Danehill Church of England Primary School

DANEHILL CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mrs Valerie Singleton

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DANEHILL CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 29 th February - 1 st March 2000

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DANEHILL CE 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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DANEHILL CE 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. Danehill CE - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: School Lane Danehill Haywards Heath East Sussex

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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: Canon Peter Dominy

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: September 1994 Danehill CE - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Mrs Valerie Singleton Registered inspector Mrs Jane Chesterfield Lay inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

WES World-wide Education Service Canada House 272 Field End Road Eastcote Middlesex HA4 9NA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Danehill CE - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10

The school is very well led and effectively managed by the headteacher, supported by her governing body; Teaching is consistently good, which contributes to the good progress being made by pupils; Effective monitoring of teaching, learning and curriculum planning is having a positive impact on standards; Relationships are a particular strength; There is a broad and balanced curriculum with many opportunities for extending learning outside the school; The school provides very good care for its pupils; Parents are encouraged to make a very positive contribution to many aspects of school life.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 15

Broaden the use of mathematical investigations; Extend the good work begun in developing effective research skills; Extend the special needs provision so the very small number of able pupils, who are not reaching their potential due to specific learning difficulties, benefit from additional support at an early stage; Prepare the Year 2 pupils for next year when they will no longer be in two classes.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Danehill primary is a small village school with 73 pupils on roll, aged four to eleven, in three mixed age classes. There are similar numbers of boys and girls overall. Children are admitted into the Reception class in September, when they are four years old. There were four children under five at the time of the inspection. They attend morning school until the term they reach five years of age, when they attend full-time. The majority of pupils are from advantaged backgrounds, and all are white and British. Children enter the school with generally average levels of attainment, but with well developed speaking and listening skills. There are only three pupils who qualify for free school meals, which is below the national average. Twenty-one pupils are on the register of special educational needs, which is broadly in line with the national average. No pupil at present has a statement of special educational need,

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

although some have complex needs. Most pupils transfer to Chailey secondary school when they are eleven.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Danehill CE Primary School is a very good school, where the new headteacher has had a significant impact on improving standards. She has developed a strong staff team and effectively drawn together the school community, so there is a shared sense of purpose. Relationships are particularly good. Pupils enjoy coming to school, they behave well and work hard. Teaching is consistently good, particularly in literacy and numeracy, ensuring good progress is made and standards are steadily improving. The school provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The school is very well led and effectively managed by the headteacher, supported by her governing body; • Teaching is consistently good, which contributes to the good progress being made by pupils, particularly in literacy and numeracy; • Effective monitoring of teaching, learning and curriculum planning is having a positive impact on standards; • Relationships are a particular strength; • There is a broad and balanced curriculum with many opportunities for extending learning outside the school; • The school provides very good care for its pupils; • Parents are encouraged to make a very positive contribution to many aspects of school life.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved There are no significant weaknesses, but the following areas could be further improved: • Broaden the use of mathematical investigations; • Extend the good work begun in developing effective research skills; • Extend the special needs provision so the very small number of able pupils, who are not reaching their potential due to specific learning difficulties, benefit from additional support at an early stage; • Prepare the Year 2 pupils for next year when they will no longer be in two classes. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Danehill CE - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

As a result of the school’s action plan, drawn up after the inspection in 1994, all key issues for improvement were successfully addressed. Since the appointment of a new headteacher in January 1999, many significant improvements have been made.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

There are new curriculum policies and schemes of work which help pupils progressively develop knowledge and skills. The successful implementation of the national literacy and numeracy strategies has led to higher standards throughout the school. Careful lesson planning ensures the needs of pupils of different ages and abilities are taken into account. Teaching has improved because there is regular monitoring of teaching, learning and planning. Appropriate assessment procedures enable teachers to check pupils’ progress. Empowerment of the governing body means they are better placed to monitor the school’s work. Governors and staff are fully consulted in identifying priorities for school improvement, so all have a shared sense of purpose. Parents are positively encouraged to be fully involved in their children’s learning. The accommodation has been upgraded significantly, making a safer and more attractive learning

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STANDARDS

Overall trends in the school’s results during the past four years show improvement to be slightly better than the national picture. Standards in English are well above the national average, and in mathematics and science they are above average. Standards now match or exceed those attained by schools with a similar intake (based on the percentage of pupils who are eligible for free school meals). The school’s targets for 2000 are 80 per cent of pupils attaining Level 4 in English and mathematics. These are sufficiently challenging, given the present attainment of the pupils involved. The very small cohort of pupils each year make any patterns between attainment of boys and girls unreliable.

