Cotgrave CofE Primary School

COTGRAVE C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 27 th – 30 th March 2000

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COTGRAVE C of E PRIMARY 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.

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COTGRAVE C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: The Cross Cotgrave Nottingham Postcode: NG12 3HS

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Peter Barclay

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 7 th November 1995 Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 2

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

C M Pittman Registered inspector Under-fives What sort of school is it? History Science The school's results and pupils' achievements Art How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? A Birch Lay inspector Equal opportunities How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? S West Team inspector English Information and communication technology How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Design and technology J Randall Team inspector Special educational needs English as an additional language Mathematics Geography Physical education Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 8

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 9 - 11

The school’s results and achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Cotgrave is a small, one form entry Anglican church school situated in the rural town of Cotgrave on the outskirts of Nottingham. There are 94 pupils from 4 to 11 in mixed-year and ability classes. The attainment on entry to reception is below average, although most children attend a playgroup or nursery prior to joining the school. The catchment is made up of a few professional families and is mainly working class with high unemployment due to the closure of the local coal mine a few years ago. Most children come from a predominantly white British background, with 6 per cent of pupils from different ethnic origins. There are 25 pupils on the school's register with special educational needs (SEN) and this, together with the six percent of pupils who do not speak English as an additional language (EAL), is a higher percentage than is found nationally.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school. The good teaching and behaviour and attitudes of its pupils succeed in creating a very positive learning environment. Pupils feel valued and, overall, they are consistently achieving above average standards by the time they leave at age 11 years, with boys achieving particularly well. The leadership and vision of the headteacher are very good. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils consistently achieve above average results in English and mathematics by the time they leave at age 11 years. • The headteacher's leadership and vision for the school are very good and she has created a good learning environment. • Overall teaching is good, particularly for the Under Five's and in Key Stage 2 and leads to good learning. • Pupils enjoy coming to school, behave well, are eager to learn and form good relationships with each other and their teachers. The school makes very good provision for their social needs. • A very good range of extra-curricular activities enriches pupils' personal development. • The school plans for and monitors its performance well. The way it manages its money to get the best value is excellent.

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What could be improved

• The standards achieved in science at Key Stage 1 and the standard of information and communication technology at both key stages is below average. • Higher attaining pupils are not sufficiently challenged; particularly in English and science. • Pupils make better progress at Key Stage 2 than in Key Stage 1. The pace of progress in Key Stage 1 is not fast enough. • Girls are not achieving as well as boys. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good improvement in the areas identified by the last inspection report as in need of improvement. Overall standards achieved by pupils have been maintained. Whole-school curriculum planning and assessment have been significantly improved, although there is still room for improvement in the monitoring of the teaching of basic skills, particularly in writing, science and information and communication technology (ICT). The rate of the progress made by pupils needs further work to improve the overall standards achieved by the end of Key Stage 1. Particularly good improvement has been made in the provision of suitable accommodation. A very good learning environment has resulted and the school is now well placed to improve its standards further by targeting particular ability groups and focusing more sharply on individual pupil performance. The school does not now meet statutory requirements for ICT.

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STANDARDS

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

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schools

English B A B A well above average above average A B mathematics A A B A average below average C D science A B C B well below average E

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schools

There is wide variation in ability between children in different year groups. Over half the children starting in the reception class are achieving standards below what is expected of children of this age nationally. By the time pupils reach age 5 at the start of formal education in Year 1, they are achieving in line with national norms.

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schools

At age seven, pupils in 1999 achieved results in reading and writing in line with national averages and when compared to similar schools. In number work, pupils attained well below the national average and below average when compared to similar schools. In contrast, pupils in 1998 achieved well above average in writing and were in line with the national norm in reading. In number, they achieved in line with the national average. By the end of Key Stage 2, the trend shows a steady rise in attainment and pupils in the 1999 tests are achieving above average results in English and mathematics and average standards in science. In comparison to similar schools, overall achievement in the core subjects of English and mathematics is well above average and in science it is above.

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schools

In lessons seen at Key Stage 1, standards are in line with expectations in English and mathematics. However, they are unsatisfactory in science. At Key Stage 2, standards are above expectations in English, but they are in line in mathematics and science. Overall, boys do better than girls at all stages which is against the national trend. The school has successfully met its targets for 1999. However, these targets could be improved and the school is appropriately looking at the factors that influence attainment so as to improve the pace of learning and progress made for all pupils and particularly for higher attaining pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 and 2.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils are keen to learn, act responsibly and are very eager to take part in all school activities. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour around the school and in lessons is good. Pupils have a mature respect for each other and for their teachers. Personal development and relationships Personal development is good, overall. Older pupils have good opportunities to take on responsibility. Relationships throughout the school are good. Attendance Very good. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Unauthorised absence is well below the national average.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils' attitudes to learning are good. They are happy to come to school and talk positively about their lessons. They show interest and many get directly involved in what is going on at school. They are enthusiastic about the good range of clubs and extra-curricular activities. Most pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They behave particularly well in large groups, for example in assemblies in church where older children sit with and help younger ones to read the hymnbooks. Relationships Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 6 throughout the school are good. The school prides itself on operating as a caring family. Pupils get on well with one another. They take responsibility for tasks around the school. Older pupils help younger ones and pupils regularly take part in lessons with pupils from the local special school. Aspects of citizenship are put into practice through the School Council.

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

Lessons seen overall 25 Good Satisfactory Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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

The overall quality of the teaching makes a positive contribution to pupils' learning. Just over half the teaching is good or better with most of the good teaching occurring in Under-fives and Key Stage 2. There is insufficient emphasis on the teaching of literacy skills, in particular writing skills at both key stages. Numeracy skills are used appropriately in most subjects. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. All teachers manage pupils well, although specifically good management is a feature of lessons for Under- fives and in Key Stage 2. These lessons are stimulating and perceptive and challenging demands are made on pupils to extend their learning. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is particularly good, although higher attaining pupils are sometimes not set work that is hard enough.

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

The pace of learning is best in the Under-fives and at the end of Key Stage 2. Teachers have started to set broad literacy targets throughout the school to improve specific skills. However, general targets are insufficiently analysed and focused to identified areas of weakness, so as to raise standards. The learning environment at the school is good. Pupils show interest in their work and concentrate well. By the end of Key Stage 2, most understand what they are doing, how well they have done and how they can improve. This should now be reflected lower down the school to enable pupils to improve their learning in Key Stage 1.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant and provides an appropriate range of worthwhile opportunities to meet the interests, needs and aptitudes of all pupils, including those with special educational needs. Good range of extra-curricular activities. Provision for pupils with SEN/EAL Pupils with special educational needs(SEN) and those with English as an additional language (EAL) make good progress. Their individual education plans are well designed to challenge and stretch their capabilities. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for pupils' personal development is good. Provision for their social development is very good. The strong partnership with parents and church is reflected in the school's inspiring social ethos where older pupils are proud to care for the younger ones. Pupils' moral development is good. Clear codes

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Aspect Comment

of conduct ensure that pupils develop a mature understanding of their moral responsibilities. There is satisfactory provision for pupils' spiritual and cultural understanding. However, more emphasis should be given to promoting pupils' spiritual and multi-cultural development through the curriculum. How well the school cares for its pupils The school's procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour and eliminating bullying are sound. This is a happy school where the safety and well being of all pupils is an important focus for all members of staff. Children are well known and this is effectively used to support their academic progress and personal development. Both parents and teachers feel that the partnership between the school and the parents is strong. The PTA raises considerable funds, which are used for the benefit of the pupils and parents come in regularly to help with literacy. Most parents are happy that the school works closely with them and feel well

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Aspect Comment

informed as to their children's progress. The curriculum for the under-fives is well planned, although lack Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 7 of accommodation limits practical activities and secure outdoor play. At Key Stage 1 and 2 the curriculum is broad, varied and balanced, although the time given to ICT is insufficient to meet National Curriculum requirements. The school encourages outside visits, residential trips, a variety of different clubs and sporting activities to make the school as interesting and stimulating a place as possible. All the appropriate steps are taken to ensure pupils' welfare, health and safety. The general monitoring of academic progress is good.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The very good leadership and management of the headteacher ensure clear direction for the work and development of the school and have begun to improve standards. There is an inequitable distribution of responsibilities between the headteacher and other key staff.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The Governing Body is very supportive of the school and meets statutory requirements well. Governors take a full part in forward planning and monitor areas such as the budget very effectively. However, standards in individual subject areas are not sufficiently monitored.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has begun an in-depth analysis of the standards achieved. Lessons and planning have begun to be effectively monitored to improve quality. However, this monitoring has not yet led to an improvement in the standard of writing. There is insufficient monitoring of teaching by subject co-ordinators.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good use is made of resources and the best value is achieved for the money spent.

