St John's Chapel Primary School

ST JOHN’S CHAPEL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 17 - 19 January 2000

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ST JOHN’S CHAPEL 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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ST JOHN’S CHAPEL 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. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Burnfoot St John’s Chapel Bishop Auckland County Durham

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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: Mr M Oliphant

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 16 October 1995 St John’s Chapel Primary School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Dr D Dodds Registered inspector Mathematics Science Information and communication technology Art Design and technology Physical education The characteristics of the school The school’s results and achievements How well pupils are taught How well the school is led and managed (lead)

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Dr T Heppenstall Lay inspector Equal opportunities Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well the school cares for its pupils How well the school works in partnership with parents Mrs P English Team inspector Under-fives Special educational needs English Geography History Music Curricular and other opportunities (lead) Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development How well the school is led and managed (support)

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Full Circle

The Brow 35 Trewartha Park Weston-super-Mare North Somerset BS23 2RT

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Full Circle

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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Full Circle

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Full Circle

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St John’s Chapel 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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St John’s Chapel Primary School is situated close to the small Weardale town of St John’s Chapel and is maintained by the Durham Local Education Authority. The school is much smaller than the national average sized primary school. Pupils come from the town, from the nearby rural communities of Westgate and Ireshopeburn, and from a wide surrounding area. Many are from relatively isolated rural backgrounds. There are 49 pupils on roll, which is 11 less than in October 1995, when the school was last inspected. Since then a new headteacher and two teachers have been appointed. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs, including statements, is above the national average, and the percentage of pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need is well above the national average. However, as numbers of pupils in the school are small, these

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

figures need to be interpreted with caution. All pupils speak English as their first language. When children enter the school the full range of ability is represented although overall levels are slightly below that which is normally found in children of this age.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Whilst the school’s standards are not as high as they should be, there are many pupils who find learning difficult and who are on the school’s register of special educational needs. Pupils are keen to come to school and are eager to learn. Standards of behaviour are very good. The overall quality of teaching is good and most pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who are gifted or talented, make good progress in lessons. The school’s curriculum is satisfactory overall but further planning is needed in some subjects to provide continuity in pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding. The teaching staff and the school’s governing body have effective procedures in place for looking after pupils. Parents are very supportive and take an active part in pupils’ learning. The school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection in spite of very recent changes in its staffing,

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

problems related to longer-term absences of staff, and internal alterations. Taken together, these features adversely affected the school’s organisation for quite long periods of time. The school responds adequately to the challenges and issues it faces, and is led and managed in a cost-effective way. When all factors are taken into consideration it provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Teachers work hard and are supported well by an enthusiastic and effective governing body. • The overall quality of teaching is good, and pupils make generally good progress in lessons. • Pupils have very good attitudes to school. Their behaviour in and around the school is very good. • The school promotes overall good relationships with parents. • Relationships between all members of the school community are excellent. • Effective procedures are in place for monitoring good behaviour and for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress. • The school ensures very good provision for pupils’ social and moral development. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 7

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What could be improved

• Provision for the teaching of science at Key Stage 2 does not ensure that pupils’ learning proceeds in small, identifiable steps. • The appraisal system for teachers is not in place. • Curriculum planning in the non-core subjects, which needs to be developed further to provide continuity in pupils’ learning. • Teachers who are responsible for National Curriculum subjects need opportunities to give more positive leadership and direction, and to monitor the quality of education and standards of attainment. • Standards of presentation of pupils’ work are not as high as they should be. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan .

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in October 1995. Since then almost all key issues for improvement have been developed to standards which inspectors judge to be at least satisfactory. For example, a new headteacher and two new members of staff have been appointed and the distribution of managerial responsibilities for whole-school issues is now appropriate. All health and safety issues have been satisfactorily addressed. The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection, and is now judged to be good overall. Pupils make generally good progress in lessons: this too is an improvement. However, there are still a small number of issues which have not developed to appropriate standards and of which the headteacher is aware. For example, whilst some progress has been made in curriculum planning, systems still need to be developed further in some subjects to ensure consistency in identifying what pupils need to learn by the end of a session of planned work.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

1997 1998 1999 1999 Very high Well above average A* A English A* A E E* Above average Average B C Mathematics B E E E* Below average Well below average D E Science A D E E* Very low E*

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Key

The sizes of cohorts vary considerably at St John’s Chapel Primary School. For example, at Key Stage 2, in 1997, only six pupils took tests compared with eight pupils in 1998. Twelve pupils took tests in 1999. The wide variation in pupils’ test results indicated in the table above, means that great care is necessary when interpreting change in the school’s National Curriculum results from one year to the next. It also explains why care is necessary when comparing results and trends over time, as for example when comparing the results in the table with the average standards reported at the last inspection in 1995. Whilst the table indicates that standards are not as high as they should be, the well below average standards St John’s Chapel Primary School - 8 in 1999, in English, mathematics and science can be explained by the high numbers of pupils with special educational needs who took tests. Pupils in the current Year 6, who will take

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Key

tests in May 2000, are on target to attain similarly low standards. This is because four out of the five pupils in the cohort are on the school’s register of special educational needs. However, on the basis of a scrutiny of pupils' work, discussions with pupils and observations of lessons, inspectors judge pupils' progress in lessons to be good throughout the school, and this is an improvement since the last inspection. Of the 11 pupils in the current Year 2, almost one child in every four is on the school’s register of special educational needs. Most of these pupils are on target to attain broadly average standards English, mathematics, and in science at the end of the current school year. Standards in information technology are on target to be in line with national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1 and also when pupils leave the school at the age of 11. Similarly, standards in religious education are on target to

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Key

meet the expectations of the Durham Locally Agreed Syllabus for pupils aged seven and 11. These standards have been maintained since the last inspection. Standards in the non-core subjects have been maintained and the work seen in art, design and technology, geography, history, music and physical education is about that which is expected of pupils of this age.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils respond very well to challenges. Many work independently.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils are courteous, trustworthy and respect property.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils help to organise other pupils. Many have particular responsibilities in the school and classroom. Relationships are excellent.

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Aspect Comment

All of these features are strengths of the school, and parents’ opinions generally reflect inspection evidence. These aspects of school life have a very positive effect on pupils’ progress. They contribute to the excellent relationships, and to the very positive ethos within the school. For example, pupils like coming to school. They are punctual for the start of the school day, registers are taken promptly and lessons run to the published timetable. In lessons, pupils are interested and generally very responsive. They contribute confidently to discussions, behave well and respond well to school rules in and out of classrooms. This very good behaviour helps their learning. All pupils relate very well indeed to each other and to adults, and there is a very high level of respect between pupils and teachers and other adults. These features coupled with pupils’ involvement in the daily life and routines of the

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Aspect Comment

school, and their ability to reflect on and discuss their feelings and experiences all make a relevant contribution to the life of the school. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 9

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

Good overall 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 of pupils: Aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

The overall quality of teaching is good for all pupils and they make good progress in lessons. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen. The quality of teaching has improved since the previous when it was judged to be satisfactory overall. This improvement is due, in part, to the national strategies for literacy and numeracy, which define precisely, what is to be taught and have been introduced into school in the recent past. This allows for consistency of teaching methods in these subjects throughout the school. Teaching is satisfactory in approximately one lesson out of every three, and good in two lessons out of every three. It is very good in a very small minority of lessons. This is a high proportion of good teaching which is having a positive effect on the short-term progress of all pupils. This judgement is reflected in the views of parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting for parents and

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

indicated their satisfaction with the quality of teaching throughout the school.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory overall. Appropriate quality and range of learning opportunities across the school. Curriculum is generally broad, balanced and relevant.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school makes appropriate provision for pupils who are on the school’s register of special educational needs and for pupils who are gifted and talented.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The overall provision for personal development is good. The school makes very effective provision for pupils’ moral and social development. Satisfactory provision is made for pupils’ spiritual development and for their cultural development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good overall. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour and for assessing pupils’ progress are good. The use of assessment to guide curriculum planning, and procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development have not yet been developed to a satisfactory level.

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Aspect Comment

The school has an appropriate statutory curriculum in place. It has effective links with its parents, and their involvement in the work of the school makes an effective impact on pupils’ learning. Provision for pupils’ social and moral development is a strength of the school. However, its overall uses of assessment to guide curriculum planning is a weakness. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory overall. The headteacher provides caring leadership and is supported well by two newly appointed teachers. He has managed recent changes well.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The school’s governing body is effective in fulfilling its responsibilities.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance and taking effective action is unsatisfactory overall. The appraisal system for teachers is not implemented.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources These are used appropriately.

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Aspect Comment

Teachers are matched appropriately to the demands of the curriculum. The accommodation is adequate. Learning resources are adequate and developing. The newly appointed co- ordinators do not have specific job descriptions and do not give sufficient leadership and direction to the subjects for which they are responsible. The school appropriately applies the principles of best value and provides satisfactory value for money.

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improved

• Their children like school. • They feel that the quality of teaching is good. • The school encourages their children to become mature and responsible. • The school expects their children to work hard. • Their good behaviour at school. • There are no issues that parents would like to see improved.

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improved

The comments raised by parents at the pre-inspection meeting were very supportive of the school in general and of its organisation and management. Parents felt that the school has developed further following the appointment of the present headteacher and more recently, the appointment of two new teachers. Many parents expressed concern at the lengthy absences of staff, which they felt had hindered their children’s progress during the last school year. However, they now feel that their children are making satisfactory and often good progress. Inspectors support these very positive views. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Children enter the reception class at St John’s Chapel Primary School, at the age of four, with a wide range of abilities, although their overall levels of attainment are slightly below average when compared with children of this age. Cohort sizes are very small and over the last few years there have been less than ten pupils in Years 2 and 6. Great care needs to be taken, therefore, when analysing test and assessment data either for any year, when comparing the school’s results with similar schools, or when examining trends over time. The results of the 1999 National Curriculum tests and assessments for the cohort of 12 pupils show that, at the end of Key Stage 2, in English, mathematics and science, the percentage of pupils who attained the average Level 4 and above, was well below the national average when compared with all schools and with schools in similar social contexts. However, of these pupils, four

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The school’s results and achievements

were on the school’s register of special educational needs. There are only 11 pupils in the current Year 2, three of whom have special educational needs. Inspection evidence indicates that overall, pupils are on target to attain broadly average standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of the current school year. However, there are only five pupils in the current Year 6, and four of these pupils are on the school’s register of special educational needs. Whilst these pupils make satisfactory progress and attain standards in line with their prior attainment, inspection evidence indicates that this cohort is on target to achieve results which are below average in English and mathematics and well below in science.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. The school collects National Curriculum test and assessment data, as well as data from other external tests, and analyses the results over time. This allows sufficiently challenging targets to be set for individual pupils so they make the best possible progress in literacy and in numeracy, and for their progress to be tracked throughout their time at the school. Analysis of this data indicates that pupils’ progress in English and mathematics has improved since the last inspection, and they make good progress in these subjects during Key Stage 1, and satisfactory progress during Key Stage 2. However, during Key Stage 2 their longer-term progress is unsatisfactory in science. This is due to the lack of progression in pupils’ learning.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. Inspection findings, overall, indicate that no reliable judgements can be made about pupils’ progress in any of the non-core subjects except in design and technology where they acquire appropriate knowledge and skills over time. When taking into consideration the average levels of attainment on entry to the school, inspectors judge overall longer-term progress throughout the school to be satisfactory in English and mathematics but unsatisfactory in science.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. The school makes good provision for children in the reception class and they make overall good progress towards the Desirable Learning Outcomes 2 . By the time they start work on the National Curriculum, most children attain the expected standard for

