Deer Park Primary School

DEER PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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DEER PARK 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. Deer Park Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: New Road Wingerworth Chesterfield Derbyshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs A Yeomans

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9 October 1995 Deer Park Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Mr N B Jones Registered inspector Mr R Folks Lay inspector Mr M Beale Team inspector Mrs P White Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

16 Wychwood Drive Trowell Park Nottingham NG9 3RB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Deer Park Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 11

Standards in English, mathematics and science Leadership Teaching Ethos Partnership with parents

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 15

Minor adjustments to the curriculum Development planning and the use of curriculum co-ordinators

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Deer Park is a large primary school catering for pupils aged four to eleven. There are 355 full-time pupils (190 boys and 165 girls) on roll. The school, which is situated in the rural village of Wingerworth, is popular and numbers have been increasing steadily over recent years. Around 4% of the pupils are eligible for free school meals which is about one fifth of the national average. The vast majority of the pupils are from white ethnic background and very few have English as an additional language. The pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is above average. There are relatively few pupils on the register of special educational needs, but two pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Need.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Deer Park is an effective school and provides good value for money. Funding for the school is well below the national average but with strong and effective leadership and good teaching, the pupils make good progress and achieve high standards in English, mathematics and science.

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What the school does well

• The pupils make good progress and achieve consistently high standards in English, mathematics and science. • Teaching is good overall and is consistently very good in some classes. • The headteacher, assisted by supportive governors and a dedicated staff, provides strong and effective leadership. • The school’s continual quest for high standards within an atmosphere of care and support brings out the very best in the pupils. • Partnership with parents is a strength of the school.

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What could be improved

• Minor adjustments are needed to improve the curriculum further. • More effective use should be made of the school development plan. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

When it was inspected in October 1995, Deer Park was considered to be a good school achieving standards that were above average in English, mathematics and science. The school has continued to improve its standards which have been generally well above average or higher since then. The national literacy and numeracy strategies have been very effectively introduced. The quality of teaching has been maintained at a good level with the majority of teaching of literacy and numeracy now being either very good or excellent. The school has not yet fully addressed the issue, identified in the last inspection report, relating to the effective use of the school development plan. Deer Park Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

The table shows that for the past three years the results of the national tests in English, mathematics and science at the age of eleven have been consistently well above average. Where A* is shown, the school’s results are very high and in the top 5% nationally. Almost one third of the pupils in the current Year 6 joined the school in Key Stage 2, thus missing the high standard of education provided in Key Stage 1. Forty per cent of the school’s pupils with special educational needs are also to be found in this cohort. Nevertheless, the school has set appropriately challenging targets for these pupils. Inspection evidence indicates that standards for this group of pupils is above average in English and well above average in mathematics and science and that the school will meet the realistic targets it has set. In previous years, the school has met the much higher targets it has set for itself. Overall, the pupils make

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STANDARDS

good progress throughout the school, with very good progress being made at the end of both key stages.

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STANDARDS

The results of the national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 over the last three years indicate that standards are consistently very high (in the top 5% nationally) in reading, writing and mathematics. The work the pupils were doing during the inspection confirmed these high standards.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils’ attitudes to school are excellent. They like school, are highly motivated and keen to do their best. They show very good levels of concentration and high levels of interest.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships throughout the school are of a very high standard. Pupils are encouraged to take on more and more responsibility for their own learning as they move through the school. Attendance Attendance is good and is higher than the national average.

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Aspect Comment

The very good provision for the personal and social development of the children under five has a significant impact on their learning and helps them to achieve their best. The quality of relationships is a significant strength of the school and pupils are given many opportunities to become mature and responsible individuals. Pupils relate very positively to their teachers and to each other. Deer Park Primary School - 8

