St Stephen's CofE Primary School

SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Stephen’s CE Primary School - ii

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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: Round Street West Bowling Bradford West Yorkshire

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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: Reverend Charles Barber

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 5 th December 1994

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE 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. St Stephen’s CE Primary School - iii

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

4275 Joyce Taylor Registered inspector Music Physical education The Foundation Stage The characteristics and effectiveness of the school The school’s results and pupils’ achievements. Teaching and learning Leadership and management Key issues for action 19807 Keith Osborne Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Partnership with parents and carers 30954 Brian Ashcroft Team inspector Mathematics Geography History. 4295 David Dodds Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Design and technology. 15551 Patricia Mitchell Team inspector English Art Special educational needs Equal opportunities. Quality and range of opportunities for learning

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

2152 John Joyce Team inspector English as an additional language

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Primary Associates Limited West Lancs Technology Management Centre Moss Lane View Skelmersdale WN8 9TN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway St Stephen’s CE Primary School - iv London WC2B 6SE St Stephen’s CE Primary School - v

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 1

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 5

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Stephen’s Church of England Primary school is of average size, with 261 pupils on roll including the children in the nursery who attend part-time. Just over half of the children are of Pakistani origin and about a third are white. The remainder are of a range of different ethnic groups. There has recently been a reorganisation of the Bradford schools and this is the first year that St Stephen’s has had pupils from nursery to Year 6. Previously the site was a First School. Generally the attainment of the children on entry to the nursery is well below average and by the time they enter reception their attainment is below average. About half of the children are eligible for free school meals and this is well above the national picture. The percentage of children identified as having special educational needs has almost doubled during the past year and is now above average. The number of children with statements is

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

broadly average. More than half of the children use English as an additional language and this number rises to 90 per cent in the nursery. The children enter the nursery when they are three and the reception class when they are four.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school is providing a sound education for the vast majority of its children. The pupils in the Foundation Stage and the infant classes learn quickly but the pupils in Years 5 and 6 are not learning fast enough in English. The headteacher provides satisfactory leadership. She has clearly identified the areas for improvement and has made changes to raise the children’s standards. There are still several important management areas to be improved. The children reach standards that are average or above average for similar schools apart from English in Year 6, where they are lower. The teaching is good overall. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The teaching is good and sometimes very good especially for the younger children. • The children are learning quickly, especially in the nursery, reception and infant classes. • In all classes the children are making good progress in using the computers. • The standards in music are good. • There are good opportunities for the children’s personal development and their behaviour is usually good. The children like coming to school.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The standards of English for the older children, particularly in Year 6. The standards in history and geography in the junior classes. • The standards in reading and fluency in English of the children with English as an additional language. • The management processes to raise standards when weaknesses are identified. • The opportunities for the parents to share in the work of the school. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in December 1994. Since then the National Numeracy strategy has been introduced well and the standards in mathematics have improved in the infant classes and years 3 and 4. Information and communication technology has improved in all classes and the opportunities for the children to learn, in the computer room, are better. The new library is an improvement. The teaching is better and now nearly 20 per cent is very good or excellent but there are still some teachers who are unsure about some subjects and St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 2 they are not given enough support. The governors are more involved in the work of the school but the parents are not. All of the children are expected to work at higher standards but the teachers’ planning and the lessons do not always take account of the higher attaining children. The children with English as an additional language are not given enough support in

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

spoken English. The school has made satisfactory improvements overall since the last inspection.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 7 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests. compared with

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

Reading E E C A Well above average above average A B Writing E E* D B Average Below average C D Mathematics C E E C Well below average Lowest 5% nationally E E*

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STANDARDS

There are no test results for Year 6 as this is their first year in the school. The test results for the children who were in Year 2 in 2000 show that when compared with similar schools their standards were well above average in reading, above average in writing and average in mathematics. The standards were average for reading, below average for writing and well below average for mathematics when compared with the national picture. The school has worked successfully to improve the standards in reading and writing but the standards in mathematics tests have continued to be low.

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STANDARDS

In the tests for Key Stage 1 over the past years the children’s attainment has gone up and down. It is now improving and the children’s achievements are good. In mathematics many of the children reach average standards but not enough of them reach higher levels and this means that overall the standards are well below average. During the inspection the children in Year 2 were judged to be reaching average standards in all subjects including English and mathematics, apart from their fluency in English which is still below average. The number of children reaching the above average levels in writing and mathematics is still smaller than average.

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STANDARDS

The standards of the children entering the nursery are well below average. They achieve well in the early years. By the time they leave the reception class they reach average standards in knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development, personal development and physical development.

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STANDARDS

During the inspection the standards of the current Year 6 children were judged to be very low when compared with what is expected nationally in English. In mathematics they are below average and in science the standards are average. The school has set targets showing how well the children are likely to achieve when they take their national tests in the summer term. These targets are too low and the children who have English as an additional language could reach higher standards in mathematics if they understood better what they should do. The school has recognised this and has arranged for the children to be helped to understand the questions during their tests. Since they have been in Year 5 and Year 6 the children have not made enough progress. Their earlier test results show levels that have not been kept up. They are learning mathematics at a faster rate now because the teachers are skilled at

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STANDARDS

St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 3 teaching numeracy but the children’s progress in literacy is still too slow. In information and communication technology, physical development and art the standards are average. In history and geography they are below average. Across the school the standards in music are above average.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Good. The children concentrate well and enjoy school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. The children respond well to school rules and play well together in the playground. No evidence of bullying seen during the inspection.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Good. The children respect each other and work well together.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Poor, but it is improving and the school is good at contacting parents.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils: aged up to 6 years aged 6-7 years aged 7-11 years

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall Good Good Satisfactory 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

The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection and is now good overall. 20 per cent is very good or excellent, 35 per cent is good, 40 per cent is satisfactory and only 5 per cent is unsatisfactory. There are examples of very good teaching in all key stages and the teaching is strongest in aspects of English, mathematics, music, science, and information and communication technology. In these subjects, for the most part, the teachers show a clear understanding of how to move the children on. As a result the children are making good progress. Where the teaching is more ordinary most of the children make satisfactory progress. In some cases the teachers showed that they could teach some subjects better than others and these strengths are linked to their own strong subject knowledge and expecting the children to do well. This was seen at the end of Key Stage 2 where the teaching is strong in mathematics and science but unsatisfactory in English. The support

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

assistants give the children with special educational needs good support in lessons and small groups. Many of the children with English as an additional language, particularly the youngest, need further support to rapidly improve their fluency in English.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The plans for each subject guide the teachers effectively. The school needs to make sure that the curriculum really provides what the children need in order to make good progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory. Good provision for the children with more extensive difficulties. The children with poor fluency in English are added to the special needs register without their needs being made clear enough.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional Satisfactory but with some significant weaknesses. The children make satisfactory progress but many still find the Key Stage 2 curriculum too St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 4 language hard to understand. There is not enough support in spoken English particularly for the youngest children.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Satisfactory. Good for moral and social development. Satisfactory for spiritual development. There is good harmony between the children of different cultures but not enough attention is given to the home culture of many of the children.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Satisfactory. The school takes good care of the children and monitors their personal development properly. The way the children’s standards are checked and improved is satisfactory.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Assessment procedures are good for the Foundation Stage and for aspects of literacy and numeracy in the rest of the school. The school has yet to assess the children’s attainment and rate of learning according to National Curriculum levels but has identified a way of doing this. The parents have confidence in the school but are not provided with enough opportunities to share in the work of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory. The headteacher and deputy have clearly identified what needs to be done to improve the school but have not always taken enough action. All staff work hard to develop new ideas.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. The governors check the finances and support the school appropriately.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The senior staff check effectively on the teaching and give advice for improvement. There is not enough support to be sure the advice is followed. Test results are analysed and weaknesses are identified.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. Money is tight but it is used properly and has led to improved standards, for example, in reading and numeracy.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Staffing meets the needs of the school. The nursery nurses and classroom assistants are well qualified and provide good support. Accommodation is satisfactory although a bit cramped for some classes. The school is clean and well cared for. The resources for learning are generally satisfactory and help to improve standards. The school seeks to find best value for money when making purchases.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The children like school • The teaching is good. • The school expects the children to work hard. • Parents feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions and concerns. • More information about how the children are getting on. • The range of activities outside lessons. • The way the school works with parents.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agrees with the parents’ views. The parents have accurately identified the strengths and weaknesses of the school. St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 5 St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 6

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The oldest children who are in the Foundation Stage attain standards that are below average in communication, language and literacy and average standards in all the other areas of learning. The children enter the nursery with very low standards and enter the reception class with below average standards. In both classes they learn at a good pace in most of the areas of learning identified in the curriculum for children under six and they achieve well. In understanding and speaking English many of the children make slow progress. There is satisfactory provision for the higher attaining children and their standards are above average in both the nursery and reception classes.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The school's standards are affected by the pupils’ lack of fluency in English. The better amount of support given to the development of fluency in the infant classes is reflected in the Key Stage 1 test results. In the Foundation Stage, the infrequent support means that spoken English is of a lower standard than in other areas of learning.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. By the end of Key Stage 1 the 2000 test results for the children aged seven show average standards for reading, below average standards for writing and well below average for mathematics. This is the same as the previous inspection apart from mathematics where the standards were slightly higher. When compared to similar schools the results show that in reading the children reached well above average standards, above average standards in writing and average in mathematics. Over the past four years the children’s results have fluctuated from above to below the national averages. In 1999 there was a dip in all three subjects. In reading and writing there was a good improvement in 2000. The children’s standards in mathematics remained lower than they should be and the school has taken action to improve them. During the inspection the children’s standards in reading, writing and mathematics were judged to

