Mandeville Primary School

MANDEVILLE 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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MANDEVILLE 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. Mandeville Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: West Road Sawbridgeworth Herts

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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 David Royle

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6 November 1995 Mandeville Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Michael Edwards Registered inspector Rosalind Hall Lay inspector April Pumfleet Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

360 Lee Valley Technopark Ashley Road London N17 9LN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6-11

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

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 12-15

Standards in the nursery and Reception year and in English, mathematics and aspects of science at the end of Key Stage 2 are good. The quality of teaching in the nursery and Reception year and Years 5 and 6 is very good, enabling the pupils to make very good progress. Pupils have excellent attitudes to school: they behave very well, are keen and interested in their work, show a high level of respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others and have excellent relationships with teachers and amongst themselves. All adults work well together as a team, treating pupils with respect and care, creating a positive climate for their social and moral development and supporting their personal development.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 15-18

The school's procedures and practices for identifying what does and does not work well in relation to pupils’ progress and the standards they achieve are not as effective as they might be. The rate of progress of some pupils of average and above average attainment in Key Stage 1 and parts of lower Key Stage 2 could be further increased. The time spent on teaching and learning is less than the national recommendation and is not always used effectively or efficiently.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Mandeville Primary School caters for pupils aged between three and 11. It is of average size for primary schools with 220 pupils. It has a nursery with 29 part-time pupils who enter at the beginning of each term. The percentage of pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds, 6 per cent, and with English as an additional language, 5 per cent, is high compared with national figures. There is a below average percentage of pupils, 5.9 per cent, entitled to free school meals. The percentage of pupils on the special needs register, 27 per cent, is in line with the national average, although there are no pupils with statements. When pupils start at the school at the age of three, their attainment overall is above the average for the authority.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Mandeville Primary School is an effective school where pupils achieve good standards in many aspects of their education. Standards at the age of 11 are above average. There is good teaching in all parts of the school with some that is very good and the overall quality of teaching is good. The new headteacher has begun to identify strengths and areas for development. The two senior members of staff who have taken on additional responsibilities during the recent secondments are a very effective team. The governing body is effective in fulfilling its responsibilities. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards in the nursery and Reception years and in English, mathematics and aspects of science by the age of 11 are good. • The quality of teaching in the nursery and Reception years and in Years 5 and 6 is very good, enabling the pupils to make very good progress. • Pupils have excellent attitudes to school: they behave very well, are keen and interested in their work, show a high level of respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others and have excellent relationships with teachers and amongst themselves. • All adults work well together as a team, treating pupils with respect and care, creating a positive climate for their social and moral development and supporting their personal development.

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What could be improved

• The school's procedures and practices for identifying what does and does not work well in relation to pupils’ progress and the standards they achieve are not as effective as they might be. • The rate of progress of some pupils of average and above average attainment in Key Stage 1 and parts of lower Key Stage 2 could be further increased. • The time spent on teaching and learning is less than the national recommendation and is not always used effectively or efficiently. 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 last inspection in November 1995 found Mandeville Primary to be a good school but identified some aspects of its work that needed improving. The school has tackled all these aspects, although further work needs to be done in some parts of the school to ensure consistency in the pace and challenge in the learning for more able pupils. The systems for Mandeville Primary School - 7 monitoring the school's work are not yet fully embedded in practice. The school has been very successful in maintaining its very positive ethos. The results for pupils at 7 and 11 show a marked improvement since 1997. Results of pupils aged 11 in English, mathematics and science have risen at a rate much greater than the national improvement and current standards are higher than at the previous inspection. By the age of 11, the pupils are now achieving a satisfactory standard in performing mental calculations and recalling number bonds and multiplication facts. The school has built on the substantial

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

proportion of good teaching so that in over half of lessons the teaching is good or very good. The school is in a strong position to continue to improve: it has the commitment of staff and governors and the strong support of parents.