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STANDARDS

In the work seen in lessons and pupils’ books, most pupils are achieving good standards, particularly in literacy and numeracy. This is evident when children are five, at the end of Key Stage 1 and by the time pupils are eleven.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils are very happy to come to school, they work hard and enjoy learning.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good in class and around the school. Despite the small playground, pupils behave well at playtimes also.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships are a strength of the school, both between pupils, and pupils and staff. Personal development is also very good.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance and punctuality are very good. Danehill CE - 8

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Of lessons observed, 11 per cent was excellent, 33 per cent very good, 33 per cent good and 22 per cent was satisfactory. The consistently good teaching is a strength of the school. There is particularly good teaching in literacy and numeracy. Planning is thorough and detailed, so that the needs of pupils of differing ages and abilities in each class are effectively met. Teachers are enthusiastic and innovative, motivating the pupils to work hard and make good progress. Learning support assistants are well briefed and offer very effective support.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Curriculum provision is good for the children under five, very good in Key Stage 1 and 2, and particularly well supported by the wide range of learning experiences provided outside the school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Individual education plans have clear and attainable targets. A very small number of more able pupils, where they are not meeting their full potential due to specific difficulties, would benefit from additional provision at an early stage.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision is very good, particularly for moral and social development. The pupils have a wide range of cultural experiences and they are beginning to learn more about the rich multi-cultural society in which they live. There are close links with the local church.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares very well for its pupils, and daily routines run smoothly. Academic progress is carefully checked and standards monitored regularly . Danehill CE - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The school is very well led and efficiently managed by the headteacher, supported by the committed governing body and hard-working staff. The aim is to achieve high standards in all aspects of the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors meet all statutory requirements and are extending their role in monitoring the school’s performance and agreeing priorities for future developments.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance There are some very effective procedures for monitoring teaching, learning and curriculum planning, so the school is well placed to stringently evaluate its performance and identify key areas for improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Staff, accommodation and resources are used very efficiently. The school seeks best value in all major areas of expenditure.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Their children like school. • There is good teaching, their children are expected to work hard and they make good progress as a result. • The staff are very approachable • The school is well led and managed • The children behave well, and relationships between them are particularly strong • A significant number felt that there were too few extra-curricular activities provided

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team does not support the concerns about extra-curricular activities, as clubs are run on three evenings and two lunchtimes each week, as well as French lessons being available. All the positive views of parents are endorsed. Danehill CE - 10

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governing body

1. The headteacher has only been in post for a year, but she has made a major impact and has been instrumental in moving the school forward at a rapid pace. There have been several staff changes, but she has established a cohesive and hard-working team, that has a shared sense of purpose. The headteacher has encouraged a shared approach, so that developments are agreed and understood by all, and therefore implemented consistently. Once a policy has been agreed, it becomes part of a rolling programme for evaluation and review, making the process manageable and effective.

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governing body

2. The governors and all staff were included in making an analysis of strengths and weaknesses in all aspects of the school’s work and this formed the basis for the school improvement plan. Priorities were carefully identified and then the budget was allocated, based on the greatest need. The school improvement plan is a very helpful document, setting out responsibilities for action and monitoring outcomes, with clear criteria for success. At present, the headteacher is instrumental in effecting most changes, but she is empowering the governing body so that they are becoming more informed and able to monitor the school’s performance. The governors are very committed to the school, and fulfil their statutory duties. They share with the head teacher a clear vision of the future direction for the school’s work, based on pupils achieving high standards.