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

be average when compared to all schools. This shows that reading is steady now, improvement is good in writing and particularly good in mathematics. In science the teachers’ assessments showed that the children’s standards are about average. This matches the judgement formed during the inspection. In Key Stage 1 the children’s achievement is good when compared to their earlier standards.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. At the time of the last inspection there were no children beyond Year 4 as this was a first school so no comparisons can be made. The standards of the children in Years 5 and 6 have been judged against the National Curriculum expectations for pupils of this age. At the end of Key Stage 2 the children’s standards are judged to be well below average in English, below average in mathematics and average in science. The school has very recently begun to check the children’s achievement, in a detailed way, against the tests they took when seven years old. This shows that there has been unsatisfactory progress. In Year 5, for example, many of the children have made less than the expected improvement during the previous two years. The children’s achievements are satisfactory in Years 3 and 4 but standards are unsatisfactory by the end of the key stage. This is mainly due to the children who have English as a second

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

language having difficulty understanding the vocabulary and the meaning of many aspects of the curriculum. St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 7 5. During the inspection the standards achieved by boys were lower than the girls. This is particularly so in reading with boys who have English as an additional language. The school has identified this concern but as yet has made little improvement in the standards.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The basic skills of reading and writing are taught regularly and effectively during literacy lessons. The staff in the Foundation Stage are thorough at teaching the early skills and as a result most of the children are working at a sound level. Many of the children, particularly in the nursery, do not speak much English and they try very hard to understand what they are to do. By the time they leave the reception class they have a basic vocabulary and understanding that enables them to complete most of their tasks. However, they cannot talk easily about their work and their learning is hindered. They do not receive enough help from the bilingual support staff in the early years. In Key Stage 1 the basic skills are taught well. The pupils’ standards in reading and writing mean that in all subjects their performance is supported by a more secure understanding of written tasks and the ability to record their own information fairly

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

effectively. They receive a good level of help from the language support staff and their English is improving. By the time the children reach Year 4 the learning has slowed, particularly for those with English as a second language. This is because they have still not developed a high enough level of understanding and use of both spoken and written English. This is particularly noticeable in literacy and numeracy by the time the children are in Year 6 where the children find the practice tests very hard to understand.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The basic calculating skills of numeracy are being taught systematically across the school and very well in Year 6. The pupils are achieving well and many are reaching average standards. Very few of them are working at an above average level. The numeracy strategy is having a positive impact throughout the school and most of the children are working at the correct levels. The vast majority of the children are able to recall number facts like their tables and calculate in their heads.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. By the end of each key stage the children’s attainment in information technology is average; they have an appropriate range of skills and a secure understanding. They are achieving well and filling in gaps in their knowledge and understanding of the subject. This is an improvement since the last inspection when standards were below average in both key stages. The direct teaching of computer skills is raising the children’s standards particularly in Year 5. The children use information technology to support their work in English and mathematics but very few examples were seen. In design and technology very little work was seen during the inspection and no reliable judgement can be made on standards. In music the standards are above average in both key stages with a visiting music teacher leading the lessons very well. The other subjects are average in Key Stage 1. In Key Stage 2 the standards are average in art

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

and design, and physical education but below average in history and geography.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Since the last inspection the standards have improved in mathematics and information communication technology across the school. History and geography remain below average, as they were at the time of the last inspection.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. There has been a large increase in the number of children on the register for special educational needs. Many of the children at the early stage are those with English as an additional language. These children are not making enough progress. The pupils at higher stages on the register for special educational needs make satisfactory progress as a result of carefully managed and planned provision which gives the extra help the children need. Their needs are identified and the support staff use the children’s individual education plans to ensure they provide work at the correct level. The St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 8 teachers in Key Stages 1 and 2 do not consistently plan different and more challenging tasks for the potentially higher attaining children. Some of the teachers work well to extend these children but in several other classes the children’s standards are not as high as they should be. Overall the pupils receive good support and during the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

inspection there was a positive atmosphere created for learning in almost all lessons.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. The pupils' attitudes to school are good. They are enthusiastic about their learning and as a result many children arrive early and settle to extra mathematics or reading for 10 to 15 minutes until registration. The Year 6 pupils say that it is a good school, with good teachers and nice pupils. There is a small range of school clubs and the older children regret the lack of sports teams. Some of the pupils are able to join in activities at the nearby City Technology College.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. The children’s behaviour is good overall, and only two fixed term exclusions occurred during the last year. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good overall though the school's records show that there are a few pupils whose behaviour is sometimes unacceptable. Little unsatisfactory behaviour was seen during the inspection and in two out of three lessons behaviour was good or very good. There is very little bullying, and the school community is very well integrated, with children from all backgrounds working and playing together amicably. The pupils accept as completely normal the range of religious faiths present in the school, and the customs and practices of the different communities. All of the children readily accept a range of duties, for example as play leaders or reading partners, but other opportunities to show initiative in lessons are not widely available. The relationships between pupils and all adults in school are

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Attendance rates are low compared with other primary schools, but there has been a steady improvement over the last three years. Authorised absences include some extended visits overseas, though the school has successfully persuaded some parents to limit the length of these. The rate of unauthorised absences is also improving, but is still much higher than in most primary schools. The school is working hard and successfully to improve attendance and to reduce lateness.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

14. The quality of teaching is good overall and contributes effectively to the quality of the pupils’ learning, their attitudes and the progress they make. During the inspection it was good or better in 55 per cent of the lessons and 20 per cent were very good or excellent. Forty percent were satisfactory and only 5 per cent were unsatisfactory. This represents an improvement on the findings of the previous 1996 inspection when teaching was judged to be satisfactory or better in 75 per cent of lessons and unsatisfactory in a quarter of the lessons. During the inspection very few of the shortcomings identified in the previous report were in evidence. One significant feature of the unsatisfactory teaching, however, continues to be insufficient subject knowledge. In English in Years 5 and 6 the teachers are unsure about how to extend the children’s learning appropriately and as a result the children reach lower standards

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

than they should. In all key stages some of the teachers show strengths in the teaching of English, mathematics, science, and information technology. In these subjects almost all of the teachers have appropriate expectations of the pupils and set tasks that build on their earlier learning. In both Key Stage 1 and 2 most of the teachers have a sound understanding of the subjects of the National Curriculum. There is a tendency, however, to rely too heavily on the nationally recommended schemes rather than adapting them to meet the particular needs of the children. As a result, not St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 9 enough attention is paid to improving the children’s fluency in English as the schemes do not focus on this.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

15. The teachers in the nursery and reception classes are familiar with the early years curriculum although the reception children experience formal lessons too soon and some find it hard to concentrate. The teaching of the children in the nursery and reception classes is good overall and there are some very good features. Careful planning results in an appropriate focus to lessons. In the nursery, particularly, there is a very good balance between direct teaching and practical activities chosen by the children where adults intervene to encourage and support. This balance is not always achieved in the reception class and the children follow the literacy and numeracy lessons designed for Key Stage 1. The warmth and care of both of the teachers, together with the close partnership between teacher and classroom support staff, promote learning well.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. In Key Stage 1 the quality of teaching is very good in history, music and science. It is good in aspects of English, mathematics, information communication technology, the children’s personal development and physical education. The national literacy and numeracy guidelines have been implemented well and planning for both is effective. A strength of the teaching of literacy and numeracy is the good match between the activities and the pupils’ level of learning. This means the children make good progress and their achievement in fluency in English is satisfactory. The quality of learning is good because of the direct teaching of key skills such as sounding out letters, grammar and number bonds. Effective use is made of good quality picture books and other writing in literacy lessons. Science is taught well and includes an appropriate balance of teaching of scientific knowledge and investigative work. Scientific

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

knowledge and skills are linked well to play activities, in Year 1 for example, to help the children reinforce their learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. In Key Stage 2 the teaching is very good in music and information technology. It is good in mathematics, science, and personal development and satisfactory overall in the other subjects. Good account is taken of the national guidelines for numeracy in all year groups and the literacy guidelines have been implemented to a satisfactory level apart from Year 6. Challenging questions to extend the children’s thinking are important features of the very good teaching observed but the children’s need to develop their understanding of spoken and written English is not given enough attention. As a result the children’s achievement in this aspect is unsatisfactory by the time they are eleven. This causes their learning to slow down and the standards fall. In science the children develop a good level of knowledge. Investigative work has been introduced although this is not yet appropriately developed and the teachers demonstrate rather than

