St Johns Primary School

SOUTH BENWELL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 15 – 18 January 2001

p.1

SOUTH BENWELL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

p.1

SOUTH BENWELL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. South Benwell Primary School - 3 South Benwell Primary School

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Teindland Close Benwell Newcastle upon Tyne

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs W. Warcup

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: February 1995 South Benwell Primary School - 4 South Benwell Primary School

p.3

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs M.R. Shepherd Registered inspector Science Information and communication technology Physical education Foundation Stage What sort of school is it? How high are standards? How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? Mr B. Jones Lay inspector How high are standards? How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Mrs T. Galvin Team inspector English Design and technology Geography History English as an additional language How good are curricular opportunities?

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs S. Gatehouse Team inspector Mathematics Religious education Art and design Music Special educational needs Equal opportunities The inspection contractor was: TWA Inspections Ltd 5 Lakeside Werrington Peterborough Cambs PE4 6QZ

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE South Benwell Primary School - 5 South Benwell Primary School

p.4

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

p.5

HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

p.5

AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 29

South Benwell Primary School - 6 South Benwell Primary School

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

South Benwell Primary School is set in the middle of a socially deprived area with high levels of unemployment and single parent families. There is an Early Years’ Unit for the reception and nursery children with a separate outdoor play area. There are 185 pupils on roll including 25 full-time nursery places. There are 17 more boys than girls in the school, with considerably more boys than girls in Years 2 and 4. Seventy per cent of pupils have free school meals, which is very high. Attainment on entry to the school is very low. There is a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. Two pupils have statements for special educational needs, which is about average. There is considerable movement in and out of the school each year. In the current Year 6 only one third of the class began their education in this school. Six Kosovan pupils from three different families speak English as an additional language. This is

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

higher than the national average. There have been considerable staffing changes. The headteacher has only been in post for two terms. She is the third headteacher since the last inspection. The deputy headteacher began working in the school last term. Five of the teachers are working in a different age group this year. Two teachers share the teaching in Year 1.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school. Standards have increased faster than the national average. The Early Years’ teaching team provides a high quality beginning to children’s education. Key Stage 1 teaching is good and there are good features in Key Stage 2. The headteacher is fully committed to the school and has a determination to raise standards further. Governors play an important part in shaping the direction of the school and are led very well by the chair of governors. Provision for the Kosovan pupils and for the pupils with special educational needs is good. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Children make very good progress in the very good quality Early Years’ Unit. Progress in writing, number work, science and information and communication technology is good in Key Stage 1. • Attitudes and behaviour in Key Stage 1 and the Foundation Stage are very good. • The quality of teaching is good and additional adults are used very effectively. • The leadership and management of the headteacher are very good, the management of the governing body is good and resources are used strategically. • Provision for moral, social and cultural development is good; parents and the community enrich the curriculum. • The quality of accommodation is good.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The standards in English, mathematics, science, and in information and communication technology by the end of Key Stage 2. • The quality of teaching in the Years 5/6 class. • The match of planning and assessment of pupils’ work to their individual needs. • The rate of attendance. • The role of the co-ordinators. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Improvement since the last inspection is good. The school was last inspected in February 1995 and was put into special measures. Provision was improved and a new headteacher and chair of governors appointed. In 1998 the school came out of special measures. Since that time another new headteacher has been appointed. The quality of leadership and management has improved considerably since the last inspection. This headteacher has introduced a very effective Early Years’ Unit, which is a great improvement. However, her other innovations have yet to make their full effect on raising standards across the school. The appointment of new staff has raised the quality of teaching considerably. Standards have risen in the Early Years’ Unit and at Key Stage 1. Progress has improved in the Years 3/4 and 4/5 classes. Standards of behaviour have improved, particularly in the Early Years’ Unit and Key Stage 1. Very good improvement has been made in financial management due to the expertise of the

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

chair of governors. Policies are now in place and the school’s work is evaluated well. However, there have been many changes in the co-ordinators’ roles. As yet not all have had the opportunity to fulfil their new responsibilities fully. The exceptions are the English, mathematics and information and South Benwell Primary School - 7 South Benwell Primary School communication technology co-ordinators because the school has set these areas as its priorities for development. The improvement in the effectiveness of their roles is very good. There are clear planning systems in place for all subjects. All health and safety and cleaning issues have been addressed very well and the school is now sparklingly clean.

p.6

STANDARDS

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

p.7

STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

p.7

STANDARDS

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

p.7

STANDARDS

Standards have risen faster than the national average over the past four years. The school sets itself appropriate targets and is on course to meet them.

p.7

STANDARDS

The inspection judges that standards by the age of 11 are as follows: in speaking and listening, below average; in reading and writing, well below average; in number, below average, and in all the other aspects of the mathematical curriculum, well below average; in science, well below average.

p.7

STANDARDS

Standards by the age of seven are as follows: writing, average, this is very good progress from the standards on entry to the school; in reading, and in speaking and listening, below average; in number, average, in the other aspects of the mathematical curriculum, below average; in science, average. Standards in information and communication technology are in line with what is expected nationally for seven-year-old pupils but well below what is expected by the age of 11 years. Standards in religious education are at the expected level for both age groups.

p.7

STANDARDS

Standards in music are below the expected level at the end of both key stages. Standards in art and geography are below the nationally expected level for pupils aged 11 years. Standards in all other subjects are at the expected level.

p.7

STANDARDS

Children make excellent progress in personal, social and emotional development in the Early Years’ Unit. They make very good progress in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development and good progress in creative development. By the age of five attainments in personal, social and emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development are at the expected level. Communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and creative development are below the expected level. Children achieve very well in the Early Years’ Unit, well in Key Stage 1 and the Years 3/4 and 4/5 classes. Pupils underachieve in the Years 5/6 class. South Benwell Primary School - 8 South Benwell Primary School

p.7

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Attitudes to school are good. Pupils enjoy their work and approach it with enthusiasm, particularly in the Early Years’ Unit and Key Stage 1.

p.8

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good in the Early Years’ Unit and Key Stage 1. It is satisfactory in Key Stage 2. There was no bullying during the inspection.

p.8

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Personal development is good. Pupils enjoy taking responsibility for different tasks about the school.

p.8

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is well below the national average. Pupils value the awards for good attendance.

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall Very 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.

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Over two-thirds of teaching in Key Stage 1 is good with very good teaching in mathematics and religious education in Year 2. Pupils try hard to complete their tasks. Half of the teaching in Key Stage 2 is satisfactory with very good teaching in the Years 3/4 and 4/5 classes in mathematics and in the special educational needs withdrawal groups. There is a small proportion of unsatisfactory teaching in Years 3/4 in geography. There are unsatisfactory features in teaching in the Years 5/6 class. Teaching in both key stages is satisfactory in English. Teaching is good in mathematics in both key stages. Teachers miss opportunities to develop numeracy and literacy in all subjects. The Early Years’ staff work very effectively together. They monitor children’s work rate very effectively and children have high rates of productivity. Teachers use adults very well to support individuals and groups. Teaching for pupils with special

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

educational needs and for the Kosovan pupils is good.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The school uses the locality, the community, parents and visitors well to enrich the curriculum. There are insufficient tasks in some lessons to extend more able pupils or support less able pupils because assessment is not always used effectively. There is insufficient attention given to stimulating boys’ learning. Marking and setting targets for individuals is inconsistent. There are insufficient portfolios of pupils’ work to identify standards across the school.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision for the pupils with special educational needs is good in lessons and very good when they are withdrawn for group work. Insufficient pupils are put on the special educational needs register.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Provision for the Kosovan pupils is good. The school has identified their needs carefully and takes care to cater for their needs.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for moral, social and cultural development is good. Provision for spiritual development is satisfactory in lessons and good in assemblies. South Benwell Primary School - 9 South Benwell Primary School How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares well for its pupils. Procedures for child protection are good. Procedures for promoting attendance are very good.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Partnership with parents The school works hard to develop links with parents. The provision of homework is good overall. Contributions from parents in lessons are good.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Leadership and management of the headteacher are very good. She shows a high level of commitment to the school and is determined to raise standards. The English, mathematics and information and communication technology co-ordinators provide good leadership.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors fulfil their responsibilities well. The leadership and management of the chair of governors are very good.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school evaluates its performance well and takes effective action to raise standards.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The headteacher and governors are very effective in identifying development needs and matching these imaginatively with the available resources. The school applies the principle of best value well.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Staffing, accommodation and resources The match of staff to the curriculum is very good in the Foundation Stage and good in Key Stage 1. It is satisfactory in Key Stage 2. Accommodation is good overall, although the computer suite is too small. Resources are satisfactory except for library books, which are inadequate, particularly the range and quality of the non-fiction books.

p.9

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Twelve per cent of parents returned the questionnaires and 10 parents attended the parents’ meeting.

p.9

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The school expects children will work hard and achieve their best. • Teaching is good. • They are comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems. • Their children make good progress. • Their children like school. • The amount of activities outside of lessons. • The amount of homework. • The stability of the teaching staff. • Disruptive behaviour of a pupil.

p.9

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspectors agree with all the points that please parents most except for the progress in the Years 5/6 class where progress slows. They judge that the activities are satisfactory outside of lessons. The homework is good with well-written worksheets and clear explanations of the work. They agree that there have been many changes in staffing, but there is now a good quality teaching team with a commitment to the school. The disruptive behaviour of a pupil has been resolved. South Benwell Primary School - 10 South Benwell Primary School

p.9

Attainment and progress

1. Children enter the school with very low attainment. By the end of the Foundation Stage, they achieve the standards expected nationally in personal, social and emotional development, in knowledge and understanding of the world, in their listening and in physical development. In all the other ‘areas of learning 1 ’ their attainment is still below that expected for their age. Although the standards are low compared with the national picture, the progress that the children make to achieve them is often very good. For example, they make excellent progress in personal, social and emotional development. This is because the teaching team has very high expectations when children start school. These expectations are maintained as they move through the nursery and reception. For example, children choose an activity confidently and then sustain their concentration until it is completed. They also make very good progress in communication, language and

p.10

Attainment and progress

literacy, and in their mathematical development. The teaching team are particularly successful in capturing children’s attention when reading stories and children enjoy sharing a book with each other or an adult. The children make very good progress in knowledge and understanding of the world and in their physical development. Children make particularly good progress in the scientific elements of the curriculum as they receive focused teaching to extend their understanding. For example, children in the nursery already know that plants come from seeds because they have watched cress seeds grow over the period of a week. They make good progress in creative development.

p.10

Attainment and progress

2. In Key Stage 1, the trend in reading, writing and mathematics in the national tests improved in 1999. However, the 2000 Year 2 class had a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and standards dropped. Attainment in the national tests in 2000 in reading, writing and mathematics was very low. Compared with similar schools, standards were well below average in writing and mathematics and well below in reading. The current Year 2 class is smaller than other year groups and the school has taken advantage of this smaller class to concentrate on raising standards. This strategy has been very successful and standards have improved considerably this year. There is also a smaller proportion of pupils with special educational needs in this class this year. In English, mathematics and science the inspection judges that standards are better than those achieved in the tests last year.

p.10

Attainment and progress

3. By the age of seven standards of pupils’ writing is average. Teachers build on the very good progress in the Early Years’ Unit and sustain the level of progress. The Year 2 teacher has a very good knowledge of individual pupils’ needs in writing and what needs to be taught. Attainment in reading, speaking and listening is now below average rather than well below. The improvements are due to teachers’ expertise in English.

p.10

Attainment and progress

4. Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 1 in number work and the standards achieved by the current seven-year-olds are average. Standards in all other aspects of mathematics are below average. The school has concentrated on numeracy as required by Her Majesty’s Inspectors. They are now in a position to extend their mathematical teaching to raise standards across the other elements of the mathematics curriculum. Standards in science are average for the seven-year-olds. Teachers continue to build on the very good start in the Early Years’ Unit and pupils have confidence when tackling new

p.10

Attainment and progress

The areas of learning have been produced by the government and are taught in the nursery and reception classes. South Benwell Primary School - 11 South Benwell Primary School work. For example, they investigate electrical circuits in different torches with enthusiasm. These standards are a great improvement on last year’s results and on the previous inspection.

p.10

Attainment and progress

5. At Key Stage 2 the school’s trend of improvement in the national tests at the age of 11 over the past four years is above the national average. Nevertheless, attainment was well below average in both English and mathematics in the 2000 national tests and was very low in science. Some pupils attained Level 5 in all of the tests with a higher proportion in English where 17 per cent attained this level. Considering the very low attainment on entry to the school, this is a considerable achievement. Compared with similar schools, standards were average in English and mathematics and well below average in science. Girls achieved considerably higher standards in English, mathematics and science than the boys. The school is aware of these differences and has plans to introduce strategies to address this imbalance. The high level of mobility adversely affects the overall standards at the end of Year 6. The school sets itself

p.11

Attainment and progress

appropriate targets and is on course to meet them.

