Childwall Church of England Primary School

CHILDWALL CE SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: February 28 th –29 th , 2000

p.1

CHILDWALL CE SCHOOL

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

p.1

CHILDWALL CE 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. Childwall C.E. Primary School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Woolton Road, Liverpool.

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0151 722 1553 Fax number: 0151 281 8718

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Rev. E. Bramhall

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9.10.95 Childwall C.E. Primary School - 4

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Mrs Sonja Öyen Registered inspector Mrs Lillian Brock Lay inspector Mrs Diane Atkinson Team inspector Mr Michael Beale Team inspector

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

“Woodview” 2C Green Lane Standish Wigan WN6 0TS

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Childwall C.E. Primary School - 5

p.4

REPORT CONTENTS

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

PART B: COMMENTARY

• Standards in English, mathematics and science are good. • Pupils enjoy school and behave well. • The quality of teaching is good. • The management of the school is good. • The partnership with parents is strong.

p.5

PART B: COMMENTARY

• Pupils’ higher order reading skills. • Opportunities for pupils to write for a wider range of purposes and audiences. • The greater use of teachers’ marking to indicate pupils’ progress. • The provision of more opportunities to allow pupils to take responsibility for their own learning. • The quality of the monitoring and evaluating by co-ordinators.

p.5

PART B: COMMENTARY

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 17 Childwall C.E. Primary School - 6 PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 18 Childwall C.E. Primary School - 7

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Childwall CE Primary School is a voluntary aided school in Childwall, five miles to the east of Liverpool city centre. The school, bigger than most primaries, has 311 pupils in 11 classes, three of which have mixed age groups. Many pupils come from professional families and six per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals (below the national average). At the time of the inspection, 22 of the 41 children in the reception classes were still under the age of five. Attainment on entry to school is above average. There is a lower than average percentage of pupils with special educational needs (10 per cent) and these are predominantly moderate or specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia. No pupil has a statement of special educational need. Five pupils are from ethnic minorities. One pupil has English as an additional language but does not require extra support.

p.7

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school with several very good features. Standards are higher than in many schools in similar areas. The good quality teaching and pupils’ keen and positive attitudes to learning ensure that pupils achieve well. The school is fulfilling its mission statement. It is well led and managed, has made good progress since the last inspection and provides good value for money.

p.7

What the school does well

• Standards in English, mathematics and science are high. They are particularly good in speaking and in story writing. • Pupils enjoy school and behave well. They are eager to learn and quick to grasp facts and new skills such as using information technology. • The quality of teaching is good. English and mathematics skills are taught well. • The management of the school is good. The headteacher provides strong leadership and the governing body carries out its role very responsibly. • The partnership with parents is particularly strong. Parents’ support for the work of the school contributes much to the overall ethos and to their children’s progress and attainment.

p.7

What could be improved

• The application of pupils’ higher order reading skills, such as skimming, scanning and critical appraisal of texts. • Opportunities for pupils to write for a wider range of purposes and audiences. • The greater use of teachers’ marking to indicate pupils’ progress and areas for improvement. • The provision of more opportunities to allow pupils to take responsibility for their own learning. • The quality of the monitoring and evaluating by co-ordinators to determine what works well, especially in teaching and learning.

p.7

What could be improved

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Childwall C.E. Primary School - 8

p.7

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Improvement since the inspection in 1995 has been good overall. The governors, headteacher and staff took a positive and systematic approach to addressing the key issues raised in the report. Effective action has been taken to assess and evaluate provision in literacy and numeracy, to identify areas for improvement and to set targets. Not only have standards risen in line with national trends but the school has also maintained higher standards than seen in similar schools. The school is on course to meet its even higher targets for Level 4 attainment in English and mathematics in the end of Key Stage 2 national tests this year. Recent staff appointments have enhanced subject expertise, especially in information technology, and raised the quality of teaching. Progress has been slower than might have been expected in raising standards in information technology but current provision is ensuring that pupils catch up quickly and that higher attaining

p.8

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

pupils apply and extend their skills. A comprehensive programme of professional development has been closely matched to school development planning. Current work for the award of Investors in People has effectively heightened all staff members’ commitment to a team approach to school improvement.