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

expect the children to experiment. In a Year 6 lesson there was very good science teaching. When the children’s lack of investigative skills became clear the teacher used the lesson to assess what the children could do and build on it. In mathematics there are too few opportunities for the children to apply their learning in investigative situations. As a result they are not developing independence as learners.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. The teachers’ planning is clear and detailed for lessons. The school has adopted the nationally recommended schemes of work for all subjects and this is used to guide the planning. It is satisfactory across all key stages. Weekly lesson plans are detailed and include the specific tasks to be taught but there is not enough detail about how different ability groups will learn. Throughout the school the teachers use a good range of teaching methods and classroom organisation. They include opportunities for the pupils to work as a whole class as well as individually or in small groups. When the teaching is very good, lessons include lively introductions and practical activities that make the learning interesting for the pupils. This was evident in a science lesson with St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 10 Year 1 pupils who explored the problems that cause plants to wither and die. They were challenged to find out what had stopped the plants flourishing. Using learning

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

from earlier lessons they examined the plants and discussed how lack of water, light or growing space had caused them to fail. Good use is made of question and answer sessions in several subjects to teach new skills or to review pupils’ understanding. A strong feature of very good teaching in information and communication technology is the way that the teachers link demonstrations with questioning and first hand experiences for the children.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. The management of the children’s behaviour is unobtrusive and good. It was a key feature of the lessons observed. All of the teachers base their discipline on the good relationships that are established throughout the school. This aspect of teaching makes a significant contribution to the quality of learning because the pupils can be trusted to take some responsibility for their own learning. Where there are pupils who have difficulty in working calmly, the teachers use sensible and quiet methods of discipline to avoid adding tension to difficult situations.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. The use of time and resources is good, especially in Key Stage 1. Lessons are organised well and they move along with a brisk pace to keep the children involved in their learning. In many good and very good lessons the summary sessions are successfully used to help the pupils evaluate their learning. The skilled and enthusiastic classroom support assistants are effectively deployed making good contributions to the pupils’ learning. In Key Stage 2 there are sometimes several support assistants in a lesson but the children have too few opportunities to work independently as they seek help whenever they are unsure. The teachers do not make full use of the local environment to make subjects such as history and geography more relevant to the pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. The teachers are effective in advising pupils as they work. However the lack of assessments to show progress over time means that sometimes the children are not given exactly what they need in order to help them achieve at a fast pace. This is particularly the case in Years 5 and 6. The pupils’ work is marked regularly and, in Year 6 particularly, there are very useful notes to help the children improve their work. In English the setting of targets for individual pupils is effective in helping them to focus on the next area of learning. Homework is a regular feature of the life of the school and makes a sound contribution to learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. A key aspect of this provision is the regular availability of skilled classroom support staff who are aware of the pupils’ needs. The staff have developed positive relationships with the children and work in response to the targets of their individual education plans.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

23. The quality and range of the curriculum provided are satisfactory. Appropriate attention is given to literacy and numeracy but the organisation of the curriculum provides too little time for some other subjects such as geography and history. This contributes to the below average standards achieved by pupils at the age of eleven in these subjects. The National Literacy Strategy has been effectively implemented in Key Stage 1 and the children’s achievement is good. Particularly good features are the teaching of phonics and basic writing skills for younger pupils. However lack of expertise in teaching the Literacy Strategy to the older pupils has resulted in unsatisfactory St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 11 achievement by the age of eleven. The National Numeracy Strategy has been effectively implemented and oral and mental sessions are used well to develop number skills in all classes. In science and mathematics there are limited opportunities

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

for pupils to investigate and solve problems. The curriculum for pupils in the nursery and reception classes is good and each area of learning is carefully planned to support the development of all the early learning goals. However, in the reception class the approach to teaching literacy and numeracy is sometimes too formal.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

24. The school has adopted the national recommendations for schemes of work. These form the more detailed termly plans for all subjects except English and mathematics. These schemes are new and the teachers are still feeling their way with them. At the moment they are not adapted to the particular needs of the pupils in this school. For example some pupils are learning English as an additional language and have language development needs that are not identified in the literacy strategy. All of the subjects have policies to guide teachers but these do not always recognise the needs of the higher and lower achieving pupils or the pupils learning English as an additional language. The provision for extra-curricular activities is less than usual. The school runs an information technology club and a choir. These are of good quality and help to raise standards. Pupils who want to take part in sports are able to attend the local high

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

school clubs. There is a satisfactory range of visits within the locality and to other places of interest and these support the children’s work.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory and they receive the same curriculum as other pupils. They receive good help from learning support assistants within the classroom. However work is not always adapted suitably for them so that they can succeed and they become over-reliant on adult support to complete work.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

26. The provision for equal opportunities is satisfactory overall. The school has worked very successfully to make the school community harmonious and there are very good relationships between the pupils of many different home backgrounds. The school has identified that boys are underachieving, especially in reading. Too little has been done to rectify this and boys in Year 6 are unmotivated by books and reading. In addition the curriculum for the higher achieving pupils is not always planned and they usually complete the same work as other pupils. Consequently they are not challenged sufficiently and are underachieving, especially in Key Stage 2.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. Links with the community are satisfactory, but limited. The school is part of a small network of primary schools in a partnership with the local City Technology College. Other partnerships between schools are still being created following the reorganisation in 1999. Some secondary school students read with the children. Links with local businesses and groups are not well developed. Local services such as the police, fire, water and library services contribute appropriately to the curriculum.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. Provision for the children’s personal development is good. The school offers a wide range of learning methods including circle time and discussion to help develop pupils' self-confidence. As a result the children in Year 5, for example, can describe what they like about their friends, while the Year 2 children link poems about best friends and name calling, with their own feelings. The school has rewritten its policy in line with the latest guidance, and is using the local education authority's Advisory Service to develop a detailed scheme of work up to Year 6. Parents have sensibly been consulted about the content and delivery of sex education lessons, to ensure that religious and cultural traditions are taken into account.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. Spiritual provision is satisfactory and has improved since the previous inspection. St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 12 Class assemblies in Key Stage 1 provide quiet opportunities for thought and enjoyable occasions for singing. For example the children and staff enjoy the music making by a Christian music group. The teachers successfully bring elements of spirituality into subjects such as science, where work on rocks and a visit to a local museum is supported by poems expressing the wonder of creation and natural processes. The provision for the children’s moral development is good. In assemblies and in personal, social and health education lessons, the pupils explore many aspects of behaviour and feelings about others. The Year 4 pupils discuss the importance of gesture and expression and what makes them happy or unhappy. The pupils in Year 6 have a highly developed ethical awareness, for example about killing or stealing.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. The children’s social development is good within the school, although there are few opportunities to meet pupils from other schools. The older pupils have a range of duties and responsibilities. They are reading partners to younger friends and some are play leaders. They clear up litter from the playground and have duties at lunchtime in the hall. Each class has its weekly superstars, who are rewarded for good behaviour or good work by taking extra responsibilities to help the smooth running of the school. The nursery pupils help to sweep up the sand and put away their toys.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. The provision for the children’s cultural development is unsatisfactory overall because it does not sufficiently take account of the pupils' own backgrounds. Provision for pupils to experience local art galleries and museums, for example the David Hockney gallery and the museum of photography, is satisfactory and visiting musicians help to widen pupils’ musical awareness. Book Week provides opportunities to meet children's authors. Younger pupils visit local shops and the park. However, apart from work related to religious education, displays and resources around the school and many aspects of the curriculum do not reflect the Asian, African and Afro-Caribbean culture of the majority of the pupils. This area has not improved since the last inspection.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. Procedures for child protection and ensuring the pupils' welfare are good overall. The staff show real concern for their pupils, and the children report that they feel well cared for. They know that if they feel unwell or unhappy their parents will be called to take them home. There are appropriate systems for health and safety inspections. First aid systems are clear, and there are first aid boxes in each base. Accidents are recorded properly. The interior of the building is generally safe and attractive. However, the floors smell in the boys' toilets even after the caretaker has done his best with disinfectant and this is unacceptable. The head teacher is the named person for child protection, and this is an aspect that the school takes very seriously. Questions about child protection are sensibly included in all interviews for new staff at the school. Appropriate action has been taken in past cases. The procedures for monitoring the children’s

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

personal development and providing personal support and guidance are satisfactory and appropriate action is taken. However, not enough specialist support has been provided for some pupils with recognised emotional or behavioural difficulties. The good procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are having some success in reducing absences. These are now followed up by telephone on the first day. The computerised registers permit close monitoring of absence patterns and the education welfare officer is involved where necessary. The children are awarded a range of certificates for good attendance.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. The school has good ways of monitoring behaviour and for ensuring that there is hardly any oppressive behaviour. Classroom support staff play a very valuable role in supporting the pupils in lessons and in keeping track of playground behaviour. For St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 13 example, they organise groups of pupils to play circle games or clapping games with individuals. They also enforce the school's behaviour code by recording poor behaviour, which can lead to pupils being put into detention. Play provision on wet days is well organised and the school has a good range of activities to be used on these occasions.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The assessment and monitoring of the children’s academic performance is satisfactory. There are good procedures for English and mathematics. The school has a satisfactory range of procedures for assessing the children’s standards in several other subjects and in the Foundation Stage. As a result there is now a considerable amount of information about the children. The school uses this to guide curricular planning and identify the strengths and weaknesses of each group of children at the end of each year. Recently this data has been used to show the progress of individual pupils. Now the school is able to see exactly how the children develop over several years. As a result the staff have noted that the children in Years 5 and 6 have not made enough progress during their time in Key Stage 2. There are no assessments made according to the children’s backgrounds and the school is not able to judge how well