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The school’s results and achievements

2 Desirable Learning Outcomes: QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) formally SCAA (School Curriculum and Assessment Authority) has produced a set of ‘Desirable Learning Outcomes for Children’s Learning on Entering Compulsory Education’. These outcomes are a set of skills, knowledge and understanding that children might be expected to achieve by the age of five in six areas of learning: language and literacy; mathematics; knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development; physical development and personal and social development. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 12 five year olds in language, literacy, mathematics, creative development, physical development, and knowledge and understanding of the world. They reach above the expected standards in their personal and social development. Children who have special educational needs, and those with the potential for higher attainment, also

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The school’s results and achievements

5. At the beginning of Key Stage 1 pupils build on this good start, and progress is good throughout the key stage. This is partly because assessments are used effectively to enable all pupils to make the best possible progress, and the targets which teachers set are appropriate. As a result, most pupils are on target to reach the nationally expected standards by the end of Key Stage 1, in English and mathematics. They are also on target to achieve in line with national expectations in science. At Key Stage 2, when taking English, mathematics and science together, pupils make satisfactory and often good progress in the shorter term. This is due to good planning in English and mathematics, good relationships and high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. However, this steady progress is not maintained throughout Key Stage 2 because of the very high proportion of pupils in the current Year 6 who have special

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The school’s results and achievements

6. Pupils attain average standards in speaking and listening at Key Stage 1. They make good progress overall. They speak mainly confidently, read work aloud and contribute appropriately to school assemblies. Pupils make satisfactory progress throughout Key Stage 2, and by the time they leave the school at the age of 11, most pupils are on target to attain average standards. Nearly all pupils have appropriate skills of reading. They make satisfactory progress during Key Stage 1 and by the end of the key stage most pupils attain average standards. Pupils continue to make overall satisfactory progress throughout Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 although by the time they are ready to leave the school at the age of 11, most are on course to attain standards which are below average. Pupils make overall satisfactory progress in writing throughout the school, but attainment in handwriting is unsatisfactory overall, and

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The school’s results and achievements

standards are not as high as they could be. Pupils at both key stages have sufficient opportunities to extend their writing. Progress throughout Key Stage 2 is satisfactory. Pupils are beginning to understand, more fully, the skills of spelling and punctuation. Nevertheless, attainment at the end of Year 6 is on course to be below average for most pupils.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. Pupils make overall satisfactory progress in developing their mathematical skills throughout Key Stage 1. This is due to good quality teaching and work, which is matched to the needs of all pupils. At the end of the key stage, levels of attainment are on course to be in line with the nationally expected standards for most pupils. Progress throughout Key Stage 2 is satisfactory, and most pupils are on course to reach below average standards by the end of Year 6.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Pupils make overall satisfactory progress in science throughout Key Stage 1, and their attainment is of the level expected for seven-year-olds. Many pupils make quite accurate predictions and have the understanding necessary to carry out a fair test with a little help from the teacher. At the end of Year 2, most pupils have a good knowledge of life processes and living things and of physical processes. Longer-term progress throughout Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 is unsatisfactory in most aspects of the subject. Although the quality of teaching is either satisfactory or better, learning over time does not proceed systematically in small identifiable steps. Furthermore, as all of Key Stage 2 are taught together for science, they are all presented with the same activities and at the same level of difficulty. This acts as a brake on their progress. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 13 9. At the end of Key Stage 1, in the other two core subjects, which are information

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The school’s results and achievements

technology and religious education, standards are as expected and pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the key stage. They continue to make sound progress throughout Key Stage 2 and, by the time they leave the school, most pupils are on target to attain standards which are in line with national expectations in information technology. These standards have been maintained since the last inspection. Most pupils are developing keyboard and retrieval skills and use them with appropriate software packages. In religious education, most pupils reach the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. These similarly appropriate standards have been maintained.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. At the end of Year 6, in the non-core subjects, standards in art, design and technology, geography, history, music and aspects of physical education are in line with those normally expected of pupils of this age. Pupils make satisfactory progress in these subjects. These standards have been maintained since the previous inspection. By the time pupils leave school many of them have attained the standards expected in swimming, and a few have exceeded them.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. Across the school pupils’ skills in literacy are given appropriate emphasis. Most pupils’ are given sufficient opportunities to write at length and for different purposes, as for example, in their work in geography. Pupils are generally provided with sufficient opportunities for reading for information. Pupils’ learning is enhanced in a few subjects by opportunities presented to them to use their research skills, as for example, in science, at both key stages. Pupils use subject specific language in English, mathematics, science, information technology, religious education, design and technology, and history. Pupils’ skills of literacy are used appropriately in mathematics and science at Key Stage 1, and throughout Key Stage 2. This is because many teachers are skilled in asking questions which have more than one answer. These skills are also demonstrated well throughout the school in the plenary

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The school’s results and achievements

sessions of the literacy hour. In physical education, quite a few pupils effectively evaluate their own performances.

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The school’s results and achievements

12. Pupils in the current Year 6 attain standards in numeracy which are below average. However, many pupils are able to use numbers quite well and recall number facts in work across the curriculum. Across the school quite a large number of pupils use their mathematical skills appropriately to support their learning in other subjects such as science, art and design and technology.

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The school’s results and achievements

13. Pupils’ skills in information technology are satisfactory and they use information technology effectively in other subjects such as English, when they redraft their work; in mathematics and in science, when using the computer to construct tables and graph. In art, pupils make designs and use programs to generate pictures.

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The school’s results and achievements

14. The school appropriately supports pupils who find learning difficult, and those who are gifted and talented. The learning targets in their individual education plans are appropriate. These pupils make progress in line with their prior attainment due to the overall good teaching which helps teachers to provide tasks that generally match pupils’ abilities.

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The school’s results and achievements

15. At the end of the key stage there are no significant differences between boys and girls in levels of attainment, and no significant variations in the progress of pupils from different backgrounds. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 14

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Evidence from discussions with pupils and a range of contacts with parents indicates very clearly that pupils like school, that they are very happy to go there, and show an interest in school life. This is a strength of the school. Their enthusiasm for school can also be seen in pupils' attitudes in lessons. They respond well, are eager to participate and they persevere with tasks.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. The school was reported as being an orderly community at the previous inspection. This still applies; the behaviour is very good and satisfies parents. It is strength of the school. There were a relatively large number of fixed-term exclusions in the previous academic year but these arose from circumstances which are unlikely to reoccur. As well as being well behaved, pupils are also courteous. Support staff are very happy with the respect shown by the pupils; they are trustworthy, no special security is needed for money; and they do not cause malicious damage to the property.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Overall, the personal development of pupils is good. Relationships between pupils and between all parties are excellent, and this is a strength of the school. These features contribute significantly to the pupils' attitudes, to behaviour and to the quality of support which is provided. Pupils co-operate well with each other. For example, they organise themselves into groups to play games in breaks and, during the lunch break, they enjoy sitting together. Also, pupils were observed to care for each other, for example, by showing concern and drawing the attention of adults to someone in distress. Pupils relate well to adults and inspectors noted their ease and confidence in conversations with them.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. However, pupils do not have enough opportunities to take on extra responsibilities. Their understanding and awareness of other cultures is also underdeveloped because the school is relatively isolated.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Attendance in the school is good and this continues a well-established pattern. Unfortunately, an epidemic of influenza depressed the attendance level towards the end of 1999. Unauthorised absence is low and punctuality is generally good. Registration procedures are efficient and this allows lessons to start promptly.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Overall, teaching is good in the 21 lessons, or parts of lessons observed during the inspection, and the quality varies within the range of satisfactory to very good. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen. The quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection when it was judged to be satisfactory overall. This improvement is due, in part, to the national strategies for literacy and numeracy, which define precisely, what is to be taught and have been introduced into school in the recent past. This allows for consistency of teaching methods in these subjects throughout the school. Teaching is satisfactory in approximately one lesson out of every three, and good in two lessons out of every three. Teaching is very good in a very small minority of lessons. This is a high proportion of good teaching which is having a positive effect on the short-term progress of all pupils. This judgement is reflected in

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

the views of parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting for parents and indicated their satisfaction with the quality of teaching throughout the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teachers work hard and have good relationships with pupils. They have a good knowledge of the subjects of the National Curriculum and a clear understanding of the St John’s Chapel Primary School - 15 needs of the pupils they teach. It was reported at the previous inspection that teachers’ planning was insecure and that teachers were not consistent when identifying learning objectives. This situation has now been successfully addressed in English and mathematics where the national strategies for literacy and numeracy have helped teachers to plan more consistently and effectively in the short, medium, and longer term. However, in other subjects, such as science, whilst the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, the tasks which pupils are expected to undertake are not always appropriately matched to their needs. This is because schemes of work are not developed sufficiently to allow learning to proceed systematically in small,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. The school has made a good start to the literacy hour and has adapted the National Numeracy Strategy to meet the needs of all pupils. Teachers have a good understanding of the structure and purpose of these initiatives, and they develop their lessons well. The texts which teachers use in the literacy sessions challenge pupils without being beyond their range.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The teaching of children under the age of five years is good overall, and is within the range from satisfactory to good. It is good in two lessons out of every three, and satisfactory in one lesson out of every three. The teacher understands the needs of the youngest children and the activities she plans prepare children for the next stage of their education. Lessons have a good structure and sufficient opportunities are provided for the children to explore and experiment. The teacher has high expectations of children’s behaviour and attainment, and the children rise to these. The very high quality of the relationships between the teacher and pupils, and the careful structure of activities allows each pupil to develop well.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. The overall quality of teaching at Key Stages 1 and 2 is good. At Key Stage 1 the quality of teaching varies between satisfactory and good. In this key stage teaching is satisfactory in one lesson out of every six, and is good in five lessons out of every six. At Key stage 2, almost half of all lessons were judged to be satisfactory, half of all lessons were judged to be good, and a very small minority were very good. Teaching is good overall in the core subjects of English and mathematics. In the other core subjects, insufficient teaching was seen in science, information technology and in religious education in order to make a firm judgement. Insufficient teaching was seen in any of the other non-core subjects in order to make a secure judgement, although strengths and weaknesses of individual lessons are examined in the relevant subject sections of the report.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. The best quality teaching comes from a combination of factors. Throughout the school, all teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. They are effective in their management of pupils and teach the basic skills well. They use their time and other resources well, such as information and communication technology. Lessons in English and mathematics are based on well-developed overall curriculum planning. This is an improvement since the previous inspection and it allows teachers to plan and prepare coherent series of lessons in which they identify the progress in knowledge, skills and understanding to be achieved. For example, all planning in English and mathematics indicates precisely what the pupil will learn and, the in the very best of these lessons, and in geography, planning describes how the pupil will demonstrate what he or she has learnt. This happens in all good lessons and means