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governing body

3. The efficient and appropriate use of grants, for example, the planned funding of teachers’ release for monitoring their subject, and the recent development of information technology, is enabling the school’s priorities to be met. The principles of best value are applied to all spending, for example, when dealing with the recent building improvements.

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Teaching is consistently good, which contributes to the good progress being made by pupils

4. Teaching throughout the school is consistently good and often very good, in particular, literacy and numeracy are taught well. Planning is very thorough and detailed, ensuring that the needs of the pupils of different ages and abilities are addressed. Lessons are planned to achieve precise learning outcomes and these are shared with the pupils, so they know what it is they are trying to learn and why.

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Teaching is consistently good, which contributes to the good progress being made by pupils

5. Teachers have secure subject knowledge, as is evident from the introductory sessions in literacy when, by clever use of questioning and modelling, each group of pupils is helped to increase grammatical awareness and understanding of text conventions, at a level appropriate for their age and attainment. Equally, in numeracy, a range of mental activities and questions, given at a brisk pace, involves pupils at each level of understanding. Good opportunities are provided for all pupils to be active and totally involved.

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Teaching is consistently good, which contributes to the good progress being made by pupils

6. In the main activities, work is clearly explained with all resources carefully prepared and ready for each group. In Class 1 literacy hour, having shared the whole class session with the big book of “The Three Billy Goats Gruff”, the youngest children then work separately, with a learning support assistant, who is very well briefed and competent, on focused sound work. The clever use of ‘Oscar’ the puppet, ensures interest in a letter game is maintained and creates an element Danehill CE - 11 of friendly competition. Pupils working in groups are well supported by carefully prepared resources that are self-explanatory or open ended - for instance, in Class 2 numeracy, pupils played a game at different levels of difficulty, to explore adding and subtracting odd and even numbers. In literacy, younger pupils are helped to write independently by having word cards listing high-frequency vocabulary. In both literacy lessons observed, pupils have access to a

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Teaching is consistently good, which contributes to the good progress being made by pupils

word-processing program, either to retell a story or redraft their own text, and in numeracy, some pupils use a program to reinforce multiplication skills.

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Teaching is consistently good, which contributes to the good progress being made by pupils

7. The teacher in Class 1 uses imaginative resources to excite the younger children in a group reading activity. They are delighted to open the ‘magic story box’ to find each article as it is mentioned, whilst reading the story of a train journey. The teacher carefully reinforces how to use cues to support reading – through referring to pictures, having some words masked, encouraging prediction and reinforcing phonic knowledge. Teachers really manage to make learning fun as well as worthwhile. A good example was seen when a Class 2 history lesson about The Egyptians started with a set of interesting artefacts that had to be unwrapped by the pupils. In Class 3, a stunning three-dimensional display provided a really stimulating start to a new topic about the Caribbean.

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Teaching is consistently good, which contributes to the good progress being made by pupils

8. Teachers have consistently high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and application to work. As a result, pupils settle quickly to given tasks and concentrate well. Pupils are very well managed and this contributes to a positive ethos for learning. Teachers deal very sensitively with any concerns and they encourage and respect pupils’ ideas and contributions. They use praise effectively to encourage pupils to work hard and progress. Pupils are actively encouraged to show appreciation for each other’s efforts and achievements. Time is used well, with clear routines and activities suitably paced. Learning support assistants are very well informed and offer good support to small groups or individual pupils. They are also used effectively during the whole class sessions, keeping individual pupils on task and ensuring everyone understands what is being covered.

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Teaching is consistently good, which contributes to the good progress being made by pupils

9. Teachers use the plenary session in each lesson particularly to check that objectives have been met. This helps pupils recognise and appreciate what they have learnt. This is particularly effective in Class 1, when the class create a spider’s web of string – pupils roll it to each other in turn and say a word beginning with or containing the sound pattern they have been studying. Older pupils know when it is their turn to report back to the class, so they can prepare what to say. In Class 3, this session is used effectively for other pupils to offer some constructive criticism.