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

different groups of children achieve. The children with special educational needs are assessed regularly and the information is used well to plan their future work. Marking of the children’s work is variable, with statements aimed at improving performance being more apparent in mathematics than in other subjects.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

35. The school's partnerships with parents are not as well developed as they could be and are unsatisfactory overall. The parents' views of the school are generally satisfactory, but a significant number feel that the school does not work closely enough with them, and they are not sufficiently well informed about their children's progress. They also have concerns about the amount of homework, and especially the limited range of clubs and other activities. The response to the questionnaire was high, with over half the parents responding.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

36. Inspectors agree that the school's links with parents are limited. There are very few opportunities for parents to be involved with the work of the school; for example, there is no parents' association or friends of the school. The information provided for parents meets requirements, but is presented very formally, and only in English. Reports on pupils are generated using a computer phrase bank, and do not clearly state what children cannot do, or set targets for improvement. Year 5 reports usefully include the level achieved in the optional national tests, but do not give a clear explanation of what this should mean for the end of Key Stage 2 tests next year. The school does not have a newsletter to keep parents aware of the range of the curriculum or similar helpful information. The school is aware that many parents are unable to help with homework, and has created good opportunities such as before-school sessions for Year 6. It has

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

arrangements to set up a formal homework club. There are no ways of helping parents to confidently support their children's out of school studies.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

37. Attendance at the end of year parents' evenings is high, and there is a meeting early in each school year. This is less well attended. Individual contact with parents is the school's preferred way of keeping in touch, but this is not done in a systematic way so that all parents are routinely included. The recently appointed learning mentor will have a role in developing the school's links with parents.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

38. The headteacher has been at the school for eighteen years. She has seen many St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 14 changes come to the school and has now experienced two inspections. Using a good range of monitoring strategies the head and deputy have clearly identified the priorities for improving the school. These include the need to raise the standards particularly in reading and mathematics, to support boys as readers and develop the information communication technology curriculum. There has also been a clear focus on improving the quality of teaching using classroom observations as a means of identifying areas to be improved. The staff involved have been informed of aspects needing development. These areas have improved since the time of the last inspection and are a strength of the leadership. They have been carefully planned and carried out using the school development plan to identify the initiatives.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

39. A weakness in the leadership is that when some of these concerns are identified they are not dealt with thoroughly enough. For example, the strengths and weaknesses of individual teachers have been identified but there has not been enough following up to make sure that the weaker aspects are improved. While some of the teachers are able to put the better ideas into place one or two need training and advice on improvement and this has not been provided. This was a concern noted at the last inspection and is still not sufficiently improved. Recent national developments like the numeracy strategy have been implemented well. The staff are skilled at teaching the basic skills of numeracy and the standards are rising. The literacy strategy has been implemented to a satisfactory level overall but the teachers of the oldest children have less confidence in teaching literacy than numeracy. Although certain weaknesses have been identified,

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the school has waited too long for local training rather than providing the means of improving those areas known to be weaker. For example in improving the teaching of literacy for the oldest children and adapting aspects of the National Curriculum to support specific groups of children.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

40. The headteacher is capably supported by the deputy, the senior management team and by the governing body. The governors successfully fulfil their legal requirements and have an accurate picture of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They discuss the school’s results with the headteacher, for example, and are aware of the under- achievement of some boys. This is an improvement since the time of the last inspection.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

41. The role of the core curriculum co-ordinators in the school is satisfactory. The coordinators for literacy, numeracy, science and information communication technology are involved in improvement. They provide support for the other teachers and have a clear view of how effective the teaching and learning is in these areas. The other coordinators do not always give satisfactory leadership of their subjects. Some of them have had insufficient training in their own subject. The coordinators receive copies of the teachers’ planning and check this for coverage of the curriculum requirements. They provide support when asked but do not give advice on a formal basis. All of the staff are committed to school improvement and the headteacher has created a sense of unity and shared aims. There is an effective system of staff briefings, staff meetings and senior management team meetings, providing an appropriate structure for communication. Special needs provision is led satisfactorily in

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the school. The co-ordinator focuses on raising standards of attainment and behaviour and liaises appropriately with class teachers about the pupils in their charge.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

42. The school’s financial management is satisfactory. All expenditure is strictly monitored and avenues of additional funding are explored. The standards fund and special needs funding are used appropriately to help improve the standards and provision. The additional budget to support the children with English as an additional language is used appropriately. The governors are now kept up-to-date with the school’s financial position to enable them to make informed spending decisions. This is an improvement St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 15 since the last inspection. The administrator provides good support to the school, liaising well with staff, pupils, parents and visitors. The school applies the principles of best value satisfactorily.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43. The school has a sufficient number of teaching staff. They are suitably qualified and match the demands of the curriculum. There is a high level of support staff throughout the school and they make a valuable contribution to the pupils’ learning, particularly the Nursery Nurses in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. Although there has been a large turnover of staff in recent years, they have not all been inducted well into the procedures and needs of the school. The school’s accommodation is satisfactory. There is a new library and room for information communications technology and these are used appropriately to support the children’s learning. The premises are very clean and tidy throughout and are well maintained by the caretaker and cleaning staff. There is a satisfactory range of resources for most subjects and these are mostly well organised.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

44. In order to maintain and improve the standards achieved by the school the

p.20

headteacher, staff and governors should:

(1) Raise the standards of English for the older children, particularly in Year 6 by:

p.20

headteacher, staff and governors should:

• ensuring that the teachers and coordinators have a good understanding of what the children of this age should be achieving and have a good knowledge of how to teach the subject;

p.20

headteacher, staff and governors should:

• monitoring and evaluating the work of the older children and their teachers as a means of providing support and raising the standards.

p.20

headteacher, staff and governors should:

(paragraphs 34, 62, 65, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)

p.20

headteacher, staff and governors should:

(2) Raise the standards in history and geography in the junior classes by :

p.20

headteacher, staff and governors should:

• reviewing the curriculum to ensure there is proper continuity of learning and sufficient time for the children to learn these subjects.

p.20

headteacher, staff and governors should:

• strengthening the work of the coordinators to monitor and support the subjects.

p.20

headteacher, staff and governors should:

(3) Raise the standards in fluency and in reading in English for the children with English as an additional language by:

p.20

headteacher, staff and governors should:

• monitoring the children’s standards in reading and fluency in English and providing tasks to improve their standards;

p.20

headteacher, staff and governors should:

• ensuring all of the children, from the very youngest, learn to express themselves confidently in their home language and in English.

p.20

headteacher, staff and governors should:

(paragraphs 2, 4, 24, 39, 46, 47, 49, 50, 54, 61, 64, 65, 67, )

p.20

headteacher, staff and governors should:

(4) Raise the standards of boys (paragraphs 5, 26, 62, 65, 74) St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 16 (5) Strengthen the management processes to improve the action taken when weaknesses are identified. (paragraphs 39, 47, 48, 71)

p.20

headteacher, staff and governors should:

(6) Strengthen the opportunities for the parents to share in the work of the school. (paragraphs 35, 36, 37)

p.21

In addition to the weaknesses above the following less important development

points should be considered for inclusion in the action plan.

p.21

In addition to the weaknesses above the following less important development

(1) Ensure there is continuity in the curriculum for the youngest children as they move from the nursery to the reception class. (paragraphs 15, 23, 51)

p.21

In addition to the weaknesses above the following less important development

(2) Ensure the school environment and the curriculum more fully reflect the background and culture of all of the pupils. (paragraph 31)

p.21

In addition to the weaknesses above the following less important development

(3) Plan work for the potentially higher attaining children in a more regular and consistent way. (paragraphs 67, 75)

p.21

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

46. Pupils with English as an additional language reach satisfactory standards when compared with children in similar schools in Key Stage 1. They form more than half of the school’s population. This is a growing proportion with the pupils of two Key Stage 1 classes having 80 per cent of ethnic minority heritage and one of the two nursery groups has 90 per cent. Many of the pupils enter the nursery with age appropriate fluency in Punjabi, but with very limited experience of English, and well below average attainment as a result. By the end of Key Stage 1 the standard achieved by the pupils in reading is satisfactory and good progress has been made. However there is a significant difference in achievement in speaking and listening and writing. Almost 20 per cent fewer pupils with English as an additional language achieve level 2 in these aspects at the end of Key Stage 1 in comparison with their peers. There is no system

p.21

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

to monitor and analyse achievement by pupil background in the school and this slows improvement.

p.21

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

47. The school now manages its own Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant budget, and has the required policy and action plan in place, with a teacher and support staff funded from the grant. The amount of support is good but there is a shortage of bilingual teachers and support staff, particularly in the foundation stage. The teachers record the names of the pupils causing concern regarding English language but few details are identified and targets for improvement are written in general terms. Apart from the foundation stage, first language proficiency is not assessed. As a result the school does not accurately target work based on the different needs of pupils or evaluate the effectiveness of the additional support provided. Where targets for individual pupils are set these are mostly for literacy or recorded as part of special educational needs planning. A number of the children are on both the English language concerns list and

p.21

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

the special needs register rather than identifying the different types of need.

p.21

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

48. There are examples across the school of good teaching and challenge for the pupils. For example in Year 1 the teacher demonstrates longer sentences for the children to copy. In a science lesson in Year 3 / 4 the pupils sat together before and after practical work to introduce and practise the vocabulary and ideas for the work. In the foundation stage the nursery children’s understanding in their first language was checked before using English during a session with the bilingual assistant. Often, St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 17 across the school, the pupils’ fluency in their first language is underused as a support for the learning of English. There has been insufficient staff development for the teachers on these issues.

p.21

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

49. The children with English as an additional language do not have a satisfactory standard of everyday English in Key Stage 2. For example they have difficulty grasping the language and meaning of ‘fractions’ in numeracy, and ‘magnification’ in science. Not enough use is made in the school of pupils’ own experiences, cultural or linguistic background as sources for teaching and learning. Programmes of study, for example in history and geography have not been adapted to increase their relevance for the school’s multi ethnic population. There is little evidence of display around the school reflecting the pupils’ heritage and there are few bilingual books in the school library. The school has identified this aspect and has already taken action to improve the selection of books. There is a need to more strongly reflect the changing nature of the school population. St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 18

p.22

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 42

p.23

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.23

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.