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Aspect Comment

There is an appropriate match of teachers and well-trained support staff to the demands of the curriculum. The accommodation is adequate except for a separate enclosed area for the under-fives to play and large wheeled toys and climbing equipment to play on. Resources are sufficient in most subject areas, although there are not enough computers and in some classrooms they cannot be used effectively. The school is rectifying this situation. Decisions on spending are linked effectively to educational priorities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like school. • Children are expected to work hard and achieve their best. • Children are making good progress. • Parents feel able to approach the school with any problems. • The school helps children become more mature and responsible. • Behaviour. • The amount of homework set. • The range of extra-curricular activities provided. • The quality of information about their child's progress.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with parents' positive comments. During the inspection, pupils' behaviour was good in and around the school. Some boisterous behaviour was seen on the playground, although this is mainly because the playground is very crowded and this could be alleviated with reduced and/or staggered playtimes. The amount of homework required is similar to that of other primary schools and is judged to be appropriate. Some of the research work is of very good quality. The range of extra-curricular activities provided is good for a school of this size and is also of good quality. The school is very good at informing parents of the topics to be covered by their children in the following year through meetings and letters. Most parents particularly like the format of the annual reports on their children’s progress, as they Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 8 include clear targets for their learning. The availability of teachers and the headteacher for discussion is

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

good. Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 9

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Pupils' attainment when they first join the school is below average. They make good progress in their learning and, by the time they start formal education at the age of 5, they are achieving results that are in line with national expectations for children of this age. By the time they leave at the end of Key Stage 2, in Year 6, pupils are achieving above the national average in English and mathematics and in line with the national norm in science. When compared to similar schools, standards attained are well above average in English and mathematics and above average in science. The school’s overall test results over the last three years have improved in line with the national trend.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. Boys perform much better than girls in all the core subjects, against the national trend. Taking the core subjects together over the last four years, the performance of boys was well above the national average, with girls achieving close to the national average for their age group, overall.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. At age seven, pupils achieved results at the end of the Key Stage 1 National Curriculum tests for reading and writing which were in line with national averages. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 3 was well below the national average in reading and well above in writing. In comparison with schools in similar contexts, the results are average. For the last two years, boys have been achieving well above the national average, while girls are achieving well below in reading and below in writing. The pace of the progress made by most pupils is slow in Key Stage 1 when compared to Key Stage 2. However, this must be put into the school's context where there are small numbers taking the tests and pupils' abilities vary significantly from year to year. At age 11, pupils achieve results in English, which are above national averages. The number of pupils in Key Stage 2 who reach higher

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The school’s results and achievements

levels is below the national average. In comparison with schools in similar contexts the results are well above average. Results for the last four years show that the performance of boys was well above the national average in English, whilst the girls achieved in line with the national norm. In lessons, standards are at average levels at Key Stage1, with the exception of science which is below, and above average by the end of Key Stage 2. The test results over the period 1996 to 1999 show that, by the end of Key Stage 2, the school has maintained its above average results.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. In mathematics, pupils' attainment in the National Curriculum tests at age 7 is well below the national average and below when compared with similar schools. This is in part attributable to the high numbers of pupils with special educational needs in the cohort. In contrast, pupils in 1998 achieved in line with the national norm. In lessons, pupils are achieving standards in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. Boys are achieving better than girls in Key Stage 1. In the tests, their performance was close to the national average while girls are performing well below. Few pupils are currently working at the higher Level 3. By the end of Key Stage 2 at Year 6, progress improves significantly and the number of pupils working securely within the higher Level 5 is well above the national average. Most others are achieving at the nationally expected Level 4. Overall, this is above the national average and well above when

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The school’s results and achievements

compared to similar schools. Boys are achieving very high performance levels in comparison to the national average and girls are close to the average norm.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. In science, test results at the end of Key Stage 2 show that all pupils achieved the expected Level 4, which was well above the national average. However, the percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 is well below the national average. Boys, again, did much better than girls. In lessons pupils attained average standards by the end of this key stage. At the end of Key Stage 1 at age 7, teacher assessment showed that the percentage of pupils attaining the nationally expected levels is below average. Attainment seen during the inspection was below average by the end of the key stage and there was little evidence of work at Level 3.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. Overall attainment at the time of the last inspection was above the national average by the time pupils left the school in Year 6. This standard has been maintained. Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 10 7. Standards attained in literacy and numeracy have also been maintained since the last inspection, although there has been better improvement in literacy than numeracy. The school’s targets for literacy and numeracy are appropriate and have been met, although the teaching of literacy skills, particularly handwriting skills, are insufficiently focused on raising the standards of handwriting and presentation. There also needs to be more time allocated to plenary sessions in both the literacy and numeracy hour.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Pupils have good opportunities for speaking and listening. Discussion is of a good standard in all subjects and teachers actively encourage and develop this skill in lessons. Standards of reading are improving and help pupils to make progress in many subjects. By the end of Key Stage 2, many pupils are confident in the use of subject specific vocabulary in their written work. Pupils use creative language well, but there is insufficient, regular handwriting and spelling practice to improve writing skills and presentation, overall. There is too much reliance on repeated drafting to produce the required standard.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. By age 11, pupils have a good grasp of numeracy and their mental calculations are good. However, this is an area that requires more development in Key Stage 1, particularly with mental arithmetic. Numeracy skills are used satisfactorily in other subjects, although this is not yet securely embedded in whole-school planning. Pupils use co-ordinates to locate places on a map and measuring skills in science and design and technology. In Key Stage 2, pupils follow instructions in textbooks well and know and use correct mathematical vocabulary.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. Attainment in information and communication technology (ICT) is below national expectations by the end of both key stages. Most pupils do not develop the breadth of competencies expected in the National Curriculum. Information and communication technology has not become part of their everyday repertoire of ways to communicate. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are confident in word-processing their stories and poems, but there is no evidence that they make progress in manipulating and presenting data, as part of their work in other subjects. Their ability to interpret findings and to question their probability is very limited. They make little progress in using computers to control devices such as a 'roamer' and in predicting outcomes of various decisions.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. By the end of Key Stage 1, attainment is broadly in line with expectations in all other subjects, with the exception of music, where it is above, and design and technology, where there were too few lessons seen to make a judgement. At the end of Key Stage 2, attainment in all other subjects is in line with national expectations, with the exception of design and technology where no lessons were seen to make a judgement.

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The school’s results and achievements

12. The progress of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and those with English as a second language (EAL) is good at both key stages. They make particularly good progress in relation to the targets set in their individual education plans in those subjects where they have support in class.

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The school’s results and achievements

13. Standards of attainment in English, mathematics and science have improved since the last inspection in line with the national trend. The school has set appropriate targets and has successfully met them.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils have good attitudes to learning throughout the school. Pupils under five learn the skills to work and play together. They learn classroom expectations and develop confidence, independence and consideration for others. The youngest pupils learn to dress for physical education and how to fit into school life. Across the school, pupils enjoy school because the richness of the curriculum makes lessons interesting. They discuss the things they like with great enthusiasm, such as the residential visit to Hathersage and the wide range of sporting opportunities. One pupil described a particular activity she had enjoyed and told how she had treasured the piece of work produced. They remember their personal highlights from the school with pleasure. Most try hard with their work although there are a number of immature pupils in all classes who find concentration difficult. When this happens, learning is more restricted.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Standards of behaviour are generally good, both in and out of the classroom. Pupils move around sensibly, particularly where space is limited. Most pupils settle to work quickly and follow the Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 11 teachers’ instructions. For those pupils who find appropriate behaviour difficult in classrooms or with relationships, the school has strategies in place to support them and this is proving effective in many instances. Pupils enjoy each other’s company in the playground, although the cramped conditions make boisterous behaviour more obvious. Most can explain the playground rules and the reasons why they have been made. The provision of play equipment such as balls and hoops is greatly appreciated by pupils. They know the school's expectations of behaviour and conduct. No incidents of bullying or harassment were witnessed during the inspection. Pupils show care for

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

the building and for the resources they use, but many pupils take insufficient care over the presentation of their work. Most parents support the view that behaviour is good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Personal development is good. Most pupils relate well to each other and co-operate in pairs or groups in lessons. Relationships throughout the school are good and the school prides itself on operating as a caring family. Pupils take responsibility for small tasks around the school and generally clear up at the end of lessons. Older pupils help younger ones and pupils regularly take part in lessons with pupils from the local special school, to the mutual benefit of all. In Church, older pupils kindly helped younger ones with the hymnbook, finding the page and pointing to the words. The behaviour of pupils during the weekly Church service was impeccable. The school is purposeful in promoting a good community and pupils put forward their own ideas in pupils’ charters, “A Happy School” and “A Happy Playground” and know that signing these documents means taking some responsibility for this. Aspects of citizenship are dealt with through the School