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Teaching is consistently good, which contributes to the good progress being made by pupils

10. Marking is carried out regularly and, in many instances, shows pupils how they can improve their work. Teachers are very aware of the targets in individual education plans and address these regularly. Personal targets in numeracy and literacy, based on careful assessment of work done, are agreed for all pupils. Homework is set regularly, and planned carefully to get progressively more demanding as pupils progress through each key stage. It effectively reinforces basic skills and also provides some good opportunities for independent research.

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standards

11. Procedures for the monitoring, evaluation and development of teaching are effective. The headteacher observes teaching and is arranging for co-ordinators to observe their subjects. Any overall strengths and weaknesses are shared at staff meetings and addressed on development Danehill CE - 12 days, with attendance at appropriate training courses arranged. The headteacher and co- ordinators monitor the planning and regularly sample pupils’ books in their subject. Curriculum reviews are completed by co-ordinators, and clearly identify where improvements are required, for example, in standards of work, planning, resources or display. The co-ordinators fulfil responsibility for standards in their subject well.

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standards

12. Lack of previous documentation means there are some difficulties with knowing what the older pupils have already covered in other areas of the curriculum, but detailed schemes of work are being developed for each subject. These will be regularly monitored, evaluated and reviewed on a rolling programme. Each member of the governing body has responsibility for monitoring a subject area, and this should provide a good opportunity for the governors to develop a strategic view of the curriculum.

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standards

13. Arrangements for assessment are good. Teachers carry out their own assessments appropriate to the subject. For instance, informative notes are made during the guided reading sessions during the literacy hour. Records of individual pupils’ knowledge of phonics, key words in reading and writing, and number combinations are kept. These are used to carefully set agreed targets for each pupil. In addition, standardised tests are administered annually in English, mathematics and non-verbal skills, and these are now being used to assess and track every pupil’s progress year on year.

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standards

14. Pupils who are not reaching the required standards are discussed with the school’s special educational needs co-ordinator and clear, attainable targets for them are agreed. Their progress is carefully monitored and outside agencies are consulted where expert advice is required. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported within the classroom by the positive work of the learning support assistants.

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standards

15. Teachers make good use of assessment information to plan future work for pupils. This ensures that suitably challenging work is planned for pupils at differing levels of attainment. The results of all standardised tests are now analysed carefully and the information is used to inform curricular planning and also to ascertain whether there are any significant differences between the performance of girls and boys, although the small cohorts makes this somewhat difficult. The pupils’ written end-of-year reports are good and contain specific comments about their attainment and progress in all areas of the curriculum.

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Relationships are a particular strength

16. There are very good relationships between the pupils, and this is recognised and much appreciated by parents and governors. From the beginning, pupils are encouraged to care for each other. The Reception children are paired up with an older ‘friend’, and it is the friend’s responsibility to meet them on induction visits and to look after them at playtimes once they have started school. These close relationships are maintained, as is evident from the way pupils show care and consideration for each other in the playground. Even the youngest children appear happy and secure, despite the somewhat cramped space and lively games being played.

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Relationships are a particular strength

17. In class, pupils are positively encouraged to show appreciation for each other’s achievements and effort. The older pupils are genuinely pleased at any success and spontaneously applaud each other. They work well in pairs and small groups, sharing ideas and listening maturely to differing points of view. They become very confident about suggesting answers and stating their views, knowing that they will not be criticised if mistakes are made or if others disagree. Teachers provide very good role models and positively promote this attitude. In the mixed-age classes, the Danehill CE - 13 older pupils demonstrate good care for the younger ones and they enjoy taking on special responsibilities within the class. The good relationships are also well supported by the out-of- school activities arranged by parents, such as weekend rambles and walks for families. There is a strong feeling of ‘belonging’ within the school community.

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the school

18. Although the present staff have only been together for a short time, they have worked very hard on developing a strong curriculum. All subjects have been reviewed and some new policies developed and agreed. The national literacy and numeracy strategies have been implemented very effectively, and termly and daily lesson planning in these subjects is particularly strong. From the scrutiny of pupils’ books and progress seen in lessons, this has had a very positive impact on standards. The parents are very pleased with how these subjects are now being taught and feel their children’s literacy and numeracy skills have improved significantly. There is a strong personal, social and health education programme which is firmly established in the weekly timetable. The school offers a broad and well-balanced curriculum.