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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

English D B A A well above average above average A B

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Key

mathematics C A A* A average below average C D science D A A A well below average E

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Key

Baseline assessment at the beginning of the Reception year shows that children's attainment is above the authority's average. The 1999 test results for seven and 11 year olds show a marked improvement since 1997. At age 11 the mathematics results are in the highest five per cent nationally, as are English, mathematics and science results taken together. The percentage of pupils achieving Level 5 in English and mathematics is very high, and in science is well above the national average. At the age of seven the results are well above average in reading, writing and mathematics. The percentage of pupils achieving the higher Level 3 in reading is well above average, but close to the national average in writing and mathematics. Too few 7 year olds achieve the higher Level 3 in writing and mathematics. The school feels that the 1999 year group was exceptional and so has set lower targets for 2000 and 2001. The evidence from the inspection suggests

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Key

that, although a high proportion of pupils are working at the expected standard for 11 year olds in English, mathematics and aspects of science, there are fewer pupils achieving at Level 5 than in 1999. Mandeville Primary School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have excellent attitudes to the school. They enjoy attending and involve themselves well in its activities.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils' behaviour is very good both in and outside the classroom. There have been no exclusions.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils show a firm understanding of the impact of their actions on others and have a highly developed respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others. Relationships are excellent.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is broadly in line with the national average.

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Aspect Comment

A particular strength of the school is the very positive attitude the pupils have towards the school, their work and each other. There is a real sense of community as they play and work together. They are courteous, friendly and supportive of each other. They work co- operatively with a sense of purpose and become engrossed in their tasks. They respond well to the trust placed in them and are developing a mature independent responsibility. Relationships with teachers are excellent. There is no unauthorised absence.

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

Lessons seen overall Very good Satisfactory 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

Overall, the teaching in the school is good. Teaching in 57 per cent of lessons being good or very good. In a further third of lessons the teaching is satisfactory so that in 91per cent of lessons observed the teaching is satisfactory or better. Teaching in nine per cent of the lessons is unsatisfactory. The quality of teaching in the nursery and Reception year and in Years 5 and 6 is very good and is good or better in 43 per cent of lessons in Key Stage 1 and Years 3 and 4, with teaching in all classes having good features. Overall, the teaching of English, including the skills of literacy, at Key Stage 1 is satisfactory, however, some lessons are unsatisfactory. At Key Stage 2 teaching is generally good with some very good. The teaching of mathematics, including the skills of numeracy, is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and is good at Key Stage 2. All teachers have excellent relationships with their

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

pupils, treating them with respect, managing their behaviour sensitively and setting high standards of discipline. In the best lessons, the pace is brisk and teachers focus on what they want the pupils to learn. Pupils are expected to achieve a good standard and are encouraged and challenged to improve their performance. Teachers identify carefully, and then address, the errors pupils make. In some cases, teachers' expectations of pupils of average and above average ability need to be raised for pupils to achieve a higher standard. Pupils have very good attitudes to their work, responding well to a challenge. They are keen, interested and ready to answer questions. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress throughout the school and progress for all pupils in the nursery, reception, Years 5 and 6, is very good because of the very good teaching. However, in Mandeville Primary School - 9

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

other classes, some pupils of average and above average ability make inconsistent progress.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. All subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education are taught but the provision for information and communication technology and religious education does not ensure that pupils adequately cover the full range of topics. The time allocated to the curriculum is less than nationally recommended.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Teachers are aware of, and take care to plan to meet, the social, physical and academic needs of these pupils. The special needs co-ordinator works effectively to ensure pupils make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Sound, with appropriate support from outside agencies.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for pupils' personal development is a strength of the school. Moral and social development make a very strong contribution to pupils' personal skills. Provision for pupils' cultural development is good and for spiritual development satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good provision, with a firm emphasis on pupils' welfare, health and safety and appropriate arrangements for child protection.