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Council where suggestions and concerns from all classes are discussed. During a School Council meeting, pupils representing all classes behave with maturity and understand the need for formal procedures.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Attendance is very good. Unauthorised absence is well below the national average. Punctuality is good and there have been no exclusions during the past year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development continue to reflect the standards described in the previous inspection report.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Overall, the quality of teaching is good. Teaching is good or better in just over half of lessons seen. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. The best teaching is in Key Stage 2 and in the reception class of Under-fives.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Teaching has improved since the last inspection. Staff training has begun to focus effectively on raising standards of teaching and learning. In over half of the lessons teaching is good in Under- fives, English, mathematics, science and art. In the lessons where teaching is satisfactory, the difference is mainly due to insufficient pace and challenge in the lesson. These were features of some lessons in mathematics, science and information and communication technology. On balance however, the higher proportion of good teaching makes a good contribution to pupils' progress. Teachers face difficulties in managing the challenge of two or more year groups in one class and the wide range of prior attainment adds to this challenge. In general, these difficulties are managed well and teachers are able to set work within the same topic to meet the needs of all pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. A number of features contribute to the best teaching. Classroom control is very good and encouragement and humour are used well to motivate pupils. There is often a crisp pace through English, mathematics and science lessons and skilful use of questioning broadens pupils' understanding and promotes thinking and discussion. Teachers' subject knowledge and planning are particularly good in English and mathematics. The teacher of the Under-fives understands young children very well and challenges them effectively so that they make good progress. In science at Key Stage 1 and, overall, in ICT and design and technology, teachers' expectations of what pupils can achieve are low. There is little regular access to computers to re-enforce pupils' learning. Similarly in design and technology pupils are given insufficient opportunities to design and make.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Most of the Literacy programme is taught well and is beginning to make an impact on attainment. However, insufficient attention is given to writing and spelling skills, particularly at Key Stage 1. Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 12 The plenary session at the end of both the literacy and numeracy hour is not sufficiently used for assessment and to reinforce learning in both key stages. Numeracy is effectively taught in mathematics lessons although the use of numeracy in other subjects is insufficiently developed.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Teaching and non-teaching staff share expertise and support each other well. Classroom assistants and parent helpers work well with teachers and make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Teachers’ confidence and understanding of the curriculum are sound and particularly good in Early Years, English and mathematics. Overall, teacher's confidence is weak in design and technology and ICT. Planning is appropriate and focuses successfully on coverage of the literacy and numeracy strategies, National Curriculum requirements and religious education. Lesson plans provide a good structure and focus for lesson activities and have clear objectives in most subjects, although some lessons, regardless of subject, are sometimes too prescriptive and provide insufficient opportunities for pupils to learn independently. There is little provision for developing ICT across all subject areas. However, the school has recently taken appropriate action to put this right.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ performance in the Under-fives. At Key Stage 2, pupils are particularly well challenged in Year 6, although there is less challenge in Key Stage 1 and for higher achieving pupils. For example, in science at Year 6, pupils are set challenging tasks through a wide range of activities. All took part in a prediction and were able, after completing the task, to check their predictions and draw their own conclusions. In a less successful science experiment on the properties of different materials in Key Stage 1, teacher expectation was not so high. Pupils did not write up their results adequately; few could predict what would happen if the basic material was changed; and they did not learn as much as they could have in the scientific sense.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Almost all teachers make effective use of a wide range of control and managing strategies. The positive relationship staff have with pupils creates a good learning environment. Good behaviour is a feature of almost all lessons. Pupil/teacher relationships are very good and all adults are good role models. The active involvement of pupils helps to sustain interest. In an art lesson in Key Stage 2, when pupils' developed their own design ideas, these were used to motivate the remainder of the class. In lessons where there is too much teacher direction and advice, pupils’ personal development and progress are undermined.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Most teachers use time and resources well. For example, in history, teachers plan purposeful historical investigations involving a variety of sources. School resources are supplemented by the use of museums and outside visits. Time and resources are used particularly effectively in English, mathematics, music and science at Key Stage 2.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. Teachers are particularly aware of pupils with special needs. Pupils are well known and supported through detailed individual education plans. Similarly, pupils with English as a second language are well supported through the curriculum. Support assistants are used effectively throughout the school. In English and mathematics, teachers present different work to pupils of differing ability, so that all are challenged. In all other subjects, teachers use various methods of providing the work needed by pupils with SEN. Pupils' individual education plans are reviewed regularly and used by teachers as working documents in the classrooms. Pupils with SEN are treated as a priority by the school. The resource provision for this area is good and resources are added when needs are identified.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. There is an established policy for marking that is aimed at helping pupils to improve their work. Where marking is good, written comments are constructive and help pupils improve the quality of their work. However, there is some cursory marking which does not inform pupils how to improve their learning. The day-to-day assessment of pupils’ work is good in many classes, but the quality varies. In some, it is not recorded or used to improve further planning. Plenary sessions are not used appropriately to identify what pupils know, understand and can do. Homework is well focused, involves research and is improving standards, Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 13 30. The general standard of teaching has improved since the last inspection with a greater emphasis on adding variety to teaching methods.

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PUPILS?

31. The curriculum for children under five is good in promoting literacy and numeracy. However, there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to play with large toys and wheeled vehicles and there is no outside enclosed area for play. Overall, the curriculum for Key Stages 1 and 2 meets requirements including the provision for religious education. It is broad and balanced and ensures that pupils make good overall progress in their learning. However, the curriculum time allocation for information technology is insufficient to adequately address the requirements of the National Curriculum. The school is aware of this weakness, a new technology suite is being installed and curriculum time has been revised to accommodate this.

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PUPILS?

32. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies are in place, although time management of these is not consistent across classes. Plenary sessions at the end of some lessons are not yet effective and often focus on what pupils have done, rather than what they have learned. The curriculum meets the needs of most pupils. However, this is not always the case for higher attaining pupils, particularly in English and science at Key Stage 1. The provision for pupils with SEN/EAL is good.

p.15

PUPILS?

33. Over the year there is very good provision for extra-curricular activities in music and sport. Pupils have the opportunity to learn a variety of musical instruments and there is a choir for each key stage. All pupils take part in the annual music/drama productions. There are teams for netball, football and cross-country for both boys and girls and they are coached by professional players. They successfully take part in orienteering and enjoy basketball, short-tennis and mini-rugby during the year.

p.15

PUPILS?

34. The curriculum is further enriched by well chosen educational visits and speakers. Visitors come into school, for example, poets and authors, and more recently grandparents to talk about their experience in World War II. The whole school have visited the Millennium Dome and older pupils have the opportunity of a residential visit to Hathersage.

p.15

PUPILS?

35. The school makes suitable arrangements for the provision of personal and social education. Sex education is taught within the science curriculum and the local police visit to ensure that pupils are fully aware of the dangers of the misuse of drugs.

p.15

PUPILS?

36. Equal opportunity for all pupils is assured and both boys and girls have equal access to all areas of the curriculum. Pupils with special educational needs take a full and active role. There are strong links with Ash Lea school for pupils with special educational needs. Pupils regularly visit the Special School to help pupils there enjoy music and activities. The school also has very good links with other stages of education and with the village community. There is good liaison with the pre-school playgroup before children enter school and excellent liaison with the secondary stage of education. The transfer of pupils is carried out well. Also, there are good links with the Further Education College that provide trainee nursery nurses as classroom support.

p.15

PUPILS?

37. Provision for spiritual development is satisfactory. However, there is no whole school policy for this aspect and many opportunities to cultivate spiritual awareness through the curriculum are missed. Assemblies meet statutory requirements. Here, an atmosphere of awe and reverence is very evident. Pupils’ attitudes engender a genuine feeling of “coming together” to give praise and thanks. Pupils’ behaviour at the weekly church service is exemplary.

p.15

PUPILS?

38. Moral education is good. Teachers know pupils well and are aware of their needs. Moral development is strongly promoted and positively reinforced through emphasis on personal behaviour and achievement and through good staff relationships. Teachers are good role models and pupils know what is expected of them in terms of good behaviour. In lessons, they respect each other's views and share resources willingly.

p.15

PUPILS?

