heart and the effect of exercise upon it. Pupils have a good knowledge of aspects of materials and are able to conduct investigations into which materials make good conductors. They are able to separate mixtures using various methods such as filtration or evaporation.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

109. Progress in Key Stage 1 is good. Pupils enter the school with very low levels of scientific knowledge and understanding and by the end of Key Stage 1, the majority are working at a level expected for their age. They make particularly good progress in work associated with materials and their properties, when they investigate the special properties of some materials such as which materials are waterproof or which materials soak up liquids best. Progress in Key Stage 2 is good across all the attainment targets. Particularly good progress was made in work on materials when pupils investigated changes to mixtures through studying condensation and evaporation and in the investigative and experimental elements of science, with pupils developing a proper scientific approach.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

110. Attitudes to the subject are generally satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2 although classes ranged from very good to unsatisfactory. In the majority of lessons, at both key stages, pupils are well motivated, keen to learn and to answer questions. They work well together to conduct their investigations and generally listen well to each other's comments. Occasionally a minority of pupils do not behave sensibly. They are noisy and lack the good levels of concentration seen in the majority of lessons and this adversely effects progress. By the time they leave the school the vast majority of pupils have developed a very good work ethic and display very mature attitudes to their work and to one another. Relationships in most classes are very good.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

111. Overall, the quality of teaching at both key stages is good. In some classes, at both stages, there is very good teaching. No lessons were unsatisfactory. Lessons are generally very well planned and prepared with resources being well organised and accessible. The learning objectives are clear and in the better lessons are shared with pupils. Teachers use an appropriate range of strategies for teaching and maintain a good balance between teacher exposition and pupil activity. They are skilled in asking questions at an appropriate time, which enables pupils to gain further insight and knowledge. In the better lessons teachers have high expectations of how pupils will behave and work and in these lessons due emphasis is given to presentation of work. Generally, teachers handle unacceptable behaviour well and employ effective strategies for control and management of pupils. Most lessons are conducted at a

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

good pace, which sustains the interest and concentration of pupils. Many teachers possess good subject St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 36 knowledge and use it well to prepare appropriately challenging activities for pupils.

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MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

112. The co-ordinator has worked particularly hard and her contributions have been successful in improving standards in science, particularly with regard to the investigative and experimental elements. Work that has contributed to the better standards includes the reorganisation of the resources so that they are accessible. More recently, a change in the school scheme of work has made it more challenging.

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OR COURSES

113. Pupils’ attainment at Key Stage 1 is below the national expectation and by the end of Key Stage 2 it is in line with expectations.

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114. By the age of seven, pupils use a limited range of programs to achieve satisfactory standards when word processing. They control a mouse accurately – for example, to start a program. Their keyboard skills are well developed, because they use a program that encourages them to use both hands and to locate keys quickly. Pupils are able to use their skills to support their work in other subjects, particularly English. In other aspects of the subject, such as handling information and operating programmable robotic toys, pupils’ attainment is unsatisfactory. This is largely due to the shortage of resources in the past.

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115. By the age of eleven, pupils are competent in the use of a range of programs. Their word-processing skills enable them to edit their writing and to present it effectively – for example, using the spell checking facility, and justifying the text. Pupils can import images from a graphics program to enhance their work, and can save and print independently. They carry out research using CD-ROMs - for example, in science and art - and they use a data-handling program to enter data and produce graphs and they search a database to find information. Using graphics programs, pupils create repeating patterns in the style of William Morris, to support their work in art. Members of the computer club use more sophisticated techniques. For example, they manipulate photographs they have taken with a digital camera, superimposing them onto scanned backgrounds or creating special effects.

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116. During Key Stage 1, pupils make satisfactory progress because the provision of resources has recently improved, giving pupils access to a wider range of information technology applications. However, there has not yet been time for these developments to have an impact on pupils’ attainment. During Key Stage 2, pupils make good progress overall, particularly in the final two years, where progress accelerates rapidly. This is due partly to enhanced resources but also to teachers being very confident and providing frequent opportunities for pupils to develop their skills. The finding of the previous inspection, that older pupils engaged in activities similar to those of younger pupils and making slow progress, is no longer valid. Pupils in the special education centre make good progress. They use information technology extensively to enhance their work in a range of subjects. For example, they

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create block graphs in mathematics, produce reports for history, and write and illustrate stories in English. St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 37 117. Pupils have good attitudes to their learning. In particular, they collaborate very well when working in pairs. The youngest pupils in Key Stage 1 take turns to play a spelling game, and then tell other pupils to take their places when the game is over. Pupils in Year 6 discuss their responses to questions and decide together how to find answers and present their work, trying to be as independent as possible. Pupils enjoy using the computers and treat them with care, working sensibly without supervision.