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall: 27 Good Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Overall, the teaching in the school is good. In nearly three-quarters of the lessons seen during the inspection it was good or better, including 30% that was very good and 11% that was excellent. The excellent teaching was observed in Year R, Year 2 and Year 6. In the only lesson (out of a total of 27) where there were more weaknesses than strengths, the activities were not organised or developed to enable the pupils to make suitable progress. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is a particular strength, with the majority of teaching in these subjects being of a very high standard. The good teaching enables pupils of all abilities to make good progress in most subjects, with very good progress being made in the classes at the end of both key stages. However, on the evidence of a very few lessons observed, the teaching of physical education and music is less effective.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is generally broad and balanced with a particular emphasis on literacy and numeracy. There are many rich and imaginative opportunities provided for pupils to learn, including a good range of extra-curricular activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The pupils are well supported. Learning targets are specific to their individual needs and this allows them to make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Pupils have good insights into their own culture and are provided with satisfactory opportunities for spiritual growth. Assemblies are of high quality. Excellent provision is made for the pupils’ moral and social development and this results in the school being a happy and harmonious place.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides very good support, guidance and welfare for its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The overall teaching time in Key Stage 2 is significantly less than the time recommended by the DfEE. The curriculum is generally broad and relevant to all pupils but the time spent on physical education (PE) and music in Key Stage 2 is low compared with other schools. There is little guidance for the teachers on how to teach PE. The children who are under five do not have regular access to outdoor play.

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Aspect Comment

The school provides a very safe and secure environment. Monitoring of the pupils’ academic performance, attendance and behaviour is very effective. All pupils are valued and have equal opportunities to achieve their best. Deer Park Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides strong and effective leadership. He leads a hard working and dedicated staff very well. Very high expectations and the shared aim of sustaining and improving standards are evident in the school’s work.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors show great commitment to the school. They are very involved and well informed through their attendance at Governing Body meetings and various committees. The Chair of Governors has been directly involved in the instigation and implementation of a number of initiatives. However, the governors in general, are not sufficiently involved in the formulation of the school development plan and in deciding the school’s priorities. The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. Effective systems are in place to monitor pupils’ progress through the school and to enable challenging targets to be set for them on a year-by-year basis. The whole school investment in target setting continues to raise expectations.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes generally effective use of its relatively small budget. Very good use of time, staff, accommodation and learning resources help provide a stimulating education for the pupils at the school. Very good use is made of parents and visitors.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher has a clear vision for the development of the school but the detail required to achieve these long-term goals is not provided in the school’s development plan. There is no long-term view of the school’s development, particularly of the curriculum, and no clear links are made between the large contingency fund being held and planning. The curriculum co-ordinators for literacy and numeracy play an effective role in developing their subject areas. However, the co-ordinators for the other subjects are only responsible for overseeing teachers’ planning and for maintaining resources. This limited role does not fully utilise the expertise of the co-ordinators or provide for the ongoing development of their curriculum areas. The headteacher and governors manage the school’s finances very well and ensure value for money when purchasing resources. The LEA has not carried out a recent financial audit of the

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Aspect Comment

school and no report was available during the inspection. Deer Park Primary School - 10

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school is well led and managed. • Pupils are co-operative and behave very well. • Parents are made to feel welcome in school. • Pupils are expected to work hard. • The pupils achieve high standards of work. • The teaching is good. • Pupils with special educational needs are well supported. • Pupils do not do enough physical education or music. • Parents are not always aware of what is happening in school. • Some inconsistency in homework arrangements.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors’ judgements fully support the parents’ positive views. Regarding the areas that parents would like to see improved: • The inspectors agree that the amount of time devoted to music and physical education is too low in Key Stage 2. • Parents are generally well informed, although the school recognises the need to provide further information on the many extra-curricular activities in Key Stage 2 and the topics being covered by each class. • The amount of homework varies from class to class but is generally adequate. Deer Park Primary School - 11

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The pupils make good progress and achieve consistently high standards in English,

1. Standards in reading are high and pupils sustain good progress throughout the school. Older pupils in Key Stage 2 respond to literature of increasing complexity drawn from a wide range of texts. An impressive feature of their advanced reading skills is their ability to support their opinions with reasons and evidence drawn from the text. They are developing as independent and reflective readers, appreciating the characteristics and organisation of language used in different forms of literature, including the use of figurative language in poetry and prose. For example, in Year 6, pupils are able to read a complex and challenging poem by Michael Rosen with accuracy and fluency, using very good expression. In Year 2, pupils are reading an adventure novel aloud using appropriate expression to reflect the different characters. They are developing their understanding of punctuation as they focus on the way direct speech is used.