39. Very good provision is made for pupils’ social development and the whole ethos of the school emphasises this. Older pupils help younger ones with lunchtime, teaching them games and Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 14 supporting and guiding them in church. “Buddy groups” ensure that pupils who have specific problems have a ‘friend’ and a listening ear. Circle Times encourage discussion on attitudes and feelings. There are monitors in each class and pupils are aware of their responsibilities. Staff refer to the school as ‘a family’ and this is successfully reflected in the attitudes of both staff and pupils alike.

p.15

PUPILS?

40. Cultural development is satisfactory, overall. Teachers introduce stories from other cultures in Literacy hour. In music, pupils enjoy songs and rhythms from other countries. They also study their own Christian culture, celebrating Christian festivals and occasions. However, many pupils have little knowledge of the cultural diversity of the world we live in. Many have a limited knowledge and understanding of the cultural traditions or of the heritage of others and a small number resort to embarrassment and ridicule when these topics arise in some class lessons. There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to understand freedom of expression and differences in beliefs to prepare them for life in a multicultural society.

p.16

PUPILS?

41. At the last inspection the curriculum for children under five was found to be satisfactory. The curriculum for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 overall was sound. There has been some improvement since the last inspection but ICT provision has deteriorated.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The school makes satisfactory provision for child protection and pupils’ welfare. The Child Abuse Statement has very clear procedures for all staff to follow. Health and safety procedures are good. Good risk assessments ensure pupils’ safety. First -aid procedures are good. The school is diligent over road safety, which is essential as so many activities involve the use of other facilities in the local community. The cleanliness and general upkeep of the premises are good. The erection of the security fencing at the rear of the school has eliminated vandalism. Since the last inspection, the school now rigorously complies with the statutory requirements for storing hazardous substances.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. There are appropriate procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development. A successful start has been made in creating records of achievement for each pupil throughout the school to record progress and achievements. Teachers have a clear picture of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses, which is reflected in annual reports to parents. For the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, teachers include individual targets for each pupil. These are discussed with parents at regular parents’ evenings. The school’s open-door policy has aided communication about pupils’ progress, as the majority of parents feel able to discuss any concerns with governors, headteacher and staff.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are sound. The school is working hard to deal with incidences of bullying and is striving to prevent repetition. No oppressive behaviour was evident throughout the inspection period. Pupils are actively involved in promoting good behaviour through the School Council and the ‘circle of friends’ initiative.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance are satisfactory. The school actively seeks to maintain the high attendance level through stressing its importance in the home/school agreement, at meetings with new parents and in newsletters.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The partnership between the school and parents is a strength of the school. Parents are pleased with the school. They are happy with the standards of teaching and consider that the school has maintained its good standing since the last inspection. Although parents are pleased with the additional accommodation the school has recently provided they are concerned about the lack of facilities for physical education. A few parents are concerned about misbehaviour in the playground. Both the staff and pupils, through the inclusion of rules for a 'Happy Playtime', are addressing this. Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 15 47. The school’s links with parents are good and effective. The school is very good at informing parents of the topics to be covered by their children in the following year through meetings and letters. Homework is given throughout the school, with extensive project work for the older pupils.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

Parents are welcomed into school to help. A number of parents have trained as Literacy volunteers and help in school twice a week. This has resulted in improvements in pupils’ learning. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in discussions about their children’s progress.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The impact of the parents’ involvement with the work of the school is good, as parents are provided with good quality information about the school. They are informed about the school’s activities regularly through newsletters and notes posted on the parents’ notice board. Parents particularly like the format of the annual reports on their children’s progress as they include clear targets for their learning. The availability of teachers and the headteacher for discussion is good. Parents support the annual general meeting and other functions well.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The contribution of parents to their children’s learning is good. Parents are actively encouraged to use the library with their children. The majority of parents are committed to listening to their children read at home and to be involved in the project work given as homework. There is a thriving parent teacher association (PTA) that raises considerable funds for school resources, which directly benefit the pupils. Since the last inspection, the PTA has become more active by including people from the local community.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The headteacher's leadership is very good and ensures clear educational direction for the school. The management of key staff is good. It is well structured and its aims and purposes are clearly identified and appropriate. The manner in which these aims and values are practised in the school is the result of careful planning, purposeful leadership and effective communication. A committed staff share these aims and are working hard to achieve them. All aspects of the school have been reviewed in the past year and this has enabled the school to establish a good ethos in which to implement its aims and policies in a positive way.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The governors are actively involved in promoting the interests of the school and show high levels of commitment to their work. They have appropriate committees, which enable them to be effectively involved in decision-making processes. They have also recently begun monitoring the quality of education being provided in terms of pupils with SEN, literacy, numeracy and the effectiveness of budgetary decisions throughout the school. However, governors' monitoring of curriculum provision, as a whole, is insufficiently developed to identify specific areas of weakness in the quality of the education being offered. Overall, governors work well in a committee structure, give their time willingly and meet their statutory obligations with the exception of the governing body’s annual report to parents which does not fully comply with statutory requirements as it omits any teacher development undertaken for the year.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher and her staff form a cohesive team. Her commitment, enthusiasm and clear sense of purpose have been significant factors in the school’s continual improvement. Decisions are arrived at by a thorough analysis of the problem or issue. A good working relationship with staff has created a climate of trust. The headteacher has been effective in monitoring the work of the school and this has had a positive impact on raising the quality of teaching, particularly in Key Stage 1. Staff support each other effectively and policies and schemes of work are developed collaboratively, although subject co-ordinators are not monitoring teaching sufficiently to help teachers assess outcomes and plan future activities which build on previous learning. The school development plan is well organised, costed and sets realistic targets. It now needs to be more effectively targeted to periodic review to ensure the implementation of plans and focus on further

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

raising standards in specific areas, for example, the underachievement of girls.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The school is well managed; staff, resources and accommodation are deployed efficiently. However, initiatives are still being led predominantly by the headteacher and there is still too little delegation of duties to the deputy headteacher and teaching staff. Excellent financial controls ensure that efficient use is made of all available funds. School administration is also good; it gives clear support to staff and pupils alike and enables the school to operate in quiet good order. The Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 16 school has a satisfactory SEN policy and the co-ordinator regularly reviews provision through pupils' individual education plans. The Governing Body appropriately includes a statement on the provision for pupils with SEN in their annual report to parents. All pupils have equal access to the education offered. The school has met its targets well.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. Effective procedures ensure good financial control. All spending is carefully monitored and regular financial statements are available for Governors. All plans are carefully costed and relate well to the overall budget. The school is very cost-conscious and makes significant savings in relation to the purchase of its equipment. The recommendations of the most recent audit have been implemented. Specific grant is used effectively for its designated purpose. Expenditure is managed effectively so that good use is made of resources and the best value is achieved for the money spent.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. There is a good match of teachers to the demands of the curriculum and a good mix of experienced senior staff and teachers new to the profession. Staff have had appropriate training in literacy and numeracy. There is a satisfactory number of support staff who have been well trained. The midday supervisory assistants have also received appropriate training on pupil management at lunchtimes.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The process for the induction of newly qualified teachers is good and each new teacher has a mentor with whom regular meetings are held. The school encourages students from the local college to undertake teaching practice in the school. Staff are well supported by a range of courses both in school and in other institutions. Appraisal procedures are satisfactory. The headteacher has regular professional interviews with all staff.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The accommodation has been improved greatly since the last inspection. The addition of the extra classroom has resulted in better teaching practices as pupils are now grouped according to curriculum requirements. However, the accommodation is still inadequate as it lacks facilities on the school premises for teaching the full curriculum. For example, although there are adequate resources for teaching physical education there is a lack of space to teach it on-site. This restricts the curriculum being taught. Children under five have no safe external play area where they can use large play toys to develop their physical strength and muscular dexterity. There are adequate resources for learning in the school, overall. The school's plans for the development of ICT ensure that this is an area targeted for development. Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 17

p.18

Raise standards of attainment in science at Key Stage 1 and ICT at both Key Stages 1 and 2 by:

• identifying the use of ICT skills in all subjects; • making changes to the curriculum to give all pupils their statutory entitlement.

p.19

Devise strategies for improving the rate of pupils' progress through Key Stage 1 by:

• co-ordinators monitoring the teaching of basic skills particularly in science and writing; • improving technical accuracy and pupils' presentation skills; • improving the productivity and pace of working for pupils;

p.19

girls in particular at both key stages by:

• ensuring that teaching methodology matches the capabilities of higher attainers; • using assessment and targeting to raise achievement. • adapting teaching styles and methods to accommodate the way girls learn best.