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

that pupils share a greater sense of purpose and an awareness of making progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Good lesson preparation identifies the resources pupils will use, and specifies precise learning steps to allow pupils to make the maximum amount of progress. This St John’s Chapel Primary School - 16 happens particularly in English and mathematics, and provides for a range of teaching methods which ensures that pupils are kept adequately challenged and that learning progresses as much as possible in the time available. The daily planning used by teachers during the inspection is of a high quality. For example, the most successful lessons consist of a blend of direct teaching to the whole class or to groups and individuals. This happens particularly in the literacy hour and in mathematics. In these lessons, teaching closely matches pupils’ existing attainment and builds on it.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. Effective planning is very closely linked with the ways in which teachers group pupils; this is also a significant feature of the most effective teaching. Whole-class teaching is used particularly well to engender enthusiasm and high expectations as in English, mathematics, and in the most effective geography lessons. In these lessons pupils benefit from detailed exposition and challenging questions.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. Teachers use assessment appropriately in English and mathematics. In these subjects procedures for assessment, and the ways in which it has been carried out, have been developed to a satisfactory level. Assessment is well used in English and mathematics to establish checkpoints to provide feedback, monitor pupils’ progress, and set targets for further development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. Another feature of the most successful teaching is the quality of teachers’ questioning. This is because relationships are good between teachers and pupils. Teachers know their pupils well and pupils feel comfortable when responding to questions. For example, in the most successful lessons in English and mathematics, the teacher is adept at asking the right questions of the right pupil at the right time. When this is used particularly well, as in English, mathematics and geography, questions identify weaknesses or reinforce knowledge and understanding, and provide a firm foundation for further progress.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. Teachers have worked very hard to implement the literacy hour and the National Numeracy Strategy, and many effective sessions were observed. Care over teaching of literacy and numeracy means that lessons are well planned, they move at a brisk pace, and include much effective consolidation to reinforce the main focus of each lesson. Teachers make good use to develop pupils’ skills of literacy at times other than English lessons, for example in science, mathematics, and information technology where special vocabulary is used, and in registration periods, and in assemblies. Appropriate use is made of mathematics throughout the school and many examples were seen in, for example, design and technology when pupils use measuring when designing bridges, and in science when pupils construct various types of graphs and charts.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

32. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory with many features of good teaching. However, whilst pupils’ individual education plans are generally appropriate, they do not consistently identify how learning is to proceed in small measurable stages. The special educational needs co-ordinator has monitored pupils’ progress appropriately. There is an adequate level of support, and this enables pupils to make overall satisfactory progress.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

33. Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work varies in quality. All work is marked, and much marking is of a high standard, and wherever possible in the presence of the pupil. Written comments are good; they are supportive and indicate what pupils should do in order to improve. However, this practice is not consistent across the school and in many cases pupils’ work is acknowledged either with a tick or a comment which does not indicate what pupils need to do in order to make the best progress. Homework St John’s Chapel Primary School - 17 supports the work in classrooms. Whilst its use is inconsistent across the school, the regular use of homework is effective in promoting the development of reading, spelling and number work.

p.16

PUPILS?

34. Curriculum provision for children under five and those in Key Stages 1 and 2 is satisfactory overall. All pupils have access to a broadly based and suitably balanced curriculum that supports their intellectual, physical and personal development and prepares them well for the transition to subsequent stages of education.

p.17

PUPILS?

35. The curriculum for children under five is satisfactory. A recently developed policy for early years clearly demonstrates the importance the school places on providing experiences, in all the recommended areas of learning for children of this age, that will support the achievement of agreed early learning goals. Appropriate policies are in place to ensure that statutory requirements are met for each of the core subjects of the National Curriculum at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, and that provision for religious education complies with the recommendations of the Durham Locally Agreed Syllabus. The policy for information technology is understandably being reviewed in the light of recent developments in equipment and quite properly the policy for English is targeted for review in the light of experience in using the National Literacy Strategy. Policies are in place for each of the non-core subjects although co-

p.17

PUPILS?

ordinators have identified the need to review those for music, history and geography. Effective provision is made for pupils’ personal, social and health education through suitable policies that also includes sex education. The balance of the curriculum is satisfactorily supported by the appropriate allocation of time to each subject although the time devoted to religious education falls below recommendations. The particular priority given to English and mathematics illustrates the importance the school places on improving pupils’ skills in literacy and numeracy throughout the school.

p.17

PUPILS?

36. Overall, the organisation of the curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils is satisfactory. There are particular strengths but also significant weaknesses. There are a clear policy and commitment to provide equal opportunity for all pupils to access all subjects and aspects of school life. This has a positive impact on the progress all pupils make. Although pupils are organised into one class for each key stage, the practice of splitting Key Stage 2 pupils into two teaching groups for literacy and numeracy lessons enables teachers to focus their planning, more closely, for the range of needs in mixed-age and mixed-ability groups. This has a significantly positive effect on pupils’ progress. The school effectively uses the advice of the national strategies for both literacy and numeracy as whole-school schemes of work. With well-considered adjustments, these ensure the systematic development of

p.17

PUPILS?

knowledge, skills and understanding, which makes a major contribution to pupils’ progress. However, there is no similar organisation or whole-school scheme of work for science that provides precise details of what, and how, pupils will progressively know, understand and be able to do as they move through the school. This has a limiting effect on the attainment and progress pupils make in this subject. The advice of the locally agreed syllabus has been used appropriately to develop a suitable whole-school programme of study for religious education. Since the last inspection the development of a framework of topics over a two or three year rolling programme limits the occasions, particularly in non-core subjects, when learning experiences are repeated. Whilst this and the development of a policy on planning, represents improvement since the previous inspection, not enough progress has been made in

p.17

PUPILS?

St John’s Chapel Primary School - 18 developing whole-school schemes of work for each subject which clearly identify the knowledge, skills and understanding pupils are to progressively acquire. This has a limiting effect on the progress pupils make. In contrast, teachers’ daily planning does this well. In lessons, where clear learning objectives were set and built on pupils’ prior experience, pupils were judged to make at least satisfactory and often, good progress.

p.18

PUPILS?

37. Effective provision is made for pupils with special educational needs. The policy closely follows the requirements and recommendations of the Code of Practice. Parents’ and teachers’ observations are used well to identify difficulties at an early stage. This has a positive impact on the progress made in learning and development of confidence for these pupils. In consultation with the special educational needs co- ordinator, class teachers and special educational needs support staff provide appropriate long-term individual education plans which are prepared and reviewed regularly as required. However the short-term targets are not always sufficiently precise to ensure that pupil, parent and teacher can frequently recognise progress in short measurable steps.

p.18

PUPILS?

38. The curriculum is enriched by the provision of extra-curricular activities such as recorder clubs, investigators’ group and football, rugby and cricket activities in season. These are open to all pupils and are often linked with cluster-group activities. The school effectively uses opportunities to support pupils’ learning through visits to such sites as Durham Cathedral, the parish church, Yorkshire Dales and Beamish Museum. Similarly pupils have opportunities to work with visitors such as theatre groups, a storyteller, the Dales Rescue Service and local artists and crafts people who share their experiences and skills. A useful homework policy is in place and is used effectively.

p.18

PUPILS?

39. Good links are made with pre-school providers, parents and receiving and cluster- group schools so that there is useful exchange of information to plan to meet pupils’ needs effectively. There are good procedures to ensure that pupils transferring to the secondary sector are well prepared through visits and opportunities to meet with staff and pupils from neighbouring schools. This is particularly so for those pupils who have special educational needs. The good practices of co-operation and mutual support found within the cluster group add significantly to the curricular provision the school is able to give its pupils.

p.18

PUPILS?

40. Overall the provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and makes a significant contribution to the attainment and progress all pupils make.

p.18

PUPILS?

41. Provision for spiritual development is satisfactory. Pupils are encouraged to share their experiences, ideas and feelings and teaching and support staff and helpers consistently value these. This significant support for the self-esteem of all pupils is particularly important to those pupils with special educational needs. In areas of the curriculum such as English, religious education and history pupils have opportunities to consider the values, feelings and beliefs held by other people of other times and places and to make personal responses from their own experiences. This was well illustrated by accounts of a school day written in the role of a Victorian child. Assemblies and the daily acts of collective worship, which meet statutory requirements, provide valuable opportunities for pupils to experience a sense of ‘belonging’ and time to reflect on values or dilemmas for which there is no simple

p.18

PUPILS?

answer such as ‘What is God like’? Because there is no practice of medium-term planning of assembly topics or possible opportunities for reflection across the St John’s Chapel Primary School - 19 curriculum, other than in religious education, valuable opportunities are sometimes overlooked.

p.18

PUPILS?

42. Very good provision is made for fostering moral development. The whole-school policy on behaviour and the management of bullying ensures that rules are practicable. Rewards and sanctions are appropriate, and teaching and support staff and helpers have a consistent approach and equally high expectations. Throughout the school, pupils learn to recognise the differences between right and wrong and the value of honesty and fairness, through the personal example of all adults who work with them, by direct teaching and through stories and discussion of issues as they arise. Pupils are consistently encouraged to consider the consequences of what they say or do on both themselves and others. Positive behaviour is consistently acknowledged and staff handle incidents of unacceptable behaviour calmly and sensitively.

p.19

PUPILS?

43. The school promotes the social development of pupils very well. This has a particularly positive effect on the progress made by the youngest children and those with special educational needs. All staff demonstrate considerable respect for pupils, raising their self-esteem and confidence in all aspects of school life. This, in turn, makes a major contribution to the outstanding quality of relationships found within the school. Members of staff are good role models for demonstrating social conventions and sensitively use opportunities to directly teach them. The day-to-day interaction within mixed-age classes and the good balance of whole-class and varied group activities within lessons and extra-curricular activities supports the development of inter-personal skills well. The development of responsibility is fostered appropriately through opportunities to help with class and school routines such as returning

p.19

PUPILS?

registers to the office, preparing the hall for assembly and supporting younger pupils in paired reading activities. An understanding of the special responsibility of representing the school is promoted well through educational visits and involvement in cluster and local community activities such as the music festival and summer fayre. The opportunity for older pupils to experience residential visits makes a significant contribution to their personal development. Pupils have opportunities for the development of independence in learning activities such as keeping a holiday diary, and using the Internet to find information about the Hindu religion. However opportunities such as, preparing and leading a class assembly or using the library are often overlooked.

p.19

PUPILS?