p.11

Attainment and progress

6. The inspection shows that standards in Key Stage 2 remain well below average in reading and writing and below in speaking and listening. Average pupils lack confidence and fluency in reading. Pupils use different forms of writing, but their punctuation and handwriting is weak. Progress is satisfactory in the Years 3/4 and 4/5 classes but slows in the Years 5/6 class. The expectations of the Years 5/6 class teacher are too low and there is too little emphasis on the presentation of work. Pupils listen carefully in this key stage but there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking skills.

p.11

Attainment and progress

7. Standards achieved by the 11-year-olds in number are below average. As in Key Stage 1, standards in the other aspects of mathematics are all lower with attainment in the subjects as a whole well below average. Progress in the first two classes in this key stage is satisfactory, but this slows in the Years 5/6 class where pupils do not do sufficient written work. Progress in the first two classes in Key Stage 2 in science is satisfactory and good progress is made in investigational work because teachers include this aspect of science in all their lessons. In the Years 5/6 class standards drop because the teacher’s expectations are too low. By the age of 11 standards are well below average. Standards in literacy and numeracy are below average in Key Stage 1 and well below average in Key Stage 2.

p.11

Attainment and progress

8. Standards in information and communication technology are average by the time pupils are seven. Year 2 pupils have had the benefit of working in the computer suite, as they are a small year group. The computer suite is too small for the other classes and technical difficulties have greatly reduced the effectiveness of the teaching in Key Stage 2. The new co-ordinator has greatly improved the organisation across the school and progress is now satisfactory. However, the older pupils have not benefited from these improvements and their standards are well below average. Attainment in religious education is at the expected level in both key stages.

p.11

Attainment and progress

9. Standards in music are below the expected level for seven-year-olds but all other subjects are at the expected standard for this age. By the age of 11 standards are average in design and technology, history and physical education, but below average in art, geography and music.

p.11

Attainment and progress

10. There is a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. The provision for these pupils is good and their progress is good. Teachers organise additional adults well to support these pupils in whole class lessons. The quality of the teaching in the withdrawal sessions is good and is related well to the work in the main class. Provision South Benwell Primary School - 12 South Benwell Primary School for the Kosovan pupils is good and their progress is good. Teachers ensure that they understand their tasks and celebrate their achievements.

p.11

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Parents say their children like the school. The pupils show good interest in their class work and in the extra activities. Their attitudes were good or better in three-quarters of the lessons seen, and satisfactory in the remainder. The high quality teaching by the staff in the Early Years’ Unit leads to high levels of enthusiasm from the children. The pace of learning in Key Stage 1 is impressive in both classes. Pupils in the older classes also show good motivation. Each week a pupil wins the ‘Star of the Week’ award, which they value greatly. The headteacher takes a photograph and this adds to the sense of occasion. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour have improved since the previous inspection.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils’ behaviour is very good in the Early Years’ Unit, in Key Stage 1 lessons and around the school. Behaviour is satisfactory in Key Stage 2. The presence of the headteacher in lessons makes a considerable improvement in this key stage, particularly in the Years 5/6 class. Pupils react well when teachers and support staff have high expectations and effective management strategies for good behaviour. Pupils behave well in breaks and at lunchtime. They are courteous and friendly towards visitors. They show respect for their school and keep it tidy. There was no challenging behaviour in the week of the inspection. The school did not exclude any pupil in the past year. It has made one permanent exclusion in the present year. The school shows good freedom from oppressive behaviour. It takes great care to deter and manage bullying. Relationships at school are good. They are very good in the Early Years’ Unit. Pupils

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

relate well to the adults at school. They work and play well together. Together with the children in the nursery class, a Kosovan child sang two verses of Twinkle, twinkle, little star in English. He then sang a verse in his own language. The children were fascinated to see that songs can be the same in distant countries of the world.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. The school offers good opportunities for pupils to develop personal responsibility. Pupils respond well to these. From the nursery onwards, they keep their classrooms tidy. Older pupils look after younger children in the playground. Year 5 pupils enjoy helping clear away trays in the hall. Year 6 pupils sharpen pencils and prepare materials sensibly for nursery and reception. Good use of role-play in assemblies enhances pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. The Years 3/4 class successfully presented their work to the whole school and to over 40 parents and other adults. They showed work they had done in class on how to add in mathematics, a scientific experiment in friction and the story of how God made the world. A Year 1 pupil, unrehearsed, confidently played a major part in a story about treating people fairly. Games and sports help develop pupils’ teamwork and leadership. The school has its own badminton club. Boys and girls in the soccer team

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

train twice a week and take part in competitive matches. Individual pupils win distinction in sports. A Year 6 boy is in the county badminton team and a Year 6 girl represents her club in international judo competitions. An unusual initiative is a club for older girls where they meet and play games once a week. This club gets enthusiastic support.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Attendance is unsatisfactory at 91.5 per cent for 1999/2000. This is well below the national average. However, the rate has risen significantly since the 87.4 per cent recorded in the previous report. It is now third highest of the 10 similar schools in Newcastle. Twenty-two pupils won awards for high attendance at a recent assembly. Two Kosovan pupils were among the award winners. The younger pupils are leading the way in achieving good attendance, and the most recent figures for Year 1 and Year 2 are 97 per cent and 95 per cent respectively. In contrast, two older classes recorded less than 90 per cent. The school works hard to build up its support for families with difficulties, and they are responding. Unauthorised absence remains high mainly South Benwell Primary School - 13 South Benwell Primary School because the school cannot contact some families if they fail to notify the school.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Punctuality has improved since the previous inspection and the high quality of the assemblies encourages pupils not to miss them. Even so, a small minority of families continue to arrive late.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

15. In the previous inspection teaching was a major weakness. It is now a strength. There have been considerable changes of teachers since the last inspection and governors have taken great care when appointing new teachers. Good quality systems have been set up across the school to ensure consistency in the quality of teaching.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. Teaching is good overall with some very good features in each key stage. Teaching is very good in the Early Years’ Unit where teaching is never less than good. Teaching is good in Key Stage 1 with over two-thirds of teaching at this level. The very good features are in mathematics and religious education in Year 2. Teaching in Key Stage 2 is satisfactory with half of the lessons in this category. The very good teaching is in mathematics in the Years 3/4 and 4/5 classes and in the withdrawn special educational needs groups. Two per cent of teaching is unsatisfactory in geography in the Years 3/4 class. There are unsatisfactory features in the teaching in the Years 5/6 class.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. Teachers use additional adults very effectively to support individual and group work. The partnership of staff in the Early Years’ Unit is excellent. All support staff in the school are high quality. They are fully involved in planning work and assessing children and they have a high level of communication with teachers. This ensures that teachers have a very good knowledge of the rate of progress of pupils. The school encourages parents and other adults to work in lessons. They are clearly briefed and have a good understanding of the individual needs of the pupils as they work regularly in the school. They support pupils in many different tasks including working on computers, reading stories and supporting mathematical activities. For example, in Year 1 a parent questioned pupils well about the characteristics of the shapes they were making from elastic bands on a geometric board. Teachers organise adults effectively to support

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

pupils with special educational needs. Sensitive support is given to these pupils to ensure they understand the tasks.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. Teachers manage children very well in the Early Years’ Unit. They establish a calm working atmosphere that encourages the children to develop good levels of concentration. Inappropriate behaviour is not accepted and staff give clear guidance of the expectations of the school. For example, when a child said that the cress smelt like pooh, after discussion he said it smelt like grass. In Key Stage 1, teachers control pupils very well. They expect pupils to move sensibly between activities and around the school, and to listen to each other politely. This ensures that pupils learn from each other’s contributions effectively. In Key Stage 2, teachers are not as effective in controlling pupils. The headteacher plays a valuable role in supporting teachers’ discipline in lessons, particularly in the Years 5/6 class.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. Teachers have high expectations in the Early Years’ Unit and children’s development of skills and gains in knowledge are at a good level. In Key Stage 1 and the Years 3/4 and the 4/5 classes, expectations are high across the majority of the curriculum. However, in the Years 5/6 class expectations are too low, particularly in reading, science and in the presentation of pupils’ work. This greatly reduces the rate of progress in this class.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. In the Early Year’ Unit, all the staff have good subject knowledge. They have worked hard to learn the new requirements of the curriculum and have a very good understanding of the needs of this age group. This ensures a clear focus to the direct teaching of small South Benwell Primary School - 14 South Benwell Primary School groups and the whole class. Teachers’ subject knowledge is good in Key Stage 1 and is used well to identify key technical vocabulary across different areas of the curriculum.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. The planning in the Early Years’ Unit is too complex. Much of the detail included on a weekly basis should be identified in the medium term planning to make more efficient use of the teacher’s time. In Year 1, the planning is particularly detailed and provides a very good basis for teaching. In the Years 5/6 class, the planning does not always match the lesson content sufficiently closely. The marking of pupils’ work is inconsistent. Pupils are not regularly given individual targets to work towards and teachers’ marking is not directly related to individual pupils’ needs.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. The Early Years’ Unit is very well organised. Adults’ roles are clearly identified and staff work very effectively together to support all the children. For example, in reception the teacher worked with groups to extend their numeracy skills whilst the classroom assistant provided very effective stimulation for children’s speaking in the post office role-play area. The two teachers in Year 1 work very effectively together. They have a good understanding of each other’s work and support each other for demanding activities. For example, they both attend visits out of school even although one of them is not paid for her time. In Key Stage 1, teachers combine whole-class sessions with group and individual work very effectively. This ensures good levels of concentration and sustains pupils’ interest well. For example, after a stimulating whole-class scientific investigation on working out why the teletubby toy would not work, pupils move on eagerly to

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

investigate circuits of different torches. Teachers do not organise the use of computers sufficiently well in lessons. The exception is the Years 3/4 teacher who uses a range of different programs to extend learning and ensures that the computers are in use during group work.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. Teachers use resources imaginatively to stimulate pupils’ curiosity. For example, in the Years 5/6 class pupils were offered a range of different fabrics and embellishments to make slippers and produced a range of different individual designs. In the Early Years’ Unit, the role-play areas are well organised and stimulate children’s imaginations well. For example, the children visited a post office and then used genuine forms to develop their writing skills. Teachers use the wider geographical area well to enhance the curriculum. In Year 1, pupils visited a nearby park to investigate forces of pushes and pulls in the playground equipment. Visitors into school are used well. Teachers ensure that their contributions are focused on the specific needs of the pupils. For example, in Year 2 a visiting storyteller extended their understanding of feelings, pitching his work at just the right level.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. Teaching of the Kosovan pupils is very good in the Early Years’ Unit. The children are supported well in understanding their tasks and given individual attention to extend their speaking skills. Staff have a very good understanding of their capabilities and expect them to do their best. There is a clear emphasis on practical tasks to ensure success. This extends children’s confidence well and ensures a very good pace of work in all lessons. In Key Stage 1, the teacher supports her pupil well. She targets her in whole- class sessions to support her understanding. For example, in demonstrating a computer program the teacher asked her a direct question to check understanding from the previous week. In Key Stage 2, the teaching for these pupils is satisfactory. The specialist teaching is good, but it is not followed through sufficiently well in class.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

25. Homework is used well through the school except in the Years 5/6 class where it is unsatisfactory because it is not clearly presented or well focused. Other teachers send home good quality worksheets and encourage pupils to return the work. The standard of the homework is particularly good in the Years 4/5 class where the teacher gives clear South Benwell Primary School - 15 South Benwell Primary School guidance to parents for supporting their children. For example, when adding tens and units she drew a simple diagram to show how the sums should be completed.

p.14

OR STUDENTS?

26. The school provides a satisfactory curriculum for its pupils. All the subjects of the National Curriculum are taught for an appropriate amount of time. Suitable time is also given for pupils’ personal, social and health education, including sex education, drugs awareness and citizenship. Religious education is taught according to the locally recommended guidelines. Teachers make most lessons interesting because they use a range of resources and activities. The satisfactory quality of the curriculum is made better through a range of trips and visits offered to pupils of all ages. These include visits to the theatre, museums, the local library and environmental visits to the local park.

p.15

OR STUDENTS?