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118. Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory. It is good in the final two years of Key Stage 2 and in the special education centre. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, when teachers’ knowledge and skills were limited and planning was inadequate. Information technology now features in teachers’ planning, particularly for English. In Years 5 and 6, teachers provide a good range of opportunities for pupils to develop information technology skills across the curriculum. In Year 6, very good use is made of the available resources; for example, challenging tasks are set for pupils to complete during registration time. Similarly, in the special education centre, the computers are used whenever appropriate, so that pupils become increasingly skilful and independent.

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119. The provision for information technology has improved since the previous inspection, when National Curriculum requirements were not being met. Appropriate action was planned and is continuing to be carried out, leading to enhanced resources and to improvements in teachers’ confidence. The two co- ordinators have clear and practical plans for future developments, including a specialist teaching room and further staff training.

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120. Only one lesson was seen at Key Stage 1 but there is sufficient evidence to show that by the end of the key stage pupils’ attainment is in line with the criteria of the Hereford and Worcester Agreed Syllabus and is at least satisfactory. Attainment for faster learners is better. This term the focus of work has been Christianity. By extending their knowledge of stories from the Old Testament pupils have learned about the way beliefs influence the way that people live. Stories about such people as Moses or Abraham have enabled pupils to understand that some people feel the presence of God in their lives and that they are doing what they feel God wants them to do. The topic of harvest has extended knowledge and understanding of the Christian celebration of Harvest Festival and the Jewish Sukkot. Children have shown interest in the lives of such Christians as Dr Barnardo and St Francis and have a growing

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appreciation of how Jesus’ teaching about loving one another was reflected in their lives and work. At the time of inspection the work was related to Advent and Christmas.

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121. At Key Stage 2, pupils’ attainment follows the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. By Year 6, the majority of pupils have a good knowledge of Christianity and have extended their Bible knowledge. They have a growing understanding of some other principal world faiths practised in this country such as Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism. They are developing an awareness of the characteristics common to religions and understand the part played by symbolism.

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122. Pupils’ progress in some classes is good at both key stages. At Key Stage 1, progress is mainly good, particularly for faster learners, whose writing is more extensive and well presented. Children are making particularly good progress in their knowledge of aspects of Christian worship and the concept of celebration. At Year 1, children understand the importance of Advent and the preparation for Christmas. Some of the older Year 2 children demonstrated good progress as they talked about their written accounts of people in the Old Testament and their growing understanding of the role of angels, particular in the nativity story. Year 2 children are using information technology to support their learning and some good work was undertaken in relation to finding out about Judaism and accounts of a visit to a synagogue. Progress is satisfactory at Year 3 and 4 although the poor behaviour of a few

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children in Year 4 slowed the progress of others during lessons. It is good at Years 5 and 6. At Year 5, St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 38 pupils are extending their understanding of how the beliefs of religious groups influence the way they live. For example, they understand that the belief that religion is more important than hunger helps Muslims to fast at Ramadan. They are gaining an understanding of such religious concepts as sacrifice. Year 6 pupils are extending their knowledge and understanding of Sikhism as they look at artefacts and learn why these are special objects and what is their symbolic importance to this religious group. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have a well-developed understanding of the need to be tolerant and show respect for those who have different beliefs.

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OR COURSES

123. Although only one lesson was seen at Key Stage 1, the response of pupils during that lesson was good. Children were attentive, eager to please the teacher and once involved in practical tasks persevered to complete them. At Key Stage 2, pupils’ response ranged from good at Years 5 and 6 to satisfactory at Year 3 and poor at Year 4. In the best lessons pupils were interested and listened attentively. Their sensible responses to questions showed that they had listened carefully. Their very good relationships with the teacher and one another made them willing to take turns in responding to questions, listen to the opinions of others and co-operate in those groups such as making Sikh symbolic objects. In those classes where response was unsatisfactory or worse teachers found it difficult to manage the behaviour of some pupils and did not always follow the guidance set out in the behaviour policy which has been