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 20 241

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 112

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 4

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 2 95

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 112

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 24

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 47

p.23

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

p.23

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 19

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 23 17 40

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 19 15 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 17 15

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 88 (63) 80 (58) 85 (84) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 17 19 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 17 17

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 83 (50) 90 (84) 83 (42) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 12 Black – Caribbean heritage 1 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 7 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.24

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. St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 20 St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 21

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 11.5 Financial year 1999

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.8

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 409987

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 14 Expenditure per pupil 1434

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 357 Balance brought forward from previous year 61516

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 56224

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 31

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 22

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 61 34 1 1 3

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 64 29 3 1 3

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 56 31 6 3 3

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 48 33 10 5 5

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 69 26 1 2 3

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 68 27 0 1 3

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 46 36 10 3 5

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 57 34 2 0 7

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 55 35 1 1 7

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 37 29 15 6 13 St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 23

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

50. In the nursery and reception classes the children make good progress in their learning. Although the children come into the nursery with a range of attainment, their overall level of ability is well below average except in aspects of physical development which is average. By the time they move into the reception class the children’s attainment is still below average but they have made up some of their learning. During the inspection the children’s standards were judged to be below average in communication, language and literacy. The standards were average in mathematics, personal, social and emotional development, creative and physical development and in knowledge and understanding of the world. At the time of the previous inspection the standards were judged to be average overall. Almost all of the children in the nursery and a high percentage of the reception children now speak English as an additional language. The children understand very little English when they enter the

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

school. In the reception class many of them speak very briefly using simple words. There is not enough support from the bilingual support staff in the early years to help the children become fluent in English. As a result their unsatisfactory attainment in speaking and listening reduces their success in the other areas. The main factor in the children’s good rate of progress has been the good teaching they receive from their teachers and nursery nurses.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

51. In most areas of learning the Foundation Stage curriculum is planned along similar lines in both classes. It includes a good balance of directed activities and opportunities for investigation and play. The curriculum for communications, language and literacy, and mathematics is based on the nationally recommended schemes for Key Stage 1 in the reception class, and this makes too sudden a break from the nursery curriculum. There is a policy that gives good guidance on what the children will learn. There is insufficient information about how the children’s learning will change from the Foundation Stage to the National Curriculum during the year.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

52. There are good resources in both classes. There is too little use made of natural or everyday objects, which would be familiar to the children and would link with their background. The teaching and learning in the outside areas is developed well and provides a wide range of opportunities. For example, there are resources and activities to help physical coordination, improve social skills, counting, reading and imagination.

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

53. This area of learning is given good attention and many of the children are likely to reach the expected standard by the time they leave the Foundation Stage. The teaching in this area is good in both classes. In the nursery the children play by themselves using the resources with confidence. They usually play near others and watch each other and sometimes they play together. They are encouraged to sit together and shown how to use the resources and to share them. On one occasion however, one boy knocked over his milk and several others watched as it dripped onto the floor. No one tried to wipe up the milk or tell the teacher but watched with interest when she came with the mop. In the reception class the children are interested in each other and play nearby each other happily and there is more co- operation. The children are beginning to think about the needs of others although sometimes they take resources away when they know someone else wants them.

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

They are aware of the classroom rules and routines and respond well to instructions. St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 24 Some of the children still show very immature behaviour. For example, in whole class sessions one or two of the children try to concentrate but have difficulty in sitting still for many minutes and are very easily distracted. The teacher encourages these children to listen and contribute to the discussions. In both classes many of the children are shy about talking and they often point or use very brief answers. The staff support the children well and increase their confidence. .

p.28

Communications, language and literacy

54. The pupils’ attainments in this area are mixed. The children’s speaking and listening and writing development is below average and they are unlikely to achieve the expected goals. They are likely to reach them in reading. Many of the children in both of the classes have little fluency in English. In addition many have unclear speech and it is hard to understand them. In play activities they usually speak fairly confidently to the adults but very few of them speak at length. Most of the children communicate with very short statements or actions and often respond to questions with single words. The children have very little understanding of English beyond the words that are very familiar in the school setting. The staff work hard to introduce these words and ensure the children can organise themselves to work and play happily. The children are given many opportunities to speak and listen but this weaker area does

p.29

Communications, language and literacy

not receive sufficient attention. Much of the teaching is good but there is not enough help from the bilingual support staff who could interpret for the children and extend their fluency in English. The staff are beginning to demonstrate longer responses and encourage the children to repeat after them. This will usefully enlarge the children’s range of words.

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Communications, language and literacy

55. There are areas for the children to play write and they sometimes choose to play there, pretending to write notes. In the nursery the children are able to use pencils and crayons properly and make simple pictures and scribble patterns. They are beginning to understand the purposes of writing and try to copy their names onto their work. The staff watch closely and help the children form letters correctly. This works well and the children are making good progress. In the reception class the children are beginning to copy their teachers’ writing and attempt some of their own but this is still at a very early stage. Writing is taught systematically and the teachers provide work for the children to copy but there are few occasions when the teachers demonstrate and explain the processes of writing. In both classes the teachers show good skills in telling and reading stories. The lessons are interesting and the children are

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Communications, language and literacy

encouraged to contribute. For example in the nursery, the children were learning aspects of mathematics as the teacher told parts of the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. In the reception class the children look at the words and learn to follow a storyline. They understand the meaning of reading and writing and most know that words are different from pictures. They respond with interest to books. They enjoy stories and listen to each other’s replies to questions. In the nursery the children are able to relate to the events in the story and link stories with their own experiences. In the reception class some of the children are able to read simple sentences and use the sounds of letters to help them work out new words.

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Mathematical development

56. The children’s overall attainment in mathematics is still below average in the nursery and is average in the reception class. The children are likely to meet the nationally expected goals by the time they leave reception. Most of the children arrive in the nursery with well below average development in mathematics and they make good progress during the Foundation Stage. There are many appropriate activities provided that challenge the children’s thinking and the teaching is good and stimulates the St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 25 children. The children listen closely when the teacher talks about the order and position of objects. They watch carefully and try to join in when the nursery nurse helps them count. During their play activities many of the children explore the mathematical resources such as bricks and match, for example, pairs of shoes in the home corner. The staff have made outlines of many pieces of equipment and the

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Mathematical development

children can match these when putting their toys away. In reception the teaching of mathematics is very good and the children are making good progress. The teacher is very clear of the next work the children need and provides a good range of experiences to ensure they learn quickly. The children enjoy counting and show pleasure when they know the right number. They can count forwards and chant the numbers to 100. They can copy repeating patterns of two colours and can suggest other ways of making the patterns.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

57. The children’s attainment in this area is average and in both classes the teaching is good. Some of the children arrive in the nursery with an appropriate awareness of the world around them. However the majority of the children have had little experience with paint, crayons and construction toys and have little awareness of their own neighbourhood. The play activities support this area well in the nursery and the children explore and investigate the resources. The learning in the nursery is developed well during the good discussions with the teacher and nursery nurse. The children use, for example, a range of musical instruments to make and repeat sounds and find this interesting and exciting. They use resources like play dough, sand and water to develop their understanding of materials. They have regular access to a computer and some show a particular interest and good standards in using it. They

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

can talk about the features of the school but have a limited range of vocabulary and need prompting by the teacher. During a science lesson the children investigated plants and learned to name the parts of plants like root and shoot. The staff drew information from the children through careful questioning and reminded them about what had already been said. They showed sensitivity in encouraging the children and helping them to recall the discussion.

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Creative development

58. The children’s attainment is in line with the expected standards for their age. The activities provide good opportunities for the children to express their own ideas and understanding. Much of the work in the nursery is supported but not directed by the staff and the children use paint and crayons to make pictures and patterns. The children paint freely and they show an interest in the colours and pleasure in using the resources. They enjoy music sessions and sing familiar rhymes. Their lack of fluency in English makes some of the meaning hard to understand, but they still join in and try to keep in time. In the reception classes the children show a good control of the resources as they paint flower pictures for Mother’s Day. They concentrate well on these tasks but do not talk much about their work when the staff join them. The teaching is good. The staff support the creative tasks well. They ask questions and

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Creative development

enable the children to increase the detail of their work. A pianist works with the reception children each week and provides very good opportunities for their musical development. One little girl already recognises when the pitch changes in a piece of music.