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Aspect Comment

The facilities of a local secondary school are used effectively for teaching Year 6 information and communication technology. The school recognises that the coverage of all areas of information and communication technology and religious education is underdeveloped. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well and pupils in the withdrawal groups make good progress because of the focused teaching provided. The school recognises that pupils withdrawn from class for support still need to have access to the full range of the curriculum. Teachers know their pupils well and work hard to meet their personal and social needs. The school sensitively, but firmly, implements its strong moral code. Pupils have a strong sense of right and wrong and take responsibility for their actions. The length of time for the curriculum is less than that recommended by the Department for Education and Employment. Time during the school day is not always

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Aspect Comment

used to best effect. Mandeville Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher was appointed in January 2000 and has made a good start in identifying the school's strengths and areas for development. The senior teachers are a very effective team and have provided stability and continuity for the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is effective in fulfilling its responsibilities and is committed to the school and provides appropriate challenge and support. Increasingly it is seeking to further its involvement in providing strategic leadership and holding the school to account for its effectiveness.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory in identifying the overall strengths and weaknesses, but not as effective in evaluating what does and does not work well in teaching.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good: staff and materials are used carefully and effectively.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher was new to the school in January 2000. Two senior members of staff have taken on additional responsibilities during the secondment of the deputy and, during the last term, the part-time secondment of the headteacher. They make a very effective and hardworking team. However, because of their additional workload and the school's commitment to the large Year 6 class, they have not been able to carry out, to the full, their normal management duties regarding literacy and numeracy. Consequently, these two areas have not developed as far and as quickly as they might otherwise have done. The school is at a very early stage in developing rigorous procedures to ensure that the principles of best value are implemented.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like, and are happy at, school • All staff are very approachable and responsive • Pupils are expected to work hard • Pupils make good progress and achieve good standards • The school promotes positive attitudes to work and relationships • The quality of teaching in general • Some average ability pupils are not stretched • The arrangements for the large Year 6 class • The information parents receive • The annual reports to parents vary in quality

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team endorses the positive views of the parents. The pupils do enjoy coming to school and have very positive attitudes towards their work and each other. All members of staff are very friendly and approachable, intent on doing their best for the pupils. Pupils are expected to work hard. Overall, standards by the time pupils are 11 years old are good and most pupils make good progress. However, the inspection found that some pupils of average ability do not make appropriate progress. The large Year 6 Mandeville Primary School - 11 class has created difficulties for the school, particularly since the teacher has become a senior manager. The school has provided a full-time support assistant in that class and the teaching provided is of a high standard. The school is monitoring the situation carefully. The school provides a wide range of information for parents concerning its arrangements

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

and the curriculum. The annual written reports for parents on their child's progress fulfil requirements and give appropriate information for English and mathematics. In some cases the information for other subjects is not so full. Mandeville Primary School - 12

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Standards in the nursery and Reception year and in English, mathematics and

aspects of science at the end of Key Stage 2 are good.

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Standards in the nursery and Reception year and in English, mathematics and

1. The baseline assessments taken at the beginning of the Reception year show that children's attainment at the end of their time in the nursery is above the authority's average. The results of the 1999 National Curriculum tests show that pupils' attainment is well above the national average in English and science and very high in mathematics. The percentage of pupils achieving Level 5 is very high in comparison with national averages in English and mathematics and well above average in science. The trend in performance in English and mathematics over the last four years shows a rise from below national average in 1996 to the current high standards. The trend in science standards is also upwards. Both boys and girls achieve higher than the national averages, but boys, in particular, have performed well compared with boys nationally.

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Standards in the nursery and Reception year and in English, mathematics and

2. In the nursery the children show that they are very involved in their learning. They are able to make predictions as to what might occur, for example, when the shape of the pipe cleaners used for blowing bubbles is changed from round to square. They are then able to talk about what happened when they tried the experiment. Other pupils have a good use of vocabulary when commenting on the prints they have made with bubbles and blue paint. Some pupils have good control of the mouse when working on the computer. During the singing of a song about buns, when the teacher encouraged them to count, they showed they could use coins to buy the buns they needed. In a phonics session pupils showed keen interest in learning and displaying their firm knowledge of the initial sounds they have been learning, encouraged by the high expectations of the teacher.