p.8

STANDARDS

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

p.8

Key

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

p.8

Key

Standards are well above average compared with all schools and with schools in similar areas. In 1999, nearly all Year 6 pupils reached the level expected for their age in all three subjects. Just over half reached the higher Level 5 in mathematics and science and just under half in English. This is almost double the national percentage in all three subjects. The aggregated test results from all three subjects place the school in the top five per cent of all schools nationally. Inspection evidence confirms these high standards and shows that the school is on course to meet its targets for pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics in the national tests this year. Attainment on entry is above average. Although many children under the age of five are already reading, writing and solving number problems independently, standards could be higher. Year 2 and Year 6 pupils’ attainment in English and number is good. Most are working at or above the

p.8

Key

level expected for their age. At all ages, pupils write well structured, imaginative stories but they are less skilled in other writing forms such as reports, instructions and explanations. This reflects to some degree the higher emphasis on reading fiction. Pupils’ skills in reading and using non-fiction are satisfactory but not as well developed as those in reading fiction. Throughout the school, pupils’ work is well presented. Pupils’ handwriting is uniform and neat. In information technology, standards are rising. Year 2 and Year Childwall C.E. Primary School - 9 6 pupils’ attainment in this subject is as expected for their age but pupils’ quickness in learning new functions and skills in information technology indicates that standards could be much higher.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good; pupils are keen, eager and enthusiastic learners especially when their interest is caught. They concentrate hard and try their best.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good; pupils show good self-discipline in and out of class and they behave well.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good; pupils get on well with others. They are confident and responsible. When given the opportunity, they show much initiative and good organising and decision-making skills.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good; well above the national average.

p.9

Aspect Comment

This aspect is a true strength of the school. From starting school, the pupils are willing learners and are keen to be involved. They enjoy school and their positive attitudes contribute highly to their learning and to their achievement.

p.9

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

Lessons seen overall Satisfactory Good Good

p.9

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

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.9

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

Throughout the school, teaching is at least satisfactory in all lessons. It is good in 65 per cent of lessons and very good in eight per cent. There is frequent good teaching for the older pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2 and this boosts progress and attainment. Common strengths in the teaching are the good management of the pupils, the good relationships with pupils and the frequent revision of key points to remember. These strengths ensure that pupils generally make good progress in their learning. They apply themselves well in lessons, work hard, show good levels of concentration and take care with their handwriting and presentation of work. Many pupils “soak up” facts and are quick to grasp new skills. However, teachers can miss opportunities to allow pupils to explain their thinking and to decide for themselves how things can be done. Similarly, when marking pupils’ work, not all teachers indicate clearly what has been done well,

p.9

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

where pupils have made progress or what pupils should do next time to improve their work. The basic skills of reading, writing, spelling and handwriting are taught conscientiously and thoroughly. There is an appropriate focus on developing pupils’ facility with number and their knowledge of mathematical Childwall C.E. Primary School - 10 procedures. At Key Stages 1 and 2, the setting of the older pupils by attainment in English and mathematics enables teachers to meet pupils’ needs, including those with special educational needs. Childwall C.E. Primary School - 11

p.9

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good; highest emphasis is given to English and mathematics. The good programme of after-school activities, such as chess and cross- stitch clubs, as well as visitors and visits to places of interest, enrich the curriculum.

p.11

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory; pupils are given appropriate support in order to reach the targets in their individual education plans.

p.11

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Satisfactory; the school has access to appropriate support agencies when required.

p.11

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good provision overall to develop pupils’ self-esteem and a sense of their own skills and talents. The provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development across the curriculum is sound; provision for moral and social development is very good. Pupils develop a strong moral code based on Christian values and know how to act towards others. They are polite and considerate to adults and each other.

p.11

Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good; procedures are well established to monitor pupils’ health, safety, behaviour, attendance, attainment and progress.

p.11

Aspect Comment

The curriculum is broad and balanced. All subjects, including religious education are taught. Although the information technology curriculum has not fully met all National Curriculum requirements to date, planned provision for the summer term indicates that all aspects will be covered. Parents play a significant part in helping in school and supporting their children at home.