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Physical development

59. The children have a satisfactory level of physical skills both when moving around and when using resources. They are active and use appropriate control. In their outside, St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 26 play they move with awareness of space and avoid collisions well. They move with care and precision. The nursery children can co-ordinate themselves effectively to use the toys with a partner and to play with each other. When using small tools the children in both classes show appropriate skills and have learned to use the resources confidently and to control them carefully. The teaching is satisfactory and the staff provide frequent opportunities for the development of physical skills and offer a range of resources. The outside sessions in the reception class focus on a range of learning activities and are supported with regular physical education sessions in the school hall.

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ENGLISH

60. The standards reached in English are well below the national average at the age of eleven. This is the first year that the school has had a Year 6 class. The school has set targets for them to reach in their national tests in May 2001 and although these are low the school does not expect the children to achieve them. Inspection findings confirm this judgement. Progress made by the oldest pupils with English as an additional language is unsatisfactory as they have slipped behind during their time in the school.

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ENGLISH

61. The standards reached by pupils at the age of seven are average in reading and writing and above average when compared to similar schools. This is an improvement on last year. The children come into the nursery with well below average skills. They are making good progress. The teaching is good, especially of basic reading and writing skills. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 have been varied over the last three years but improved at more than the national rate between 1999 and 2000. These higher standards are being maintained. Those of average and above average abilities are reaching the standards that are expected and are achieving well. The standards in speaking and listening are below average across the school. The development of these skills is not planned for and is not emphasised enough, especially for the many pupils who have English as an additional language. The pupils who have English as an additional language achieve satisfactorily overall in English up

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ENGLISH

to Year 4 but their specific language needs are not being assessed and met.

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ENGLISH

62. The improvements in the children’s standards in Key Stage 1 and Years 3 and 4 have been brought about by the effective introduction of the National Literacy Strategy. The teaching is good and the extra coaching provided in additional literacy support groups is gradually pushing up the standards achieved. The pupils enjoy their work and try hard. Although the literacy strategy has been effectively implemented for pupils up to Year 4, there is a lack of expertise in school in teaching literacy to the older pupils. As a result the lessons are not interesting enough and sometimes the pupils become bored, especially some of the boys. Opportunities are being lost to improve the standards achieved by older pupils. For example, the teacher employed to boost standards is supporting various groups within the classroom and not targeting the most needy groups of pupils. A recent monitoring of pupils’ progress from Year 2 to

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ENGLISH

Year 5 shows that over a third of them have not made enough progress.

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ENGLISH

63. Lower achieving pupils and pupils with special educational needs make good progress in Key Stage 1. Adapted work is usually provided for them and they receive extra support in the lessons. A high percentage of the pupils in Key Stage 2 have special educational needs. While their achievement is satisfactory the work they are given is not always adapted to their needs. In some classes they rely too much on adult help to complete their work accurately and this prevents them developing as independent learners. The higher achieving pupils are not given sufficiently challenging work to do and are underachieving. Very few of the pupils are reaching the St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 27 higher levels. Although assessment procedures in English are good, these are not used sufficiently to plan work and improve standards.

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ENGLISH

64. The children’s standards of speaking and listening are below average throughout the school. In Key Stage 1, pupils usually listen carefully to the teacher and to each other and are keen to answer questions. Teachers value the pupils’ responses and this gives them the confidence to speak. However, although they appear to understand, they tend to answer in single words or short phrases and are reluctant to use extended sentences. The teachers miss opportunities to extend these sentences. The pupils have a limited vocabulary; for example when Year 2 pupils are asked ‘what is a theatre?’ they reply ‘circus’, ‘swimming’ and ‘movies’. In one Year 2 class the overuse of worksheets, especially for lower achieving pupils, impedes the development of speaking and listening skills. The pupils with special educational needs and with English as an additional language, in the smaller Year 2 class, make good progress when they work with the nursery nurse looking at pictures in a book,

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ENGLISH

naming and talking about the pictures. However there are too few strategies used by teachers to develop fluency and confidence in speaking and listening.

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ENGLISH

65. By the age of eleven pupils’ speaking and listening skills are below the level expected for their age. Although they understand the main points in discussions, they find it difficult to express themselves fluently. Their confidence is limited, they use short sentences and their vocabulary is restricted. In years 3 and 4, pupils are given some opportunities to improve their listening skills and their vocabulary. In Year 3 pupils use videos, about the weather, for example. This captures their attention and they concentrate well. They are questioned well about what they have watched and learn to use words such as temperature and thermometer accurately. Their answers show that they listen carefully. The teachers carefully demonstrate properly constructed sentences that are written on the board and read together. In years 5 and 6, the children’s progress is unsatisfactory and there are few opportunities to participate in

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ENGLISH

discussions. There is insufficient emphasis on using an interesting and varied vocabulary. The pupils are not given enough chance to discuss words and their meanings; for example, during a class reading session there is no discussion of the words used in the story. The pupils in Year 6 are reluctant to volunteer opinions following the reading of a passage about the arguments for and against building of a bypass. Too many boys in Year 6 do not take a full part in the lesson. They are not asked often enough to answer questions or read out their work.

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ENGLISH

66. Standards of reading are average at the end of Key Stage 1. The pupils of all abilities, and with English as an additional language, make good progress. The children of average and above average achievement, reach the reading levels expected of their age. The higher and average achieving pupils enjoy reading and read simple texts accurately and with some expression. They successfully tackle unfamiliar words and can use their knowledge of the alphabet to find words in an index. The school uses various strategies well to help develop reading skills. Phonic skills are well taught, ‘paired reading’ takes place between the older pupils and the children in Key Stage 1 and the ‘better reading’ initiative uses volunteers to give regular individual help to some of the children. Although the pupils take home reading books regularly there are no home-school reading diaries to keep a record of progress made, to involve parents

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ENGLISH

67. By the end of Key Stage 2 the pupils’ standards in reading are well below average and during the key stage they make unsatisfactory progress. The higher achieving pupils are not being challenged and are not reaching the standards expected. The children in Year 4 complete book reviews and show understanding of the main points of the story. However not all pupils read enough books. For example, one higher achieving St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 28 pupil had read only two books in six months. The children are not enthusiastic about reading and are not being helped to become fluent readers who read for pleasure. For example, pupils in Year 6 read a class book aloud, in turns. They all read the same book, which was too hard for some pupils and too easy for others, causing some embarrassment and lack of interest. Some of the boys in this class are particularly disinterested and react by behaving poorly. There is no system to ensure the pupils

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ENGLISH

read regularly and the class books are stored in crates which is discouraging. Although reading ages are assessed and recorded regularly this information is not used to improve standards.

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ENGLISH

68. Standards of writing are now average at the end of Key Stage 1 and the pupils of all abilities make good progress. This is an improvement from last year. The co-ordinator has made good use of assessment results to identify that the standards of writing are a problem. As a result this is the focus of the additional literacy support sessions. In Key stage 1 higher achieving and average pupils complete a reasonable range of writing tasks; for example they write instructions on ‘how to brush your teeth’, and write poems and stories. They write with imagination. For example, a Year 2 pupil wrote ‘ I can see slugs slithering’. However all but the highest achievers experience problems with grammar and spelling and there is limited use of interesting vocabulary. Handwriting is generally accurate and legible and full stops and capital letters are usually used correctly. The lower achieving pupils write simple words and

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ENGLISH

they receive extra help and practice to form letters accurately. However, for all pupils, written work is often untidy and carelessly presented.

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ENGLISH

69. By the end of Key Stage 2 the children’s standards in writing are well below average and they have made unsatisfactory progress during their time in Key Stage 2. The children are not being challenged and are not reaching the standards expected. Good progress now takes place in the Year 3 class when the teacher uses clipboards for all pupils to jot down key words or notes as they watch a video. This involves all pupils, they enjoy it, and they write purposefully. However in years 5 and 6, worksheets are overused and the tasks are often mundane and uninteresting. This limits creativity and does not hold pupils’ interest. They often work slowly and reluctantly, with groans greeting the instruction to get out writing books. Over-dependence upon adults does not encourage independent learning and the children ask an adult rather than use a dictionary for spellings. The oldest pupils’ writing lacks imaginative use of vocabulary,

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ENGLISH

for example ‘ the garden by the side of the house was horrible, full of dead leaves and roots’. Handwriting is not always fluent or joined and is often untidy and carelessly presented. Work is not well adapted for lower achieving pupils and they often do not finish work or copy the writing of an adult.

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ENGLISH

70. The children’s literacy skills are supported in other subject areas where an appropriate vocabulary is being developed and this is helping them to use and understand a wider variety of words. However the unsatisfactory level of reading, writing and speaking and listening skills in Key Stage 2 is impeding pupils’ progress in other subjects such as mathematics and science. There are too few opportunities provided for independent research.