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The pupils make good progress and achieve consistently high standards in English,

2. The school has purchased a very good range of appropriate texts to support work in the Literacy Hour and to provide good quality literature for the many competent and enthusiastic readers among the older pupils. These are well used in the silent, group and guided reading sessions and the pupils respond with real enthusiasm to them. However, some of the older, competent readers are sometimes required to read from unchallenging texts associated with a reading scheme. The Key Stage 2 reference library is a valuable resource, but being situated in a busy corridor its use for browsing and study is limited. It is also less attractively presented than other book areas in the school.

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The pupils make good progress and achieve consistently high standards in English,

3. Writing skills are systematically developed alongside the pupils’ growing facility in reading and spoken English. Progress in early writing by pupils in the reception class is very impressive. Many move from simple emergent writing to being independent writers within six months. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have already begun to organise and present their writing in different ways according to the purpose and audience. For example, in Year 2, pupils focus on the use of language used in conversations. They appreciate the importance of punctuation and of establishing and sustaining interest by identifying and using different verbs. In Key Stage 2, the pupils organise and structure their writing, drawing on their experience of reading and studying a wide range of fiction, poetry and reference materials. This is illustrated in a lesson in Year 5, where the pupils use repetitions, colloquialisms and dialect to produce poems that are amusing and entertaining.

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The pupils make good progress and achieve consistently high standards in English,

Pupils are able to use paragraphs to organise their ideas. They plan and redraft their text, frequently producing work of very high quality. Their handwriting is fluent, joined and legible.

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The pupils make good progress and achieve consistently high standards in English,

4. Pupils in both key stages make very good progress in speaking and listening. They are provided with a wide range of opportunities within many areas of the curriculum. Younger pupils listen with increasing attention and concentration, speaking clearly, reflecting on what they hear and responding confidently. Older pupils are able to choose words with precision to make themselves clear to an audience. For example, in Year 5/6, the pupils are able to describe very concisely the meaning behind a range of fables they have studied. They display their perception of the issues raised, express their own opinions clearly and respond to each other’s views. 5. Scrutiny of the pupils’ books indicates a high standard of work in mathematics in both key stages. It is evident from the inspection that the pupils are not only very good at written calculations but their mental ability in mathematics is at an equally high level. Starting with a quick-fire question

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The pupils make good progress and achieve consistently high standards in English,

Deer Park Primary School - 12 and answer session and continuing throughout each lesson, pupils are called upon to recall number facts quickly, to justify their responses and consider alternative strategies. This sharpening of their mental ability, enables the end-of-Key Stage 1 pupils to rapidly add and subtract numbers to 20 and recall multiplication facts. The more able pupils add and subtract two-digit numbers and successfully solve problems involving multiplication and division. Pupils throughout the school have a very secure understanding of place value. By the time they are eleven, they calculate using numbers to a million and decimals to three places. The pupils are particularly good at applying their existing knowledge to new situations. For example, in a Year 6 lesson, the pupils were eventually able to solve quite complicated algebraic formulae (which initially they found to be very difficult) with relatively little input from the teacher.

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The pupils make good progress and achieve consistently high standards in English,

6. Standards in science are well above average at the end of both key stages. Particular emphasis is given to Attainment Target 1 (experimental and investigative science). The pupils make predictions and hypotheses and they are well able to devise and organise tests and experiments to investigate these. By the end of Key Stage 2, the pupils are confident in organising and conducting a fair test. Lesson observations and the scrutiny of work reveal that investigative skills are very well learnt. The pupils use their writing and mathematical skills and knowledge very well to record their findings and results in a variety of ways; for example, as charts, graphs, tables or expositions. They are able to organise themselves well to work in small groups, working collaboratively and sharing equipment and ideas. They measure liquids accurately and are competent using equipment such as spring balances, thermometers and stop-watches.