44. The school’s provision for cultural development is satisfactory. Through subjects such as art, music, dance and English, pupils’ knowledge and understanding of their own culture are fostered well. For example pupils experience traditional and modern stories and poetry. They learn to empathise with people of other times in history, as for instance when visiting Beamish museum. Through religious education pupils learn about the Christian influence that permeates British heritage and begin to understand the beliefs, values and customs that influence the way people of other cultures live. However pupils have limited experience of contact with people of other cultures and this limits their understanding of the multi-cultural nature of Britain.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The last report described the school's systems for ensuring pupils' well-being and health and safety as satisfactory but they are now judged to be good. Child protection arrangements are thorough. Lunchtime supervision is good although there is scope for more consistency between the procedures used by teaching staff and supervisors St John’s Chapel Primary School - 20 when managing pupils’ behaviour. There is a comprehensive health and safety policy and no significant health and safety issues were identified during the inspection. Links with external support agencies are satisfactory.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. Effective procedures are in place for assessing the attainment of children on entry to the reception class. Information from parents, and from assessments by teachers, are systematically recorded and used to set appropriate individual targets for children. The school’s procedures to ensure that statutory requirements are met at the end of both key stages are satisfactory, overall. Since the previous inspection the school has put a useful assessment programme in place. Teachers use externally designed tests to track pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science. The information from these and other tests is suitably used to set personal learning targets in literacy and numeracy for pupils at Key Stage 2, in order to prepare for the statutory tests at the end of the key stage. Although not enough use has been made of assessment information to influence the development of a detailed whole-school scheme of work

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

for science, the headteacher is aware of this and has plans to address the issue. Procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress in non-core subjects are underdeveloped. This limits the information available to inform planning at all levels. Information from tests and from teachers’ observation is used well to identify pupils with special educational needs and to the track progress of all pupils. The appropriate use of diagnostic tests effectively supports the development of pupils’ individual education plans. The reviews of pupils’ progress meet requirements and parents are well informed. All parents receive a written report on their child’s attainment and progress but they provide limited information about what the pupil knows, understands and can do or what needs to be done to improve.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. The school has effective procedures in place to manage pupils’ behaviour. These procedures are based on an agreed code of conduct, and rules are reinforced by rewards and sanctions. They are understood by the pupils and are very effective. Exclusion is the final sanction but only very exceptional circumstances have required its use in recent years. Procedures to record and monitor attendance are satisfactory overall, and meet legal requirements. However, there are no formal procedures to record temporary absence or to deal with absence without a known cause. The school is aware of this and has plans to address the issue. The school has a culture of good attendance and, although pupils who have no absences for one year are rewarded, there are no major initiatives in place to further encourage pupils’ attendance.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. Overall, there are satisfactory arrangements to monitor academic performance. The monitoring of test results, including the statutory assessment tests is good and a strength of the school. Arrangements to monitor personal development rely heavily on the class teachers' knowledge of their pupils. There are no formal procedures in place, but the present arrangements are enhanced by excellent relationships between staff and pupils, and the pupils' confidence in their teachers.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Inspection evidence indicates clearly that parents are very satisfied with the school. There is particular satisfaction with their children's personal development, the quality of the teaching and the ease with which the school can be approached.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. The school's links with its parents were judged to be effective at the previous inspection and they continue to be good. Information about the school is good; for St John’s Chapel Primary School - 21 example, there are frequent and informative newsletters both from the school and the association between parents and teachers. There are good features about the information on pupils' progress. The accessibility of staff and their approachability make an important contribution to the progress of all pupils and the two formal parents' evenings are reasonably well attended. However, the annual written progress reports are less satisfactory. Many of the comments are too general; they do not identify clearly what pupils can do or give any guidance on actions for improvement.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. Parental involvement with the school provides a positive impact on pupils’ learning. A relatively high proportion of parents provide help in school and they make a good contribution to the life and work of the school. For example, one group of parents provides support for information and communication technology. There is an effective home-school agreement although all parents have not signed it. However, parents do support and assist with the work that their children do at home. The school association is flourishing and supports the school well. In addition to general fund raising, it is developing a school garden as a major school resource to support the curriculum.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The school has been subject to major internal refurbishment since the previous inspection and recent lengthy absences by staff have acted as a brake on the school’s plans for improvement. In spite of these setbacks, most key issues have been addressed to levels to which inspectors judge to be at least satisfactory and the school is better than it was. For example, the school’s approaches to teaching have improved in English and in mathematics and now take account of a wide range of needs in mixed-age classes. Issues relating to health and safety have been resolved. The distribution of the headteacher’s management responsibilities has been satisfactorily addressed, and assessment is now more secure in English and mathematics. However, systems for planning how pupils will make the best progress have not been developed to satisfactory levels in all subjects. Nevertheless, when all factors are taken into account, including the enthusiasm and expertise of newly

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

appointed staff, the school is well placed to improve further.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The headteacher provides leadership of sound quality and gives clear educational direction to the work of the school. His style of leadership is caring and supportive, and his manner calm, and assured. He has successfully managed the many changes in a relatively short time and he has been successful in setting the tone and creating a positive ethos for the school. Excellent relationships, explicit school aims and equality for all are reflected well in the school’s life. The headteacher is supported well by two newly appointed teachers both of whom take an active role in the development of the school and are committed to continuous school improvement. They have appropriate management responsibilities, but because they are not linked with the identified needs of the school, their roles are far less effective than they should be. Individually, the teaching staff are committed to high standards and to the

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

agreed aims of the school, but their commitment has not yet developed into a shared sense of purpose which is appropriately focused on raising the attainment of all pupils. Nor have staff’s commitment and ideas developed into a shared vision of how the school will operate at its best. Nevertheless, in a short time, all teachers have been successful in creating a positive school ethos where pupils work hard and high standards of behaviour are expected. This ethos is the result of a whole-staff approach, and parents appreciate the values implicit in the ethos. Excellent St John’s Chapel Primary School - 22 relationships and equality of opportunity for all are reflected in the school’s work. These factors make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. Governors play an important part in the life of the school and carry out their statutory responsibilities effectively. They are aware of the school’s strengths and areas which require further improvement. All of the governors are highly supportive and act as critical friends of the school. Members of the governing body have attended courses in order to familiarise themselves with their responsibilities. These have included courses on raising standards in literacy and in numeracy, as well as attendance at regular meetings organised by the local authority. The impact of these courses is evident in the work undertaken by governors. They have a clear understanding of their role and are involved at all levels of school life. There are appropriate policy- making committees and, generally, they are very effective. The governors’ role in the strategic management of the school is very good. Although governors are involved in

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the life and work of the school, their role in holding the school to account for the standards it achieves and the quality of education it provides is at an early stage of development.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. Planning for the school’s development is good. The school development plan is a well-produced document. It is detailed, thorough and comprehensive. It provides the staff and governors with a very clear overview of planned initiatives which reflects fully the current identified needs of the school, as well as longer-term needs as the school continues to develop. Priorities are clearly established for the present financial year, although a few of the ways of measuring the success of the targets do not relate sufficiently to raising standards. The headteacher and governors monitor the plan effectively.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The headteacher monitors the quality of education by analysing the results of statutory tests provided by the local authority to focus on the attainment and progress of all pupils. This arrangement helps to ensure that he is aware of standards throughout the school, and provides a framework for the setting of appropriate targets. However, the quality of teaching is not monitored systematically which means he is not as aware as he should be of the quality of educational provision in classrooms. The government’s initiatives for literacy and numeracy are managed appropriately. Similarly, the management of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. This is because pupils’ individual education plans are sufficiently detailed and are used appropriately in classrooms.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The roles of curriculum co-ordinators are not developed to a level which inspectors judge to be satisfactory, overall. Their job descriptions are very general and do not take account of the stage of development of the school. There is very little monitoring of the curriculum or of teaching to find out precisely what the school is doing. The lack of clear strategies for evaluation means that co-ordinators are unable to check on the effectiveness of their work. The headteacher is aware that this aspect of school management needs to be developed and has plans to address the issue. Nevertheless, the current lack of a clearly defined system means that systematic monitoring and evaluation does not support individual professional development and whole school improvement in the ways that it should. When all of these features are taken together, there is no clear link between planning, monitoring and checking the

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

effectiveness of curriculum delivery in terms of teaching and the raising of pupils’ achievement. The school has yet to develop the skills of all co-ordinators. They need to know precisely what is expected of them and they are not yet able to foster a sense of shared responsibility for their subjects and pupils’ achievements within them. They are not yet able to offer general expertise to the whole school; support colleagues in St John’s Chapel Primary School - 23 the middle and short-term planning of the curriculum; make judgements about the effectiveness of their spending; and, devise strategies to monitor attainment and progress.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The school has an appropriate number of qualified staff to effectively meet the demands of the recommended curriculum for children under five, the subjects of the National Curriculum and the agreed syllabus of religious education. Individual teachers carry responsibility for the co-ordination of several subjects so that, inevitably, some responsibilities do not reflect initial training. After only one full term in post the teachers, one of whom is newly qualified and is, a co-ordinator designate, demonstrate a good knowledge of what they need to do to develop their areas of responsibility. However teachers who have responsibilities for the co-ordination of subjects have no specific job descriptions to provide effective guidance in the role and criteria by which to appraise performance.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. Teaching and support staff who teach pupils with special educational needs are suitably qualified and work well with class teachers to effectively meet the needs of these pupils. Experienced support staff work very effectively with children under five. Effective administration, caretaking staff and lunchtime supervisors make a significant contribution to the smooth running of the school and the quality of care which pupils receive. All members of staff and much-valued voluntary helpers work well together and are committed to achieving the aims of the school. This makes a major contribution to the ethos of the school.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. There is no effective cycle of appraisal. However the provision of in-service training is effectively planned and appropriate to meet the needs created by national initiatives. The confidence with which teachers manage the literacy and numeracy sessions illustrates the positive impact of in-service training on the quality of educational provision. The local authority’s induction programme is used well to support newly qualified teachers and an appropriate staff handbook supports all staff new to the school effectively.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. Financial management is good. This has been maintained since the previous inspection. Whilst this small school has little room for manoeuvre, financial planning is based on good current data and sound projections. The school’s development plan identifies priorities for the current year and where appropriate, the priorities have explicit targets and associated costs. The use of funds to invest in literacy and numeracy are effective. Governors receive regular financial reports which are used to monitor expenditure and consider future needs. Taken together these factors means that the school is able to check how effective it is in raising standards and continuing to provide an appropriate quality of education for its pupils. This aspect of the school’s efficiency is an improvement since the last inspection.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. Teaching and support staff continue to be used appropriately. Teaching staff take their responsibilities seriously. All teachers are deployed effectively. Good use is made of volunteer parental help; their use to support pupils is effective. All of these factors have a positive effect on pupils’ attainment and progress.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The school continues to makes appropriate use of its accommodation and resources. There are strengths, but also weaknesses in the efficiency with which resources are used. For example, the headteacher and staff do not effectively monitor and evaluate the work across the whole school. Curricular time is used well, with little or no time lost during the course of the working day. Staff make efficient use of the accommodation, both inside and out. They are efficient in their own classrooms; St John’s Chapel Primary School - 24 there is a high proportion of satisfactory and good teaching, and pupils’ short-term progress is good. This represents an efficient use of resources. Furthermore, the governors have ensured that the building is well decorated and in a good state of repair. The building meets all health and safety requirements. This too is an improvement since the last inspection. 64. The school has good procedures for financial control. Secure systems of budget

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

control and expenditure are in place. The school makes good use of computerised financial systems and finances are kept in good order. The headteacher and school secretary carry out routine administration and financial control procedures effectively. Administration gives support to the running of the school and supports the endeavours of teachers.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. Children enter St John’s Chapel Primary School levels of attainment which are just below average. They receive a satisfactory quality of education. Teaching is good, overall and, as a result, pupils make good progress in lessons throughout the school. When taking into account all other factors, including the high cost per pupil, the school continues to provide satisfactory value for money. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 25

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

66. In order to build on its strengths and further improve the school, the headteacher, governors and staff need to:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1. Improve the provision in science at Key Stage 2 by:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(i) further developing the exemplar scheme of work so that learning proceeds systematically in small, identifiable steps; (ii) clarifying what pupils should know, do and understand by the end of a session of planned work, and ensure that tasks are more effectively matched to the abilities of all pupils. (see paragraph 105)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2. Ensure that statutory requirements are met by implementing fully the appraisal system for teachers. (see paragraph 60)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3. Further develop curriculum planning in the non-core subjects to ensure effective provision for what pupils are expected to learn, and provide continuity and progression in pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding across both key stages. (see paragraph 36)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

4. Provide opportunities for co-ordinators of National Curriculum subjects and religious education, to give more positive leadership and direction to their subjects by:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(i) agreeing job descriptions which are specific to each subject and to the identified needs of the school; (ii) beginning with the core subjects and providing opportunities for monitoring and evaluating standards of pupils’ work and the quality of education that the school provides; (iii) ensuring that their efforts are co-ordinated and progress towards identified targets is kept under review. (see paragraph 57)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