p.19

Other issues for consideration

1. Provide a designated secure area to enable children under five to use fixed play equipment and large wheeled toys.

p.19

Other issues for consideration

2. Share management responsibilities more equitably between senior managers.

p.19

Other issues for consideration

(paragraph: 53) Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 18

p.19

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 39

p.20

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.20

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

0 4 52 44 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery 1999-2000

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 94

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 12 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery 1999-2000

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 25

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 5

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 0

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1

p.20

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 19

p.20

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 4 9 13

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 4 4 4 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 8 7 7

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 92 (88) 85 (88) 85 (88) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (85)

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 4 4 4 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 7 7 7

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 85 (86) 85 (88) 85 (88) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (86) 87 (87)

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 2 10 12

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 2 2 2 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8 7 10

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 83 (100) 75 (73) 100 (82) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 2 2 2 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 7 8 8

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 75 (100) 83 (73) 83 (82) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 20

p.21

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: 1999-2000

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4.0 Financial year 1998-99

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.8

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: 1999-2000 Total expenditure 185 897

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3.0 Expenditure per pupil 1 957

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 66 Balance brought forward from previous year 8 216

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 15 644

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult N/A FTE means full-time equivalent. Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 21

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 67 29 4 0 0

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 41 42 13 0 4

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 22 65 11 2 0

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 35 46 17 0 2

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 76 22 2 0 0

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 67 31 0 0 2

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 45 40 13 2 0

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 65 29 6 0 0

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 57 39 4 0 0

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 39 39 13 2 6 Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 22

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

58. The education provided for the under-fives is broad and balanced and in line with the nationally recommended areas of learning.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

59. Most children when they start at the school have below average levels of attainment in language and literacy. By the age of five, attainment of the majority is in line with that outlined in the Desirable Learning Outcomes. Children make good progress in language and literacy, number work and personal and social development. Progress is less satisfactory in their knowledge and understanding of the world and the physical and creative areas of learning. There is good provision for children with special educational needs.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. Teachers in the reception class place suitable emphasis on developing language and literacy. Communication and listening skills are encouraged in every activity, including role-play. Many talk confidently about what they like doing. Children make a satisfactory start to early reading and writing skills and many show rapid progress. All children are encouraged to take books home regularly. They enjoy books and handle them carefully. Some can tell stories, using the illustrations within the book, and answer simple questions. Most are able to recognise initial sounds associated with the letters of the alphabet and many can recognise key words from their first reader. Children hold their pencils correctly and many can shape letters accurately. Most can trace over or copy the teacher’s writing. Many are keen to produce their own emergent writing. They can draw simple artistic figures well and are confident when talking about their drawings and

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61. Children make good progress in the mathematical area of learning. Most are familiar with number rhymes, songs and counting games. They can match, sort and count using everyday objects. Most recite numbers to ten and beyond and can recognise number symbols from one to ten and write them independently. Some children can recognise basic geometric shapes and identify them in everyday objects in the classroom. Most can sort and match objects by shape, colour and size. Their basic knowledge of capacity and weight from practical experiences, for example from sand and water activities, is limited, as there is no space within the classroom for these activities. However, most have developed a correct understanding of terms such as 'full ' and 'empty.'

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

62. Children's knowledge and understanding of the world is not as good as it is in mathematics and language. They use their senses successfully to identify materials. They are able to tell the difference between living and non-living forms and know that living things need food and water to survive. By the time they are aged 5, children are able to explore and select from a range of constructional toys to make imaginative models and use skills such as cutting, joining and building. They use simple computer programs well and develop confidence, although there is a shortage of an appropriate range of CD-ROMs.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63. Children show satisfactory progress in their physical development. They follow instructions and move confidently and imaginatively. They demonstrate a good range of co-ordinated movements when playing outside. Older under-fives demonstrate good body control and awareness of space. Children show satisfactory hand and eye co-ordination.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. Pupils show satisfactory progress in all areas of creative learning; some show good progress. Pupils use poster and powder paints with confidence. They successfully use sponges and various other materials to print and produce effective paintings. They handle tools safely and many can cut and stick a variety of materials. They are increasingly able to depict their ideas and feelings through role-play, telling stories, drawing, painting and collage. They know many songs and nursery rhymes by heart and always sing enthusiastically.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. The quality of teaching in the reception class is good. Lessons are well planned taking account of the requirements of the curriculum for under-fives. A wide variety of stimulating and well structured activities are provided within each session. Children’s responses are supported and Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 23 extended sensitively. Appropriate interventions are made to give direction and enable learning to be consolidated. Teaching staff and assistants work very well together and have a clear understanding of how young children learn.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. The under-fives curriculum is planned and organised well. However, there is no provision for a separate enclosed area for children to play and no large wheeled toys and climbing equipment to develop their manual dexterity. Children are assessed by careful, on-going observations. A simple baseline assessment has been successfully carried out. Parents are encouraged to be involved from the beginning of their children’s education and to follow their progress throughout. Regular formal and informal consultations before and after admission are well received by parents and effectively establish common objectives between home and school.

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. The reception classroom is cramped and, although the environment is visually pleasing and stimulating, there is little space for clearly defined learning areas. Overall, indoor resources are satisfactory. There are sufficient resources of books for pupils to use and borrow. Children’s development of early computer skills is good, but there is a need for more software to support the work being done. Regardless of this, pupils under five are making good progress and are prepared very well for more formalised work in Key Stage 1.

p.25

ENGLISH

68. In the Statutory Assessment Tests for 1999, pupils in Key Stage 1 are close to the national average in writing and well above in reading. These results were close to the national average for all schools nationally and to similar schools. Standards in writing fell between 1998 and 1999. At Key Stage 2, standards were above national averages and well above for schools of similar type. Standards have remained above for the last 3 years, rising slightly in 1998. Fluctuations in results at both key stages may be attributable to the small size of cohorts. Boys consistently achieve significantly better than girls, against the national trend.

p.25

ENGLISH

69. Progress is slow in Key Stage 1, improves in Year 3 and is good, overall, in Key Stage 2. In Key Stage 1, pupils are studying the text of “Billy Goats’ Gruff”. Their speaking and listening skills are good and they give clear, thoughtful answers, using a varied and extended vocabulary. They are able to pick out variations in text, for example, size, layout, the use of lower and upper case and the inference of punctuation. When addressing written work, pupils’ attitudes change radically. They lack concentration, use limited vocabulary and frequently omit simple punctuation such as capital letters and full stops. Previous work is poorly presented and handwriting is ill-formed and irregular, using a mixture of script and joined writing. For many pupils, particularly those with special educational needs, or those who are higher attainers, work is not completed, nor is it specific to their individual needs. Reading standards are good for pupils who are average and

p.25

ENGLISH

high attainers. They are acquiring a suitable bank of decoding skills and generally read with expression and understanding. They choose books carefully and enjoy both fact and fiction.

p.25

ENGLISH

70. At the end of Key Stage 2, standards in reading and poetry in lessons are above expectation. Other areas meet expectations. Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils write poetry well. They use adventurous vocabulary, referring to dictionaries to find alternative, interesting words. In Years 3 and 4 pupils have studied a Caribbean poem They enjoy the sound of words and seek out phrases and adjectives to describe a tropical island. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have discussed various texts and the feelings words and phrases evoke. They construct poems, using adventurous vocabulary and mature phrases. Many have produced effective poetry on War, Peace and Evacuation Day. By the end of the key stage, the standard of pupils’ reading is good. They read with expression and clarity taking note of pause and punctuation. They recognise hidden meanings and understand many nuances of language. They are familiar with many authors and are able to

p.25

ENGLISH

compare and contrast works. They use libraries efficiently. Throughout the key stage, although spelling rules and handwriting techniques are known, pupils do not readily apply these to their written work. They rely heavily on redrafting work to correct mistakes and handwriting. Consequently work, which is not redrafted, is poorly presented and does not reflect pupils’ knowledge and understanding of spelling, grammar and punctuation.

p.25

ENGLISH

71. When pupils are presented with challenging and interesting tasks they are motivated to concentrate, share ideas and produce high quality work. Inspection evidence shows that pupils Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 24 throughout the school found it difficult to concentrate on their work when the task did not match their ability. Older pupils co-operate well in small group discussion. Behaviour in lessons is usually good.

p.25

ENGLISH

72. The quality of teaching varies, but is always satisfactory and, sometimes, good or very good. However, where teaching is satisfactory overall, the quality varies within the lesson. In whole class work, questions probe and encourage pupils to develop ideas. Sometimes, in group work, poor behaviour management and a lack of a complete overview of the class, results in inattentive attitudes and slovenly work. Where teaching is good, humour, positive encouragement and constructive praise motivate pupils and the level of learning increases.