27. The school uses its good links with the local community to add further to the curriculum. People from the community visit the school and share their expertise. A visitor from the Cornerstones Project 2 works regularly with pupils in the Years 5/6 class. A South American dance group also gives time to teach pupils about the Capoeira dance and the instruments used in the music they play. The pupils have the choice of some after-school clubs that they may attend, such as football, badminton and a homework club that supports their work in the classroom. The school plans to extend these activities. Pupils are prepared well for the next stage of their education through the effective links that the school has with the local secondary school. It also has good links with neighbouring schools and initial teacher training institutions. Some of the Year 6 pupils visit the local secondary school throughout the year to sample a range of lessons. These visits are part

p.15

OR STUDENTS?

of an interesting project provided by the education welfare officer.

p.15

OR STUDENTS?

28. The Foundation Stage curriculum planned for the nursery and reception classes is very good and covers all the areas of learning recommended for young children. They experience a very good variety of stimulating activities that prepare them very well for the National Curriculum and the next stage in their learning. The stages between early development in the nursery and the more complex work in reception is planned very carefully to ensure children are provided with experiences that build on what they have learned previously.

p.15

OR STUDENTS?

29. The National Literacy Strategy is being implemented soundly with some good practice evident at both key stages. The strong features in the school’s approach are the detailed planning and clear learning targets that are shared with the pupils. Effective teaching in Years 1 and 2 is leading to better standards in these year groups. A special support assistant teaches additional literacy lessons very effectively all year round. The school provides booster catch-up groups that take place before the national tests. In Key Stage 2, the reading and writing skills of all pupils are not developed sufficiently through other subjects. This contributes to the well below average standards by the age of 11 years. The National Numeracy Strategy has been implemented soundly and is having a positive effect on standards. Pupils spend insufficient time on computers in Key Stage 2 to develop skills at the appropriate level. The range of materials in art is too narrow.

p.15

OR STUDENTS?

Schemes of work are now in place for geography, but they have not been in use sufficiently long to impact on standards. In Key Stage 1, most of the other subjects have a satisfactory range of activities, except music, which needs developing further.

p.15

OR STUDENTS?

30. Although the school gives a suitable amount of time to all subjects, aspects of the English and mathematics curriculum are not covered as well as they could be. This is because in English teachers provide many activities in which pupils answer questions, but they do

p.15

OR STUDENTS?

The Cornerstone Project is a Christian based project serving the whole community. South Benwell Primary School - 16 South Benwell Primary School not provide a sufficient variety of activities to extend pupils’ speaking skills. Examples might be planned discussions in small groups, drama and role-play. Similarly in mathematics teachers plan many activities for number work. They provide insufficient activities on shape, space and measures, such as weight and volume, and on using data for graph work.

p.15

OR STUDENTS?

31. In the main, the school provides satisfactory systems to ensure that all pupils receive a curriculum that takes account of their ages, attainment, gender, ethnicity and needs. There are some strengths in this aspect of the curriculum. Good arrangements are in place to ensure that pupils with special educational needs have full access to the curriculum. The provision for these pupils is very good and the school implements the Code of Practice 3 fully. Teachers produce effective individual education plans to support these pupils’ needs and the provision for small group work to support their needs is very good. However, too few pupils are on the register and there have been delays outside of the school’s control for moving pupils between levels above Stage 3. The curriculum provided for Kosovan pupils is good overall. It is very good in the Foundation Stage and good in Key Stage 1. It is not as effective in Key Stage 2. The work carried out in the

p.16

OR STUDENTS?

specialist withdrawn teaching in Year 6 is not carried through effectively in whole-class lessons and there are insufficient opportunities planned for developing speaking and listening in English.

p.16

OR STUDENTS?

32. There are shortcomings in teachers’ planning that affect the curriculum for some pupils in Key Stage 2. The school has adopted national guidance for most subjects of the curriculum. Most of these have been implemented recently, except for English and mathematics. The school has not adapted the guidance yet to ensure that all pupils in the same year group who are in different classes are receiving the same curriculum. In English and mathematics, the school tries to ensure that the higher-attaining pupils are provided for because they move between classes. This does not work effectively for the higher-attaining Year 5 pupils. This is because when they move into the Years 5/6 class the work is not matched sufficiently to their needs. This has an adverse effect on their learning and they do not make the progress they should. In science, pupils are not given different tasks to match their different needs. Boys and girls have equal access to the

p.16

OR STUDENTS?

curriculum, except in reading in Key Stage 2. The reading curriculum does not take sufficient account of the interests of boys and this means that they are not making the progress in their learning that they should. The consistently lower standards of boys than girls requires the adoption of strategies that target the boys in order to bridge the current gap in attainment. The school has identified the need to devise a curriculum to challenge and inspire the boys.

p.16

OR STUDENTS?

Code of Practice – this gives advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities and tasks to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the 1993 Education Act. South Benwell Primary School - 17 South Benwell Primary School 33. The provision for pupils’ personal, moral, social and cultural development is one of the things that the school does very successfully. This is an improvement since the previous inspection in pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. Pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory. Collective worship makes a good contribution to spiritual development and meets statutory requirements. Teachers give a strong emphasis to prayer and reflection on these occasions. They also emphasise caring for others in the school community and

p.16

OR STUDENTS?

further afield. In one assembly, pupils reflected on the people affected by the earthquake in El Salvador and in another on treating other pupils fairly and including them in their games in the playground. In another assembly, the visitor successfully used a puppet to link New Year resolutions to promises and God’s promise to Abraham. The very good use of drama and voice captured the pupils’ full attention and promoted their learning very well. Pupils’ spiritual development could be improved further by providing planned activities to promote spirituality through subjects, such as science and music.

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

34. The school promotes moral development strongly through the good example that staff give of care and respect for others. For example, they listen carefully to pupils’ contributions and value what they say. The behaviour of most pupils reflects this, except in the Years 5/6 class where a few pupils interrupt others when they are speaking. Staff use a wide range of rewards including certificates and ‘Golden Time’ to reward good behaviour and effort. Pupils’ achievements are celebrated very successfully each week in an assembly that is shared with parents. The ‘Star of the Week’ from each class receives a certificate and at the same time their photograph is put on display in the hall. The pride pupils’ feel in receiving these awards is evident in their faces and the applause they receive. These systems lead to the good behaviour of the majority of pupils and this demonstrates that pupils have a clear sense of the difference between right and wrong.

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

Discussions with pupils show that they know the rules regarding acceptable behaviour at lunchtime, playtimes and in lessons. In Key Stage 2, teachers do not implement the school’s behaviour policy consistently. Occasionally in the Years 5/6 class this leads to a few pupils showing a lack of respect for the views that others express; for example, they interrupt others when they are speaking.

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

35. The good relationships between most members of the school community underpin the good provision for pupils’ social development. Teachers encourage pupils to work together in pairs or groups in lessons and each class takes it in turn to contribute to assemblies. During the inspection, pupils in the Years 3/4 class produced an interesting assembly on the Creation Story. The pupils, audience and the many parents who attended enjoyed the experience. Older pupils in Key Stage 2 are given specific responsibilities around the school, such as preparing the hall for assembly and answering the telephone at lunchtime. They work the overhead projector for the teacher in the Years 5/6 literacy lessons. Pupils’ sense of citizenship and care for others is fostered through strong links with the local community and raising funds for charity. These make a positive contribution to pupils’ personal development.

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

36. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is good. Pupils’ own cultural traditions and the diversity and richness of other cultures are promoted effectively through subjects, such as art and history. Pupils study the work of famous artists, such as Paul Klee and David Hockney, and important periods in British history, such as Roman and Tudor times. Christianity and other faiths are studied in religious education, for example Islam. Assemblies make a significant contribution to the provision. For example, during the inspection the headteacher used interesting artefacts to explain clearly different aspects of the Jewish Passover meal. Teachers provide attractive displays around the school to extend pupils’ learning, such as Diwali, Hannukah and a time line of the life of Jesus. Educational visits and visitors to the school also make a positive contribution to pupils’ development. There are regular visits to the local park linked to pupils’ work in geography

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

South Benwell Primary School - 18 South Benwell Primary School and science. Visitors from the community also enhance the provision. For example, they contribute to pupils’ work in history.

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

37. The improvement since the previous inspection is good, particularly since the appointment of the new headteacher. The school has successfully implemented planning systems to ensure that the National Curriculum is met fully. National guidance has been adopted for most subjects and good progress has been made in implementing changes to the National Curriculum that were introduced last September. The provision for pupils in the same year group who are in different classes still requires further development.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The present good situation in respect of welfare, child protection and health and safety is in complete contrast to that found by the previous inspection. That report expressed severe concerns about cleanliness and health and safety standards in the school, and made these a key issue. The school took emergency action to put this right. It needed six weeks to get the premises back into a clean, safe condition. The smell in the toilets had been foul. Today those toilets are immaculate. The school carries out a full health and safety audit in conjunction with the local authority every year. It checks its electrical appliances and fire safety equipment regularly. The site manager monitors health and safety well as she goes round the school. She corrects defects as they arise. She receives good support from her cleaning staff. All staff are aware of the need to report any health and safety concern. The school has made good arrangements for first aid.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Two members of staff have current first aid certificates and there is a medical room. The school has modified a cubicle for a severely disabled pupil so that he can use the toilet near his classroom. The school follows the local authority procedures for child protection effectively. The headteacher is the designated teacher. She has received full training and works very closely with local agencies. She ensures that staff are aware of current issues and requirements.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Monitoring of pupils’ academic and personal development is satisfactory, as are the school’s educational and personal support and guidance for pupils. The school has strengths in its monitoring of pupils’ personal development and the personal support provided for pupils.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The school now has an appropriate policy for assessment, including guidelines for teachers, and there are two co-ordinators for assessment newly in post. There are satisfactory procedures in place for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress. This is an improvement since the last inspection when the school was in the process of developing its policy and guidance material.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The assessment procedures are not used consistently. For example, although the school has a policy for marking pupils’ work this is not monitored. Consequently teachers’ marking varies from class to class and, in general, marking is unsatisfactory. Most teachers mark work regularly, but there are very few examples of teachers indicating how pupils can improve their work. Some teachers have provided pupils individually with a list of targets, for example in numeracy, but the targets are the same for all pupils and in some cases these remain incomplete. Pupils’ records of achievement are being established, but the school has no portfolios of pupils’ work levelled according to National Curriculum criteria in order to support the accuracy of assessment.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The use of assessment procedures is unsatisfactory. The school needs to review the systems in place in order to judge their effectiveness in improving subsequent teaching. Some need refining and streamlining, such as those in place for testing reading. Clear South Benwell Primary School - 19 South Benwell Primary School and effective links between the assessment of pupils’ learning and planning their next steps are still under-developed.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The school has good procedures to monitor pupils’ personal development. Teachers and non-teaching staff know their pupils well. They have established good relationships with their class. From nursery onwards, they keep written records of pupils’ progress in behaviour and responsibility, and they give their pupils support as needed. This record- keeping is included effectively in the annual reports to parents. These include a clear description of pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal qualities, and how they have improved during the year.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The school’s provision for personal support is good. Parents appreciate this provision. It sets out in a positive way to encourage good work and good behaviour. Pupils respond eagerly to the rewards system. Each week, one pupil from each class wins a ‘Star of the Week’ award. In the week of the inspection, 17 pupils reached landmarks of 20, 10 or five yellow slips. A Kosovan pupil was one of the winners. Pupils are proud to win these awards and other pupils in their class applaud generously when they do. The good, clear policy for behaviour and discipline has very strong procedures to deter bullying. The school has very good procedures to promote attendance. Wherever possible, the administrative officer contacts parents on the first day when a pupil is absent without notification. She uses the computer system effectively to provide up-to-date information on trends and alerts the headteacher when a pupil is having attendance problems. Most