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Standards in the nursery and Reception year and in English, mathematics and

3. In the Reception year pupils demonstrate they are absorbed in their work. They listen intently and are able to talk freely about what they are doing. Some older pupils can do simple addition up to 10 by adding on. They know the names and values of coins and can add coins together. More able pupils can add on from 20 in their heads. Pupils involved in writing are willing to "have a go" at spelling using their phonic knowledge. They can read back what they have written and write initial sounds when shown an object. They are able to talk about upper and lower case letters. Some children understand the use of "speech bubbles" for recording what someone says. The teacher encourages high standards and effectively uses individual pupil targets in literacy to spur them on in their learning.

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Standards in the nursery and Reception year and in English, mathematics and

4. Although the school's Key Stage 2 results showed very high standards in 1999, with a high percentage of pupils achieving Level 5, the school has set targets anticipating a decline in standards for the next two years. The Year 6 pupils' work seen indicates that although standards are good, they are not as high as in 1999, with fewer pupils working at Level 5. Pupils' writing is of the expected level for their age. They show evidence of being able to plan, draft and revise their work appropriately. Final copies are usually neat and clearly presented. They are able to write at an appropriate standard in a variety of styles and for different purposes. Pupils use interesting ideas in their writing, as in the poems written in the style of Edward Lear. They use punctuation correctly and often employ lively phrases. In mathematics pupils are able to perform, with agility, mental calculations involving the four rules of number. They have developed interesting ways of completing

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Standards in the nursery and Reception year and in English, mathematics and

these, and are able to explain their methods. The more able pupils can answer questions based on their reading of authentic railway timetables. The majority of pupils are able to Mandeville Primary School - 13 use and apply fractions and understand decimal notation. They have a good grasp of the multiplication tables. The majority of pupils in Year 6 are achieving at the expected level in the knowledge areas of science, but their skills in investigative and experimental aspects of science are underdeveloped. Consequently, pupils can explain well the functions of parts of a flower, but they do not yet possess a firm grasp of the experimental process, including the concept of a fair test.

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The quality of teaching in the nursery and Reception year and Years 5 and 6 is very

good enabling the pupils to make very good progress.

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The quality of teaching in the nursery and Reception year and Years 5 and 6 is very

5. Baseline assessment results and evidence from pupils' work and lessons show that pupils of all abilities make very good progress in the nursery. This rate of progress continues through the Reception year. Similarly, pupils make very good progress in Years 5 and 6. In both these areas of the school the progress made is a result of the very good teaching.

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The quality of teaching in the nursery and Reception year and Years 5 and 6 is very

6. To promote good progress for all pupils the teachers of these classes prepare their lessons carefully. They identify what they want pupils to learn and then plan exactly what is to be covered, the activities to be used for the whole class and groups and the different work for pupils with varying abilities. Lessons have a clear structure and usually include an introductory session, activities where pupils work with others or on their own, and a final plenary session. In the best lessons there is a real focus on pupils’ learning and making progress, with teachers linking the present learning to past work and using the plenary session to reinforce what has been learned and to assess progress. The teachers are clear about what they want pupils to know, understand and be able to do at the end of the lesson and share this with the pupils, ensuring they understand the purpose of the activities in which they are engaged and the standard expected. For example, in a Year 5 lesson the

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The quality of teaching in the nursery and Reception year and Years 5 and 6 is very

teacher persistently asked, "What am I looking for?" before the pupils started their activity and reminded them of this during the activity. In the nursery the teacher manages the support staff well ensuring they have the lesson plan and are aware of what is expected of them so that they can play a full part in promoting pupils' learning. Time is well used to get the best out of the activities. The teachers and, particularly in the nursery, the support staff, challenge and probe the pupils' knowledge and understanding using encouragement and questions such as "Why do you think that happened?" and "Can you think of another way to do that?" to stimulate their desire to do well. The teachers are actively seeking ways of taking the pupils further and insist on high standards and improving performance by intervening during activities to point out errors and suggest how work could be improved. These features help to ensure that the pace of learning is brisk, and that the pupils, by

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The quality of teaching in the nursery and Reception year and Years 5 and 6 is very

remaining active and excited about their work to the end of the lesson, make very good progress.