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124. Too few lessons were seen to make possible an overall judgement about the quality of teaching at Key Stage 1. However, in the one lesson seen it was good. Lesson planning showed clear learning objectives, the pace was good, moving pupils on quickly to ensure good progress, and there was particularly good management of any misbehaviour that occurred, which prevented any disruption for others. At Key Stage 2, teaching ranged from sound with some important weaknesses to good and sometimes very good. Overall, it was good. In the best lessons, planning clearly identified what children had to learn and occasionally this was shared with the children. Where teachers had a good knowledge of the subject, topics were introduced in a lively manner that made pupils sit up and take notice. Appropriate time was made for discussion, with a good use of time so that pupils moved on to other tasks before concentration spans lapsed. Any group tasks were appropriate for the pupil’s stage of

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learning, that meant they were completed and pupils had a sense of satisfaction. This was particularly well done in the special needs centre, where pupils worked as a large group at choral speaking based on the nativity story. In the satisfactory lessons, there was appropriate planning which related well to the local syllabus and several ways were used to gain pupils’ interest. However, sometimes the teaching was too tightly structured and provided only limited opportunities for pupils to contribute. Tasks were mundane, such as writing accounts of a story. Although teachers showed firm yet patient class control and relationships were supportive and sensitive, the tasks lacked challenge and opportunities for rigorous exploration of the meaning of text were missed. At times children’s poor behaviour led to many interruptions, with teachers having to spend time resolving problems rather than engaged in

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teaching. Sometimes, despite teachers’ best efforts, it was difficult for pupils to make progress, particularly when other adults were not present to give support.

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125. Progress is good during both key stages. During Key Stage 1, pupils learn a range of skills, such as mixing colours and applying paint, printing and drawing. Teachers ensure that pupils practise their skills regularly and, as a result, their control of brushes and pencils develops well. Pupils make particularly good progress in their awareness of famous artists such as Klee, Miro and Kandinsky because teachers often introduce new skills through an exploration of their work. For example, in Year 2, pupils consider the work of Clarice Cliff, make preparatory sketches based on her work, develop designs and use these to create painted clay tiles. St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 39 126. During Key Stage 2, pupils make especially good progress in Years 5 and 6, because art is given a high profile in teachers’ planning. Pupils’ skills continue to develop well. For example, pupils in Year 5

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refine their ability to use pastels, in good quality pieces, following their exploration of ‘The Scream’ by Munch. In Year 6, pupils make good progress in their designing skills, through adapting William Morris designs for printing onto paper and fabric. The quality of pupils’ outcomes improves, as does their knowledge of art from different periods. For example, Year 5 pupils use information technology to very good effect to create portraits based on the pop art of Andy Warhol. Pupils in the special education centre make similarly good progress. For example, they learn about the style of Mondrian, and build up very effective abstract designs by scrunching crayoned and chalked paper and applying paint and glue.

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127. It was not possible to observe lessons in Key Stage 2. In Key Stage 1, in the special education centre, and in the extra-curricular art club, pupils’ attitudes are good. They are well motivated and settle quickly to practical tasks, following instructions sensibly. Pupils try very hard to be successful and to reach high standards. Behaviour is generally good, but pupils in Key Stage 1 become restless when the teacher’s introduction is too long and they have to sit on the carpet for a lengthy period.

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128. Although few lessons were observed, it is clear that the quality of teaching is good. In the special education centre, the teaching is very good. Here, high standards are demanded and pupils are expected to be as independent as possible. Demonstrations are of very high quality, and questions are used very effectively to check pupils’ understanding and remind them of key points. In Key Stage 1, skills are taught carefully, resources are well organised and tasks are explained clearly, so pupils can get on with their work.

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129. There is no co-ordinator for art at present. However, pupils’ work is very effectively displayed and celebrated and it enhances the school environment. Art contributes significantly to pupils’ cultural development.

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130. There is insufficient evidence to judge pupils’ progress and attitudes or the quality of teaching. Pupils learn relevant skills and knowledge through activities stemming from their work in other subjects, such as art and science. In this way, they make progress, but there are only informal methods of ensuring that their work builds on what they already know, understand and can do. During the inspection, pupils in Year 6 made good progress in a science lesson, developing their designing skills by generating ideas for a working model incorporating an electric circuit. Although planned as science, the activity made a good contribution to pupils’ progress in design and technology.