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ENGLISH

71. Homework is regularly set and is usually completed. The co-ordinator has monitored the teaching and the children’s standards within school and has been successful in improving teaching and learning in classes up to Year 4. The subject is managed satisfactorily overall however there is a lack of expertise and understanding of the needs of the older pupils and the specific needs of pupils with English as an additional language. St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 29

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MATHEMATICS

72. The standards reached by the pupils aged seven in the tests taken in the Year 2000, were well below those that are found nationally. However, when compared with similar schools, the results were close to the average. Work seen during the inspection indicates that standards are improving. More children should reach the typical level this year and more should achieve the higher level. They make good progress in their knowledge and understanding of mathematics. The school has recently established a system for monitoring progress and this has shown that there is a significant concern with the progress the pupils have been making as they move through Key Stage 2. The situation is now improving and some of the teaching, particularly in Years 5 and 6, is good. As a result the standards are rising, particularly in numeracy, to a level that is still below average but better than it was. However, by the time the children reach the age of eleven their overall standards in mathematics

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MATHEMATICS

are still well below those that are found nationally. The children’s work seen during the inspection indicates that the target set for this year is attainable but still low.

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MATHEMATICS

73. Since the last inspection the standards are better. This is because the National Numeracy Strategy has been successfully implemented throughout the school and is beginning to improve the achievements over time. Most teachers have received some training and are familiar with the delivery of it. A particular strength is the mental arithmetic part of the lesson. The teachers are skilful at delivering this part to ensure that all the pupils are involved in it. They use good strategies and resources and pupils enjoy the lessons. This is shown by the way they respond eagerly to the questioning. A good example was seen in Year 6 when the pupils were using number sticks to show answers to questions about decimals and approximation. The planning clearly identifies what the children are to learn in the lesson and on most occasions this is shared with the pupils. In some lessons the plenary session at the end is used

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MATHEMATICS

well to correct any misunderstandings of what has been learned but this does not always happen.

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MATHEMATICS

74. By the end of Key Stage 2 girls perform better than boys in mathematics. They concentrate for longer and work well on their own. The school has identified this problem but has not established any ways of improving the boys’ interest. The pupils with special educational needs are supported appropriately by their class teachers and learning support assistants and they make satisfactory progress in developing their basic skills in mathematics. During the inspection there was little evidence of any of the children using and applying mathematics work in new and different situations but work in all the other aspects of mathematics is done. A good standard of work was observed in Year 5 when the pupils were completing work on probability.

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MATHEMATICS

75. The quality of teaching throughout the school is mainly good. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. In many classes throughout the school the pupils enjoy the lessons and work well because of the interesting activities planned by the teachers. The children sustain concentration when they are completing their written tasks. They are keen to learn and ask questions if they are unsure of what they are doing. They enjoy their work. In some lessons all the children complete the same worksheet, and teacher and classroom support is given to the lower attaining groups to help them complete the worksheet. This means that the level of challenge is not matched to the ability of all the children and not enough progress is made by the potentially higher attaining pupils. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have a good understanding of basic number skills such as counting and ordering numbers and of addition and subtraction

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MATHEMATICS

to 20. They understand how to share numbers equally and can see the relationship between multiplication and division. In Key Stage 2 the pupils’ knowledge is developed and they can add and subtract large numbers and have some knowledge of negative St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 30 numbers. In many classes the teachers encourage the pupils to explain their answers and this helps to build up their confidence and understanding of what is being learned.

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MATHEMATICS

76. The teachers have good relationships with the pupils and this motivates them to work hard. Teachers manage the pupils well and most are attentive and well behaved during the lessons. A strong feature of the teaching is the good subject knowledge. The teachers ask challenging and open-ended questions which help to consolidate the pupils’ previous knowledge and reinforce the learning. For example in Year 6 the teacher continually checked the pupils’ knowledge by using different examples when the pupils were learning how to round decimals to the nearest whole number. Lessons have good pace and move well from one activity to another. Many of the teachers set time targets for the pupils to finish their work. For example in a Year 3 class, where the pupils were observed working on fractions, the teacher constantly reminded the class of how much work they should have completed by a certain time.

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MATHEMATICS

77. The subject is managed effectively by the co-ordinator. Resources for learning in mathematics are good and these are used well to support the learning. There is some evidence to show that mathematics is helping to support the learning in other subjects, particularly science and information communication technology but this use of mathematics needs further development.

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SCIENCE

78. By the end of both key stages the pupils' attainments in science are satisfactory, as they were at the last inspection. Not enough attention is given to developing the children’s skills and understanding in scientific investigation. As a result the standards for this aspect are below average. The teachers have already recognised this and are working to raise standards in scientific investigation. The teaching of science has improved, with clear targets for each lesson and most of the curriculum being taught securely.

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SCIENCE

79. The teachers have a clear understanding of the aspects of science to be taught in each year. This is an improvement since the last inspection. The school is using the nationally recommended scheme of work for science and this ensures the subject is covered appropriately. The school is successfully using results from previous national tests and other tests to improve the teaching and to raise standards. The school has acknowledged that improvements were needed in investigative work and training was undertaken last year. Whilst the skills and processes of investigation are now well taught the children need more opportunities to initiate and undertake tests of their own with less teacher direction.

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SCIENCE

80. There are no previous test results on which to base comparisons for attainment in Key Stage 2. The teachers’ assessment for Key Stage 1 for 2000 indicated that not enough of the pupils are achieving the average level overall but there is a larger number than average who reach the higher level. Evidence from the inspection indicates that whilst knowledge and understanding in science is taught securely the pupils’ literacy skills limit their performance in tests. At times they have insufficient understanding of the task or the skills to explain themselves fully.

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SCIENCE

81. Science is generally taught well across the school and some of the teaching is excellent. The teachers have good subject knowledge and as a result the knowledge and understanding in science is taught securely. For example the children in Year 1 are developing a good understanding of what plants need in order to grow strongly. The detailed scheme of work ensures coverage. The pupils are taught appropriate scientific language. The children are learning how to record their findings when they St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 31 have carried out an investigation.

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SCIENCE

82. Good characteristics of the teaching of science at both key stages are the practical nature of much of the learning and the exciting learning opportunities the teachers’ provide. For example the Year 1 pupils investigated why some of the plants in their ‘garden centre’ were not thriving. In the process they found out that plants need certain basic conditions in order to survive. A Year 4 class separated materials from a mixture through using different gradations of sieve. They found that they would need to use a different strategy when granules were the same size. However the pupils in Year 6 still needed assistance in setting up an investigation to find the relationship between the distance of a light source and an opaque object and the resulting size of the shadow. These pupils also needed guidance in measuring the distances accurately.

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SCIENCE

83. The children’s knowledge of their own progress is limited by some of the marking which does not include helpful comments. Those pupils with special educational needs are effectively supported. The planning is clear and identifies what they need to learn next. It provides opportunities for them to work in ways that particularly support them, and they make satisfactory progress. Insufficient opportunities are provided in science for pupils to use computers for data handling and presenting scientific information. There are also insufficient opportunities for pupils to use computers to find out more about their science work.

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SCIENCE

84. The co-ordinator has good subject knowledge. She has clear and appropriate ideas about how to raise the standards in science and clear intentions for developing investigative science. The subject is well led. The school is developing appropriate assessment strategies using termly tests, teacher assessments and optional national tests. The resources for science are satisfactory.

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ART AND DESIGN

85. The children’s standards are average and have been maintained since the last inspection. All of the pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve satisfactorily. The teaching is satisfactory with good use of the work of artists from various cultures. For example Year 6 study masks from around the world before designing their own mask. There is a useful overview of the work to be completed in each year. This enables the teachers to know what to teach over the year and helps pupils to build up their skills as they move through school. The school has recently adopted the national recommendation for a scheme of work and is still feeling its way with this. For example the use of sketchbooks has only just begun. There is still some lack of confidence among the teachers and all resources required are not yet available. Although there have been no visiting artists, visits by the pupils to the

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ART AND DESIGN

photographic museum and a local art gallery enrich the curriculum. In most classes and along corridors work is well displayed and this is motivating for the children.

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ART AND DESIGN

86. In Key Stage 1 the pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. They make observational drawings of plants with a reasonable amount of detail using pencils, pastels, collage and tissue paper. Although not accurate in size or shape, they use some shading and produce pieces of work with character. They learn to use a range of materials in imaginative ways; for example, pupils in Year 1 make masks by ripping, screwing, shaping, scrunching, painting, dying and crimping paper and cardboard. In Year 2 pupils use Islamic art and the work of William Morris as a stimulus to design their own repeating pattern, which they produce by printing leaf shapes. . St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 32 87. In Key Stage 2 the pupils improve their observational drawings by using more detail and shading, and show increasing sophistication in their use of line, tone and colour. The pupils in Year 3 explore ‘caring’ by looking at a range of pictures and posters from

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ART AND DESIGN

different cultures. They make a study of their family using paint, pencils and pastels. These are well thought out and carefully executed pieces of work; for example, one shows a person with their arm round another. Pupils in Year 6 are able to make accurate observational drawings of each other in action poses that they then use to make papier-mache models showing movement. These are carefully made and painted, with attention to detail, to represent dancers, footballers and weight lifters.