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The pupils make good progress and achieve consistently high standards in English,

Teaching is good overall and is consistently very good in some classes.

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The pupils make good progress and achieve consistently high standards in English,

7. Overall, the teaching in the school is good and in some classes it is consistently very good. This strength of the school enables pupils of all abilities to make good progress in most subjects, with very good progress being made in the classes at the end of both key stages.

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The pupils make good progress and achieve consistently high standards in English,

8. The teaching of the children under five is good. Early literacy skills are particularly well taught and some excellent teaching was observed in this aspect. A lively, stimulating introduction arouses the children’s curiosity so that they want to know more. The teacher involves all the children to keep their interest and gives praise and encouragement to motivate them further. The activities are suitably challenging and appropriate for all ability levels so that the children are able to achieve their best. The skills required to understand, compose orally and then write a sentence are clearly and imaginatively taught. The atmosphere for learning in one session was outstanding and the children made very good progress. The scrutiny of the children’s work also indicates that they make very good progress in developing their writing skills.

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The pupils make good progress and achieve consistently high standards in English,

9. Teaching in both key stages is characterised by very good relationships with the pupils, high expectations and a brisk pace to lessons. This results in a very good working atmosphere in the vast majority of lessons. The very good relationships within the classroom are built on mutual respect, the sharing of a common goal to achieve high standards and well-defined routines. Much of the work is made enjoyable and this is assisted through the use of humour and the enthusiasm shown by the teachers. The mental arithmetic sessions in Year 2 involve quick-fire question and answer work with teachers and pupils sharing the excitement of learning.

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The pupils make good progress and achieve consistently high standards in English,

10. High expectations and challenge for all pupils enables them to make very good progress, particularly in literacy, numeracy and science. The pupils are expected to work hard and behave well; and they do. Learning objectives are shared with the pupils and there is emphasis on the pupils achieving the targets for the lesson and using their own initiative. In very good science lessons in both classes with Year 6 pupils, the teachers used open-ended questions very effectively with groups and individuals to help to move them towards drawing conclusions from their Deer Park Primary School - 13 investigations. The philosophy of ‘ask, don’t tell’ was also used very effectively in an excellent mathematics lesson in Year 6. Here the pupils were faced with some algebraic problems which they found particularly difficult. The teacher expertly teased out the pupils’ existing knowledge and took them a stage further to enable them to solve the problems and to gain a feeling of

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The pupils make good progress and achieve consistently high standards in English,

11. A brisk pace to lessons is a marked feature of the teaching. Time targets and individual targets are used effectively to maintain the pace throughout. This was particularly evident in a very good Year 5 English lesson. The shared learning objectives were brought to the attention of the pupils at appropriate intervals to keep them on track. The marking of the pupils’ previous work includes useful pointers for improvement which the teacher referred to as she focused on certain pupils who needed to overcome particular weaknesses in their writing.

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The headteacher, assisted by supportive governors and a dedicated staff, provides strong

12. There were over 200 responses to the parents’ questionnaire and all were in agreement that the school is well led and managed. The inspectors fully endorse this opinion. Although the governors show great commitment to the school and actively support developments, the driving force behind the success of the school is the headteacher. He leads a hard working and dedicated staff very well. Very high expectations and a constant striving to maintain and improve the school’s standards are shared goals. This is evidenced in the high standard of the pupils’ work, presentation and behaviour; in the thorough and effective planning and marking carried out by the teachers; and in the high quality displays around the school.

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The headteacher, assisted by supportive governors and a dedicated staff, provides strong

13. Effective systems are in place to monitor the pupils’ progress through the school and to enable challenging targets to be set for them on a year-by-year basis. This process provides challenge for the teachers as well as for the pupils. The headteacher is directly involved in this target-setting. Any potential difficulties in achieving targets are recognised and, where possible, additional support is provided to help overcome the problem. In this context, significant extra support has been provided for some pupils in the current Year 6.