p.11

Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage-ment by the headteacher and other key staff Good overall; the headteacher provides strong leadership and effective strategic management. He has a clear sense of purpose and direction for the school. Co-ordinators are managing their responsibilities well and developing confidence in directing the way forward.

p.11

Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very well; the governing body is conscientious in meeting its responsibilities. Business acumen and professional expertise are used well to support the work of committees particularly in determining cost-effectiveness and best value principles.

p.11

Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its Good overall; evidence from an analysis of pupils’ performance and Childwall C.E. Primary School - 12 performance the work of the school is used well to inform school development planning. As criteria for the monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning have not been agreed, there is inconsistency in deciding what works well.

p.11

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED [continued]

The strategic use of resources Good overall; funds are being used effectively to provide additional teaching staff for English and mathematics groups; the timetabled use of recently acquired information technology resources is accelerating progress in the development of pupils’ skills and knowledge; time, space, resources and teaching expertise are not always used to optimal effect in all year groups but especially for the youngest pupils.

p.12

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED [continued]

The headteacher’s leadership and the work of the governing body are strengths of the school. The school fulfils its mission statement and strategic planning is well thought through. Co-ordinators are gaining confidence in their subject and school management roles, particularly in monitoring and evaluating what the school does well.

p.12

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school’s high expectations of their children to do well and the progress they can make. • The good behaviour of the children who enjoy school. • The good teaching and the caring attitude of staff who work hard for the children. • The “open door” welcoming approach and the good relationships between staff and parents. • The school is well led and managed. • The way the school keeps parents informed about events and the current topics being studied in class. No issues were raised by a significant number of parents. A few expressed : - the wish to know even more about how their children are progressing and the standard of their work.

p.12

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspection evidence endorses fully parents’ positive views. Parents’ strong support for the school is well seen in the high return of questionnaires, the positive comments expressed at the parents’ meeting and the number of parents who came into school during the inspection. Inspection evidence also indicates that, although annual reports give a sound overview of progress and attainment in the year, teachers’ marking of pupils’ work does not always indicate the progress made or the standard achieved. The school keeps parents well informed about their children’s progress but is looking at ways to help parents appreciate more Childwall C.E. Primary School - 13 fully the rate of progress and standards achieved. Childwall C.E. Primary School - 14

p.12

Standards in English, mathematics and science are good. They are particularly good in speaking

1. In the 1999 Key Stage 2 national tests, standards in English, mathematics and science were well above both the national average and the average for schools in similar areas. On average, pupils were achieving the standards expected of pupils a year older in English and mathematics, and slightly less so in science. Unlike the national picture, the boys did better than the girls in English. The high number of pupils who reach Level 5, one level above that expected for their age, is particularly marked in writing.

p.14

Standards in English, mathematics and science are good. They are particularly good in speaking

2. Throughout the school, pupils do especially well in writing stories and expressing their thoughts in accounts, reviews and poems. This reflects their good speaking skills and their easy facility with language. The reception year children talk easily, fluently and maturely about their work and their interests. They use a good range of vocabulary and often use phrases typical of much older children. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils express themselves clearly and often at length. They converse easily with adults and many relish the opportunity to indulge in word play and debate. In holding a public meeting about the possible closure of a local road to traffic, many Year 6 pupils presented sophisticated and detailed arguments. They drew well on information gathered from surveys and several used good public speaking techniques such as arm gestures and direct appeals to the judge and audience.

p.14

Standards in English, mathematics and science are good. They are particularly good in speaking

3. In their writing, pupils use well their knowledge of stories from books read. They make effective use of different ways to begin stories and to “hook” the reader. Year 2 pupils showed a good understanding of the need to set the context and to introduce characters in their stories prompted by “The rainbow fish and the blue whale”. Year 5 pupils used phrases such as “As usual…” or “The clock struck three …” to open their first chapters. Both year groups drew well on speech, descriptive phrases and devices such as capital letters and marks, as in “WHAT!!**!!”, to add liveliness and interest. The standard of pupils’ work is enhanced by their uniform, joined handwriting and neat presentation. Year 2 pupils are beginning to join their letters and to adopt a fluent style. Standards are higher in Year 2 than last year’s national test results indicate and many Year 1 pupils are already achieving the standard expected of

p.14

Standards in English, mathematics and science are good. They are particularly good in speaking

a seven-year-old. Similarly, Year 5 pupils’ attainment is more typical of older pupils and the quality of their work is high.