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the school

19. There are close links with the pre-school groups, and a programme based on the recommended six areas of learning for children under five has recently been developed by the Class 1 teacher. However, as the children enter full-time school as ‘rising-fives’, most are ready to make an early start to the National Curriculum. The two teachers who have some Year 2 pupils in their classes, plan together carefully so similar experiences are offered.

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the school

20. The pupils’ learning is enhanced by the many visits made to local places of interest. These are planned to extend understanding and skills, such as studying the estuary at Cuckmere Haven, visiting the historical site of Newhaven Fort, or taking part in adventurous physical activities at Sayers Croft. Visitors to school teach Asian music and composition, show the technique of batik or present a theatrical production. There are exciting whole-school days, such as the “Evacuees day”, when all pupils dress in appropriate costume and experience a range of relevant activities, or the “Science day”, when they explore, for example, magnetism; this not only offers pupils the chance to take part in a wide range of experiments and investigations, but teachers can check the pupils’ progress in skills and understanding year on year.

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the school

21. Close links with the local secondary school ease pupils’ transfer at eleven. There are also some opportunities for pupils to use the facilities and become familiar with the building.

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the school

22. The provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. There are close links with the local church and worship plays an important part in the life of the school. Pupils who have different beliefs are dealt with very sensitively. Imaginative activities provide opportunities for the pupils to be excited by knowledge and learning. There is a strong emphasis on responsibility and pupils have a clear sense of right and wrong. Pupils have many opportunities for learning about their own culture and there is evidence that the contribution of other cultures to a range of subjects is beginning to filter into the curriculum, such as Caribbean poetry and a study of Arabic writing as part of work on calligraphy. The pupils are also forging a link, using letters, fax and e-mail, with a missionary ship. Danehill CE - 14

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The school provides very good care for its pupils

23. The care of pupils is very good and parents value the comprehensive support their children receive. The arrangements for new children entering the school are very good and the induction procedures are carefully followed, ensuring that children settle down quickly. All the adults in the school show genuine concern for pupils’ well-being. Staff know the pupils very well, they are conversant with all the daily routines and know the necessary procedures should there be concerns for a pupil’s health or welfare.

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The school provides very good care for its pupils

24. Procedures for monitoring and promoting behaviour are good. Class rules are agreed, clearly displayed and understood by all. The staff have a consistent approach so that management of pupils’ behaviour is effective. Clear procedures have been established to support the few pupils who find it difficult to cope with the playground.

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The school provides very good care for its pupils

25. A very thorough and useful child protection policy has recently been completed. Issues are dealt with very well and all staff are aware of the procedures to follow. The monitoring of attendance is very good; registration procedures are business-like and efficient, and greatly improved since the last inspection.

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The school provides very good care for its pupils

Parents are encouraged to make a very positive contribution to many aspects of school life.

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The school provides very good care for its pupils

26. The school has very good links with parents; they are closely involved and help in many ways. The new headteacher has continued to build upon the good relationships with parents mentioned in the previous report.

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The school provides very good care for its pupils

27. Information provided by the school is very good. There is an attractive and informative prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents is of good quality. Parents are complimentary about the approachability of the school and feel they are provided with sufficient information about the curriculum and homework requirements. Newsletters keep parents well informed about forthcoming events and the headteacher has just introduced a numbering system, which the parents felt would help them keep a check on whether they had received each letter. The school sees it as important to keep parents well informed about their child’s progress and teachers contact parents informally if there are any concerns. There are consultation evenings in two terms and detailed reports in the third. Parents of pupils who have special needs are very well informed about their child's progress and invited to the review meetings.

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The school provides very good care for its pupils

28. The school is successful in involving parents as partners in children's learning. Parents are encouraged to come into school regularly to help with reading and other areas of the curriculum, as well as school trips. Specialist skills are used well, such as the whole-school project on creating a batik wall hanging. Parents provide good support for their children with homework. They sign a homework agreement and much work completed at home is of high quality.