5. Monitor the curriculum more rigorously so that the quality of presentation of pupils’ work improves to at least the satisfactory levels indicated in the previous OFSTED report. (see paragraphs 56 & 57)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Other minor weaknesses which the governors may like to consider as part of their action plan are to:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensure that pupils’ annual reports to parents identify clearly what pupils need to do in order to make progress; (see paragraph 46) • consider an appropriately equipped secure area for imaginative play, for children under the age of five. (see paragraph 72) St John’s Chapel Primary School - 26

p.25

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 23

p.26

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.26

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.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 49

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 1

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs n/a 1

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register n/a 16

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 2

p.26

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.26

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 27

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 3 0 3

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 2 2 2 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls n/a n/a n/a

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 67 67 67 at NC level 2 or above National 82 83 87

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 2 2 2 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls n/a n/a n/a

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 67 67 67 at NC level 2 or above National 82 86 87

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 4 8 12

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

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

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 50 50 50 at NC level 4 or above National 70 68 78

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 2 1 3 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 5 5 4

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 58 50 58 at NC level 4 or above National 68 69 75

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 28

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 3 Financial year 1999

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 15

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 124,679

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 2,544

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 16.5 Balance brought forward from previous year 5,129

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 5,294

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) n/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher n/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff n/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week n/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 29

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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. 39 33 22 6 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 22 67 0 6 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 50 22 22 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 39 39 11 11 0

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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. 56 44 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 50 33 6 6 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 44 39 6 6 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 50 33 11 6 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 56 22 11 6 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 17 50 17 6 11

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Summary of parents’ and carers’ responses

Parents are very supportive of the ways in which the school is organised and managed. They feel that their children like coming to school, they are enthusiastic, and generally make good progress. They themselves feel comfortable about approaching the headteacher and staff if they have any concerns. At the pre-inspection meeting for parents, parents drew the registered inspector’s attention to the lengthy absences of staff during the last school year, which they felt had acted as a brake on their children’s progress. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 30

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. Children enter reception at the beginning of the academic year in which they will become five. Many of these children have had some pre-school experience and they demonstrate the full range of stages of development. The tests made in the first term indicates that the overall attainment of children on entry is slightly below average. With such relatively small numbers, variations in overall attainment are to be expected. Of the ten children currently in the reception group, within the Key Stage 1 class, eight are not yet five. Inspection evidence suggests that most make good progress and are on target to achieve the learning goals expected for children on entry to Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum.

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Personal and social development

68. By the age of five, children’s personal and social development is good. The well- organised induction procedures ensure that most children have opportunities to start their school life with a good measure of confidence. Children of five cope well with class and whole-school routines. They have a sound sense of belonging and of their own self worth. This is well illustrated by the confidence with which they contribute to whole-class sessions. The children have a well-established understanding of right and wrong and an appropriate understanding of the consequences of their actions for themselves and others. They have an appropriate knowledge of social conventions and relate very well, not only with each other and the adults who work with them but also to unfamiliar adults visiting their classroom. All children work and play co- operatively as, for instance, when sharing equipment in measuring tasks and taking

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Personal and social development

turns to place buildings on a map of the village. They are able to appreciate the success of others who perhaps have counted all the way to 20. Children settle to tasks promptly and concentrate for relatively long periods. They respond well to opportunities to make choices for themselves and are able to use and clear away equipment sensibly.

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Language and literacy

69. By the age of five children’s skills in language and literacy skill are broadly in line with that expected of children of this age. They listen attentively to stories and rhymes and readily respond by joining in with familiar phrases. They follow instructions and answer open and closed questions appropriately. Children readily talk about their experiences, ideas and feeling to the adults who work with them. Children make sound progress in developing a personal vocabulary that they understand and can use. This is reflected in the development of speaking and listening, reading and writing skills. For instance the youngest children are aware that print in books and seen around them carries meaning and that the words on the front of the book tell you what its about. They can interpret the story line well by scanning the pictures in some detail and making inferences from what they see. By five children know that letter

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Language and literacy

shapes represent sounds and can remember a significant number of them and frequently recurring words to make educated guesses as to what a word says. They are recognise and write their name, record personal news or a wish through pictures, some copied words or their own words made of letter-like shapes. Higher attaining children use their knowledge of sounds to spell simple words for themselves. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 31

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Mathematics

70. By the age of five children have skills and levels of understanding broadly expected of children of this age. They use mathematical vocabulary such as more/less, heavy/light, full/empty when filling containers with water or comparing the size of objects. They recognise and name basic two-dimensional shapes and coins to 10p. in shopping activities. All count to 20 together most enthusiastically and can count sets of objects to ten, recognising the associated numerals. Higher attaining children count in twos confidently. Much pleasure is derived from joining in with counting activities appropriate to Year 1 and Year 2 pupils in plenary sessions. In practical experiences children are developing an understanding of adding on and taking away.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

71. By the age of five children’s knowledge and understanding of the world are broadly in line with age related expectations. They recognise that changes take place over time. For example they know that ice melts into water, and that the toys and clothes Victorian children had are quite different from their own. Children observe changes in the weather and note how it affects what we choose to wear. They know some Caribbean islands have a much hotter climate than we have that affects how they live. Stimulated by the dilemma of the three little pigs children investigated the basic properties of commonly found materials. The children are clearly aware of their home and school environment and the special features of their village. They have an increasing understanding of the meaning of maps and plans. By five children confidently use computer programs and are conversant with how a mouse and some keys operate.

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Physical development

72. Most children’s physical development is generally in line with what might be expected of children between four and five. They move around the indoor and outdoor areas with appropriate awareness of space and the position of themselves and others in it. Fine motor skills are suitably developed in the daily opportunities to handle such tools as pencils, scissors and glue spreaders. No observations were made of activities that develop gross-motor skills. Planning documentation indicates that there are limited opportunities for vigorous or imaginative indoor play activities. Furthermore, there is no suitably equipped and secure outdoor area to support development in this area of learning.

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Creative development

73. Children make sound progress and, by the time they are five, attain standards that are expected of them in their creative development. It was not possible to observe the whole range of creative activities but display and planning documentation indicates that children have opportunities to use paint and collage materials to illustrate stories such as the Three Little Pigs and represent their house on a map of the village. Photographic evidence showed the interesting dance interpretations stimulated by a poem about flying a kite. Children sing a significant repertoire of songs and rhymes from memory with great enthusiasm and demonstrated great delight in giving a ‘best performance’ to please a relative stranger. They sing with good articulation and sustain pitch well when singing unaccompanied. They are aware of rhythms and can copy them using non-tuned instruments and body percussion very effectively.

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Quality of education provided

74. Teaching is never less than satisfactory and, overall, it is good. This consistency of teaching quality makes a significant contribution to the progress made by children under five. It is characterised by the sound knowledge and understanding of the Desirable Learning Outcomes for these children and the secure understanding of how young children learn. Good management skills are used in order to meet the range of needs of a mixed ability class. Planning is very thorough and is done jointly with the support assistant. Consequently the support assistant and volunteer helpers are very well briefed. Learning objectives are clearly identified and good use is made of opportunities to put pertinent questions such as, “How do you know it is a b and not a d?”, to specific children and so move their learning forward. The teacher and supporting adults show considerable respect for the children and the support for their

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Quality of education provided

personal and social development permeates all the activities.

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Quality of education provided

75. The management of provision for children under five is satisfactory overall but with significant areas for development. Although a suitable, draft policy for early years has recently been developed there are no procedures in place to monitor the effectiveness of the policy. Currently there is no discrete scheme of work to ensure that skills, understanding and appropriate knowledge in all areas of learning are developed systematically. This has a negative impact on the progress of some children who, for instance, are not on target to achieve the Desirable Learning Outcomes on entry to Key Stage 1. The teacher has already identified the need for this development. Effective procedures are in place for assessing the attainment and progress of children under five. Information from parents and the outcome of tests are used well to plan individual short-term targets for children and progress towards the early

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Quality of education provided

learning goals is continually tracked. Whilst good use is made of space in the hall to provide an early years’ activity area much of the equipment, such as role-play and construction resources, are well worn and in need of replacement or augmentation. The lack of an appropriately equipped secure area for vigorous, imaginative play has a limiting effect on the progress of some less mature children.

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ENGLISH

76. The numbers of pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 have always been consistently low, so any comparisons of the results of statutory assessment tests with national averages are unreliable. It is inappropriate, therefore, to make a definitive judgement on pupils’ year on year attainment, or trends over time. However, inspection evidence indicates that most pupils make satisfactory progress as they move through the school.

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ENGLISH

77. Inspection evidence indicates that the majority of pupils currently in Year 2 are on target to attain standards in line with national expectations by the end of Key Stage 1. Pupils make satisfactory progress in relation to their prior attainment as they move through the key stage. Inspection evidence shows most pupils in the current Year 6 are on target to attain standards well below national expectations by the end of Key Stage 2. It is significant that, of the five pupils in the year group, four are on the special educational needs register. Overall pupils continue to make satisfactory progress over Key Stage 2.

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ENGLISH

78. Pupils entering Key Stage 1 have skills in speaking and listening broadly in line with those expected of children of five years. In Year 1 pupils listen attentively to stories, explanations and instructions. They answer questions and talk about their experiences in appropriate sequence and reasonable detail. As they move through the key stage they acquire an ever-increasing vocabulary which they can understand St John’s Chapel Primary School - 33 and use. Much of the progress is as a result of the consistent expectations of teachers that pupils will use subject-specific vocabulary as it is introduced to them and the frequent opportunities, in literacy sessions, to talk about new words and how to use them. By the end of the key stage pupils have established skills in speaking and listening that are in line with expectations for their age. Year 2 pupils often provide responses to questions that are usefully extended and have confidence to

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ENGLISH

raise questions to clarify their own understanding. When speaking, most pupils show an awareness of the need to speak clearly to help the listener. In Key Stage 2 all pupils continue to make satisfactory progress but as over half the pupils in the key stage have some measure of learning difficulty many pupils attain below age-related expectations. All pupils maintain good listening habits and this has a positive impact on their general progress. They readily respond to open questions and explain their thinking, higher attaining pupils doing so with a good measure of fluency. By the end of the key stage most pupils demonstrate an understanding of the needs of the listener. For example many show an understanding of when it is appropriate to use standard English and that when reading to an audience it is important to change speed and intonation to sustain the listener’s attention. The sound progress pupils

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ENGLISH

make owes much to the value teachers place on pupils’ oral contributions in lessons.

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ENGLISH

79. Pupils make satisfactory progress in reading as they move through Key Stage 1. Except where pupils have an identified learning difficulty most pupils enter Year 1 with a sound range of early reading skills. They recognise an appropriate range of frequently occurring words and are acquiring an increasing knowledge of letter sounds. They use these and clues to be found in the pictures to successfully establish meaning. Most pupils in Year 2 have a satisfactory knowledge of individual and combined letter sounds and a suitable range of strategies for tackling unknown words. Most recognise punctuation conventions and use these to aid fluency. Pupils can talk about the characters and events in the story and conjecture as to what might happen next. However pupils’ experience of using a library is underdeveloped. The systematic teaching of phonic knowledge and reading strategies is continued throughout Key Stage 2 and ensures that satisfactory progress is maintained

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ENGLISH

although, as with speaking and listening, the attainment of many pupils in Years 3, 5 and 6 is below age-related expectations. Pupils in Year 4 de-code relatively complex words through their increasing knowledge of phonic rules and word patterns so that they read for pleasure and information with a good measure of fluency and accuracy. By the end of the key stage those pupils who have skills in line with expectations for their age are able to discuss what they read and express personal preferences and make inferences from the text. They know about library organisation and associated information retrieval strategies but opportunities for independent, purposeful practice of these are too often overlooked. The progress of all pupils is supported well by the regular discussion of what they read, with the teacher.