p.14

Standards in English, mathematics and science are good. They are particularly good in speaking

4. Writing skills are well taught. The pupils learn how to plan and structure their work and to use features that will ensure an effective story or account. Pupils learn procedures, rules and skills through regular spelling, dictation, comprehension, grammar and handwriting exercises.

p.14

Standards in English, mathematics and science are good. They are particularly good in speaking

5. In mathematics, the pupils have a good knowledge of number. Increased focus on mental mathematics, following national guidance, is helping to sharpen pupils’ skills in seeing relationships between numbers and using different strategies to solve number problems. Year 2 pupils know the rule that multiples of five end in nought or five and that multiplying can also be seen as addition or counting on. Higher attaining pupils have no difficulty in multiplying numbers by ten in their head and have a good understanding of place value. Childwall C.E. Primary School - 15 6. Currently, Key Stage 2 pupils are making at least satisfactory progress in their awareness of how to use and apply their number skills as well as their knowledge of shape, space and measures and ways to handle data. During the inspection, Years 5 and 6 pupils made good progress in learning how to work out the perimeter of objects. Year 6 pupils applied their knowledge of formulae to determine the perimeter of

p.14

Standards in English, mathematics and science are good. They are particularly good in speaking

regular and irregular shapes and went on to determine the area of right angled triangles. Their ease in recalling multiplication table facts greatly enhanced the speed of their problem-solving.

p.15

Standards in English, mathematics and science are good. They are particularly good in speaking

7. Pupils have good scientific knowledge. They remember well facts and ways to do things. They learn how to carry out investigations and how to record and evaluate their findings. Year 1 pupils made simple notes and drawings of their mini-beast hunt in the school grounds and Year 6 pupils include diagrams, graphs and tables as part of their scientific reports. In investigating elasticity pupils drew well on both their numeracy and information technology skills to record their findings using a computer program.

p.15

Pupils enjoy school and behave well. They are eager to learn and quick to grasp facts and new

skills such as using information technology.

p.15

Pupils enjoy school and behave well. They are eager to learn and quick to grasp facts and new

8. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good and have a positive impact on their progress and attainment. Ninety-five per cent of parents agree that their children like school and are keen to attend. Attendance has risen since the last inspection and is far higher than the national average. To date, six out of ten pupils have not had a day’s absence in the school year.

p.15

Pupils enjoy school and behave well. They are eager to learn and quick to grasp facts and new

9. In all year groups, pupils are willing learners who are keen to get on with their work. The level of self-motivation is high and whilst they welcome and appreciate rewards, pupils work hard and try their best regardless. They are attentive listeners and rarely need to have things explained more than once. Pupils are curious about new topics, quick to grasp new facts and keen to try things out. They behave well and even when the pace of the lesson is slow, maintain their concentration and interest. They enjoy practical tasks. Year 3 pupils made good progress in learning about collective nouns as they played a card game based on finding partners such as “bees/swarm”.

p.15

Pupils enjoy school and behave well. They are eager to learn and quick to grasp facts and new

10. Pupils’ high level of interest in learning is best exemplified in their work using information technology. When using the computers, pupils are very keen and often become totally absorbed in what they are doing. They work well with a partner and support one another. More knowledgeable pupils, who have access to computers at home or are learning new skills in the computer club, willingly explain and demonstrate what they know. Girls and boys take much delight in trying out new programs and become quite animated and pleased with their achievements. Year 2 pupils grew in confidence as the teacher showed them how to deal with text that jumped a line and became very enthusiastic once they grasped the technique. Year 6 pupils were quick to catch on to the process of creating fields and entering data from Victorian parish records. They coped confidently with errors and made good strides in their learning.