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

recently, the system demonstrated that there are significant differences in rates of absence between different classes. The headteacher works hard to ensure that all the school’s families understand that regular, punctual attendance is vital to their children’s learning. The school needs to further develop these very good systems by focussing attention on classes, groups and individual pupils where attendance is poor.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. Parents have a very good opinion of the school. They say it plays an important part in the community. Their comments from the parents’ inspection meeting are positive. All parents answering the questionnaire agree that teaching, behaviour and children’s progress are good, that their children like the school, and that it is well led and managed. Similarly, they find it easy to approach the school with a question or problem. A parent said, “The door is always open”. Parents welcome the promotion of the new headteacher from the post of deputy headteacher last September. They say she knows the children well. Partnership between parents and the Early Years’ Unit is excellent. The very smooth transition between home and school in the mornings ensures a very good start to the children’s day. For example, a child who did not want his mother to leave was helped to count until he saw his mother wave from across the playground.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. Links with parents are good and effective. There are two formal meetings each year with their child’s class teacher. In addition, parents say they can meet the class teacher or the headteacher informally or by appointment when they need. The school has a playgroup for children aged 2½ years upwards. This enables children to get to know the school before they come into the nursery. The school held meetings on literacy and numeracy but these were not well attended. In contrast, over 40 parents came in for the assembly where a class presented work and pupils from all classes received awards. Parents support these assemblies well and appreciate the pupils’ efforts.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. The school provides good information for parents. Each term it issues a summary showing the skills and topics that pupils in each class will be learning. Each week it sends home a sheet of homework. The annual reports to parents on their children are of high quality. Teachers write about the children as individuals, giving greatest detail in South Benwell Primary School - 20 South Benwell Primary School English and mathematics. The reports show sympathetic understanding of pupils’ personal development. However, last summer’s reports did not set specific targets to help pupils improve. The school is developing target setting within its assessment procedures and plans to introduce this feature into this year’s reports.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents’ contribution to their children’s learning and the impact of parent’s involvement in the school is satisfactory overall. Parents’ participation in school is good and has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. At least one regular volunteer helps every class including the nursery. Parents join teachers on trips to local sites and accompany older pupils to lessons at the local swimming pool. Their support at sports activities, such as soccer and at the girls’ club, is frequent and enthusiastic. Several fathers are among the parents who help the school. Their involvement as role models has an especially positive effect on the older boys’ learning. The school’s new homework policy works successfully for many parents. They read frequently with their children and keep the home reading diaries up to date. However, a significant minority of parents do not yet participate in the homework programme.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The leadership and management of the headteacher are very good. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. She is fully committed to the school and is determined to raise standards. Although she has only been in charge for two terms, she has already initiated a range of well-focused changes in order to improve the pupils’ education. For example, she has reorganised the responsibilities of co-ordinators and given teachers clear guidelines for carrying out their roles. She provides much needed stability within the school community as she has worked both as deputy headteacher and as a class teacher before her recent appointment as headteacher. She uses her knowledge of the school context very well to reinforce strengths and to improve weaknesses. For example, she has reorganised the Foundation Stage very effectively by combining very good quality new staff with the high quality existing staff in a new Early

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Years’ Unit. She sets high expectations for behaviour and has the respect of the teachers, pupils, staff and community. She supports the Kosovan pupils and families well through careful monitoring of their progress.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. Although many co-ordinators have only recently taken up their responsibilities, the majority have already made effective changes to raise standards. The Early Years’ co- ordinator leads her team very effectively. She works very hard to ensure children in the nursery cover the early ‘stepping stones’ of the curriculum. The teaching of skills and knowledge of the older children in reception is then planned carefully to build on what the children have learned in the nursery. The literacy and mathematics co-ordinators both have a good understanding of their subject areas and have clear plans for developments despite the short time they have been responsible for these subjects. The information and communication technology co-ordinator has supported teachers very well by instituting new systems across the school and organising resources strategically. As most co-ordinators are so new to their posts, they have yet to be fully involved across the

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

school. In order to further raise standards across the curriculum they need to carry out fully the good management plans they have written.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The quality of the governing body is good and the leadership of the chair of governors is very good. She has a clear vision of the way forward for the school and, like the headteacher, has provided much needed stability in the school since she took up her responsibilities. The governing body have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They represent the community very well and make good use of their expertise to support developments. For example, the governor who is the playgroup leader monitors the work of the Early Years’ team. All vacancies have now South Benwell Primary School - 21 South Benwell Primary School been filled and the new governors are as enthusiastic as the existing governors about improving the provision for all pupils. The governors, headteacher and staff have a shared determination to raise standards throughout the school. In most instances there is

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

good potential for success once staff have familiarised themselves with their new roles. The quality of leadership and management has improved considerably since the last inspection.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. School improvement planning is good. The school has concentrated on a core of developments as identified by Her Majesty’s Inspectors in their last inspection. In the plan, objectives are set out clearly and are well focused. For example, in the aim of improving spelling, strategies are set out for each year group to achieve. Monitoring is clearly included as well as the personnel responsible for checking the rate of progress. The cost of improvements is included and the whole plan is set out clearly. Recording of the achievement of objectives is inconsistent across the different priorities. There are plans for co-ordinators to contribute more fully to the formal planning in order to ensure a deeper understanding of what the school needs to do to improve. Governors need to be involved earlier in the planning process. The plan would be further improved if there was a synopsis of the implementation of the previous plan and if more longer-term targets

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. Monitoring strategies are satisfactory. Teaching is monitored effectively by the headteacher and literacy co-ordinator who both identify features for development throughout the school. Planning and organisation are monitored well by the headteacher. She identifies both whole-school and individual weaknesses and then introduces changes sensitively to improve provision. For example, she monitored the use of the time in the morning sessions, identified inefficiency in the organisation of the curriculum and then included a clearly defined increase in the focus in literacy, which raised standards in spelling. However, co-ordinators do not yet play a sufficient part in monitoring as many are new to their roles. There is insufficient monitoring of pupils’ work to identify changes in the rate of progress in written work in different classes, such as the dip in progress seen in the Years 5/6 class.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The school makes good use of financial resources including grants and other funding. The quality of financial planning is good and financial controls are good. The headteacher works closely with staff and governors to meet priorities shown in the school improvement plan. Most recently, the school made a major investment into its Early Years’ Unit. The headteacher and the governing body together monitor the effect of this investment. Inspection findings show that the quality of teaching and learning in the Early Years’ Unit is high. Last year the school rectified a deficit that came about when the extra funding that followed the previous inspection ran out. This year the carry forward is about 5 per cent. It plans to spend some of this money to help pupils improve their reading skills, a high priority on the present plan. The school correctly uses funds designated for specific purposes, such as grants for special educational needs.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The administrative officer and headteacher make good use of technology to monitor financial detail and carry out routine tasks. The administrative officer contributes efficiently to the smooth daily running of the school. The headteacher and finance committee take good care to ensure to implement the principles of best value. For example, they compare prices carefully when purchasing resources and equipment. They obtain competitive quotations for major items. The chair of the governing body has long experience in using educational funds prudently and she does much to help the school in this respect.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school has sufficient suitably qualified teaching staff, with an appropriate range of qualifications. Within the past three years, staffing has become more stable. The school South Benwell Primary School - 22 South Benwell Primary School also has several experienced assistants. Volunteers from the local community add a further dimension to pupils’ learning. For example, a professional guide helps with the history and geography of Newcastle. The school has focused in-service training on developing skills in teaching numeracy and literacy. This is in response to the key issue to improve the quality of teaching and learning in these vital areas. The headteacher has a good level of expertise in supporting staff. In her previous post as deputy headteacher, she was responsible for induction and mentoring to help new and newly qualified teachers settle into school. She ensures adequate support if the need arises. The school

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

has an effective performance management strategy. The headteacher is team leader for those teachers who have applied for threshold assessment. She has, as required, made arrangements for the first meetings this half-term. The strategy is designed to link effectively to the professional development of all staff.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. At the time of the previous report, the school building was only 15 years old, but was in a sorry state. The accommodation is now in good condition, as a direct result of very hard work by the site manager and her cleaning staff. The large, stylish hall gives good space for assemblies, lunches and physical education. All classrooms have sufficient space for teaching and learning. The additional classroom for special educational needs and the resources room make significant contributions to pupils’ learning. The computer room is too small for most whole classes to use, which adversely affects standards. The school has no library. It makes effective use of the local public library and lends books from shelves in the classrooms. However, the lack of a dedicated library restricts pupils’ opportunities for independent research in all subjects. Displays around the school are attractive and of high quality, but most of the material on display is produced by teachers.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

A greater display of pupils’ own work would raise pupils’ pride in their learning. Outside, the school has a good size playground with maps and other markings. It uses an all- weather soccer pitch within short walking distance. The Early Years’ Unit has its own good sized play area, and the school has set a priority to add to the equipment for outside play and physical development. Resources in the school are satisfactory. There is a good range of musical instruments. With 12 computers for its 185 pupils, the school needs a few more computers to match the government target for 2001 of 11 pupils per computer. There are insufficient library books, particularly non-fiction books.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. Although pupils’ attainment remains low, the school is well placed to raise standards rapidly. Good, and very good, teaching is beginning to have a positive effect on pupils’ learning. The headteacher provides very good leadership and works closely with the governing body and staff. The school has recognised its past weaknesses. The money it spends per pupil is above average. In the light of these factors the school gives satisfactory value for money. South Benwell Primary School - 23 South Benwell Primary School

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

59. In order to improve the school’s provision the governors, headteacher and staff should:-

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) further raise standards in reading, speaking and listening throughout the school by:-

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• providing planned opportunities for speaking and listening in English and in all other subjects; • improving the record systems for tracking pupils’ progress in reading; • ensuring books are matched more closely to pupils’ capabilities in Key Stage 2;

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Paragraphs 2-3, 5-6, 16, 19-20, 30, 71-72, 74, 76-77

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) further raise standards in mathematics by:-

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• balancing the teaching of the different areas in mathematics more evenly over time; • providing more time in lessons for pupils to record their work; • improving pupils’ standards of presentation of their written work;

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Paragraphs 2, 4, 7, 30, 85, 87, 89, 92-93

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) raise standards in science in Key Stage 2 by:-

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• implementing the plans for organising the curriculum more effectively in the mixed-age classes in Key Stage 2; • increasing the amount of investigative science in the Years 5/6 class;

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) raise standards in information and communication technology (ICT) by:-

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• planning and organising ICT tasks within the majority of literacy and numeracy lessons; • organising pupils more effectively to take their turn on computers; • implementing the new assessment system including identification of National Curriculum levels;

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Paragraphs 8, 22, 80, 92, 100, 106, 115, 127-129

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(5) improve the quality of teaching in the Years 5/6 class by:-

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• raising expectations of what pupils can achieve particularly in writing and science; • placing more emphasis on the quality and quantity of written work; • improving the homework provision;

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Paragraphs 6-7, 12, 16, 19, 21, 25, 31-32, 34, 76, 79, 88, 91-92, 96-97, 99, 101 South Benwell Primary School - 24 South Benwell Primary School (6) improve curriculum and assessment provision to match individual pupils’ needs more closely and further raise standards in English, mathematics and science by:-

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• providing a range of different tasks in lessons to extend and challenge the more able pupils and to support the less able pupils by using assessment more effectively; • increasing opportunities for developing literacy and numeracy in all subjects; • providing a curriculum to challenge and inspire boys more effectively; • producing levelled portfolios of pupils’ work to show development through the school; • improving the consistency of marking and individual target setting.

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Paragraphs 30, 32, 41-42, 86, 93, 114, 118, 124, 129, 145

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to the issues above, the following weaknesses should be included in the governors’ action plan:-

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• further develop the existing very good strategies for improving attendance by focusing attention on classes, groups and individual pupils where attendance is poor;

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• consolidate the role of the curriculum co-ordinators by carrying out the existing plans for their development.