p.26

ENGLISH

73. Although use of a wide vocabulary is encouraged in literacy, teachers do not foster the use of correct terminology in other subjects across the curriculum. Similarly, good writing habits are not sufficiently encouraged. Work is sometimes insufficiently matched to ability to challenge higher attaining pupils. Information and communication technology is effectively used in Key Stage 2, but is underused through the school, overall. Pupil’s progress in English is well monitored. Assessment Test results are analysed and individual targets for pupils are set. A portfolio of work samples is used to moderate work and informs planning.

p.26

ENGLISH

74. Standards of attainment at Key Stage 1 have been maintained since the last inspection. At Key Stage 2, they have improved. At the last inspection, standards in English were in line with National Expectations at both key stages; standards in reading, writing, handwriting and spelling were sound. Standards in speaking and listening were good. The school lacked a library. At the current inspection, standards at Key Stage 1 are close to National Expectation. They are above expectation for reading, but below for writing. Handwriting skills, overall, are below expectation. The school has used corridor space to provide a small library. This is well used. The National Literacy Strategy is in place, although time management is not yet secure and plenary sessions do not always ascertain what pupils know and can do.

p.26

ENGLISH

75. The subject is well led. All staff have completed the National Literacy Training and the co- ordinator is now monitoring teaching and evaluating its impact. Resources are suitable in quality and content. The limited accommodation is used to best advantage.

p.26

MATHEMATICS

76. In 1999 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1, pupils attained standards that were well below average in relation to the national averages. The percentage of pupils reaching both national expectations and the higher level was below average. Performance related to similar schools was average. The standard in lessons seen is in line with national expectations. The cohort of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999 contained a larger number of pupils with special educational needs. This, together with the small numbers in each cohort, makes direct comparisons less significant.

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MATHEMATICS

77. Test results at the end of Key Stage 2 in 1999 showed attainment above average in comparison to the national average and well above average when compared to similar schools. Over the last four years the results have been higher than those nationally and have broadly followed the national trend of improvement. Inspection findings show that most pupils in the present Year 6 are achieving in line with national expectations and up to a half of these pupils are working at the higher Level 5. The school sets targets for each pupil and each year group based on the evaluation of a number of tests and assessments. The school is well in line to achieve these targets. For the last 4 years, boys have attained standards well above national averages, while girls have attained in line with the national norm. This is against the national trend.

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MATHEMATICS

78. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils have satisfactory number skills. Pupils add 10 and 100 to given numbers using satisfactory mental skills. They use problem solving and investigation skills to find the difference between numbers up to 100, using practical support such as blocks or number lines. The two pupils designated as gifted or talented were appropriately challenged with much larger numbers. Pupils with special educational needs find the difference between smaller numbers with well-focused adult support. During the inspection, most pupils were beginning to develop and operate more formal methods of finding the difference and the teacher was gradually Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 25 introducing efficient strategies for solving problems, based on pupils’ developing understanding and practical work. Pupils solve money problems at levels suitable for their prior attainment and name simple two and three-dimensional shapes. They estimate and measure to the nearest

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MATHEMATICS

centimetre and find half or quarter of a shape by colouring and identify pattern in odd and even number sequences.

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MATHEMATICS

79. By the end of Key Stage 2, number skills are secure. Pupils understand place value when applied to decimals and most can halve and double decimals in mental arithmetic sessions and count on and back in intervals of 0.25. Most tackle addition and subtraction of decimals at various levels. They demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge of multiplication tables in a mental arithmetic session and have strategies to calculate mentally. Pupils use measure and know the language associated with angles. They find areas by counting squares and understand rotation and reflective symmetry. Pupils in the lower stages of Key Stage 2 were observed beginning work on graphs. Higher attaining pupils tackle work at a more advanced level within the same topic and the needs of lower attainers are met by extra support and problems at a more simple level.

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MATHEMATICS

80. The school has recently begun to work in line with the National Numeracy Strategy and is committed to the improvement and teaching of numeracy skills. Numeracy skills are used satisfactorily in other subjects, although this practice is not yet securely embedded in whole-school planning. For example, pupils use co-ordinates to locate places on a map and measuring skills in science and design and technology. In Key Stage 2, pupils demonstrate sufficient reading skills to follow instructions in textbooks and use correct mathematical vocabulary. Pupils use calculators to check their work and know and understand their appropriate use. Although some programs are available for practice of skills on the computer, information and communications technology is underused as a tool for learning in mathematics, particularly for data handling and for control. Investigations are undertaken at all stages in the school, but are often left incomplete in pupils’

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MATHEMATICS

files and play only a small part in learning. During the inspection, Year 5 used various aspects of pattern in mathematics from around the world to link into investigations using tessellation, providing a valuable insight into the part that different cultures have had in mathematics throughout history.

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MATHEMATICS

81. Attitudes and behaviour are mostly good. Pupils generally settle to work and do what is expected of them. Some pupils, particularly in the first class of Key Stage 2, find this difficult and try to distract others. In all classes, the presentation of work is not as good as it could be and too low a standard is accepted. The output of work from pupils is sometimes affected by insufficient expectations of pace and rigour.

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MATHEMATICS

82. The quality of teaching is satisfactory at Key Stage 1. Of the lessons seen, just over half were satisfactory and the rest good. At Key Stage 2, the quality of teaching is good, overall. Just over half of lessons were good and the rest were satisfactory. Mental arithmetic sessions are not yet fully used to challenge pupils with different prior attainment, although there are some instances where this is managed well. A good example of this was seen when pupils used small white boards to write their answer and hold it up, thus increasing pace and interest. The plenary sessions at the end of the numeracy hour are not used efficiently to assess understanding and to allow pupils to give extended explanations. They often have insufficient time allocation and planning is too general to guide what happens. An example of good teaching was seen when the teacher used mathematical games to teach and reinforce skills. In this lesson, pupils were

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MATHEMATICS

particularly well motivated and kept on task for longer. The pace of the lesson increased and pupils’ learning was significantly enhanced. The higher attaining pupils were particularly well challenged in this instance. Pupils’ work is generally marked appropriately, although there are a number of instances when work is unmarked and pupils’ work is incomplete. Teachers do not have a sufficiently high expectation of presentation and the amount of work to be completed. Comments in books in most classes are insufficiently focused on giving pupils pointers for improvement. Homework is given regularly and usefully extends understanding.

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MATHEMATICS

83. School development rightly prioritises further development of the National Numeracy Strategy. Subject co-ordination is satisfactory. Teaching is monitored occasionally, but monitoring has yet to focus on the development of specific aspects of the numeracy hour. Procedures for recording pupils’ attainment and progress are generally good. Tests are carefully analysed to find those pupils who need specific targeting and pupils with special educational needs are identified and Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 26 supported. These pupils make good progress. Two pupils have been identified as specifically gifted or talented and are provided with more challenging work; these pupils make progress in line with that of their peers. Resources for mathematics are satisfactory and the school is now identifying and acquiring new resources to meet the new requirements. The school has maintained the standards described in the previous inspection report.

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SCIENCE

84. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils' attainment, as assessed by teachers, is below national expectations. At the end of Key Stage 2, attainment in the 1999 National Curriculum tests at Level 4 is well above national averages. However, pupils' attainment at the higher levels in these tests is well below average. There is a significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls. Over the last four years, boys have been attaining well above average, while girls have attained in line with national averages. The results are above average in comparison with similar schools. This year’s results show deterioration from 1998 where pupils' attainment was well above the national average when compared to all schools. This is due to a lack of achievement at the higher Level 5.

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SCIENCE

85. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils can identify a range of common materials and describe similarities and differences between them. They know that heating and cooling can change some materials and a few understand how this process can be reversed in some materials. They know what makes a bulb light on an electrical circuit and that forces can be of different types, pushing, pulling etc. However, standards in lessons are below average, overall. There is little understanding of life and living processes and physical properties. Pupils undertake simple experiments, but are not provided with sufficient opportunity to set up their own experiments and ask questions about what might happen. There is little use of simple charts, tables and drawings to show the results of experiments, for example, the recording of results on the waterproof properties of certain materials. They do not write sufficiently about what happened during their

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SCIENCE

experiments. Higher achievers are not being adequately challenged.