p.15

Pupils enjoy school and behave well. They are eager to learn and quick to grasp facts and new

The quality of teaching is good. English and mathematics skills are taught well.

p.15

Pupils enjoy school and behave well. They are eager to learn and quick to grasp facts and new

11. In two out of three lessons the teaching is good. The teaching staff work hard and are conscientious in their planning and preparation of lessons. They have clear objectives for their lessons and often share these with the pupils. The Year 4 teacher used the science lesson objectives well to structure Childwall C.E. Primary School - 16 the session, and to evaluate the pupils’ learning in using their knowledge of growth conditions to inform their predictions and investigations. 12. The teachers manage the pupils well. They have high expectations of pupils to behave well and to give their full attention, and are quick to deal with infringements. Relationships between teachers and pupils are good and often relaxed. Teachers are generous in their use of praise to encourage and to acknowledge pupils’ efforts and responses.

p.15

Pupils enjoy school and behave well. They are eager to learn and quick to grasp facts and new

13. In the more effective lessons, the pace is brisk and pupils are challenged by the teacher’s questions, by the task and the set time limit. Years 1 and 2 pupils raised the quality of their involvement and tried really hard to beat the clock in a mental mathematics session. The happy, excited buzz during this short session indicated the pupils’ enjoyment and also the success of the strategy in promoting the use of their number skills. In the better class and group sessions, the teachers engage in true discussion. Rather than moving on once pupils have answered a question or made a point, the teachers encourage the pupils to explain their thinking, to show others how they arrived at their response, or to try out their ideas. This not only heightens pupils’ involvement but also improves the quality of their learning. By taking a querying approach with “ Tell me how you got your answer ”, a teacher realised that several Year 5 pupils had

p.16

Pupils enjoy school and behave well. They are eager to learn and quick to grasp facts and new

grasped the mathematical procedure in working out perimeters but were unsure of the principles behind it.

p.16

Pupils enjoy school and behave well. They are eager to learn and quick to grasp facts and new

14. A strength of the school is the systematic teaching of skills in reading, writing, spelling, handwriting and mathematics. The teachers are confident and secure in their knowledge and teach well the elements needed to ensure that pupils make progress and attain at least the level expected for their age. The teachers have incorporated elements of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies in their teaching. In the reception classes, the teachers focus well on letters, words and numbers. They make effective use of items to involve the children in practical tasks such as naming and locating items all beginning with the sound “t” or counting how many skittles have been knocked down and how many remain standing. At Key Stages 1 and 2, class reading, writing and number sessions are effective in developing pupils’ awareness of text and number patterns and relationships. In keeping with national guidance, teachers show pupils, and

p.16

Pupils enjoy school and behave well. They are eager to learn and quick to grasp facts and new

help them to apply, relevant strategies. The Year 2 teacher modelled very effectively the process of planning a story and showed pupils how to consider setting, characters and phrases.

p.16

Pupils enjoy school and behave well. They are eager to learn and quick to grasp facts and new

15. A common element is the way the teachers constantly review and reinforce key information. Pupils are reminded of relevant vocabulary and procedures. The Key Stage 2 literacy co-ordinator led a lively and probing review of Year 5 pupils’ knowledge of the different ways to start a story and in a different lesson, pupils were given a clear list of the defining characteristics of “an explanation text”.

p.16

The management of the school is good. The headteacher provides strong leadership and the

governing body carries out its role very responsibly.

p.16

The management of the school is good. The headteacher provides strong leadership and the

16. The headteacher, governors and staff work well together for the good of the school and are proud of pupils’ achievements and the school’s good standing in the community. The headteacher has a high commitment to promoting Christian values and has a clear sense of purpose and direction for the school. He is central to the life of the school and staff, parents and pupils have high respect for the way he wants the school to be run. His positive approach and his drive to improve provision have ensured that issues identified in the last inspection have been addressed and standards have risen in many areas. The headteacher knows his staff well, has delegated much subject responsibility and is working with staff to raise their confidence in assuming the authority of a leadership role. He places high emphasis on Childwall C.E. Primary School - 17 encouraging staff to develop their expertise and as part of this, the deputy headteacher is overseeing and