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ART AND DESIGN

88. The standards of teaching and learning are satisfactory. The teachers’ knowledge is sufficient for them to provide suitable visual stimuli to motivate the pupils. As a result they prepare lessons that achieve a balance between teaching skills and allowing the children to experiment with techniques. Clear explanations and demonstrations help the pupils to learn different techniques and apply these to illustrate their own ideas. For example in Year 2, the children practise cutting out accurately to make their leaf shapes which they then use for printing. Activities are chosen that interest pupils who enjoy art and work with enthusiasm. For example, in the Year 6 class, the children enjoy choosing and using a range of materials to make a three-dimensional mask. They behave well, there are good relationships between pupils and they are able to share resources and equipment. Those pupils with special educational needs are fully

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ART AND DESIGN

integrated into and an accepted part of the class group. Overall there is a limited range of materials on offer for pupils to choose from. This limits the choices the children can make when planning their own work.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

89. Too few design and technology lessons were seen to make a reliable judgement on the quality of teaching and learning. The school has retained very little evidence of work from the current or previous year, especially of designing and evaluating work, so it was similarly not possible to make reliable judgements on the standards of attainment.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

90. The previous inspection reported that attainment in design and technology was in line with national expectations at Key Stage 1 but below expectations at the end of Key Stage 2. Whilst there is evidence in some classes of making activities, the school has been unable to provide evidence that the developments required by the previous inspection have been fulfilled. There has been no significant staff training.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

91. Discussions with pupils and teachers show that pupils enjoy the practical tasks of designing and making, and there is evidence from classroom displays and teachers’ planning that food, textile and construction technology are given due weight in the timetable. The lessons observed showed that insufficient attention is given to the direct teaching of skills, in the case of Year 2 designing, and Year 6 making through cutting and shaping.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

92. The role of the co-ordinator is under developed and she is having an unsatisfactory impact on the subject. She joined the school without a background in technology but has received no training to develop her expertise. The subject has not been a priority in the school’s development plan and the coordinator has had insufficient opportunities to influence staff and raise standards. The school has adopted the nationally recommended scheme of work for design technology. Resources are adequate and are used effectively for the ‘making’ aspects of the subject.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 33 93. The standards in history and geography are satisfactory at the end of Key Stage 1 and the children’s achievements are satisfactory. At the end of Key Stage 2 the children’s standards and achievements are unsatisfactory. Since the time of the last inspection, although the standards in Key Stage 1 have been maintained, the standards in Key Stage 2 have not. In history it is likely that the low standards are due to the intermittent blocks of history the children experience.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

94. In Key Stage 1, in geography, the pupils have learned how to locate places on a map. They can describe and make comparisons between different places. They know something of their own area and can talk about different places and buildings they pass on their way to school. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils have little idea of the water cycle and cannot describe the journey of a river and do not know such terms as tributary or estuary. They can identify some differences and similarities between different localities and countries but their mapping skills are unsatisfactory. In history by the end of Key Stage 1 the pupils are developing a sense of chronology and how times have changed in everyday life. They make timelines from dinosaurs to the present day and study famous people from the past such as Florence Nightingale and Samuel Pepys. In Key Stage 2 the pupils consolidate their understanding of chronology by studying different topics such as Tudors, Victorians and the Second

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

World War. However, they have very little recall of what they have learned in some of these topics.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

95. In the geography lessons seen the teaching was satisfactory. The teachers questioned the children well and helped to develop their understanding. The lessons were well planned and kept the children interested and involved throughout. In history two lessons were seen and the teaching was good and very good. In the very good lessons seen in Year 1, the teacher provided some very interesting resources for the children to look at and touch and these gave them first hand experience of old and new toys. The teacher motivated the children to produce some very good work. In Year 6 the teacher had good subject knowledge and questioning skills to consolidate the children’s knowledge of buildings and life in Victorian England, particularly in Bradford.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

96. The co-ordination of geography is not effective. No assessments are made and very little monitoring of the subjects is done. The weaknesses in the children’s knowledge and understanding in Key Stage 2 has not been identified. As a result nothing has been done to improve the standards. The co-ordinator for history is enthusiastic and has some expertise in the subject. She supports colleagues appropriately by discussion and sampling pupils’ work. The history curriculum for the oldest children is taught in blocks. The blocks are many months apart and these gaps interrupt the children’s learning to an unsatisfactory degree. The resources to support these subjects are satisfactory.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

97. Standards of achievement are now at the national average for both key stages. This is an improvement since the last inspection. The pupils use information and communications technology with confidence, and by the end of Key Stage 1 most have sufficient skills to enable them to work independently. The children are achieving well in both key stages. The teachers in Key Stage 2 use the class lessons very effectively to instruct the pupils in skills. St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 34 98. In Key Stage I the children receive a weekly class lesson in the computer room. The teachers have secure knowledge of the subject and this means that the pupils are learning well. They are acquiring the skills, knowledge and understanding for using the computers and they are making good progress. The teaching is good overall. Effective use is made of resources like the projector to demonstrate various methods. The children pay close attention and are very interested. The teachers employ skilful

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

questioning to ensure understanding and pupils respond well to the invitation of showing the class what they can do. The children in Year 1 demonstrate, for example, that they are gaining appropriate skills in using the mouse and keyboard and can enter and edit text. By Year 2 they are loading programs and saving their work. They can use a paint program to create wrapping paper from repeat patterns and they confidently create regular geometric shapes and divide them into halves and quarters.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

99. In Key Stage 2 the children continue to make good progress. The teachers carefully prepare activities based on the scheme of work and they confidently use the computer resources to instruct the class in weekly lessons. The children are well behaved, keen and attentive, and enjoy work. A class of Year 3 pupils, making a Mothers’ Day card, made rapid progress in mastering the features of a new program to create the card by including text and pictures. Year 5 pupils, entering data into a spreadsheet, try out options for presenting charts and graphs. In all lessons observed the teaching and learning was good or better.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

100. Whilst the resources are good for the teaching of skills and applications within the suite, they are less so at the classroom level. Some computers are becoming unreliable and some classes do not have access to a printer. Some lessons make very effective links with other subject areas, for example in art. Overall however there are infrequent opportunities for the children to use their skills across the curriculum or to use the computers to search for further information.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

101. The school now has an effective scheme of work based upon the national recommendations, and a clear policy. The co-ordinator is very effective. He helps the teachers plan lessons and suggests ways of teaching the skills the children need. The school has an adequate range of software which the staff are being trained to use.

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MUSIC

102. The pupils throughout the school exceed the standards expected for their age and have great enthusiasm for their music making activities. The tuition provided by a visiting specialist teacher is very good and enables the pupils, including higher attainers to achieve well. The Key Stage 2 choir provides opportunities for the higher attaining pupils to perform in concerts. The standards achieved by pupils throughout the school are supported through the good subject knowledge and expertise of the teacher and her enthusiasm for the important part music plays.

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MUSIC

103. The younger pupils show good control of pitch, dynamics and rhythm in their singing. They perform simple pieces using percussion instruments. They perform simple songs well. The pupils in the junior-age classes learn to play percussion parts to songs and play together to provide a basic rhythm for the other children to follow. The children have a good knowledge of musical terms. The oldest children listen to and play music from other cultures.

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MUSIC

104. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is very good overall. The specialist teacher’s knowledge and understanding is very good. Music is not taught by St Stephen’s CE Primary School - 35 the class teachers between the specialist’s visits and the children have one short lesson each week. The co-ordinator discusses the curriculum with the music teacher and they ensure that the curriculum is covered properly.

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MUSIC

105. There has been good improvement in the subject since the last inspection because there is a more structured approach to teaching music and the specialist teacher has very good subject knowledge and teaching skills. Good use is made of the policy and scheme of work to plan the lessons. As the lessons are short, the children only have brief opportunities to use the percussion instruments. They would gain greater understanding of how to play the instruments if there were additional lessons provided by the class teachers.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

106. The pupils’ levels of attainment in physical education in both key stages are in line with what is expected for their age. The pupils in one Year 2 class show above average attainment in dance. The children are encouraged to modify and refine their performance and express their thoughts and feelings effectively using dance as a media. During the inspection all but one lesson observed was dance.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

107. The quality of teaching is satisfactory in both key stages. As a result the pupils in Key Stage 1 demonstrate a sound range of movements and travel in a variety of ways. They form interesting body shapes and can put these together into simple sequences and dance composition. They are able to demonstrate their work and evaluate the work of others as they observe carefully and give thoughtful opinions.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

108. In Key Stage 2, the teachers give clear instructions to the pupils so that expectations are understood both in terms of work and behaviour. Good attention is paid to safety factors and there are good warm up routines. The lessons are an hour in length and in games sessions a considerable time is used to reinforce earlier learning. Sometimes these recall sessions are too long and the children would achieve more if they pressed on with fresh activities. Satisfactory opportunities are provided for paired and group work and the pupils enjoy working co-operatively. Well informed coaching points are given to pupils and they listen carefully and try to incorporate the advice they have received and improve their performance. Where individual children find the concentration and the work difficult, in Year 6 for example, the teacher sensibly allows the children to work out their anxieties.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

109. The pupils’ response in lessons is always satisfactory and on occasions is good or very good. They obviously enjoy their physical education work and all wear suitable clothing that raises no cultural conflicts. They put much effort into their work and are keen to demonstrate what they have done.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

110. The subject is satisfactorily led by the co-ordinator. He monitors the teachers’ plans providing support and advice when asked but as yet has not monitored teaching in the subject. This is planned for in the near future. The school has no sports teams or clubs although the local secondary school provides opportunities for some of the children. Swimming lessons are available for two year groups and all of the children have an opportunity to learn to swim. Only about a third of the children learn to swim 25 metres by the time they leave the school and this is unsatisfactory. Adventure activities are made available to all of the pupils.

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