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Paragraphs 50, 52-53, 119 South Benwell Primary School - 25 South Benwell Primary School

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 40

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

0 16 45 37 2 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 25 160

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 129 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 2

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register O 51

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 6

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 20

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. South Benwell Primary School - 26 South Benwell Primary School Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 14 14 28

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 2 5 7 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 5 12 11

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 25 (67) 61 (81) 64 (62) at NC Level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 3 6 6 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 8 10 8

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 39 (76) 57 (76) 50 (76) at NC Level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 7 11 18

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 2 2 2 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 8 7 6

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 56 (42) 50 (50) 44 (83) at NC Level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 2 4 4 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 9 10 6

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 61 (58) 78 (58) 56 (75) at NC Level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 80 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. South Benwell Primary School - 27 South Benwell Primary School Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Any other minority ethnic group 6 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers and classes Financial information

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 6 Financial year 1999-2000

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 331,032

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 1,780

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32 Balance brought forward from previous year -20,156

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Balance carried forward to next year 2,616

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 2

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 101

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per FTE adult 8.3 FTE means full-time equivalent. South Benwell Primary School - 28 South Benwell Primary School Results of the survey of parents and carers

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of responses in each category

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

My child is making good progress in school. 70 30 0 0 0

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Behaviour in the school is good. 57 43 0 0 0

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 39 52 4 4 1

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 61 35 4 0 0

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 74 26 0 0 0

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 78 17 0 0 5

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school works closely with parents. 53 39 4 0 4

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school is well led and managed. 52 48 0 0 0

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 53 43 4 0 0

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 35 48 9 4 4

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Parents expressed confidence in the new headteacher as she knows the school and pupils well and is committed to the school. South Benwell Primary School - 29 South Benwell Primary School PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. Children attend the nursery on a full-time basis from the beginning of the year that they are three. They join a high quality Early Years’ Unit that was organised imaginatively this September. The teaching team consists of a very experienced teacher and a nursery nurse, both of whom have an excellent knowledge of the school community. They use this expertise extremely well to ensure that children settle quickly into school by establishing high quality relationships with parents. Two high quality new appointments have been made and the team work extremely efficiently together in the reception and nursery classes. Attainment is very low on entry in all aspects of the Early Years’ curriculum. Excellent progress is made across the Early Years’ Unit in personal, social and emotional development. There is very good progress in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

physical development. Good progress is made in creative development. Two-thirds of the Kosovan children are in this unit. They all make very good progress as they are supported very effectively in using English. The teaching team have high expectations of their potential and ensure that tasks challenge their thinking and skills.

p.29

Personal, social and emotional development

61. At the beginning of the year, children enter the school with very poor skills in this area. Nevertheless the children are well in line to reach national expectations by the end of the reception class. The headteacher places a high value in their introduction to school in September and she spent a high proportion of her time at the beginning of each day supporting the teaching team. Together they set high expectations for children’s behaviour and attitudes to work. This is a very effective use of her time as the children do settle very well into school routines. In the nursery, they co-operate well with each other both in whole-class activities and in individual tasks. They sustain concentration for considerable periods and choose their activities sensibly. For example, they watch the nursery nurse closely as she retrieves warm or cold clothing from a box and make sensible suggestions of which set each garment should be placed. The children make

p.29

Personal, social and emotional development

excellent relationships with the many adults in the unit. Children are courteous to them and share their resources sensibly with each other.

p.29

Personal, social and emotional development

62. This excellent start continues into the reception class. There is a high level of consistency across the two classes as the long-term teacher and nursery nurse have worked together for many years and set the same high standards. The two new appointments are mirroring these standards, which ensures a very consistent provision across the whole unit. The excellent progress in the nursery is sustained in the reception class with children behaving sensibly both in whole-class discussions and in the challenging independent tasks. For example, children played sensibly in the green water, pouring and measuring whilst sharing the containers. Children show respect for each other’s cultures and beliefs. English children and Kosovan children work well together in both classes and share their successes. For example, a group celebrated the success of a Kosovan boy when he read his own writing from a birthday card he had made for his

p.29

Communication, language and literacy

63. Children are in line to reach national expectations in listening by the end of the reception class. In speaking, reading and writing they are in line to reach standards below expectations. This represents very good progress overall as they enter the nursery with very low levels of skills in these areas. The teaching team provide rich and varied South Benwell Primary School - 30 South Benwell Primary School opportunities for the children to communicate. These range from whole-class sessions where children learn to take turns in speaking, to individual conversations where adults pursue a line of questioning to support the development of thinking, speaking and listening. For example, in the reception class the classroom assistant supports children in the post office role-play area. She discusses their visit to the real post office and helps the children to choose the correct forms to complete and post. Children are given clear

p.29

Communication, language and literacy

guidance in using key words in lessons and they develop skills in using them in their work and play. For example, in the nursery an adult volunteer used words such as under , over and below to help the children describe where their cars were going in their construction of bridges and roads.

p.30

Communication, language and literacy

64. Children get regular opportunities to share books. They are keen to listen to stories and concentrate well. Adults watch the book corners carefully and when children choose to read they are quickly supported. The teaching team read key books regularly. This is very effective as the children build a very good understanding of the meaning of these key stories and learn the importance of the text. For example, when sharing Peace at Last children in the nursery predicted what was coming on the next page, and in the reception class the children knew most of the text of A Dark, Dark Tale . More able children are in line to reach national expectations. They read simple words by sight and understand the story well. The majority of children are below this level. All children respond well to stories in both classes.

p.30

Communication, language and literacy

65. Children are supported well in developing their writing skills. They have regular opportunities in independent activities to make marks and produce simple words. They also have more formal sessions when they are given direct teaching to produce an end product. In the nursery, children use pencils and pens readily and more able children produce sequences of letters. In reception, most children form their letters correctly and more able children produce sequences of words.

p.30

Mathematical development

66. Children are given varied opportunities to develop mathematical skills. Whole-class teaching sessions are well focussed and concentrate on developing mathematical language and understanding. For example, in the reception class children reinforce their knowledge of the order of numbers to 10. They then work in groups to reinforce the whole-class work. The teaching team also takes every opportunity to count during other activities. For example, in the nursery a nervous child counted with a nursery nurse until he saw his mother come round the corner of the building. This combination of formal and informal provision works very well in raising standards. Children are provided with a rich variety of opportunities in play to develop their understanding of shape and position, and to solve practical problems. This promotes the very good progress in mathematical development. Even so, because children’s attainment is so low on entry, most of the

p.30

Mathematical development

children are achieving below national expectations by the end of the reception class. More able children are in line to reach these expectations.

p.30

Knowledge and understanding of the world

67. Children make very good progress in this area as the teaching team teaches knowledge and understanding very effectively and explicitly. Children develop a very good understanding of living things in the nursery. For example, they already understand that plants come from seeds and record their observations in simple drawings. This excellent foundation is built upon in the reception class as the teacher has a very good knowledge of the children’s level of knowledge and challenges them well. Children work confidently on the computer because tasks are interesting, at the appropriate level and they are given sufficient time to complete them. Some opportunities for development in computer South Benwell Primary School - 31 South Benwell Primary School use are missed in the nursery because the computer is not always available. Children learn about their own cultures and beliefs through good quality visits out of school and

p.30

Creative development

68. Children make good progress in creative development. They are in line to achieve standards below national expectations. They are developing skills of expressing and communicating ideas, but their initial vocabulary when they start school is very low. They draw confidently and use a good range of materials to create and design, as they are provided with a variety of activities. For example, they wrapped up different sized parcels with string as part of their post office role-play. They use paint confidently to print and produce pictures.

p.31

Physical development

69. The progress children make in physical development is very good. There is a good variety of equipment in the outdoor play area as the school borrows large apparatus in order to develop climbing skills. The school has now ordered their own equipment to continue this provision. There is a clear focus on the development of skills as the adults target children and challenge them to extend what they can do. Inside the classroom children are required to develop skills in holding tools and handling apparatus carefully. Reception children’s provision is extended through formal sessions in the hall. This complements their independent skills well. Children are in line to attain national expectations by the end of reception.

p.31

Physical development

70. The teaching team in the unit has high levels of communication both within and between the classes. Children’s movement and work rate is monitored very effectively during the independent activities. For example, whilst a group was being taught about the texture and growth of cress, the nursery nurse targeted all the other children to ensure that they got the maximum learning from their independent tasks. The teaching team plans together very effectively. This ensures a high level of consistency across the classes and ensures a smooth transition between them. There are clear plans to extend the movement between the two classes of both children and adults to extend the use of the facilities and expertise. All staff know the children very well. They support them very effectively through difficulties and all have high expectations of behaviour and achievement. Many adults work alongside the teaching team. They are very well briefed

p.31

Physical development

and give invaluable support, particularly with individual children. The high quality of the Early Years’ Unit gives the children a very good foundation for their future learning.

p.31

ENGLISH

71. Standards in English by the age of seven are better in reading and writing than they were in the previous inspection. The school’s results in the 2000 national tests for seven-year- olds showed that standards in reading and writing were very low when compared with schools nationally and when compared with similar schools. Inspection evidence shows that standards in reading and writing are better now than in the tests. Standards in writing have risen faster than in reading and are now average compared with schools nationally. Reading standards are below average. The improvements are because of the effective teaching in Key Stage 1. The teachers who have moved into this age group have good subject expertise and high expectations of what pupils should achieve. The Year 2 teacher, the subject co-ordinator, knows each pupil’s skills in writing and what needs to be taught in order to improve their work. The improvements are greater in

p.31

ENGLISH

writing than reading because teachers have better expertise in teaching writing. Also the school’s procedures for assessing and tracking pupils’ achievement in reading are not as efficient as they could be. South Benwell Primary School - 32 South Benwell Primary School 72. Standards for 11-year-olds have risen at a faster rate than the national trend since the previous inspection. The school’s results in the national tests for 2000 showed that standards were still well below the national average even though standards were rising. However, pupils achieved satisfactorily in comparison with pupils in similar schools. Girls did better than boys. The achievement of most pupils was satisfactory when it was compared with the standards they had achieved by the age of seven. The evidence collected during the inspection shows that standards remain the same now as those in the tests. They are well below average in reading and writing.

p.31

ENGLISH

73. Many pupils enter the school with skills in speaking and listening, reading and writing that are well below average. Through effective teaching pupils achieve well by the age of seven. Teaching in Key Stage 2 varies and this affects pupils’ achievements. Pupils’ achievement is higher in the Years 4/5 class because teaching is better than in the other classes. In the main, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory by the age of 11 and girls achieve better than boys do.

p.32

ENGLISH

74. Inspection evidence shows that by the ages of 7 and 11 most pupils’ speaking and listening skills are below those found in other schools. Throughout the school, teachers use the correct technical words and they encourage pupils to use them in English and in other subjects. This leads to pupils’ good learning; for example, Year 2 pupils use the terms phoneme and alphabetical order and Year 6 pupils use suffix and glossary. However, many pupils do not have a wide variety of everyday words to express their thoughts and ideas clearly in conversations and in answering teachers’ questions. Teachers provide few activities to extend pupils’ speaking skills. For example, planned discussions in small and larger groups, role-play and drama in English lessons and in other subjects. Most pupils listen carefully to teacher explanations and instructions and to the views of others. Sometimes in Key Stage 2 teachers do not manage pupils’

p.32

ENGLISH

behaviour well. They have not established sufficiently the routine of pupils taking turns to speak and some pupils interrupt others. Ooccasionally in the Years 5/6 class this also leads to a few pupils becoming restless or disruptive in their behaviour. This slows the rate of learning in all aspects of English.

p.32

ENGLISH

75. Given the limitations of the pupils’ skills on entry to the school they do well to achieve below average standards in reading in Year 2. This is because of the effective teaching of basic reading skills, such as phonics. Higher-attaining pupils read aloud confidently, accurately and with expression. Average and lower-attaining pupils have a good grasp of letter sounds and this helps them tackle words that are unfamiliar to them. The school has good stocks of fiction and information books for use in the literacy hour. The books pupils read at home do not have similar words to the ones read in school. This affects the achievement of pupils who are less confident and competent in reading. Teachers could make better use of home-to-school reading diaries to inform parents of their child’s progress.

p.32

ENGLISH

76. By the age of 11 higher-attaining pupils discuss what they read, showing that they understand it well. They talk confidently about different authors. Average-attaining pupils lack confidence and fluency and lower-attaining pupils have weak reading skills. Average and lower-attaining pupils in this class and in the Years 3/4 class have difficulties in other subjects when the learning depends on their reading skills. In the Years 5/6 class, the teacher’s assessment of what pupils are capable of in their reading is not precise enough. The books some pupils are given lack challenge and interest. This affects their achievement, particularly the boys. Reading discussions with Year 6 girls and boys show that they are capable of reading and understanding harder texts than they usually read. Boys are motivated to read by non-fiction books or popular books, such as Harry Potter. The scheme books they usually read fail to motivate them.

p.32

ENGLISH

South Benwell Primary School - 33 South Benwell Primary School 77. Pupils from Year 2 to Year 6 use the local public library regularly where they learn how to use the library system to locate books on particular shelves. They are taught how to find information from books as part of this work and in the literacy hour. As a result, most Year 6 pupils use the index, page heading and subheadings competently. Lower- attaining pupils sometimes need support to read the words. The school does not have its own library in which teachers can reinforce the skill of locating books that pupils have learned at the public library. There are insufficient non-fiction books to develop skills outside of the literacy lessons. This negatively affects the development of older pupils’ independent study skills. Teachers give pupils little time to browse or read books for pleasure informally in the classroom, and for a significant number of pupils this is the

p.33

ENGLISH

case at home too. This term the school has set aside an extra half-hour for the structured teaching of literacy skills. Some of these lessons are dedicated to reading. This strategy is too recent to judge its impact on pupils’ learning.

p.33

ENGLISH

78. In Year 2, writing is sound and this shows good achievement by the majority of pupils. Average and higher-attaining pupils spell and use full stops and capital letters with growing accuracy. They are beginning to use a joined handwriting style in independent work. Higher-attaining pupils are starting to use interesting words. For example, ‘The bear was lost. He was cold and hungry.’

p.33

ENGLISH

79. Lower-attaining pupils try their best and write simple phrases that are legible. By the age of 11 most pupils write stories paying satisfactory attention to the plot. They use different forms of writing appropriately, for instance poetry and newspaper reports. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. Higher and average-attaining pupils often produce work in which the punctuation is weak and the handwriting is not consistently joined and fluent. Occasionally higher-attaining pupils use words effectively, for example, ‘A deep voice shattered the silence. Slowly, painfully she reached towards the window to look out.’