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The quality of teaching in the nursery and Reception year and Years 5 and 6 is very

7. The teachers demonstrate they have a firm grasp of the standards pupils should be working at and an ability to assess pupils' performance. This enables them to promote very good progress by pitching work at an appropriately challenging level for pupils of different abilities. An example of this was a lesson with younger children on the value and use of coins, where some of the more able pupils were successful in mental work adding coins on to 20 pence. Teachers make excellent use of their assessment of pupils' work to identify errors or gaps in knowledge and areas of misunderstanding and then take steps to remedy these. A good example of this occurred in a Year 5/6 mathematics lesson on using the 24-hour clock. Here the teacher had identified, through the marking of the pupils' work, gaps in their understanding. She then fed back on these to the pupils and altered the planned programme of lessons in order to address successfully the identified weaknesses.

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The quality of teaching in the nursery and Reception year and Years 5 and 6 is very

Mandeville Primary School - 14 8. Teachers use their good knowledge of the subject and their clear understanding of how children learn to promote very good progress. In a very good Year 5 science lesson on the rotation of the Earth, pupils were challenged to raise and investigate their own questions. In an investigation of the properties of bubbles with the nursery children, the teacher used her understanding of how children learn to capitalise on their interest by an astute use of imaginative questions. Where subject knowledge is good, teachers are able to explain things to pupils carefully and in an interesting fashion, resulting in pupils gaining knowledge and understanding. For example, in a Year 6 lesson, the manner in which the teacher analysed the form of an Edward Lear limerick ensured that the pupils could, by the end of the lesson, write their own interesting limerick.

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The quality of teaching in the nursery and Reception year and Years 5 and 6 is very

9. The teachers' firm grasp of the purpose, structure and use of the elements in the literacy and numeracy strategies enables them to ensure pupils make very good progress in these areas. In a Year 5 lesson on explanatory texts, the teacher used the shared reading session to good effect by encouraging pupils to answer questions using only the clues on the page, but without reading the text. The result was that pupils gained a good understanding of the function of diagrams and footnotes. Year 5 and 6 pupils make good progress in developing their skills in mental and oral mathematics through the teachers' use of crisp and sharp questions and the provision of opportunities for pupils to explain their methods of calculation.

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The quality of teaching in the nursery and Reception year and Years 5 and 6 is very

10. Elements of these features of very good teaching are present in all parts of the school. It is their consistent practice in almost all lessons within the identified areas that results in the pupils making very good progress as evidenced in both the lessons and the pupils' class work.

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beliefs of others and have excellent relationships with teachers and amongst

11. A particular strength right across the school is the very positive attitude pupils have towards the school, their work and each other. Pupils behave very well in class and around the school. They line up well, play responsibly in the playground and on the field and move sensibly from one part of the school to another, whether closely supervised or not. They enter assembly in an orderly way and listen to the music, sitting quietly without needing to be reminded. They respond well to the trust placed in them and are developing a mature independent responsibility.

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beliefs of others and have excellent relationships with teachers and amongst

12. In the classroom pupils are keen and interested in their work. They are ready to answer questions whatever their ability. They work co-operatively with a sense of purpose and become engrossed in their task. Pupils are ready to talk about their work and speak with interest about what they are doing. They respond very well when the work is challenging and are ready to explain how they have arrived at an answer, as in the oral and mental sessions in Year 5/6 mathematics.