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ENGLISH

80. Pupils entering the current Year 1 showed the expected level of development in writing skills for pupils of that age. They make appropriate progress in using pictures, copied words and their own knowledge of phonics to record their personal news, record their discoveries in history or describe their favourite things. Handwriting skills are frequently practised. In Year 2, although pupils have handwriting practice exercises and cursive script is introduced, expectations are insufficiently high or rigorous and this has a negative impact on attainment and progress. By the age of seven pupils know about basic grammar and punctuation rules through direct teaching and practice exercises. They write for a sound range of purposes and use appropriate structure for lists, recording personal experiences or developing a story about Robot Cop or ‘A frog in the throat’. They demonstrate that they know about the

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ENGLISH

basic rules of punctuation. Higher attaining pupils are beginning to use strategies to St John’s Chapel Primary School - 34 hold the attention of the reader. For example sentences are structured in an interesting way and detail is added as in, ‘When at last it was done his Mum sat down, panting’. Most pupils use their increasing phonic knowledge sensibly to spell polysyllabic words and turn to dictionaries when spelling more difficult words.

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ENGLISH

81. Generally sound progress is maintained through Key Stage 2 although progress in handwriting and presentational skills is unsatisfactory. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 write for an appropriate range of purposes that include newspaper reports, re-telling a nursery rhyme, recording a day in the life of a Victorian school child and creating poetry. Many pupils in Year 4 are developing an understanding that the purpose or audience for writing affects how we write. For example a story needs to capture the reader’s interest with, ‘In a cold dark cave there lived a goblin’. A poem about a haunted forest needs to conjure up the sounds as in, ‘Their haunting sounds heard far away…’. All pupils systematically develop knowledge of, and practise using, rules of grammar and punctuation in specific exercises. For instance they recognise and know the function of verbs, adverbs, the presentation of direct and indirect speech

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ENGLISH

and correct use of commas in a list. Practice exercises are completed with a good measure of success but remembering them in independent work is less secure. By the end of the key stage attainment overall is well below age related expectations but progress has been sustained in relation to prior attainment. Higher attaining pupils realise that in story writing the imaginative use of words and more variation in the structure of sentences can hold a reader’s interest. Conversation is used to move the story on and description captures attention as in, ‘…he was a brown faced alien with silver eyes that glimmered in the sun’.

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ENGLISH

82. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress overall with some pupils making good progress in relation to prior attainment. This progress is supported well by the procedures for identifying needs, the practice of joint planning by teachers and special educational needs support staff and the flexible use made of the National Literacy Strategy advice.

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ENGLISH

83. Pupils throughout the school enjoy English lessons and consistently demonstrate good attitudes. They readily join in whole-class sessions of reading together, and are confident in answering questions and sharing their opinions and ideas. Regardless of age pupils settle quickly to tasks that are set and sustain attention to them for relatively long periods. This makes a significant contribution to the progress all pupils make.

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ENGLISH

84. The quality of teaching in both key stages is good. This makes a major contribution to the attainment and progress all pupils make. Teachers have good knowledge of the subject and consistently reinforce appropriate technical vocabulary when talking with pupils about their work so that Year 2 pupils are reminded that “ ‘…’ is an ellipse”. Year 3 pupils are asked, “What do we call a word used instead of the actual noun?” Planning consistently involves support staff and identifies clear subject-specific learning objectives. Because objectives are shared with the pupils they are ready to be involved as tasks change. All teachers use whole-class and differentiated group tasks well to meet the needs of mixed-age and mixed-ability classes. Questioning is well chosen to move learning forward as in, “How do you know it’s a ‘b’ and not a ‘d’?” or “Tell me what you know about the cottage”. Teachers provide good opportunities

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ENGLISH

for pupils to use speaking and listening skills in areas across the curriculum but opportunities to read for information and for extended writing are often overlooked.

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ENGLISH

85. The provision for English is managed satisfactorily overall. Opportunities for in- service training have been used well so that the National Literacy Strategy has been St John’s Chapel Primary School - 35 instituted successfully and suitable adjustments have been developed to meet the specific needs of the school. Good use has been made of funding to support the national initiative. However the current policy pre-dates the national initiative and provides insufficient guidance to staff on how all areas of the subject are to be covered. The co-ordinator responsibility is to be transferred in the next academic year but as yet there is no specific job description and no agreed procedures in place for monitoring the effectiveness of the curriculum or the quality of teaching. This has a limiting effect on the quality of educational provision. Currently the headteacher analyses statutory test results and uses information from standardised reading and

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ENGLISH

cognitive ability tests to set targets for specific cohorts due to take statutory assessment tests.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

86. Due to the very small numbers of pupils in Years 2 and 6, over the last four years, no reliable judgements can be made about attainment in mathematics over time. However, test results for 1999 show that, from the cohort of 12 pupils, three of whom were on the school’s register of special educational needs, the percentage of pupils attaining Level 4 or above was well below the national average when compared with all schools, and very low when compared with similar schools. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 was well below the national average.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

87. Pupils enter Key Stage 1 with expected levels of attainment and they make overall satisfactory progress through the key stage. In mental mathematics, the youngest pupils can count words to ten; as they move through Year 2 most can accurately count a set of 20 objects. Pupils make similarly satisfactory progress in solving problems. For example, a scrutiny of pupils’ books indicates that most are able to organise and check their own work. All pupils make satisfactory, and often good progress in number. They can all check by counting. They are all developing an ability to construct block graphs, as for example, when pupils in Year 1 draw block graphs. In fractions, pupils are developing practical experience of sorting into equal parts. Their knowledge and understanding of money are also developing well.

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MATHEMATICS

88. This satisfactory progress means that by the time pupils reach the end of Key Stage 1, standards of attainment of most pupils are on target to be average. In mental mathematics, most pupils can group large numbers into sets of ten to make counting easier. They can count on, or back, in tens from any given number, and count in twos, threes, fours and fives from small numbers to at least 50. They can round up, or down, to the nearest ten. In fractions, all pupils have practical experience of sorting into equal parts. They know that one quarter of 12 is three, and one quarter of four is one. All pupils understand money and most use coins in number tasks up to 50 pence and beyond. Pupils in Year 2 plan, record and interpret simple data, including block graphs and bar charts.

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MATHEMATICS

89. Pupils make similarly satisfactory progress throughout Key Stage 2. As they progress through the key stage they develop appropriate mathematical language, reasoning and skills, so that by the time they enter Year 6 most pupils have experienced and developed an understanding of much of the work required to attain Level 4 of the National Curriculum. They increase their range of strategies to solve problems.

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MATHEMATICS

90. Pupils in the current Year 6 accurately measure graphs, and many pupils comment upon and interpret their findings when data handling. Pupils recognise and name St John’s Chapel Primary School - 36 angles such as ‘acute’, ‘obtuse’ and ‘reflex’. Many pupils have good skills in number and can carry out mental calculations quickly and with accuracy. Many understand such terms as probability, average and range. However, their understanding of the relationships between decimal and percentage fractions is less well developed.

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MATHEMATICS

91. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory, and sometimes good progress. This is due to the effective scheme of work which allows learning to proceed in small steps, sound assessment, teachers’ secure subject knowledge, and the good relationships which exist between teachers and pupils. Pupils with the potential for higher attainment make satisfactory progress because work is consistently matched to their needs.

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MATHEMATICS

92. Pupils’ recording and labelling of work makes a significant contribution to the development of their literacy skills. Speaking and listening skills are developed well through class discussion at the start and end of lessons. There is an appropriate emphasis on the development of numeracy, but the application of mathematics in ‘real situations’ is less well developed. Mathematics supports other subjects and particularly information technology through tables and data linked with the construction of graphs.

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MATHEMATICS

93. The overall quality of teaching is good and falls within the range from satisfactory to good. This is an improvement since the last inspection when teaching was judged to be satisfactory. All lessons are planned well. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. For example, planning is now very focused, particularly in the numeracy sessions. Learning intentions are precise; pupils appreciate them, so that teachers and pupils share a greater sense of purpose and awareness of making progress. This effective planning and lesson preparation provides for a range of teaching methods which ensures that most pupils are kept adequately challenged and that learning progresses as much as possible in the time available. In all lessons teachers interact very well with pupils and there is mutual respect between teacher and learner which allows pupils to gain in confidence as happens in most lessons.

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MATHEMATICS

94. Pupils’ respond well to mathematics. Their attitudes are good. They are interested in the subject, listen attentively to their teachers, and show positive enthusiasm. During one lesson in which pupils from Years 3 and 4 were involved with mental calculations using numbers with two digits, they were almost bubbling with excitement. Relationships between pupils and teachers are very good, and are a major contributory factor to pupils’ progress. Pupils’ behaviour is good in all lessons; this has a positive effect on their progress and levels of attainment. Pupils co-operate well with each other when working in small groups. This again is a feature of all mathematics lessons and contributes to pupils’ self-confidence and to their skills in literacy. However, standards of presentation of work are inconsistent across the school. Pupils take more care with their presentation at Key Stage 1 than at Key

p.36

MATHEMATICS

Stage 2 where standards of presentation are below average.

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MATHEMATICS

95. The newly appointed co-ordinator provides sound leadership. There are strengths but also weaknesses. For example, the co-ordinator provides sound educational direction for mathematics and arrangements for teachers’ professional development are good. Teachers have benefited from appropriate courses organised by the local education authority. The National Strategy for Numeracy is managed well and has been supplemented by resources which are satisfactory, in quantity and quality. Systematic assessment has been developed which identifies pupils’ individual strengths and weaknesses although its use to ensure that future planning is based St John’s Chapel Primary School - 37 firmly on pupils’ prior attainment is not as well developed. The monitoring role of the co-ordinator is very much underdeveloped because there are no strategies in place to enable her to ensure that the quality of education is continually improving.

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SCIENCE

96. Due to the very small numbers of pupils in Years 2 and 6 over the last four years, no reliable judgements can be made about attainment in mathematics over time. However, test results for 1999 show that, from the cohort of 12 pupils, three of whom were on the school’s register of special educational needs, the percentage of pupils attaining Level 4 or above was well below the national average when compared with all schools, and very low when compared with similar schools. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 was close to the national average.

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SCIENCE

97. On entry to Key Stage 1, pupils’ standards in line with national expectations. Pupils make satisfactory progress in investigation skills in Year 1, predicting and modifying their ideas when investigating the concept of insulation. In Year 2 pupils maintain this satisfactory progress by identifying the need to repeat an investigation to be sure results are representative and use correct scientific vocabulary in context, as for example, when they study life cycles.

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SCIENCE

98. This satisfactory progress means that the current Year 2 pupils are on course to attain standards which are in line with national expectations. Pupils in Year 2 name the parts of a plant; they understand the meaning of ‘pollen’, ‘stamen’, ‘sepal’ and ‘stem’ . They record the growth of types of leaves and investigate the conditions necessary for germination. They understand that materials can change when they are mixed together, and demonstrate this by making volcanoes from clay and then mixing bicarbonate of soda with vinegar. Pupils understand that heating can change certain materials irreversibly and they demonstrate this by heating and cooling materials such as ice, chocolate, wax and butter. Most pupils are able to recognise a fair test.