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SCIENCE

86. By the end of Key Stage 2, standards in lessons are above average, although some higher achieving pupils are insufficiently challenged. Most pupils can use scientific experiments to increase their knowledge and understanding. Pupils have covered the water cycle. They know where clouds come from and why condensation occurs. They know that materials have different properties and which surfaces reflect and why. They know that light travels from a source and that, when light cannot pass through some materials, it causes shadows, and the closer the obstacle is to the source of light the greater the shadow. Most pupils are beginning to understand a fair test. They know that if there are variables it could affect the fairness of the test. They make use of their results to draw conclusions. Some are working at Level 5 in terms of their understanding of how materials change. They understand the constituents of a solution and why some solids are soluble

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SCIENCE

and others are not. Pupils are able to express themselves in writing, using appropriate scientific vocabulary. However, their use of tables, bar charts and line graphs to record their results is limited. Higher achieving pupils would benefit from focused target-setting and consistent assessment to challenge them more appropriately. Higher achievers in Year 6 are not being challenged enough to work at Level 5. Test results show that, although all pupils reached Level 4, and this is very high against the national average, the percentage achieving Level 5 was well below. This was not reflected by the teacher assessments, which predicted that the percentage of pupils reaching Level 5 would be well above the national average.

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SCIENCE

87. Progress in learning is unsatisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2, overall. Where they are able to carry out investigations that let them explore their own ideas, pupils of all levels of attainment often make very good progress. This was seen in a Year 5/6 lesson where pupils investigated ways to test how well different materials muffle sound and to identify factors, which might affect the size and position of the shadow of an object. At Key Stage 1, a scrutiny of the work completed and lessons observed during the inspection show that pupils are making insufficient use of data to draw conclusions and record them adequately. There is little or no use of ICT to record results. Teaching support is good and pupils with SEN and EAL make good progress both during lessons and in the work they have completed over time. Work is often well matched to their needs.

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SCIENCE

88. Pupils’ attitudes to science are good and sometimes very good. They enjoy the practical work and Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 27 carry it out carefully and safely. They increasingly show good levels of independence when they are allowed to work in groups, where they work well together, sharing equipment and helping each other. This was very evident in a Year 3/4 group planning a fair test on thermal insulation where pupils were made responsible for their own investigative work and asked to set up their own apparatus for the experiment. Pupils show good levels of concentration and are developing good habits in listening and recording, for example writing key word notes. Concentration is sustained even during theory sessions. Behaviour is never less than satisfactory and is usually good.

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SCIENCE

89. Teaching is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. There were no unsatisfactory lessons. At Key Stage 2, teachers have a very good command of the subject and each brings an individual approach to the task. Combined with good commitment and enthusiasm, this enlivens lessons and raises pupils' motivation and interest. In a good lesson, pupils were encouraged to choose their own material to measure how different materials muffle sound. Some chose the wrong combinations of components to begin with and through experimentation found the right way to achieve the best result. In lessons that are good, teachers' planning is highly organised and high standards are expected of pupils in terms of behaviour, application to work, effort, co- operation and recall of previous work. Lessons move along briskly with good practical content. These strategies are effective in sustaining the interest of pupils. In satisfactory lessons, all the

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SCIENCE

above qualities are present to a lesser degree, but whilst learning objectives and activities are clearly stated, not enough thought is given to the assessment of pupils' work and the outcomes of the lesson in terms of what pupils know and understand at the end. These lessons often lack challenge for the higher attainers. All teachers and assistants are appropriately vigilant about safety.

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SCIENCE

90. The science curriculum meets statutory requirements. It provides good access for pupils with SEN and EAL and they make good progress. However, assessment procedures for science are not effective. Some teachers are not consistently evaluating what pupils know, understand and can do in order to inform further curriculum planning and set targets for improving pupils' individual performance. There is insufficient monitoring of teaching and levelling of work to set meaningful targets. The co-ordinator does not have time to monitor the teaching of the subject adequately and there is a need for more training in the subject among the staff. Science resources are adequate and the school makes good use of the local environment. Standards achieved have improved at Key Stage 2 but deteriorated at Key Stage 1 since the last inspection.

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ART

91. Overall attainment in art is in line with expectations at the end of both key stages.

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ART

92. Pupils' attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is satisfactory, especially in drawing, and meets the national expectation, overall. This competence in using dry media, pencils, collage etc, stands pupils in good stead at Key Stage 2. Pupils' attainment in other aspects such as painting shows an average range of skill and understanding. Three-dimensional work is insufficiently developed at this key stage. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are achieving expected standards. They are competent at colour mixing and matching using pastels. They produce paintings in one colour in the style of Monet and create montages with different facial expressions in the style of Giacometti.

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ART

93. From the time pupils start school, they are encouraged to experiment with paint and colour, to explore pattern, to work from observation and imagination and to respond to examples of art in the world around them. Children in reception have enjoyed working on a project on air and wind, making symmetrical kites. In Years 1 and 2, there is an increasing sophistication in the use of line, tone and shape. The work of artists is used imaginatively to colour matching, blending and mixing throughout the school. There is sound development of practical skills in some classes, although this depends largely on the subject expertise of the teacher. The oldest pupils in Year 2 have learnt to use a larger range of materials and show increasing control of tools.

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ART

94. At Key Stage 2, there are various examples of work using a range of materials. By Year 4, pupils are well able to explain the meaning of their paintings. They have a good knowledge of the impressionists and have designed their own millennium T-shirts. Painting is pupils' weakest skill, overall, but standards achieved are within the average range. Some higher attainers in Year 6 show a very high degree of competent drawing, including minute detail of pattern and line. Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 28 95. Pupils enjoy their artwork and are enthusiastic about the practical nature of the tasks. Attitudes are very good. Most pupils demonstrate concentration, collaboration and respect for the work of others. They work as individuals and most can also co-operate well in groups when required to do so. Behaviour in lessons is always good.

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ART

96. Only one art lesson was seen at Key Stage 2 and this is not sufficient to comment on the quality of teaching of the subject. Other evidence was gained from a scrutiny of work displayed around the school and by talking to teachers and pupils. From the lesson seen, teachers have a good understanding of the subject, although some lack confidence in certain areas of learning and need more training in how to teach art skills. Teachers' planning gives details of learning objectives and careful attention to the development of skills and techniques as in Year 3/4 where pupils are building on their knowledge and skills in their letter designs. Teachers are not all adequately assessing and recording pupils’ individual progress in art. Although satisfactory learning is taking place at both key stages, there is insufficient monitoring of the quality of teaching, assessment and the standards being achieved. Examples of good learning and progress include a clear

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ART

development in pupils’ observational skills and in their understanding of artistic elements as seen in Year 5/6. Progress in the presentation of illustrative work in other curriculum areas is weaker. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress, overall, and use the skills they acquire in other subjects. The use of information and communication technology for graphic work is under developed.

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ART

97. The subject co-ordinator is committed to reviewing the scheme of work and plans the art curriculum well. However, she does not have the time to monitor the teaching of the subject adequately or the delivery of the curriculum in terms of assessment. Teachers are responsible for their own assessment. There is no whole-school overview to monitor pupils' progress. Consequently the co-ordinator cannot monitor progress effectively and assessment does not adequately inform curriculum planning. Pupils' level of skill in art and the progress they make at both key stages have been maintained since the last inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

98. No lessons were seen in Key Stage 1 and only one in Key Stage 2. Other evidence was gained from looking at wall displays and a new portfolio of work, talking to pupils and looking at photographs. Photographic evidence suggests that last year there was some good work in Key State 1. However, insufficient evidence was available in Key Stage 2 to make any judgement.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

99. Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 have been making small bags. They have planned their design choosing appropriate colours. They have selected materials from a given range and evaluated their use on a worksheet. However, there is limited progression, or difference in quality of the work between Years 1 and 2. In Year 2, pupils' evaluation was brief, often monosyllabic and poorly presented. In Year 3/4, although the work seen with pop up cards was appropriate for pupils’ abilities, it did not meet the expected standards for their ages.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

100. The teaching seen was satisfactory with good support for pupils with special educational needs. Directions were clear and praise was positive and constructive.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

101. There is no policy for design and technology and staff have only recently begun to take guidance from QCA documents. Consequently, in the past there has not been any continuity and progression and pupils have not built up a suitable bank of skills through the school. The school is now addressing this weakness, as is evident in the Reception class and Year 1, where skills are being built upon and pupils are learning the preliminary stages of recording and evaluating work. Resources are adequate to deliver a satisfactory curriculum. The last inspection found that standards were appropriate for pupils’ abilities. There has been a deterioration in the standards achieved since that time.

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GEOGRAPHY

102. Too few geography lessons were seen during the inspection to make a firm judgement on teaching but evidence from planning, scrutiny of pupils’ work, discussion with pupils and staff and Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 29 photographic evidence indicates that pupils receive a broad range of geographical experiences and standards are satisfactory at both key stages.