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beliefs of others and have excellent relationships with teachers and amongst

13. Relationships between teachers and pupils are excellent. Pupils are supportive of each other and willing to share. They try to include others in their activities, and the older pupils take an interest in the welfare of the younger. All pupils, even the youngest, show respect for others by listening to each other courteously, as in a Year 2 lesson when pupils were talking about the activities of the weekend. Pupils show respect for those holding beliefs different from their own, as in a Year 5 class, where pupils were able to talk about Mandeville Primary School - 15 Islam and were enthusiastic about how one of their peers had shared aspects of his religion with them.

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a positive climate for their social and moral development and supporting their

14. An outstanding strength of the school is the commitment of all the staff and the way in which all the adults work together as a team for the welfare of the pupils. Teachers and support staff provide mutual support, recognition and encouragement. A particular strength of teaching right across the school is the sensitivity with which teachers manage behaviour and set and achieve high standards of discipline. The adults in the school are excellent role models for the pupils, enabling them to develop their sense of moral responsibility. All adults have excellent relationships with the pupils and treat them with great respect. Teachers and other adults are always friendly, encouraging and very approachable, but know just where the line is between being too friendly and being too distant. The headteacher greets pupils he passes during the day and fosters the relationships he is developing in the school. In a small group session for special needs

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a positive climate for their social and moral development and supporting their

pupils, the teacher adopted the right level of encouragement and friendliness linked to a firm manner that gave the right messages about what she expected from them. Teachers value highly the contributions pupils make.

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a positive climate for their social and moral development and supporting their

15. Teachers encourage pupils to relate well to each other and encourage their social development. Teachers and other adults always expect pupils to behave well and have good strategies for managing behaviour. Pupils know the rules and understand the reasons behind them. Mid-day assistants create a calm and civilised atmosphere within the dining areas and pupils are encouraged to recognise and reward good behaviour through awarding their own certificates. Pupils are encouraged to think of the results of their actions on others and are encouraged to include others in their games and activities. The provision of a "friendship stop" in the playground, where those who have no one to play with can sit, results in all pupils being actively drawn into the social whirl of the playground. The "time-out bench" for those who misbehave is used to defuse situations and so avoid confrontations. The separation of the playground into zones for different activities enables

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a positive climate for their social and moral development and supporting their

playtimes to be an occasion where all can enjoy themselves without impinging on the freedom of others.

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well in relation to pupils’ progress and the standards they achieve are not as effective

16. The school has had a programme of monitoring and evaluating its work. However, elements of this programme have been in abeyance due to the secondment of the deputy headteacher and the previous headteacher's part time secondment to the LEA's advisory service. Consequently the school is not being as effective as it could be in identifying those elements of its work which lead to pupils making good progress and reaching high standards and those elements which are less successful in their impact on pupils' progress and the standards they achieve. 17. The extensive management roles taken on by the English and mathematics co- ordinators and the school's commitment to the large Year 6 class, have limited the opportunities for them to monitor and evaluate effectively the implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategies. Consequently, there is inconsistency in the practice and quality Mandeville Primary School - 16

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well in relation to pupils’ progress and the standards they achieve are not as effective

of teaching in both strategies across the school. The school recognises this inconsistency in practice but has yet to identify clearly both what is and is not working and the reasons for this. For example, the school is not yet analysing the effect on the progress and standards achieved by pupils in different classes where some have guided writing during one week and guided reading during another and others have both each week. Similarly there has been little evaluation of the quality of teaching in the mental and oral section of the mathematics lesson where some sessions have good pace and focus and others are more laboured. The decision to implement the literacy hour on only four days instead of five, and the use made of the other time allocated to English, including story time, reading and speaking and listening sessions, have not been fully evaluated in terms of their effect on pupils' progress and standards.