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SCIENCE

99. Progress through Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 is unsatisfactory overall . Whilst progress is often satisfactory in the shorter term, it is unsatisfactory over time. This is because there is no agreed scheme of work which is followed by all staff and which allows learning to proceed systematically in small, identifiable steps. Furthermore, all of the pupils in Key Stage 2 are taught science together for one afternoon each week. Pupils in different year groups are presented with identical activities. For example pupils in Years 3 and 4 study insulation and tackle the same work as pupils in Years 5 and 6. Similarly when investigating the uses of a thermometer, the same activities are undertaken by all pupils. Taken together, these features act as a brake on the progress of all pupils.

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SCIENCE

100. This unsatisfactory progress over time means that by the time pupils leave the school at the end of Key Stage 2, they achieve standards which are well below average. This represents a fall in standards since the last inspection. The current pupils in Year 6 are producing work which is well below national expectations and these pupils are similarly on course to attain standards which are well below average by the end of the key stage. However, four out of the five pupils in Year 6 are on the school’s register of special educational needs. Pupils know the effects of light, air and water on the growth of plants, and demonstrate an appropriate knowledge of different types of materials such as rocks. However, there is little evidence of pupils’ involvement either in predicting or in fair testing, or the study of humans as organisms in terms of their nutrition, circulation, movement and growth. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 38

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SCIENCE

101. Teachers do not identify pupils with special educational needs in science. However, all pupils at Key Stage 1 are appropriately supported and make sound progress towards the targets set for them. Progress at Key Stage 2 is unsatisfactory for pupils who find learning difficult because work is not always matched precisely to their needs. The needs of potentially higher achieving pupils are not specifically addressed, but these pupils are encouraged when their abilities are recognised.

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SCIENCE

102. Science makes an appropriate contribution to literacy through the completion of work sheets at Key Stage 1, and when they link the study green plants, to the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. At Key Stage 2 many pupils make a significant contribution to literacy when they record observations, label diagrams and report on investigations. Science supports numeracy through, for example, making charts of the results of investigations. The use of information technology is appropriate at both key stages. Pupils use a digital camera to record events such as raising young frogs, and when pupils at Key Stage 1 name the parts of a flower and present this as a graph.

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SCIENCE

103. Pupils’ attitudes overall are good. They are interested in science, participate fully, and collaborate well. For example, small groups of pupils at Key Stage 1 use their senses to investigate ‘ice’ hands. Throughout the school pupils behave well. They are willing to make suggestions and contribute well to the lessons.

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SCIENCE

104. Insufficient teaching was seen to make a firm judgement on the overall quality of teaching at each key stage. However, of the one lesson seen at each key stage, one was judged to be satisfactory and the other good. In the more successful lesson at Key Stage 1, the teaching focused on clear objectives that were based on the National Curriculum Programmes of Study and Qualification and Curriculum Authority guidelines. The work was appropriate to the age and ability of the pupils, and good use was made of resources. Less successful aspects of teaching were when work contained activities that were insufficiently challenging. Nevertheless, in both lessons, teachers’ subject knowledge was good, they had high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, and their understanding of these pupils enabled them to question and challenge.

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SCIENCE

105. The leadership and management of science is unsatisfactory overall. There is no agreed scheme of work to allow for the systematic development of pupils’ skills and understanding throughout the school. Whilst teachers are trailing the Qualification and Curriculum Authority guidelines for science, the monitoring of the subject is not sufficiently rigorous. There are planned opportunities for the co-ordinator to work alongside colleagues in lessons, but progress and achievement in science are not undertaken collectively as a shared activity, and there is no monitoring of the effectiveness of the quality of teaching. The effects of these features are that the co- ordinator does not have opportunities to engage in discussion about teaching and learning in the school, or to identify areas and targets for future development.

p.38

ART

106. No lessons were seen during the week of the inspection and judgements are made from an analysis of pupils’ work in classrooms and around the school, and from talking with staff and pupils. On the basis of this evidence the standard of work is about that which is expected of pupils of this age, and they make generally satisfactory progress throughout the school. Standards have been maintained since the previous inspection. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 39 107. Pupils of all ages use a range of media, and develop appropriate drawing, painting, and modelling skills for their age. For example, pupils in Key Stage 1 use the locality as a stimulus when they use autumn colours to record what they see. Similarly, these pupils experience leaf printing and the techniques involved in wax resist. These young pupils use leaves as a vehicle for sponge painting and have produced some interesting work based on seasonal activities such as harvest, and drawing pictures

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ART

of fireworks for a local competition. Pupils in Key Stage 2 mix paints appropriately and have used techniques of wax resist and string painting to produce some quite sophisticated pieces of work. In their studies of the work of Victorian designers they use pattern and texture well when making a collage. Pupils study the work of famous artists. They show ability to copy their work, and in this way, they learn a range of techniques. Pupils have also produced some interesting examples of Aboriginal art which are linked appropriately with work about folk tales of the Aborigine peoples of Australia. Such experiences contribute appropriately to pupils’ cultural development.

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ART

108. Other factors which have contributed to overall satisfactory standards are the use of a local artist who specialises in using recycled materials and has worked with pupils of all ages to produce high quality display work which also demonstrates traditional techniques in making mats. This too makes a positive contribution to pupils’ cultural development. The management of art is satisfactory overall. The school does not have a structured curriculum for art that sets out the skills that pupils should acquire at each key stage, or the variety and techniques with which they should work. However, the co-ordinator is aware of this weakness and has plans to produce a scheme of work. In the meantime she has wisely collected a range of pupils’ work which is being used to identify current strengths and weaknesses in the subject. Information technology is integrated appropriately into the art curriculum through the

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ART

use of generated programs. The school provides an appropriate range of resources for art, including materials for collage, modelling media, and a variety of materials for painting.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

109. No lessons were seen during the inspection. Judgements on pupils' attainment and progress have been made from a scrutiny of pupils' work from the previous school year, the current school year, examples of work around the school, and teachers' planning. On the basis of this evidence the standard of work is about that which is expected of pupils of this age, and they make generally satisfactory progress throughout the school. Standards have been maintained since the previous inspection. At the end of Year 6, pupils record plans for their designs, and consider the resources they will require. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils in Year 2 record the results of their investigations on prepared worksheets.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

110. Pupils in both key stages make satisfactory progress overall. They cover an appropriate range of activities, although there are few examples of pupils evaluating their own work and designs. At both key stages pupils have covered key skills from the Programmes of Study but their range of activities is limited. Nevertheless, many pupils organise their own work. For example, at Key Stage 1 pupils have designed their own Christmas cards with a moving part, using the theme of a forest as a stimulus. They have also designed and made soup. At Key Stage 2 pupils have designed and made a bridge to cross a river. They use wood and rolled newspapers to make a structure which is capable of holding a one kilogram weight. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 40 111. Currently the subject makes an appropriate contribution to literacy and numeracy. Specific vocabulary is used when pupils describe their designs, and a few

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

measurements and calculations are used in design work at Key Stage 2.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

112. Scrutiny of teachers' planning indicates that medium and shorter-term plans match the development of skills required for what pupils are expected to know, do and understand, as well as the school’s guidelines. Medium-term plans do not indicate how pupils will systematically make progress, and shorter-term planning identifies activities rather than specific learning objectives.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113. The overall management of design and technology has not been developed to a satisfactory level. Although the policy for design and technology was last updated in 1997, it is useful as a general guide as to how the subject should be taught in school. However, there are no guidelines in place which identify continuity and progression in pupils’ learning. The recently appointed co-ordinator has no specific job description but is very aware of what needs to be done for the subject to improve, and has plans to update the policy and work with staff to produce a scheme of work which meets the needs of the school.

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GEOGRAPHY

114. Pupils in both key stages make satisfactory progress overall and attain standards that are broadly in line with expectations of pupils of these ages.

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GEOGRAPHY

115. Pupils enter Key Stage 1 with an appropriately developed knowledge of their home and school environments and have experience of observing things for themselves as, for instance, the range of leaf shapes and colours on an autumn walk. Throughout the key stage they develop appropriate mapping skills. They understand that their village is set in a region and that it is one of a series of villages in the Wear Valley. They confidently interpret and use basic mapping conventions when finding the position of their own house on a simple map of the village, subsequently completing a map that includes the main buildings and local services. From weather observations they understand that patterns occur to provide seasonal changes and that weather conditions and seasons differ across the world. In Key Stage 2 pupils understand that sites are chosen as ideal for settlements for a range of reasons, some of which

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GEOGRAPHY

are common to most settlements. In a practical group exercise these pupils demonstrated that, given information on four possible sites, they could choose a suitable site for their ‘tribe’ to develop a settlement. By the end of the key stage pupils are developing sound geographic skills of enquiry and decision-making and are able to interpret information from a range of maps, aerial photographs and diagrams. Pupils understand and use an increasing vocabulary of geographic terminology. The record of a river investigation carried out last term illustrates these skills well. The practical nature of the lesson, and the opportunities for field studies contribute well to the progress made by pupils in both key stages. Pupils with special educational needs make sound progress. The practical nature of lessons, the sensitive intervention of teachers and the unaffected co-operation among pupils supports these

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GEOGRAPHY

116. Pupils’ attitudes to geography are good in both key stages. Pupils at Key Stage 1 are interested, eager to be involved in activities and settle responsibly to them. They take turns and support each other. Relationships are good so that pupils can cope well with being corrected by a colleague. Pupils at Key Stage 2 work very sensibly together on group activities and when sharing resources. The good attitudes and St John’s Chapel Primary School - 41 behaviour of pupils in these lessons contributes significantly to the progress all pupils make.

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GEOGRAPHY

117. One lesson was observed in each key stage. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 1 is good and at Key Stage 2 it was judged to be very good. This quality of teaching is characterised by the thorough planning of lessons so that objectives are clearly identified and known to the pupils and resources are well prepared and used well. There is a brisk start to lessons. Teachers use questions to rehearse prior knowledge, keep pupils involved and to sustain motivation. The well-considered use of open questions offers opportunity for pupils of all abilities to contribute confidently. Teachers support pupils well as they work with questions, praise and encouragement to move learning forward.

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GEOGRAPHY

118. The co-ordinator has a clear perception of how the provision for this subject can be improved. However, without a clearly defined job description and agreed procedures for monitoring and evaluating curriculum provision and quality of teaching, opportunities to pro-actively develop the subject further are limited. Currently the policy is awaiting review. The co-ordinator has already identified the need to revise the topic frame works in place for both key stages that indicate when aspects are to be taught. However there is no whole-school scheme of work that identifies exactly what knowledge and which skills and concepts are to be taught or developed systematically as pupils move through the school, avoiding repetition of learning experiences as aspects are revisited. Resources for this area are satisfactory overall but the co-ordinator has identified the need to augment the supply of atlases.

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HISTORY

119. No lessons were observed in either key stage. From the scrutiny of pupils’ work and planning documentation progress, overall, is satisfactory.