p.33

ENGLISH

80. In the Years 5/6 class, the teacher’s expectations of what pupils can achieve are not high enough. The presentation of pupils’ work could be better. The whole class is often given the same work. This is sometimes too easy for the higher-attaining pupils and is often too hard for the lower-attaining pupils to achieve when they are working without adult support. Lower-attaining pupils have difficulty learning the same spellings as higher-attaining pupils. This affects their achievement and confidence. The school moves pupils between classes for literacy lessons. This is not effective for the higher-attaining Year 5 pupils. Throughout Key Stage 2 the marking of pupils’ writing could be improved through setting specific targets for the work, sharing these with the pupils and marking the work with the targets in mind.

p.33

ENGLISH

81. In both key stages, teaching is satisfactory. This is better than in the previous inspection. A good lesson was seen in Year 2 and in the Years 4/5 class. A strong feature of all the lessons is that teachers ensure that all adults have clear instructions about the work they are to carry out. This enables them to give effective support to pupils. Teachers manage the timing of the different parts of the literacy hour competently. As a result pupils cover a good deal of work during the lesson. Teachers give clear explanations in the introduction and use the end of the lesson well to review pupils’ understanding of the work. Sometimes in the group work adults working with their own groups do not monitor the work of pupils who are working independently. This is needed to check pupils’ achievement and deal with any problems as they occur. Teachers make little use of information and communication technology to support pupils’ learning in literacy lessons.

p.33

ENGLISH

82. Teachers use attractive resources and interesting methods to gain pupils’ interest. As a result most pupils enjoy their work, concentrate well and are keen to learn. They get on South Benwell Primary School - 34 South Benwell Primary School well together when working in pairs or groups. In Key Stage 1, teachers manage pupils’ behaviour very well and this leads to their very good behaviour. Teachers’ management of pupils’ behaviour is less effective than this in Key Stage 2.

p.33

ENGLISH

83. Support for pupils who have special educational needs is effective. Many of these pupils lack confidence and acquire new skills and knowledge in reading and writing slowly. They receive effective support from classroom staff. They are also taught very effectively in the additional literacy lessons. This work is planned carefully and is focused clearly on their needs. As a result they make good progress in their learning in relation to their prior attainment.

p.34

ENGLISH

84. The Key Stage 1 Kosovan pupil is making good progress because of good teaching. In the main the Key Stage 2 Kosovan pupil makes satisfactory progress. The support he receives from a visiting specialist teacher for one lesson each week is effective and as a result his progress is good in this lesson. Strong features of the teaching are that the work is planned with the class teacher and is based on the work that the class is doing. The specialist teacher encourages the pupil to express his thoughts and ideas clearly in English and gives him work at the level he needs, such as writing simple sentences when other pupils write complex ones. The pupil’s progress over time could be improved. Firstly by the class teacher continuing this good approach, secondly by both teachers sharing the assessments they have of the pupil’s progress in spoken English.

p.34

ENGLISH

85. The good improvements in the subject since the previous inspection are mainly due to the effective co-ordinator and the new headteacher. English is given a high priority in the school improvement plan and good progress has already been made in implementing the targets that have been set. The school is now well placed to bring about further improvements.

p.34

MATHEMATICS

86. Standards in mathematics have improved in Key Stage 1 since the last inspection as the school has targeted numeracy as a priority. Pupils at the age of seven are now reaching average standards in numeracy. Standards in the other aspects of mathematics are below this level. By the age of 11 pupils’ attainment is well below average in mathematics overall. In number work alone, pupils’ attainment is of a better standard and is only below average. Progress is satisfactory in the Years 3/4 class and the Years 4/5 class, but slows in the Years 5/6 class. The school has concentrated on numeracy as required by Her Majesty’s Inspectors in their last report. They are aware that the balance of the mathematics curriculum needs to be extended, now that the teaching of numeracy has been improved. Although standards are beginning to rise, they are still not high enough. The school has a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and

p.34

MATHEMATICS

there have recently been a large number of staff changes. Not all teachers are meeting the needs of their pupils successfully enough. For example, expectations of what the pupils in the Years 5/6 class can achieve are too low.

p.34

MATHEMATICS

87. There are marked differences between the performance of girls and boys. National test results for 7 and 11-year-olds from 1998 show that girls have consistently achieved better than boys in mathematics. The school is aware of this and plans to take steps to redress the balance. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress as they are well supported by additional adults. The Kosovan pupil in Key Stage 1 makes good progress in numeracy through the very good support received. Progress of the Kosovan pupil in Key Stage 2 is satisfactory. The good support given by the specialist teacher is not followed through sufficiently well in the class context. South Benwell Primary School - 35 South Benwell Primary School 88. By the age of seven pupils clap to maintain a good pace as they confidently count in fives. They calculate doubles of numbers up to 10 at speed, and they are equally

p.34

MATHEMATICS

accurate when calculating in their heads half of numbers such as 18. When estimating how many beads they have in a container they make sensible guesses. They array their beads in fives to help them count more quickly up to numbers such as 79 or 63. This links very well with their warm-up activity at the start of the lesson. They are learning to identify the properties of some two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes such as cylinders and cubes, using correct mathematical terms such as face and circle . By the age of 11 pupils recite multiplication tables up to 10 x 10. They are not secure, however, when asked random multiplication facts such as 7 x 4. They order fractions in tenths from zero to one using the visual aid of a number line. However, in conversation they are unable to recall the pattern in their heads. Throughout the school, pupils lack the skills to discuss their calculations fluently and their understanding of place value is not always

p.35

MATHEMATICS

89. The quality of teaching in mathematics in both key stages is good with some very good features. This is a considerable improvement since the last inspection. The very good features include very clear explanations and very good planning. In the Years 5/6 class, teaching is satisfactory with some unsatisfactory features. The way the class is managed does not engage all pupils’ participation fully and expectations are not high enough for the more able pupils. Pupils are not given enough time to develop their skills of recording or practising what they have learnt. They are not given sufficient opportunities to apply their knowledge and understanding of number to other areas of mathematics, for instance problem-solving or measuring.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

90. The analysis of work throughout Key Stage 2 shows that pupils of different ages are being set the same work resulting in under-achievement. Year 6 pupils’ work shows little progress since September and an unduly heavy emphasis on number work at the expense of the other aspects of mathematics. Additionally, pupils in the Years 5/6 class are not producing sufficient work for their ages and abilities.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

91. Where teaching is very good, pupils’ concentration levels are high because they are being suitably challenged and being given sufficient time to conduct investigations, applying their knowledge and understanding of number. For example, when estimating how many cubes in a container they consider previous results and make sensible guesses based on their past experience. Older pupils in the Years 3/4 class gasped in delight when challenged to add three different numbers together in their heads by first applying their knowledge of number bonds. The Years 3/4 class teacher uses assemblies well to reinforce mathematics as pupils present their class work to the whole school. In the Years 4/5 class, the teacher challenges the more able pupils well by asking them more difficult questions in the whole-class sessions. For example, pupils rose to the new challenge of recording the addition of two-figure numbers to three-figure

p.35

MATHEMATICS

numbers by applying their understanding of place value. In both the Years 3/4 and 4/5 classes, pupils are reluctant to stop work because the teachers inspire them to work hard.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

92. Teachers apply the three-part lesson structure of the National Numeracy Strategy effectively and this is having a positive effect on standards. Lesson planning is thorough and teachers have a good understanding of mathematics. The initial warm-up quick-fire sessions at the beginning of lessons are generally well conducted. In the better lessons, there is an astringent pace and a strong sense of purpose. However, on occasions teachers do not organise activities to ensure that all pupils are fully participating, especially in the Years 5/6 class where many pupils sit passively letting others respond. In general, teachers need to devise more activities that will engage all pupils in the class. In the main part of lessons, teachers take care to point out the objectives using correct mathematical vocabulary. Some draw pupils’ attention to the objectives, which are on South Benwell Primary School - 36

p.35

MATHEMATICS

South Benwell Primary School display in the classroom. Explanations in the main part of the lessons are clear. Teachers direct their questions and describe the tasks well. However, not enough time is being given for pupils to record their work. This is especially so in the class of Years 5/6 pupils, where the teacher’s expectations are too low. Pupils’ output is scanty, they hurry their work and presentation is very poor. At the end of the lessons teachers generally sum up what has been learnt well. On occasion, pupils’ behaviour disrupts the pace and flow of this part of the lesson resulting in a hurried or inadequate summing-up. In the better lessons teachers draw attention to good work using pupils’ own contributions to good effect and forecasting what will be done in the next lesson. This practice provides a feeling of continuity and leaves the pupils with a strong sense of achievement.

p.36

MATHEMATICS

93. The use of information and communication technology to develop pupils’ mathematical skills, knowledge and understanding is unsatisfactory throughout the school. There is some use of calculators in the Years 5/6 class, but there are too few used in lessons to consolidate skills effectively. For example, in one lesson only one calculator was used and pupils had to take turns to use it. In all classes except the Years 5/6 class, teachers develop numeracy effectively in science through the use of measuring and data handling. In the oldest class, the numeracy in science lessons is at too low a level. In the Years 4/5 class, pupils develop numeracy well by considering pattern and symmetry in art. Opportunities are missed to extend numeracy in geography, science or in design and technology.

p.36

MATHEMATICS

94. Assessment in mathematics is under-developed. Whilst there are systems in place, these are not used consistently by teachers. For example, some pupils have target sheets in the front of their mathematics exercise books, but they are not all completed. Marking is a weakness. Teachers do not indicate what pupils need to do next to improve their work. Not enough attention is given to presentation of work. For example, spellings of mathematical words and numbers that are written the wrong way round are not corrected. A number of activities have been based on worksheets, which make tracking progression difficult since they were often undated. In some cases, these did not take pupils’ learning forward as they were too easy.

p.36

MATHEMATICS

95. Since the last inspection the school has made good improvement in its provision for mathematics and in raising standards in numeracy in Key Stage 1. The quality of teaching has improved and support staff and other adults are now being well deployed. The school has begun to address the needs of more able pupils by moving them into other classes for mathematics lessons, but their tasks are still not sufficiently fine-tuned to meet their specific needs and aptitude. Pupils who have difficulties with concentration are very well supported in the class for Years 5/6 by the headteacher and other adults. There is an enthusiastic co-ordinator for mathematics, newly appointed. She is determined and committed to raising standards and has already conducted an audit of where the weaknesses lie.

p.36

SCIENCE

96. Standards in science rose considerably between 1997 and 1999. The headteacher taught the Year 6 pupils before her promotion. The change in staffing last year reduced the effectiveness of teaching and standards dropped in 2000. However, a small proportion of pupils did reach Level 5.

p.36

SCIENCE

97. Children enter the school with very little understanding of science. A firm foundation is laid in the Early Years’ Unit. This is developed effectively throughout the school until the Years 5/6 class. Teachers in Years 1 and 2 consolidate this very good start and by the time pupils are seven their attainment has reached the levels expected nationally. This is a considerable improvement on the 2000 Year 2 levels of attainment. In the 1999 year South Benwell Primary School - 37 South Benwell Primary School group, there was a very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs, which lowered overall attainment in the teacher assessment. In the previous inspection, a significant number of pupils were judged to be underachieving in Key Stage 1. This has improved and pupils now reach their potential through careful targeting to extend the more able and support the less able in lessons.

p.36

SCIENCE

98. This progress is sustained in the first two classes in Key Stage 2 but drops considerably in the Years 5/6 class. The teacher’s expectations are too low in this class. By the age of 11 pupils’ attainment is well below average.

p.37

SCIENCE

99. Teaching is good in Years 1 and 2. Teachers provide stimulating tasks to engage pupils’ interest and to build their confidence in scientific understanding. For example, in Year 1 the class went to the park to investigate pushes and pulls on playground equipment, which allowed good quality investigational skills to be developed. In both these classes, teachers ensure pupils develop skills of predicting by requiring them to share their expectations before they begin their investigations. In Year 2, the teacher develops problem-solving skills well through whole-class discussion. For example, she demonstrated a toy that would not work as there were no batteries and the pupils had to identify how to make it work by completing the circuit.