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131. Year 6 pupils were well motivated by their task, which produced an enthusiastic response. Pupils enjoyed working together in pairs and successfully negotiated with each other to produce their design.

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132. There is no co-ordinator for design and technology, which is unsatisfactory. The school has made little progress towards developing the subject, identified as a weak area by the previous inspection.

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133. Only one lesson was seen in geography - in Key Stage 1 - so a judgement cannot be made on teaching overall. There was, however, sufficient evidence from pupils’ work, displays, discussions with pupils St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 40 and teachers’ planning on which to make a judgement on progress. The previous inspection judged progress in geography to be satisfactory in both key stages. This has improved, as progress is still satisfactory in Key Stage 1 but is now good in Key Stage 2.

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134. Through their work in a wide range of geography related topics, pupils in Key Stage 1 learn to identify the characteristics of the seasons, including migration; they compare their own city with the seaside and discuss how they might increase the safety of an area. Good links are made with other subjects: in religious education, learning about the travels of Mary and Joseph prior to the birth of Jesus help to give purpose to the work on journeys. Year 2 pupils are able to explain what maps are for and know the names of some countries outside the United Kingdom, the type of climate they have and the kind of animals that live in them. They are developing a knowledge of places.

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135. In Key Stage 2, pupils make good progress in their understanding of environmental issues. Year 6 pupils are well aware of their responsibilities for stewardship of the environment and can discuss the issues in a sophisticated way, expressing their own views while appreciating the complexity of the decisions that sometimes have to be made regarding pollution, endangered species and the needs of people. Pupils develop a good understanding of their own locality, its advantages and disadvantages. They learn to use maps to plot journeys and can identify features of unfamiliar places through the study of Ordnance Survey maps. They gain greater understanding of the impact of landscape and climate on the lives of people. Good progress is made in geographical skills.

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136. The pupils in the special education centre experience a good range of work in geography. This is suitably linked to the National Curriculum Programmes of Study and the work of the rest of the school and therefore enables them to integrate more easily when appropriate. They make good progress in their studies of the local environment, weather and map-making skills.

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137. In the lesson seen and in discussions with pupils there was evidence to show that attitudes are good. Pupils in Key Stage 1 are eager to talk about their work, answer questions and express opinions. In both key stages they are interested in the world in which they live and remember what they have been taught. The Year 6 pupils engage in personal study at home and some of them have chosen a geographical topic such as life under the sea. Pupils’ work is neat and well-presented.

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138. In the one lesson seen in Year 1, the teaching was very good. The very good lesson plans and clear identification of what children needed to learn enables the teacher to assess the capabilities of the class. The imaginative approach (which involved looking for evidence of where a teddy bear had been on holiday from the contents of his travel bag) captured pupils’ interest and maintained their attention. The highly effective questioning techniques helped pupils to look for clues and consider the evidence.

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139. No lessons were seen at Key Stage 1 but there is sufficient evidence to show that pupils are experiencing activities that are firmly based on the new scheme of work and pupils are making satisfactory progress. Children have investigated how our toys are different from the past, why they remember Florence Nightingale and what they know about the Great Fire of London. At Year 2, displays show that they have used their making skills well to make a model of a London street as it might have been before the fire. They know that the fire happened a long time ago. Most children are able to sequence events correctly, know why the fire started and what happened, why it ended and some of the results. The slower learners select some relevant information but many others communicate their understanding in a variety of ways. At Key Stage 2 progress is satisfactory at Year 3 and good in other classes. By the time they leave school they have gained knowledge and

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understanding about the main changes the Romans brought to Britain, life at the time of World War II, how times changed from the 1950s to the 1990s and life in Victorian times. This subject has been used St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 41 well to introduce elements of other subjects and at Key Stage 2 there are particularly good links to art, literacy and numeracy.

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140. No judgement can be made about pupils’ response to the subject at Key Stage 1. At Key Stage 2, pupils’ response is good at Year 3 and very good in other years. Pupils show much interest and want to talk about what they are learning. There is often excitement and eagerness to respond to the teachers’ questions or to take part in an activity. Year 4 pupils were agog to see what a suitcase for an evacuee would contain and were incredulous about the experiences of children at that time. Progress was rapid during this lesson as they gained new knowledge and understanding, handled artefacts and sampled food similar to that of the period. Older pupils made particularly good progress when involved in debate. A Year 5 debate about women in the 1970s sparked keen interest in taking on challenging roles such as that of the Prime Minister. Co-operation was very good as they worked in groups to determine the

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arguments they would need to support their view. They confidently voiced opinions, listened to others and responded well as they learned to express views from someone else’s perspective.