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HISTORY

120. Pupils in Key Stage 1 develop an appropriate awareness of times past. Through a three year rolling programme of topics such as ‘Journeys’ and ‘Homes’ pupils are made aware of changes that take place over time. By the end of the key stage they are developing an appropriate understanding of chronology having compared the toys of a Victorian child with their own. They know that knowledge about the past comes from many sources. For example when investigating how transport has changed they found evidence in pictures. An educational visit to Beamish Museum demonstrates how artefacts of the time tell us how children’s clothes, toys and lives have changed since Victorian times. Pupils in Key Stage 2 develop an appropriate awareness that major events in history had causes and consequences. By the time they leave the school they investigate the reasons for invasions of Britain, the legacies of periods such as the Tudors and Victorians and are able to empathise with the

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HISTORY

people of another time as when writing in the role of a Victorian school child.

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HISTORY

121. There is no evidence on which to base judgements on pupils’ attitudes or the quality of teaching.

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HISTORY

122. The co-ordinator has identified the need to revise the policy document and topics to be undertaken across the school to ensure relevance of the curriculum. There is however no current whole-school guidance on how knowledge, skills and understanding are to be systematically developed as pupils move through the school in mixed-age classes and where aspects are revisited. Resources are satisfactory and good use is made of educational visits to support the work in this subject. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 42

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

123. There were limited opportunities for observation of information technology lessons, so judgements were made on pupils working together in small groups, discussions with staff and pupils, and scrutiny of a limited amount of work. At the end of both key stages pupils attain standards in line with national expectations and they make satisfactory progress throughout the school. These standards have been maintained since the previous inspection.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

124. When pupils enter Key Stage 1 they attain standards which are expected of their age. Beginning in Year 1, they use a word processor to write stories and articles develop appropriate subject specific language and skills of communicating information. For example, pupils in Year 1 produce individual writing on the screen. These pupils are developing keyboard skills and can move the cursor around and make simple corrections to punctuation and grammar. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 also make satisfactory progress in sorting, classifying and interpreting data. Pupils who find learning difficult make similarly satisfactory progress in relation to their prior attainment. This is due to the ways in which information technology is planned into lessons, the good relationships which exist between pupils and teachers, and the help and support of a governor who works with pupils on a regular basis.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

125. At the end of Key Stage 1 pupils know that ‘ shift keys’ make capital letters and many can operate some function keys. They can use a mouse (an electronic pointing device) to select items. Pupils can edit their work and redraft text. In handling information quite a few pupils understand databases and use relevant programs to help them. Pupils use sorting to classify objects when they study science. When developing routines for controlling shapes, patterns and models, pupils use all four- arrow keys and can move a programmable toy to a predetermined place.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

126. Pupils make similarly satisfactory progress throughout Key Stage 2. They are provided with opportunities to change and edit their first drafts. Throughout the key stage pupils are becoming more confident in using the mouse to highlight blocks of text. Many pupils can print out graphs without adult support. A few pupils in the upper phase of the key stage increase their technical skills by learning to use the ‘copy’ tool. Pupils in Year 3 are developing an appropriate understanding of how data is stored on a computer. Pupils with special educational needs make sound progress in relation to their prior attainment. This is due to teachers’ secure subject knowledge, good relationships between teachers and pupils and good planning of lessons.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

127. Inspection evidence indicates that when pupils leave the school at the end of Year 6, they understand and use correct terminology, for example ‘icon’, ‘drive’, ‘hard disk’, ‘folder’ and ‘directory’. When word processing, a few of the current Year 6 pupils use a mouse to highlight blocks of text; similarly a small number of pupils from this very small cohort experiment with the size of fonts for different purposes. Most pupils use word-processing packages to write stories and articles and reports. They can use information technology simulations to explore imaginary situations, and recognise that control is an integral part of many everyday devices.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

128. Teachers plan carefully for the use of computers. All pupils use computers across the curriculum and particularly in literacy and numeracy. They are frequently placed in situations where they are developing confidence and independence in the use of information technology. Clearly structured opportunities allow pupils to gain the necessary skills and experience required by the National Curriculum and there are some strong areas of coverage, particularly in word processing. Information St John’s Chapel Primary School - 43 technology is used effectively in English, geography, religious education, mathematics and art.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

129. Insufficient teaching was seen in order to make a valid judgement on the overall quality of teaching. However, the when pupils were observed working, it was clear that lessons were planned well, and built successfully on pupils’ previous knowledge, skills and understanding. In these lessons, pupils have the capability in information technology to carry out tasks effectively, and teachers encourage them to become independent users of computers.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

130. Several significant features contribute to pupils’ satisfactory progress and appropriate standards. The management of information technology is sound. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and enthusiastic and has begun to introduce appropriate assessment procedures into the school. He has produced a useful policy and there are plans to develop a scheme of work which will allow learning to proceed in small, identifiable steps. There is a computer in every classroom and learning resources, especially computers, are good. Pupils have just begun to access the Internet. The quality and quantity of software is good and it is used well. This is an improvement since the previous inspection.

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MUSIC

131. One music lesson only was observed at Key Stage 1 during the inspection. None was observed in Key Stage 2. Overall at this key stage pupils’ make sound progress and attainment is not significantly different from what might be expected of pupils of this age.

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MUSIC

132. Pupils enter Key Stage 1 with an appropriate experience of singing and playing non- tuned instruments. By the end of the key stage they sing a good range of songs and rhymes from memory. They do so with enthusiasm, good articulation and can sustain pitch well even without accompaniment. Pupils interpret a graphically recorded rhythm, accurately recognising ‘pauses’. They reproduce it using body percussion. They can sing simple rhythmical songs and chants in two parts. Pupils in Key Stage 2 have opportunity to have instrumental tuition in violin or brass instruments from members of the local education authority peripatetic service. All pupils have the opportunity to learn to play recorder through extra-curricular clubs. These opportunities enrich the curriculum and pupils’ musical experience.

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MUSIC

133. Key Stage 1 pupils demonstrate great enthusiasm and pleasure in making music. They handle and share instruments responsibly and are willing to practise to improve performance.

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MUSIC

134. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 1 is good. It is characterised by very thorough planning which includes cross-curricular issues. Teacher’s knowledge of the subject and of how young children learn are good. Pupils are given time to practise and refine their performance and praise is used well to sustain motivation and progress.

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MUSIC

135. The co-ordinator designate has identified the need to revise the policy for the subject and to develop more structured support for teachers’ planning to meet the needs of mixed age classes. However the role of the co-ordinator is currently insufficiently defined and procedures are not sufficiently developed to support effective monitoring of curriculum provision. The resources for music have recently been upgraded and whilst they are satisfactory, overall the co-ordinator is rightly looking to augment them further. St John’s Chapel Primary School - 44

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

136. At the time of the inspection, gymnastics was the focus of lessons, so other areas were not inspected. Pupils make sound progress throughout the school. By the end of Key Stage 1, and by the time pupils leave the school at the age of 11, standards are what is normally expected of pupils of these ages. By the end of Key Stage 2 many pupils attain the national expectation in swimming.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

137. Pupils at Key Stage 2 show appropriate attainment in understanding the effect of exercise on their bodies, using space well, and in working in pairs, and groups. They practise and improve their own performance, working alone, in pairs and in groups, or as members of a team. They evaluate their own and others' performances, and apply it to improving their own variety, quality and accuracy of their skills in a gymnastics lesson. They sustain energetic activity over suitable periods of time, and appreciate the need for careful warm up and cool down.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138. Pupils make generally satisfactory progress in refining their skills in games. Pupils with special educational needs also make satisfactory progress.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

139. Pupils respond well in lessons and show good attitudes. They behave sensibly and safely. They all change quickly into appropriate kit and enjoy physical activity. They take part enthusiastically in physical activities and co-operate well in pairs, groups and teams. Many show a keen interest by participating in the extra-curricular activities.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

140. Whilst too few lessons were seen to make a firm judgement on the overall quality of teaching, in the lesson observed at Key Stage 2, the teacher had sound knowledge of developing physical skills and encouraging pupils to evaluate their own performances. She showed good management and control, establishing their ground rules for safe and sensible behaviour.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

141. There are other factors which have an effect on pupils' progress and levels of attainment. For example, the co-ordinator is enthusiastic and provides sound overall leadership. There is a useful policy and scheme of work in place which helps to ensure continuity and progress through the key stages. The school enjoys appropriate resources for physical education. The school's field is of a good size, the playground is appropriate for games. However, the hall is very small and unsuitable for indoor activities which involve large numbers of pupils. Resources are satisfactory, maintained well, and accessible to pupils.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

142. Only one lesson was observed in Key Stage 2. From a scrutiny of pupils’ work, teachers’ planning, school documentation, and discussions with teachers and pupils, the evidence indicates that pupils make sound progress overall as they move through the school. These standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

143. Pupils enter Key Stage 1 with an appropriate awareness that groups have expectations about how members will behave towards one another and that they celebrate special occasions. Throughout the key stage pupils have many opportunities to develop an understanding of what it means to belong to a clearly defined group. They share ideas, talk about their feelings and show that they recognise qualities of caring. This was well illustrated by a pupil explaining, “I like her because she helps me with my reading” when talking about a friend. Pupils are St John’s Chapel Primary School - 45 introduced to Bible stories such as the creation story and understand that God wants His followers and all people to take care of his creation. They know the stories related to the main events of Jesus’ life and from these recognise the main festivals kept by believers such as Christmas and Easter. By the end of Year 2 pupils know a range of

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

stories told by Jesus which illustrate to His followers how God wants them to live. They are developing awareness that there are faiths other than the Christian faith and that they too have central characters, customs and beliefs that are important to believers. For example they know the story and some of the customs associated with the Hindu festival of Divali such as creating Mendhi patterns. Similarly when celebrating harvest festival in school they are introduced to the customs of the Jewish festival of Succoth. In Key Stage 2 pupils explore the features of Christian places of worship, the role of the priest or minister and the importance of the Bible as a source of authority. They become aware that other major faiths have books that are considered holy and provide guidance to believers. Pupils’ knowledge of the stories associated with major Hindu characters and of the basic tenets of the Hindu faith is

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

extended. They know that Brahma, the creator, Vishnu, the protector and Shiva the destroyer represent the three characteristics of the one Supreme Being, Brahman. They understand that He is represented in a symbolic fashion and can explain some of the symbolism used. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and the oral nature of lessons enables them to make satisfactory progress.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

144. In the lesson observed pupils showed good attitudes to religious education. They were made aware of the objectives for the lesson and how it would proceed so that they were able to settle to each part of the lesson sensibly, attend closely to the story, respond confidently to questioning and sustain attention to group tasks. Pupils collaborate well with partners in the set tasks.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

145. There is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on the quality of teaching. However, in the lesson observed it was judged to be satisfactory. Pupils made sound progress in the lesson because the lesson plan identified clear learning objectives and clear instructions were given about the tasks set so that pupils knew what they must do. As the pupils worked the teacher used closed questions well to clarify understanding as, for instance, “What is the Ganges?”. Similarly open questions such as, “Why do you think the image of Brahma has four heads?” are used to stimulate discussion.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

146. The management of provision for religious education is satisfactory overall. A suitable policy has been developed which reflects the school aims, ensures the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus are met and provides broad guidance on how the curriculum is to be delivered. However, although the current scheme of work itemises the body of knowledge to be covered in each key stage it provides insufficient guidance for teachers as to how the knowledge, understanding and skills are to be systematically developed as pupils move through the school in mixed age classes. Currently procedures for monitoring the curriculum and the quality of teaching are underdeveloped and the role of co-ordinator is not sufficiently defined to support rigorous monitoring and evaluation. This has a negative impact on the quality of management and subsequently the quality of provision in this subject.

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