p.37

SCIENCE

100. Teaching is satisfactory in the Years 3/4 and 4/5 classes and pupils make satisfactory progress. They make good progress in the investigational aspects of science. Teachers organise their lessons well to include scientific enquiry in combination with acquiring knowledge across the science curriculum. For example, pupils in the Years 3/4 class carried out experiments to test the effect of different materials on cars moving down a ramp. They developed skills in carrying out a fair test as well as acquiring knowledge about the effects of friction. Pupils carry out investigations confidently in these classes and individuals are targeted well by these teachers to answer questions in whole-class discussions. The Years 3/4 class teacher uses assemblies very well to reinforce the learning in class because pupils present their findings to the whole school. This supports the learning of all pupils well and develops confidence in the pupils who are presenting

p.37

SCIENCE

their findings. For example, a pupil demonstrated the investigation of moving cars down a ramp, changing the surfaces to show the different outcomes. Adults are used very well across the whole key stage. They are well briefed and ask clear questions to support learning. Teaching in the Years 5/6 class is unsatisfactory over time. Tasks are not sufficiently challenging for pupils and work is not extended for the more able pupils. Investigational science is not regularly combined with the other aspects of the science curriculum.

p.37

SCIENCE

101. Teachers across the school have yet to organise information and communication technology as a tool for recording scientific outcomes or for developing scientific knowledge. Literacy and numeracy are developed well in classes up to the oldest class where opportunities are missed to develop these skills. Teachers support pupils with special educational needs well in whole-class activities. These pupils are also supported well by adults in their group work, but their written tasks are not generally modified to allow them to record their work more effectively. Equally, the more able pupils do not have more complex written tasks to challenge them sufficiently. The assessment of pupils is not used effectively to inform teachers of which pupils need these different tasks.

p.37

SCIENCE

102. A scrutiny of work shows a good coverage of the curriculum across the school until the Years 5/6 class. In this class, expectations of written work are low and the amount and quality of written work is of a much lower standard than in the younger classes. In Year 1, pupils record their findings well, with a good variety of different formats used across each term. This is continued in Year 2 although some opportunities are missed to record scientific outcomes. In the Years 3/4 and 4/5 classes, pupils are expected to write about South Benwell Primary School - 38 South Benwell Primary School their findings carefully. They are given clear frameworks for writing, which extends their understanding of scientific methods well. These teachers include different ways of recording outcomes including grids, charts and bar graphs. Pupils are expected to take care with their presentation and write neatly.

p.37

SCIENCE

103. The school has identified the need to implement more detailed long-term planning in order to balance the curriculum in Key Stage 2 across the mixed-age classes. There is a need to produce a science portfolio of work to guide teachers about the different levels of attainment expected through the school.

p.38

ART AND DESIGN

104. Standards achieved by pupils by the age of seven are at the expected level. Standards achieved by pupils in Key Stage 2 vary from class to class. The attainment of pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 in the Years 5/6 class is below that expected for their age. Standards are particularly low in drawing skills, in three-dimensional work and in the use of textiles. The variable standards in Key Stage 2 are due in part to the school’s focus on literacy and numeracy. This has reduced the time available for the full breadth of the curriculum in art. This was a similar situation at the time of the last inspection when standards were also judged to be variable.

p.38

ART AND DESIGN

105. Scrutiny of work in displays around the school, from samples provided by some teachers of individual work and from a lesson observation show that pupils generally work on the same tasks within each class. Drawing skills are not being taught with a view to developing the pupils’ skills. This is steadily resulting in low standards. Pupils do not have individual sketchbooks in which to record and practice their skills, such as shading or proportion, or to develop the skills of using a range of different pencils.

p.38

ART AND DESIGN

106. In Key Stage 1, pupils are being given opportunities to build on the very good practice they experienced in the Early Years’. For example, Year 1 pupils have used their imaginations when constructing monsters using a bubble technique. They paint to good effect. In Year 2, pupils record their observations well. For example, they observed trees in winter and recorded their observations carefully using charcoal. Pupils develop skills of using proportion through being given support in developing these skills.

p.38

ART AND DESIGN

107. In Key Stage 2, art is used effectively to enhance and support other subjects. For example, pupils in the Years 3/4 class constructed and decorated paper boxes when designing and making Jack-in-the-Boxes. Information and communication technology is not used consistently to develop skills. There are examples of good links, but generally opportunities are not planned in all classes. A good example of effective links is in the Years 4/5 class where pupils used a digital camera to construct portraits of themselves in the style of David Hockney. The quality of work in the Years 5/6 class is inappropriate for pupils of this age. For example, their work in paint shows that they are not mixing colour well and are using brush sizes unsuitable for the task.

p.38

ART AND DESIGN

108. The school arranges visits and visiting artists to enrich the art curriculum. For example, in a project entitled ‘Back to the Future’ pupils in Key Stage 1 constructed a ‘Time Dome’, and pupils in Key Stage 2 built a ‘Time Machine’. These resulted in exciting three- dimensional sculptures using a wide range of materials such as paint, latex, paper pulp, feathers, foil, withies, tissue paper and wire.

p.38

ART AND DESIGN

109. Teaching in Key Stage 1 is satisfactory. Teaching in Key Stage 2 is unsatisfactory overall as pupils are not given appropriate work to develop their skills. However, there are some good elements in the teaching. In the Years 4/5 class, the teacher uses clear explanations, has appropriate expectations and uses regular assessment effectively. South Benwell Primary School - 39 South Benwell Primary School Behaviour is very well managed and there is a good pace in lessons. Pupils’ attitudes are very positive and they listen well and concentrate hard. They are eager to help each other and take turns with resources, such as scissors and glue.

p.38

ART AND DESIGN

110. The quality of display in the school is satisfactory. Different areas of the curriculum are represented such as religious education and history, but these do not show a sufficiently wide range of pupils’ contributions. There are very few examples of pupils’ independent work.

p.39

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

111. Standards are in line with national expectations by the end of both key stages. Pupils’ achievement is good in Key Stage 1 and satisfactory in Key Stage 2, including that of the Kosovan pupils. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in both key stages because of the additional, well-targeted support they receive from staff. During the inspection it was possible to observe only two lessons. Further evidence was gained from discussions with the co-ordinator and pupils and analysis of pupils’ work on display.

p.39

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

112. In the lessons seen, Year 1 pupils show good skill in cutting and sticking materials together to make spider models for the rhyme Incy Wincy Spider. This is because of the very clear explanations and demonstrations of the teacher and the effective support they got from the support assistant. In both lessons, teachers encouraged pupils to reflect upon the work through careful questioning. Pupils have a good awareness of the need to work safely with tools, such as scissors and handsaws, because teachers place important emphasis on this. Pupils use technical words well, such as upper and sole of the shoe. However , they do not have a sufficient variety of everyday words for describing their ideas clearly.

p.39

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113. Throughout the school, teachers encourage pupils to make decisions about their work. Year 1 pupils were encouraged to make choices about how to fix. Discussion with Year 6 pupils show that they have had satisfactory experiences of making products in the past, for instance food technology was covered in Year 5. However, teachers have given them few activities in which they design their own work. Year 2 pupils make suitable plans and products, such as the colourful design for Joseph’s Coat of Many Colours. In the Years 5/6 class, pupils’ designs are below the level expected for their age. For example, there is insufficient labelling and detail in the Christmas card designs. This is because their teacher’s expectations of what pupils of this age can achieve are not high enough and they have had little experience of designing in previous years.

p.39

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114. Teaching was good in the Year 1 lesson seen and satisfactory in the Years 5/6 class. In both lessons, the teachers’ clear instructions and use of good resources gains most pupils’ interest, and motivates them to listen carefully to their explanations. As a result pupils understand what they are to do, carry out the work promptly and complete it in the lesson. The teachers’ clear organisation of group work, and clear planning and instructions for adult helpers, enables pupils to be supported effectively in their work. Year 1 pupils demonstrated pride and delight in being able to show their products to the nursery children. In the Years 5/6 class, the teacher had to interrupt the lesson frequently to remind pupils to take turns to speak by raising their hands. Warnings and sanctions were given out to these pupils. This affected the interest of a few pupils, slowed the pace of the lesson and of pupils’ learning.

p.39

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

115. Although the co-ordinator has had the role for only a short period of time, she has a clear view of how the subject should be developed. The monitoring of the standard of pupils’ work and the formal assessment of their learning are not yet in place. Throughout the school, standards could be improved if teachers made greater use of pupils’ literacy skills South Benwell Primary School - 40 South Benwell Primary School and information and communication technology skills to support their learning in design and technology. No judgement can be made on progress since the previous inspection because little technology was observed then and no evidence was reported for the subject.

p.39

GEOGRAPHY

116. Standards are below those expected nationally for the 11-year-old pupils. No judgement can be made on standards in Key Stage 1. Little geography has been taught to date because of the way that the school’s curriculum is planned and organised. This meant that during the inspection it was possible to only see lessons in Key Stage 2. Further evidence was gained from the work in pupils’ books and on displays, teachers’ lesson planning and discussions with pupils and teachers. The curriculum is now better than it was in the previous inspection and the National Curriculum is now being covered. Improvements include sufficient time for the subject and better lesson planning. Teachers now use nationally recommended guidance to plan their lessons. These good improvements are mainly due to the new headteacher. The improvements have not been in place long enough to have sufficient impact on standards. In Key Stage 2, the

p.40

GEOGRAPHY

curriculum could be improved further by ensuring that teachers plan to give the same work to pupils in the same year group who are in different classes. Teachers miss opportunities to extend literacy, numeracy and skills in information and communication technology.

p.40

GEOGRAPHY

117. In Key Stage 1, the work on display and discussions with teachers show that there is a suitable curriculum in place. Teachers develop pupils’ learning soundly from Year 1 to Year 2, for example, through visits out into the local streets and the park. Photographs were taken of the buildings that Year 1 pupils studied on a local walk in the autumn term. Large copies of the photographs were displayed and used to teach technical words, such as factory and semi-detached house . By the age of 11 standards are below average. For example, pupils’ skills in map work and knowledge of technical words are lower than expected. They lack sufficient confidence and independence when they use co-ordinates or locate significant countries on a world map. Discussions with the Year 6 pupils indicate that their knowledge was not built upon systematically in previous years.

p.40

GEOGRAPHY

118. Pupils in the Years 5/6 class are now learning technical words, such as headland and bay. This is because the teacher focuses on developing pupils’ use of vocabulary well. The teacher began the lesson seen in this class by allowing a few pupils to investigate hard and soft rocks. This interested all the pupils and motivated them to listen carefully. In the group work, they use local ordinance survey maps to locate bays and headlands that had these types of rock. Pupils’ behaviour is good. This is because pupils are interested in the work and the teacher notices and rewards their good behaviour. Also the headteacher supports the teacher in managing the pupils. In the group work, pupils use co-ordinates with increasing skill to identify places on a map. Pupils with special educational needs and the Kosovan pupil achieve well. This is because of the effective support they are given by all adults.

p.40

GEOGRAPHY

119. Two lessons were seen in Key Stage 2. The Years 5/6 lesson was satisfactory and the Years 3/4 lesson was unsatisfactory. The work in pupils’ books shows that teaching is satisfactory over time. In both the lessons seen, attractive resources were used to gain pupils’ interest and motivate them to concentrate and listen carefully to the teachers’ explanations. The subject co-ordinator is not yet monitoring the standard of pupils’ work and consistent assessment systems are not in place. This results in pupils sometimes being given work that is not matched sufficiently to their needs. In the Years 3/4 class lesson, this led to the teacher over-estimating pupils’ skills in geography and reading. As South Benwell Primary School - 41 South Benwell Primary School a result, pupils who were working independently found the work difficult. In the main, this had an adverse effect on the learning of the average and lower-attaining Year 3 pupils.

p.40

GEOGRAPHY

120. The enthusiastic co-ordinator has had responsibility for the subject for less than a term and has not yet had time to develop it sufficiently. More resources are needed to support teaching and learning, such as up-to-date atlases.

p.41

HISTORY

121. By the end of both key stages pupils reach the standards expected nationally. This is a better picture than in the previous inspection when standards were unsatisfactory. A teacher has been given responsibility for co-ordination of the subject recently and a policy statement and nationally recommended guidance are being implemented. The quality of teachers’ lesson planning has improved from unsatisfactory to satisfactory. These good improvements are mainly due to the new headteacher and the increased confidence and expertise of teachers.

p.41

HISTORY

122. Little history is being taught this term because of the way the school’s curriculum is planned and organised. This meant that it was possible to see only one Year 2 lesson during the inspection week. Further evidence was gained from the work in pupils’ books and on displays and discussions with pupils and teachers.