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The headteacher, assisted by supportive governors and a dedicated staff, provides strong

14. The headteacher has a clear vision for the development of the school but the detail required to achieve these long-term goals is not set out in the school’s development plan. Standards are high and the headteacher maintains a close oversight to ensure that this continues to be the case. However, the part the curriculum co-ordinators play in improving standards in subjects other than literacy and numeracy, is generally underdeveloped.

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The headteacher, assisted by supportive governors and a dedicated staff, provides strong

15. Although the ethos of the school is very much geared to sustaining and raising standards, great emphasis is placed on the children being part of a family group. Relationships and responsibilities are effectively developed through the headteacher’s assemblies when the feeling of being a family is particularly well emphasised. The caring, sharing and belonging aspect of school life is evident at all times in the way that the pupils interact with each other and with adults. The headteacher is admired and respected by the pupils and obviously by the parents, judging by the response to the questionnaire.

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The school’s continual quest for high standards within an atmosphere of care and support

16. The quality of the care and support offered to the pupils is excellent and is one of the school’s many strengths. A warm and welcoming atmosphere pervades the school and relationships at all levels are very good. Throughout the school, teachers have high expectations of pupils and the pupils know they must work hard. Lessons are lively and interesting and capture the pupils’ interests, secure their attention and ensure very good levels of participation. This is particularly Deer Park Primary School - 14 noticeable in class discussions. Pupils listen carefully, follow instructions well and are always ready to offer their own ideas because initiative is encouraged. Adults take time to listen to the concerns of pupils and help them overcome any difficulties they have in completing work. Pupils are confident and readily ask for help whenever they need it.

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The school’s continual quest for high standards within an atmosphere of care and support

17. The attitudes and behaviour of pupils, including those with special educational needs, are excellent and are a strength of the school. Pupils show respect for others and are courteous and polite. They show very positive attitudes to their work, which has a hugely beneficial effect on standards of attainment and the quality of learning. Care and consideration for others is part of the school’s ethos. Throughout the school, pupils work very well with their teachers, responding positively to praise and encouragement. Pupils value one another and enjoy each other’s successes.

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The school’s continual quest for high standards within an atmosphere of care and support

18. Attitudes to learning are very good. Pupils look forward to school, enjoy their lessons and like their teachers. They show a commitment to school and enjoy learning. In lessons, pupils show enthusiasm and are keen to talk about their work and interests. They apply themselves well to their learning, have very good concentration and are well motivated.

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The school’s continual quest for high standards within an atmosphere of care and support

19. The school provides a calm, pleasant atmosphere which is generated from the very good relationships which exist throughout the school. Pupils’ moral development is very well supported by the excellent ethos of the school which encourages good standards of behaviour through high expectations and self-discipline. All pupils have a clear understanding of the difference between right and wrong and they are encouraged to consider how their actions affect others.

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The school’s continual quest for high standards within an atmosphere of care and support

20. The quality of the relationships within the school contribute greatly to the pupils’ social development, which is excellent. The pupils are often required to work co-operatively in pairs or groups and they share resources responsibly. The development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is a major strength of the school. The commitment and very good examples set by all adults within the school community is fully appreciated by parents who overwhelmingly consider the school’s values and attitudes to have a very positive effect on their children.

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The school’s continual quest for high standards within an atmosphere of care and support

Partnership with parents is a strength of the school.

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The school’s continual quest for high standards within an atmosphere of care and support

21. The school has a very effective partnership with the parents who are very supportive of the school. A significant number of parents help in the school and there is a very active Parent Teacher Association which organises numerous social and fund-raising events. Parents, quite rightly, recognise that the school is promoting and achieving high standards of work and behaviour. Parents receive a great deal of information about the school and their children’s progress. However, they would like to be better informed about the many extra-curricular activities that the school organises for Key Stage 2 pupils. Early notification of all of the activities being provided would enable parents to help their children to decide on an appropriate balance of activities to take part in over the year (or term). Parents are also justified in wanting to know more about the topics being covered by their children in school so that they can support them at home. Parents are