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141. Overall, the quality of teaching is good at Key Stage 2 but no judgement can be made about Key Stage 1 as no lessons were seen. Teachers have very good relationships with pupils which makes them eager to take part in lessons and maintains interest. Teachers provide clear explanations and children understand what they have to do. There is good management and discipline, which makes for a calm atmosphere and good behaviour. In some lessons the teaching was very good. Resources were used very effectively. Teachers had taken considerable trouble to provide or borrow appropriate artefacts and had made some of the items used, such as the doorstep sized egg sandwich in the evacuee’s suitcase, which brought an air of realism to the lesson. Appropriate encouragement enables even the less articulate pupils to take part in such activities as a debate. Teachers use appropriate subjects as good vehicles for reinforcing literacy skills and extending provision for pupils’ moral and social development.

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142. The school has maintained the good level of history work that was seen at the previous inspection and the knowledgeable co-ordinator is providing appropriate support and advice for the new scheme of work.

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143. Progress in music is good, particularly in singing and in performing generally. Pupils sing in assemblies with controlled enthusiasm, with great joy and with sensitivity to the mood of the music. The large school choir achieves very good standards of performance and is confident in singing both in unison and in two parts and sings with great clarity and a good tone. Pupils perform well with both tuned and untuned instruments, particularly when using the drums and percussion instruments of the specialist teacher. The pupils in the special education centre also make good progress, particularly in making simple compositions of word rhythms which they later perform using voices and instruments. Other pupils benefit from instrumental tuition and reach a sufficiently high standard to be able to perform in the assemblies.

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144. Pupils’ attitudes to music are generally very good. Pupils are enthusiastic and enjoyment is a constant feature of the lessons. They work well together while practising their performances and most display good levels of concentration. Pupils listen well to instruction and show good recall of previous learning. Behaviour in most lessons is good despite the excitement of the activities provided.

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145. Overall, the quality of teaching is good. A visiting specialist, whose knowledge and enthusiasm were major features in the successful lessons, provided much of the music teaching during the inspection. He is a regular visitor to the school and provides pupils with the opportunities to use a wide range of good St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 42 quality percussion instruments in an exciting and challenging way. He displays very good control and manages in a very short time to build very good relationships with the pupils. His lessons are always taken at a very good pace, which manages to sustain pupils’ interest. In other lessons teaching was equally good. The lessons were well planned and prepared. Teachers provided pupils with appropriately challenging activities and kept their interest throughout the lessons.

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146. At present there is no co-ordinator for music, although there is effective support from several teachers for such activities as choir and recorders. The lack of a co-ordinator is unsatisfactory. Visits and visitors to the school, including peripatetic teachers, occasionally combine their talents in an orchestra to further enhance the subject.

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147. Physical education is an integral part of the school’s curriculum. It is given an appropriate amount of teaching time and includes all elements of the National Curriculum.

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148. In dance, younger pupils show good skills in composing and controlling movements in response to music and stories. Older pupils know how to vary shape, direction and speed in dance to interpret different types of music. In gymnastics pupils show good body control when travelling, using stretch, pull and pushing movements both on the floor and on apparatus. The quality of movement by some of the Year 5 pupils, in demonstrating cartwheels, using good posture at the beginning and end of the performance, is of a very good standard. The school has an effective swimming programme which ensure that, by the time they leave the school most pupils can swim unaided, competently and safely, for at least 25 metres. Although no games lessons were observed, games skills and tactics were being well developed during extra-curricular activities in netball and football.

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149. All pupils make good progress. They develop the capacity to sustain energetic activity. By the age of seven they have made good progress in dance. They use movement to create simple characters, show feeling and mood in response to a musical story such as Jack and the Beanstalk. These individual skills are extended as pupils move through the school when gymnastics and dance are integrated and group work is introduced. Pupils make good progress towards an understanding of sequencing, continuity and working together, using a wide range of movement to interpret modern music.

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150. Pupils’ attitude towards physical education is very good. They are attentive and work very hard to improve their performance. They work safely whether alone or in a group and take turns in a sensible manner. Behaviour is very good and resources are used well. Pupils are keen to demonstrate and always appreciate the efforts of others.