p.41

HISTORY

123. Pupils’ achievement is good in Key Stage 1 and satisfactory in Key Stage 2. Key Stage 1 pupils learn about the passage of time. Year 1 pupils make comparisons between old and new toys and talk about then and now . In the Year 2 lesson seen, teaching was good. The teacher’s quiet yet firm manner with the pupils and clearly established classroom routines promotes pupils’ very good behaviour. The teacher makes effective use of pictures, video and storytelling to gain pupils’ interest and promote their learning about Florence Nightingale. This captures pupils’ interest so that they are keen and ready to learn right from the start of the lesson. Pupils listen to stories with quiet concentration and the details that they remember about Florence’s life shows this. A very positive feature of the lesson was the promotion of pupils’ literacy and history skills. The teacher has high expectations for what she wants pupils to learn. She challenges pupils

p.41

HISTORY

to pose their own questions to ask Florence. They respond with carefully thought out questions such as, ‘Why did you become a nurse?’ What kinds of injuries did the soldiers have?’ Pupils with special educational needs and the Kosovan pupil make good progress because of the good support they are given.

p.41

HISTORY

124. In Key Stage 2, pupils’ learning is extended further through sound coverage of British history. In the Years 4/5 class, pupils learn about Victorian Times, such as transport and the life of Queen Victoria. This work is made more interesting through looking at local buildings and structures, such as the swing bridge built by Armstrong in 1876. Discussions with Year 6 pupils show that they enjoy history and have a sound knowledge of key events in the past, such as the life of Henry VIII in Tudor times.

p.41

HISTORY

125. The quality of the curriculum and pupils’ cultural development are made better through trips and visits by pupils of all ages, for example, to the Tynemouth Discovery Museum and the Hancock Museum. The school adds further to the curriculum by using people in the community to visit the school and share their experiences of the past with the pupils. In Key Stage 2, a visiting actor brings Roman and Greek times to life. At this key stage the curriculum could be improved further by ensuring that teachers plan to give the same work to pupils in the same year group who are in different classes. Opportunities are missed to extend pupils’ skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology. South Benwell Primary School - 42 South Benwell Primary School 126. The enthusiastic co-ordinator has had responsibility for the subject for less than a term and has not yet had time to develop it sufficiently, such as through monitoring teaching

p.41

HISTORY

and learning. Throughout the school, teachers could make greater use of information and communication technology to support pupils’ learning in history.

p.42

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

127. The standards achieved by pupils aged 11 are well below national expectations. Pupils have not had sufficient time through the key stage to develop their skills. This is partly due to the technical problems encountered when setting up the computer suite, which is too small for most classes. The new co-ordinator has worked very hard to establish working systems to improve provision. She has organised the computers to be used in classrooms. Lessons are now timetabled every week with well-focussed teaching. The rate of progress in understanding new aspects of using the computer is now good as teachers use demonstrations well and explain clearly the way to use the programs. For example, in the Years 4/5 class the teacher showed pupils how to send, receive and reply to e-mails and by the end of the lesson most pupils had a good understanding of these features. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and use it well to support individuals

p.42

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

in whole-class sessions. The headteacher works well in the Years 5/6 class and uses her very good knowledge of individual pupils to challenge their thinking and maintain their interest. However, across this key stage pupils do not get sufficient time to develop individual skills as they have to take turns at the computers during other subject lessons. Pupils lack confidence in solving problems in this key stage due to their lack of previous experience.

p.42

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

128. Pupils in the Years 3/4 class make better progress than other classes in Key Stage 2 as the teacher ensures that the computers are always in use during group activities. She organises adult support well for pupils with special educational needs to target their particular requirements. For example, an adult supported two pupils in using a talking book program and increased their appreciation of the text. These good features could be adopted across the school to increase the time pupils spend in developing skills. Some teachers provide some tasks during literacy and numeracy lessons, but this is not consistent in all classes. There is no specific identification of information and communication technology within the literacy and numeracy planning.

p.42

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

129. Pupils aged seven reach the expected standards. This is a small year group and they have been able to use the suite for lessons. This has increased their rate of progress and they have made up the ground lost in the previous year. Their teacher has good subject knowledge and uses it well to explain new learning. She presents work in interesting ways that capture the attention of the pupils. For example, she demonstrated the use of the draw toolbar by relating it to Mondrian’s paintings and flooding rectangular shapes with different colours. She uses pupils well to demonstrate in lessons, which builds their confidence well. Kosovan pupils have a good understanding of the facilities of the draw program as they are given opportunities to contribute to whole-class discussion. Pupils in the Year 1 class make slower progress because they are unable to use the computer suite as a whole class. Progress is satisfactory as there is now a specific time for

p.42

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

130. The previous inspection identified the lack of systematic development of skills across the school. The new co-ordinator has addressed this by organising the software carefully to ensure the steady development of skills through the school. She has set up consistent systems across classes to provide continuity in learning. For example, all teachers have similar instructions taped to their computers and all teachers use simple recording systems to track pupils’ time on the computers. She has recently introduced a simple assessment system. This needs to be monitored and used to inform future planning. A South Benwell Primary School - 43 South Benwell Primary School portfolio of work could be produced for teachers to use as a guide for levelling an individual’s work against the National Curriculum.

p.42

MUSIC

131. Standards of 7-year-olds and 11-year-olds are below those expected for their ages. Pupils are receiving a limited curriculum in music and teachers’ knowledge of music is insecure. Pupils are not being provided with opportunities to listen to a range of music from other cultures or from other times. As well as denying them the chance to improve their listening skills, this omission is also preventing pupils developing their skills of appreciation and appraising.

p.43

MUSIC

132. Only limited opportunities are being made available for pupils to perform. For example, pupils have few opportunities to sing or play tuned or untuned percussion instruments. There are no lessons provided by visiting specialists for instrumental tuition. At present there is no choir, although when preparing for a festival such as Christmas, the school makes arrangements for pupils to learn and perform songs. In assemblies and in productions, pupils show that they sing in tune with a sense of rhythm and an awareness of a steady pulse.

p.43

MUSIC

133. By the age of seven pupils have a limited understanding of the sounds made by some percussion instruments such as tambourines. They are developing their skills of playing softly or loudly and are beginning to distinguish between the two dynamics. By the age of seven they are beginning to understand that music has pitch. However their appreciation of these elements of music is not fully secure. Music is used effectively to enhance other areas of the curriculum, such as religious education when pupils enjoyed singing about Noah’s Ark. Although unaccompanied, their singing is in tune and they maintain a steady pulse. By the age of 11 pupils experience work in clapping rhythms whilst chanting the words of familiar jingles and rounds such as Jelly on a plate and Row, row, row your boat . They perform their clapping patterns in groups and hold their own line securely with adult help.

p.43

MUSIC

134. The quality of teaching and learning was satisfactory in the lessons observed during the inspection. Pupils enjoy their music lessons although occasionally the behaviour of a few restless pupils disrupts the flow of the lesson. Most pupils concentrate well and are eager to learn as the teacher engages their attention and provides clear explanations. Teachers develop basic musical skills and knowledge, but they are not sufficiently confident to challenge or extend pupils’ abilities.

p.43

MUSIC

135. Not enough improvement has taken place since the last inspection in Key Stage 2 and standards have remained the same in Key Stage 1. The headteacher is the co-ordinator for music. She carries other responsibilities which draw heavily upon her time, for example special needs co-ordinator, and has led the school in its concentration on improving standards in other subjects, such as literacy and numeracy. She also provides support in classes on a regular basis. However, she is aware of the need to monitor teaching and learning in music and has plans to audit staff skills and needs in order to construct an appropriate programme of in-service training. The school has a comprehensive scheme to support the teaching of music, but staff are not using this consistently, nor are they using the assessment systems which the scheme includes. South Benwell Primary School - 44 South Benwell Primary School

p.43

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

136. Standards are average across the school in physical education. Good progress is made in Year 1 as the new co-ordinator has high expectations and organises lessons well to include a range of tasks leading to simple team games. These pupils’ throwing skills are better than expected for their age. They co-operate well in teams and have a good awareness of space when running and dodging. For example, in a simple team game pupils arranged themselves quickly around a hoop to show the teacher they were finished. The influence of the co-ordinator is beginning to improve provision. She supports the other Key Stage 1 teacher well and monitors her teaching effectively by asking pupils questions after lessons. Boys’ attainment is better than girls’ in this key stage. They throw and catch balls accurately and with confidence.

p.44

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

137. The co-ordinator’s influence has yet to affect Key Stage 2. By the age of 11 pupils’ games skills are at the expected level. They handle small apparatus safely and have average skills of passing and receiving. Pupils work well together both in pairs and in small teams. They co-operate well with each other to complete the tasks. For example, pupils passed the puck in hockey in small groups, organising their own space and taking turns to receive the pass. Kosovan pupils show enthusiasm in lessons and have a higher level of skill than average. There is a good level of adult support in lessons, which ensures that pupils understand the tasks and remain focussed on their work. The school is effective in using experts from a good range of different outside sources. Pupils develop skills in tag rugby, cricket and running through this provision. The school makes effective links with the feeder secondary school by taking the Year 6 pupils to lessons at

p.44

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

that school and using their facilities and teachers. Gifted and talented pupils are very well supported. The extra-curricular activities allow pupils to extend their skills well in football and badminton. Through this provision, individuals with particular skills are identified and pupils from the school now represent the region in badminton.

p.44

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138. Across the school pupils concentrate well on their work. They listen carefully to their teacher’s instructions and try their best to improve their skills. They move around the building sensibly and make a prompt start to lessons.

p.44

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

139. Swimming standards and provision were criticised in the previous inspection. This has now been addressed and the curriculum is evenly balanced and the quality of teaching is better. Pupils now make the expected progress through the school and achieve the expected standards in swimming by the end of the key stage. Another criticism was the organisation of resources. The new co-ordinator has improved this considerably and resources are now carefully labelled and easily accessible.

p.44

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

140. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported across the school. Additional adults are used well to support their development and ensure that they have understood the instructions. External expertise is used well to plan specifically for individual pupils’ requirements. For example, a physiotherapist visits the school regularly to monitor the progress of individual pupils and to identify their future needs.

p.44

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

141. Pupils’ attainment at the end of both key stages is at the level expected for the required syllabus. During the last inspection the school was judged to be failing to cover these requirements. The time allocation for the subject was found to be inadequate. The school has addressed these matters satisfactorily.

p.44

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

142. By the age of seven most pupils show an awareness of God’s place within the Christian faith. They know that His son, Jesus Christ, was born at Christmas. They study the story South Benwell Primary School - 45 South Benwell Primary School of Noah and develop an understanding of God. They know that the rainbow is a symbol of God’s promise, and what the Bible is and why it is important to Christians.

p.44

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

143. By the age of 11 pupils’ knowledge of the Ten Commandments is secure. They show an understanding of the importance of rules, and make links between the rules of Christianity and those of other faiths they have studied, for instance Hinduism. Pupils recognise and understand that some people worship different gods and in different ways, and demonstrate an awareness of the need for respect and tolerance. For example, when discussing the gods worshipped by Hindus, pupils use appropriate names correctly such as ‘Ganesh’, showing respect and interest. They consider what life would be like without the Ten Commandments, for example, if we ignored the commandment about stealing.

p.45

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

144. There is very little written work produced. This was a weakness in the previous inspection. The whole school undertakes a celebration of festivals connected with the major world faiths. This involves work in collage, paint and cut paper using a range of materials such as foil and fabric to make real artefacts, such as Eid cards. This work is the focus of displays in the school hall, to good effect. Music and drama are used very well to enhance pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the festival of Christmas. Many pupils are involved in the annual production performed in the local church as well as in school. Pupils know that the church is important for Christians and is a place where people get married, or are christened.

p.45

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

145. Assemblies contribute well to pupils’ understanding of religion. Teachers and visitors use imaginative ways to enrich pupils’ experience through capturing their full attention and interest. For example, when communicating the concept of ‘equality’ and ‘fairness’, pupils gained knowledge and understanding of the teaching of Jesus. They develop their understanding of the importance of keeping promises. This is linked effectively to stories. For example, the story of God’s promise to Abraham was powerfully illustrated by the skilful use of drama.

p.45

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

146. Pupils’ attitudes in religious education lessons are good. Pupils with special educational needs and the Kosovan pupils participate well in discussions. All pupils listen well, show interest and take part in discussions eagerly. Their written work, however, is poorly presented. Drawings are often incomplete and the standard of writing is poor. In lessons seen, teaching was good overall. Teachers make lesson objectives explicit and their explanations are clear. Support staff are well deployed and behaviour is managed well. However, it is evident that teachers are not making effective links with literacy, numeracy or information and communication technology. Pupils are not being given enough time to record their work, and they are not being provided with opportunities to practise the skills learnt in literacy hour.

p.45

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

147. The subject co-ordinator is new to her responsibilities, but already she has worked on improving the school’s documentation, the policy and the guidelines. However, she has not yet carried out any monitoring of teachers’ planning, lessons or pupils’ work.

p.45