p.16

The management of the school is good. The headteacher provides strong leadership and the

managing a well structured and organised programme of staff development linked to agreed school priorities. This is also providing evidence towards the “Investors in People” standard and the school then intends to participate in the “Quality mark” scheme. All in all, the school runs very smoothly. Office and school systems are well established and there is an air of order and structure. 17. The quality of strategic and financial management is good. The school development plan gives a clear picture of curriculum, pastoral and other priorities, the action to be taken and success criteria. Many of these initiatives arise appropriately from a critical review of the school’s performance in the previous year. The school has made good progress since the last inspection in developing evaluation procedures and in analysing its achievements.

p.17

The management of the school is good. The headteacher provides strong leadership and the

18. The governing body plays a significant and critical role in steering the work of the school. The professional expertise and the business acumen of many governors are used to good effect in deciding how the budget should be used and in questioning whether action has been effective. The governing body is well organised and thorough in its approach. Governors have high respect for the work of the headteacher but rightly expect him to be accountable. In turn, they account well to the parents and the last annual report to parents was a detailed, highly informative overview of what the school had achieved and how best value principles had been applied. The headteacher and governing body are not complacent about the school’s achievements and given the high number of families wishing to send their child to the school are actively seeking funding to allow them to increase the intake number and enlarge the school. Whilst still maintaining

p.17

The management of the school is good. The headteacher provides strong leadership and the

the high number of teaching staff, governors have prudently decided to curtail school spending in order to accumulate funds to support the proposed building extension.

p.17

The partnership with parents is particularly strong. Parents’ support for the school contributes

much to the overall ethos and to their children’s progress and attainment.

p.17

The partnership with parents is particularly strong. Parents’ support for the school contributes

19. The parents are extremely supportive of the school. This was notably demonstrated in the high return of questionnaires, parents’ written comments and the number of parents who attended the meeting prior to the inspection. Parents wanted their support for the staff to be recognised and were highly critical of the pressure they felt the inspection placed on the school. Parents raised very few concerns about the school, and many commented that a “plus” for the school was the ease of talking to the headteacher and staff about any concerns and worries. These were usually dealt with promptly and effectively.

p.17

The partnership with parents is particularly strong. Parents’ support for the school contributes

20. Parents value the Christian ethos and values of the school and particularly like the happy, family atmosphere and the ease with which their children slip into school life. They appreciate the “well earned and well deserved ” high standards (parent’s comment) achieved by pupils in national tests but also value the additional aspects of the school, such as the after-school activities, visits out, annual productions and magazines.

p.17

The partnership with parents is particularly strong. Parents’ support for the school contributes

21. Pupils benefit from the support of parents in many ways. More than 60 parents help in school on a regular basis. They use their skills and expertise well to run the library, hear pupils read, assist in using the computer, work with groups and provide some after-school activities, such as chess club. Parents provide a continuing high level of support at home in reading, spelling, mathematics and topic research. The Parent- Teacher Association raised £3,000 in 1999, and funded, among other things, the purchase of books and swimming trophies. Childwall C.E. Primary School - 18 Childwall C.E. Primary School - 19

p.17

The application of pupils’ higher order reading skills, such as skimming, scanning and critical

22. Pupils read well and cope with a range of texts across the curriculum. There are well established ways of teaching reading and promoting pupils’ comprehension of what they read. For example, from the reception class onwards, pupils regularly complete reading and comprehension exercises and work through books from a structured scheme. Pupils know well the format of these exercises and are skilled in finding the relevant information and writing extended responses. Much of this work is related to fiction. When reading non-fiction, many pupils tend to skip over aspects they do not understand or fail to question how different sections of the text are related. Pupils know how to use contents pages and indexes to locate information in books and on CD-ROM. They are less skilled in skimming, scanning, close reading, evaluating and appraising critically information from one text or several sources dealing with the same

p.19

The application of pupils’ higher order reading skills, such as skimming, scanning and critical

subject matter. Opportunities are missed to introduce and develop these skills in a more systematic way as part of work in all subjects in all year groups.