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151. The overall quality of teaching is very good. Lessons are well planned with clear learning objectives and have interesting content. The work is carefully matched to pupils’ ages and abilities. Teachers have high expectations in terms of behaviour, co-operation and the level and amount of work. They organise resources effectively and ensure that these are used correctly and safely. They show their very good knowledge and understanding for in, for example, timely interventions to improve performance by using pupil demonstrations to promote progress.

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152. Physical education is enhanced by a range of extra-curricular activities including, netball, hockey, football, cricket, athletics and rounders. Older pupils experience outdoor pursuits during the residential visit to the Malvern Outdoor Pursuits Centre. The teaching of games has been enhanced by the involvement in the Top-play and Top-sports projects and team skills improved through competitive St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 43 games against other schools. St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 44 157. PART C:

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INSPECTION EVIDENCE

153. An inspection team of seven inspectors, including a lay inspector, spent a combined total of 30.5 days in the school. Before the inspection a range of school documentation was analysed. The Registered Inspector met the headteacher, staff and some governors on a pre-inspection visit.

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INSPECTION EVIDENCE

154. During the inspection, further documentation, schemes of work, teacher’s planning, attendance registers, minutes of meetings and curriculum plans were examined. Pupils’ records and reports were scrutinised. All work was scrutinised for the present term and some of the previous year. The work of pupils with special educational needs was scrutinised and their individual education programmes examined. Samples of homework were inspected.

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INSPECTION EVIDENCE

155. Pupils were assessed for their literacy skills and their ability to work with numbers. Discussions were held with children as they worked in groups or individually. Pupils’ use of literacy and numeracy in all areas of learning were assessed.

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INSPECTION EVIDENCE

156. Meetings were held with the headteacher, class teachers, and some governors. Informal discussion took place with support staff, caretaker, parents and volunteers.

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INSPECTION EVIDENCE

157. The work of the special education centre and the provision for children from Traveller families received specific attention as directed by HMCI. Time was made to observe and discuss the work of the special education centre. Although there are now few Traveller children in the school, the provision for these pupils was assessed and informal discussion was held with some families.

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INSPECTION EVIDENCE

158. Currently the school is benefiting from funds it receives through the South Wye Regeneration budget and from being part of an Education Action Zone. Inspectors assessed how this funding is contributing to improving pupils’ progress and involving parents in the education of their children. Initiatives and specific activities were observed and discussed with the headteacher, staff, some governors and parents.

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INSPECTION EVIDENCE

159. Before the inspection a parents’ meeting was held which ten parents attended. There were 34 questionnaires returned by parents and ten parents wrote to the Registered Inspector supplying additional views to those covered at the parents’ meeting. All views and information informed the judgements made by inspectors. St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 45 164. DATA AND

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INDICATORS

165. Pupil data Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school’s register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals YR – Y6 499 13 including SEC 147 114 Nursery class 45 No FT pupils

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INDICATORS

166. Qualified teachers (YR – Y6) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 19.2 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 26

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INDICATORS

166. Education support staff (YR – Y6) Total number of education support staff: 19 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 306

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INDICATORS

166. Qualified teachers (Nursery class) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 1 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 45

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INDICATORS

166. Education support staff (Nursery class) Total number of education support staff: 3 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 97.5

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INDICATORS

Average class size: 27 St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 46 167. Financial data

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INDICATORS

£ Total Income 802,004 Total Expenditure 812,377 Expenditure per pupil 1,696 Balance brought forward from previous year 13,604 Balance carried forward to next year 3,231 St. Martin’s Community Primary School - 47 168. PARENTAL SURVEY

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INDICATORS

Number of questionnaires sent out: 499 Number of questionnaires returned: 34

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INDICATORS

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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INDICATORS

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 38 47 12 3 0

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INDICATORS

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 60 35 6 3 0

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INDICATORS

The school handles complaints from parents well 15 49 18 15 3

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INDICATORS

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 21 50 20 9 0

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INDICATORS

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 21 61 12 6 0

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INDICATORS

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 24 56 12 2 6

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INDICATORS

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 32 53 15 0 0

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INDICATORS

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 23 41 12 18 6

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INDICATORS

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 23 50 18 9 0

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The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 27 41 26 3 3

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My child(ren) like(s) school 53 35 9 0 3

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