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GEOGRAPHY

103. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils examine the contrast between their village and the nearby city of Nottingham. They know about different building styles and contrast the type of buildings and environment. They make models of rivers and mountains after following the story in a picture book. They study topics such as “Weather” and ask and answer questions such as “What do I know now?” and “What do I need to find out?”, using a simple guide sheet to help them. The homework set is based on research and helps pupils to take responsibility for their own learning.

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GEOGRAPHY

104. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils know how rivers develop and have learned the associated vocabulary. They locate British and world rivers on maps and have well developed atlas skills. Mathematical skills are used well when pupils know and understand co-ordinates and use these and the index to locate places such as Lahore. The residential visit to Hathersage gives rise to much geographical and historical field work. Pupils know about the granite rocks and how they shape the landscape. They relate cave formation and the story of Blue John spar with enthusiasm. Pupils remember and describe the area in great detail. They used map reading skills to find their way in unknown territory and remember this as a great adventure. Good use of descriptive writing is demonstrated in folders, particularly that of poetry, about the nature of the countryside. This project made a significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual, social, cultural and

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GEOGRAPHY

personal development. In Years 3 and 4 the work on settlements undertaken in Key Stage 1 is extended and developed when pupils compare life in towns and villages.

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GEOGRAPHY

105. Only one lesson was seen during the inspection and no judgement has been made on teaching quality. A considerable strength of teaching in the subject is the use of outside visits as a stimulus for learning and the success of this approach is evident in pupils’ interest and enthusiasm. A weakness in the subject is the presentation of pupils’ work, which is often untidy and produced with insufficient care, although the content of the work is good.

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GEOGRAPHY

106. The co-ordinator is new to the role. No monitoring of teaching takes place at present, but pupils’ work around the school is monitored for coverage and teachers share ideas. There is no scheme of work, but the school is aware of the new national guidance. The resources are outdated, but there are plans in the school development plan to update these to meet the new guidance. Assessment is also part of this ongoing development. Information and communications technology is not yet playing a full supporting role in geography, although the school does have a number of CD-ROM disks for research.

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HISTORY

107. No lessons were seen during the inspection to make a firm judgement on teaching, but evidence from planning, scrutiny of pupils’ work, classroom displays and discussions with teachers and pupils indicates that attainment in history is in line with expectations by the end of both key stages.

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HISTORY

108. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have developed a sense of the past and know how people used to live, compared with the present day. They are able to describe the difference between toys today and those of long ago. Higher attaining pupils can describe the differences in metal toys and they know that dolls were often made of china. Pupils in Year 1 use their knowledge of stories of the past to sequence events, showing an emerging sense of chronology and can answer simple questions using historical sources. 109. By the end of Key Stage 2, some pupils can suggest consequences of change and know the difference between primary and secondary evidence. A few can describe characteristics of past periods and societies. Pupils in years 3 and 4 have completed good quality topic work on Egypt. By Year 6, they have made good progress in developing research skills. They are able to select information from a variety of sources and produce structured work with the correct use of dates

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HISTORY

and terms. They show good understanding of the similarities and differences between periods of time.

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HISTORY

110. History is being used as a good support for developing pupils’ literacy skills. Pupils effectively enhance both reading and writing through writing for real purposes. By the end of Key Stage 2, many pupils write in a variety of forms. Their writing is joined, neat and is varied according to the Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 30 type of presentation required. Their historical vocabulary is good.

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HISTORY

111. Pupils’ attitude to history is good. They show real interest and enthusiasm for the subject and are confident in expressing opinions. Artefacts, visits to museums and enjoyable practical activities are effectively used to re-enforce learning. Lessons are planned effectively.

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HISTORY

112. Overall, sound progress has been made since the previous inspection and there is a clear indication that the subject is capable of further development.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

113. During the current inspection no lessons were seen. (Pupils were sometimes observed working in pairs with limited adult intervention). Information was gained from wall displays and talking to pupils. Standards are below national expectations at the end of both Key Stages. Standards have deteriorated since the last inspection when they were found to be, overall, in line with national expectations.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

114. Pupils in Key Stage 1 use ‘Clip Art’ to make pictures and patterns. By the end of the key stage, they are able to use text in upper and lower case. However, they have very limited experience of recording information in tables. Very few pupils are able to enter, save and retrieve information unaided. Although there are ‘roamers’ in school there was very limited evidence of their use and no recorded work was available. In Key Stage 2, pupils use word processing well. They are familiar with many fonts and display work well using various ‘lay out’, illustrating text with icons and pictures selected from the menu. They complete and then edit first draft work using instructions to move, copy, correct and highlight text. However, this good practice is not evident through the other three strands of the National Curriculum required for information and communication technology. Pupils have limited experience in data handling, for example, in

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

classifying information in graph or table form or in analysing information. They are unable to create, test, modify and store sequences of instructions, for example rotations, or hypothesise and predict results.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

115. Information and communication technology is a priority in the school development plan. Teachers are all undergoing in-service training to improve their own skills and familiarise themselves with National curriculum requirements. The policy is being revised in line with national trends and a new computer suite is being installed. Current software resources are good in quantity and variety. Pupils have supervised access to the Internet and E-mail. Information Technology is not yet used as an effective tool to support learning across the curriculum.

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MUSIC

116. At the last inspection, standards in music were good in relation to pupils’ abilities.

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MUSIC

117. Only two lessons of music were seen, one in each key stage. Other evidence was gained by talking to pupils and listening to lunchtime sessions and tapes. Standards of attainment by the end of Key Stage 1 met national expectations and for some pupils were above average. By the end of Key Stage 2, attainment met national expectations. Instrumental work was often good.

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MUSIC

118. Pupils in Key Stage 1 are experimenting with instruments sensibly to work together to create the sound of rain. They enjoy performing in front of their peers and their work improves with constructive praise. Most listen to rhythms carefully and are able to follow clapping games well.

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MUSIC

119. At Key Stage 2, pupils have a good sense of rhythm and are able to repeat simple tunes and musical phrases. They have composed a “millennium” song which has suitable words and a rhythmic tune and an appropriate keyboard accompaniment.

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MUSIC

120. Throughout the school, pupils sing well in unison whether unaccompanied or to a guitar. They keep pitch well and pay attention to diction, pause and rhythms. Pupils with SEN/EAL make good progress in the subject. Cotgrave C of E Primary School - 31 121. The quality of teaching observed was satisfactory or good. Lessons were well planned to the needs of pupils. Praise and peer group support were used very effectively. Teachers’ own knowledge and enjoyment of music were evident and this further enhanced learning. In Key Stage 2, pupils’ were encouraged to evaluate their own performance and learning and build upon knowledge gained.

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MUSIC

122. The co-ordinator for music supports teachers well. A new music scheme has been recently introduced to ensure continuity and progression of skills through the school and this will be evaluated at the end of the year. Good provision is made for pupils to have personal tuition in a variety of musical instruments.

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MUSIC

123. Resources are good in variety, quality and quantity. The co-ordinator aims to include more instruments from other cultures in the next financial year. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

124. During the inspection it was not possible to observe any lessons. Evidence is taken from discussion with the co-ordinator and a scrutiny of planning and facilities.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

125. The requirement that all pupils should learn to swim and to achieve a length of 25 metres is met by the end of Year 3. About half the pupils achieve this by Year 2. By the end of Key Stage 2, many pupils swim 1,000 metres and also undertake assessments in skills of personal survival.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

126. Limited apparatus work is undertaken due to the very limited space in the small temporary classroom that is the only indoor space available. The school makes great efforts to compensate for this by using the field for gymnastics when the weather is suitable and by occasional use of outside facilities. Every opportunity possible is seized by the school to extend the physical education curriculum. These opportunities include cross-country running, basketball, short tennis, touch rugby and orienteering. The school enjoys coaching opportunities from professionals in basketball and in football.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

127. There are many extra-curricular sporting opportunities, all of which are open to both boys and girls. Competitions are entered in swimming, orienteering, football, netball and an indoor athletics league. The school places great emphasis on “taking part” and enjoyment. All pupils take part in the school’s own swimming gala.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

128. Co-ordination of the subject is good and there is supportive documentation that gives teachers ideas; for example, for developing gymnastic skills on the field. The co-ordinator monitors planning and occasionally takes a class to assess progress. Some individual assessment takes place in sport and swimming where pupils work for awards. Indoor space for physical education is very limited. The school has the use of a rented field. Other resources for physical education, such as balls, hoops and games equipment are good.

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