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The school provides very good care for its pupils

29. The Parent Teachers Association works very hard to generously fund projects, such as this year’s focus on developing the garden area for the pupils. Many people help in practical ways, such as decorating and minor repairs. Members of the local community also come into the school to help.

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The school provides very good care for its pupils

30. The school has good links with the local community, particularly the church. The older pupils have performed at Glyndebourne and there have been numerous visitors in school. Parents feel very positively about the school and feel it is a warm and welcoming place. Danehill CE - 15

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The following areas could be further improved:

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Broaden the use of mathematical investigations;

31. The higher achieving pupils in Key Stage 2 have opportunities to tackle some good investigative and problem solving work in numeracy. They have benefited from extending their mathematical thinking in these ways. However, all pupils should experience this aspect of the curriculum and this good practice now needs to be developed throughout the school.

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Extend the good work begun in developing effective research skills

32. The teachers have provided some appropriate opportunities for the pupils to conduct their own research. Some of this has taken the form of a homework project. The pupils planned what aspect they were going to study and organised the chapter headings and front cover design. They worked very hard and produced some attractive and informative books as a result. However, a significant amount of work was printed directly from the Internet, and contained language that was too complicated and sophisticated to be understood by most pupils. Other work appeared to have been copied from books, although there were some clear examples where pupils had conducted research and recorded their findings well in their own words.

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Extend the good work begun in developing effective research skills

33. In Class 2, there are some good recent examples where pupils record what it is they want to know about a specific animal or subject, prior to finding relevant books and then trying to find the answers to their own questions. The school is laying good foundations in this way and this good practice needs to be extended further.

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their potential due to specific learning difficulties, benefit from additional support at any early

34. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is firmly established across the school and the Code of Practice is in place. Individual education plans are clear and appropriate, and good support is provided by the learning support assistants in the classroom. However, there are a very small number of pupils who are capable and bright, but who have specific learning difficulties. Although they can operate at an acceptable level with their work, they are not yet able to fulfil their potential, and there is a considerable gap between what they are capable of expressing orally with what they express in writing. The school has recently included these pupils on the register of pupils with special educational needs, and this is very appropriate. The school needs to ensure that such pupils, in future, are included at an early stage of their learning so that appropriate additional support can be offered.

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Prepare the Year 2 pupils for next year when they will no longer be in two classes

35. At present, the Year 2 pupils are shared between two classes. The younger group has benefited from being in the nurturing environment of Class 1, where they can fully develop their early literacy and numeracy skills. Due to organisational difficulties with the science curriculum, pupils in Year 2 are taught as a whole year group in this subject. This has had the bonus of the pupils having the opportunity to work together and to feel part of the same cohort.

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Prepare the Year 2 pupils for next year when they will no longer be in two classes

36. The situation for next academic year is that numbers will result in all Year 2 pupils being in the same class. In order that the younger pupils get used to being challenged by working with an older peer group, and the older pupils experience being the more mature element of a class, the school should consider ways of providing opportunities for the year group to work as a class group in other subjects for the remainder of the school year, particularly in writing and numeracy lessons. Danehill CE - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 5

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 70

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 21

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Danehill CE - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 2 3 5

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 2 2 2 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 3 3 3

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (86) 100 (72) 87 (72) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (85)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 2 2 2 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 3 3 3

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (86) 100 (86) 100 (72) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 2 5 7

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 2 2 2 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 5 4 4

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 100 (43) 86 (36) 86 (64) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (58) 78 (69)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 2 2 2 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 4 4 5

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 86 (70) 86 (63) 100 (84) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Danehill CE - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4.1 Financial year 98/99

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 156706

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 2305

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 39 Balance brought forward from previous year 10584

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 15100 Danehill CE - 20

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 62 34 4 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 49 45 2 0 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 34 60 2 2 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 40 47 9 0 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 77 19 4 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 66 34 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 49 40 6 0 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 62 38 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 57 38 2 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 23 43 26 2 6

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