p.19

The application of pupils’ higher order reading skills, such as skimming, scanning and critical

23. The two literacy co-ordinators are supporting staff in widening pupils’ reading experiences. They have increased the stock of non-fiction books and poetry for pupils to read and borrow, and also the number and range of books to support teachers in planning lessons. Although teachers are gaining in confidence as they realise the teaching potential of these books as well as texts from other subjects such as history and science, they are still tentative in using them as class reading texts.

p.19

The application of pupils’ higher order reading skills, such as skimming, scanning and critical

Opportunities for pupils to write for a wider range of purposes and audiences.

p.19

The application of pupils’ higher order reading skills, such as skimming, scanning and critical

24. Throughout the school, much focus is placed on developing pupils’ story writing skills. Not enough emphasis is placed on providing opportunities for pupils to develop and rehearse their skills in other types of writing such as reports, notes, instructions, articles and biographies. Pupils’ skills are less well honed in drafting, editing and revising these kinds of writing. Pupils have little experience of using the computer to draft their writing although this is improving as pupils and staff become more familiar with the word processing and desk-top publishing functions now available.

p.19

The application of pupils’ higher order reading skills, such as skimming, scanning and critical

25. Most of the pupils’ writing is done for the teacher. There is occasional writing for other audiences, such as a letter to the Prime Minister, Year 2 pupils’ poem for the youngest pupils and the annual magazine for parents and others. In all year groups, when planning topics, the teachers often miss opportunities to provide relevant and meaningful purposes and different audiences for a range of writing types. The Year 6 work on the proposed local road closure shows how this may be achieved effectively. Pupils have written questions to ask local people, recorded and analysed responses, reviewed differing opinions and evidence, and drafted and revised their own speeches to convince classmates. Opportunities are also missed in classroom and school displays to encourage pupils to answer questions or to record their views and opinions. In the shop and home corner in the reception classes there is little provision of note pads, notice-

p.19

The application of pupils’ higher order reading skills, such as skimming, scanning and critical

boards, writing paper and envelopes to prompt the writing of shopping lists, messages, receipts and letters.

p.19

The greater use of teachers’ marking to indicate pupils’ progress and areas for improvement in

their work. Childwall C.E. Primary School - 20 26. A scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that there are inconsistencies in how teachers are implementing the marking policy and how they inform pupils about the quality of their work. 27. All the teachers are conscientious in marking pupils’ work regularly. Many clearly take time and care but not all are using marking to optimal effect to provide clear guidance on what pupils have done well, where they have made progress compared with previous work, how they responded to guidance and what they need to do next time to improve. In many cases, work is marked as pupils are doing it and the teachers question pupils about it. Where this is most effective, the teachers appropriately focus on the subject matter initially and then the spelling, grammar and punctuation. The pupil is given clear pointers as to what is being done well and what they need to do next. In many books, however, it is often difficult to

p.19

The greater use of teachers’ marking to indicate pupils’ progress and areas for improvement in

know why the comment “good” or “excellent” has been given or why several house points may have been awarded. In mathematics, there is often no comment at all. Several teachers’ handwriting acts as a poor model for pupils.

p.20

The greater use of teachers’ marking to indicate pupils’ progress and areas for improvement in

28. Where samples of work have been gathered as exemplars, teachers have yet to include a commentary on why the examples have been selected or how they represent a particular level of attainment.

p.20

The greater use of teachers’ marking to indicate pupils’ progress and areas for improvement in

The provision of more opportunities to allow pupils to take responsibility for their own learning.

p.20

The greater use of teachers’ marking to indicate pupils’ progress and areas for improvement in

29. In organising themselves at play and lunchtimes, even the youngest pupils show a good level of initiative and responsibility. In all year groups, many are creative thinkers and able organisers who marshal others and quickly decide a plan of action. When given opportunities in school to use such skills, they rise well to the occasion. Year 6 pupils worked hard in class and in their own time to compile group anthologies. The effective use of the computer to publish their work and to incorporate graphics showed pupils’ good skills in deciding for themselves how to produce and publish work.

p.20

The greater use of teachers’ marking to indicate pupils’ progress and areas for improvement in