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The school’s continual quest for high standards within an atmosphere of care and support

supportive with homework and very supportive of the school’s events. They feel that the school is very approachable and makes them feel welcome. The partnership with parents is a strength of the school and makes a considerable contribution to the pupils’ progress. Deer Park Primary School - 15

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Minor adjustments are needed to improve the curriculum further.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

22. The time spent on physical education (PE) in Key Stage 2 is low compared with other schools and the time that is available is not used as effectively as it might be in either key stage. There is little guidance for teachers on what should be taught and no clarity about when the various aspects of PE are to be covered within a key stage. As a result, the school is unable to ensure balance and coverage over each key stage.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

23. The time spent on music in Key Stage 2 is also well below average. The overall teaching time in Key Stage 2 is significantly less than the time recommended by the DfEE and would amount to 20 days less than most schools over a year. The high standards achieved by the school would indicate that no further time is necessary for the teaching of English, mathematics or science but any additional teaching time could usefully be used to broaden the curriculum and extend opportunities in PE and music.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

24. The children who are under five do not have regular access to outdoor play. There is no designated outdoor play area for these children. Lack of opportunities for climbing, balancing and jumping adversely affects their physical development.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

More effective use should be made of the school development plan.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

25. The school development plan has weaknesses. It does not include an evaluation of the previous year’s developments and the part that curriculum co-ordinators are to play in developing their subjects is not clearly identified. The plan covers only one year and does not account in any detail for the significant contingency fund being held. The school should consider taking a longer-term view of its development, particularly of the curriculum, so that identified needs can be planned and financed over a number of years. The governors are very involved and well informed through their attendance at Governing Body meetings and various committees. The Chair of Governors has been directly involved in the instigation and implementation of a number of initiatives. However, the governors in general, are not sufficiently involved in the formulation of the school development plan and in deciding the school’s priorities.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

26. The curriculum co-ordinators for literacy and numeracy are effective in developing their subjects. Assessment procedures and target-setting are used well. These co-ordinators have time to monitor the teaching and learning across the school. The feedback they give to their colleagues enables weaknesses to be rectified and for good practice to be effectively spread. The curriculum co- ordinators for the other subjects are responsible for overseeing teachers’ planning and for maintaining resources. This limited role does not fully utilise the expertise of the co-ordinators or provide for the ongoing development of their curriculum areas. Deer Park Primary School - 16

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to improve standards and the quality of provision further, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

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Improve the curriculum by:

• extending the school day for pupils in Key Stage 2 in line with DfEE recommendations; • providing more time in Key Stage 2 for music and physical education (PE); • ensuring breadth and balance in PE in both key stages; • providing regular opportunities for outdoor play for children who are under five.

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Make more effective use of the school development plan by:

• taking a longer-term view of the school’s development, particularly of the curriculum, so that identified needs can be planned and financed over a number of years; • increasing the governors’ involvement in the identification of priorities and in the monitoring of progress towards achieving the targets; • utilising the expertise of all of the co-ordinators by giving them more responsibility for the ongoing development of their curriculum areas; * • evaluating the previous year’s developments to indicate what has been achieved and what might need further work; • ensuring that planning indicates how the large contingency fund being held is to be used.

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Make more effective use of the school development plan by:

* Indicates actions already planned, either in writing or informally, by the school. Deer Park Primary School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 15

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 355

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 12

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 15

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 4

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Deer Park Primary School - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 21 23 44

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 20 21 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 23 23 23

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 98 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 20 20 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 23 23 23

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 98 (100 ) 98 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 16 26 42

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 12 15 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 24 25 25

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 86 (92) 95 (92) 95 (95) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (58) 78 (69)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 15 16 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 26 26 26

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 98 (89) 100 (87 ) 100 (89) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (71)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Deer Park Primary School - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 12 Financial year 1998-99

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 28

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 389,665

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 1,139

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 84 Balance brought forward from previous year 27,000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 53,497 Deer Park Primary School - 20

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 70 28 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 62 36 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 46 47 6 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 53 37 9 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 74 21 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 87 13

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 49 43 6 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 87 13

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 65 33 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 33 32 17 3 15

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