30. In too many lessons the teachers do not use or build on these skills. In most lessons, the teachers decide what the pupils will do, how it will be done and what will be used. Whilst this ensures that particular work gets done, it does not foster pupils’ independent learning skills and often closes down the task, especially for the higher attaining pupils. In several lessons seen, throughout the school, pupils were not encouraged to make their own decisions. Occasionally, adults working with groups of pupils do too much and miss the chance to allow pupils to collaborate to solve problems or to learn through their mistakes. Pupils in the reception class were helped to get their “take away” sums correct but many had only a tentative understanding of the principles involved. Although pupils have jobs to do in the classroom, and older pupils help in tasks such organising the hall for assemblies, there are opportunities for pupils of all

p.20

The greater use of teachers’ marking to indicate pupils’ progress and areas for improvement in

ages to be more involved in the day-to-day running of the school and in having a voice in aspects of school management and improvement.

p.20

The quality of the monitoring and evaluating by co-ordinators to determine what works well

31. Co-ordinators are not certain of the key criteria to use when observing lessons. The literacy and numeracy co-ordinators have monitored the quality of provision and content of the literacy and numeracy hours, but they, like other subject co-ordinators in the school, are less secure and confident in using their Childwall C.E. Primary School - 21 observations to identify what works well in teaching and learning and to focus on this to raise the quality of provision.

p.20

The quality of the monitoring and evaluating by co-ordinators to determine what works well

32. Monitoring has been used well to track teachers’ planning and to ensure that national guidance is being implemented effectively in teaching literacy and numeracy. Less emphasis has been given to evaluating the effectiveness of teaching strategies and teachers’ use of time, resources and space. The co- ordinators have a sense of what works well in their own subject but have not collated this to identify common elements of strength or those aspects which are less effective in meeting the school’s aims and school development priorities.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to strengthen still further the quality of teaching and overall standards, the school should:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a. ensure that all pupils have more frequent access to a range of non-fiction texts across the curriculum and are taught the relevant skills and strategies to find, use and evaluate information;

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

b. ensure that all pupils are given more opportunities across the curriculum to write for different purposes and different audiences;

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

c. increase the use of teachers’ marking as a means of recording pupils’ progress and setting targets for further learning;

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

d. provide more opportunities in lessons, in homework and around the school for pupils to be responsible for determining what and how things may be done;

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

e. agree and implement criteria for the monitoring of teaching and learning to enable co-ordinators to determine what works well in their subject and also what works well in the overall work of the school. Childwall C.E. Primary School - 22

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 18

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 311

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 19

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 32

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 9

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

p.22

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Childwall C.E. Primary School - 23 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

p.22

Attendance

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 23 22 45

p.23

Attendance

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.23

Attendance

Boys 22 23 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 22 22 21

p.23

Attendance

Percentage of pupils School 98 100 98 at NC level 2 or above National 82 83 87

p.23

Attendance

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attendance

Boys 22 23 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 22 21 22

p.23

Attendance

Percentage of pupils School 98 98 100 at NC level 2 or above National 82 86 87

p.23

Attendance

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 24 23 47

p.23

Attendance

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attendance

Boys 23 23 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 21 23

p.23

Attendance

Percentage of pupils School 98 94 98 at NC level 4 or above National 70 69 78

p.23

Attendance

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attendance

Boys 23 22 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 19 23

p.23

Attendance

Percentage of pupils School 98 93 98 at NC level 4 or above National 68 69 75 Childwall C.E. Primary School - 24

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 1 Other minority ethnic groups

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 14 Financial year 1998/9

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.21

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 452,229

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 1,441

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 45.5 Balance brought forward from previous year 33,777

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 75,164 Childwall C.E. Primary School - 25

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 66 27 4 0 2

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 60 38 1 0 2

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 50 38 8 2 1

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 45 40 13 1 1

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 76 20 2 2 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 82 17 0 1 1

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 52 36 9 0 3

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 71 24 1 2 2

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 68 27 2 0 4

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 54 33 5 0 8

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Because of rounding up, rows may not add up to 100%

p.25