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well in relation to pupils’ progress and the standards they achieve are not as effective

18. The school has a good programme for tracking individual pupils' progress by means of the end of year statutory and optional test materials. However, there is inconsistent practice in monitoring pupils' progress through the year. The good practice at Year 6, where pupils' progress in writing is monitored through pieces of written work being regularly marked closely and given a level in line with the expectations of the National Curriculum, could act as a pattern for other subjects and the rest of the school. In this way there would be a regular check on pupils' progress. There is no effective system for the headteacher and other curriculum managers to monitor and evaluate the progress of individual pupils through a planned programme for the scrutiny of their regular classwork. Consequently, strengths and weaknesses in the standards and quality of pupils' work, their progress, teachers' marking and the manner in which teachers are identifying and meeting

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well in relation to pupils’ progress and the standards they achieve are not as effective

the needs of individual pupils are not being identified.

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well in relation to pupils’ progress and the standards they achieve are not as effective

19. There has been slippage in the planned programme for monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and its impact on pupils' learning and progress. As a result the identification and dissemination of good practice and the addressing of weaknesses has not been as focused as it might have been. Consequently, there is inconsistency in the progress pupils make in different parts of the school.

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The rate of progress of some pupils of average and above average attainment in Key

Stage 1 and parts of lower Key Stage 2 could be further increased.

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The rate of progress of some pupils of average and above average attainment in Key

20. Pupils with special educational needs make good, and in some cases, very good progress throughout the school. The improvement in test results since 1997 demonstrates that teachers have concentrated successfully on improving the standards pupils achieve and the progress they make through the school. However, evidence from lessons and pupils' work indicates that the rate of progress made by some of the average and more able pupils could be further increased in Key Stage 1 and parts of lower Key Stage 2. For example, the school is very successful in enabling pupils to achieve level 2 in the statutory tests in mathematics, writing and reading for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1, but too few pupils achieve level 3. However, this is not to say that pupils are not making progress in these parts of the school, or that teaching overall is unsatisfactory. Indeed in a significant number of lessons pupils make good progress and there is good teaching present in all

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The rate of progress of some pupils of average and above average attainment in Key

parts of the school. However, to achieve a consistently high rate of pupils' progress through the school, the elements of high quality teaching outlined in earlier sections of the report need to be applied in all lessons and the areas identified below need to be addressed. 21. In some cases pupils' progress is not as great as it could be because some teachers do not always have a clear enough view of the standard of work expected in relation to the levels of the National Curriculum. For example, the Key Stage 1 statutory teacher assessments show that teachers are not always accurately assessing the capability of those pupils who could work at the higher levels in reading and mathematics. This results Mandeville Primary School - 17 in teachers not having a high enough expectation of some pupils' performance, for example in the use of sentence structure in writing. The pupils make very good progress where

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The rate of progress of some pupils of average and above average attainment in Key

teachers, as in Year 6, have a good knowledge and understanding of the National Curriculum levels and use these regularly to assess, mark, feedback and set work,

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The rate of progress of some pupils of average and above average attainment in Key

22. In the best lessons teachers have a clear focus on pupils' learning and so they make very good progress. In some cases teachers' short term planning needs to be improved so that it guides the lesson by indicating in specific terms what teachers expect pupils to know, understand or be able to do by the end of the lesson. The tasks and activities the class, or different groups of pupils, will do and the teaching methods can then be focused on achieving the objectives at the expected level. The new planning sheets for numeracy and literacy are assisting in this but planning for other subjects is often rudimentary and sometimes not present.

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The rate of progress of some pupils of average and above average attainment in Key

23. In some lessons it is not always made clear to pupils the standards being expected of them, what the teacher will be looking for in their work and how they could evaluate their own performance. Some teachers, in some lessons, tend to supervise pupils during their tasks rather than using this time for promoting maximum understanding and progress by questioning, encouraging and pointing out where work is not of a high enough standard. Consequently, in these situations the pupils respond to activities without being adequately challenged and helped to improve their performance. In some cases the pace of the lesson is too slow and there is insufficient urgency injected into the lesson. Good prompt questions are used in some lessons to enable pupils to evaluate and improve their own performance, as in a Year 4 speaking and listening lesson focusing on pupils making a prepared presentation about an author. However, in some other similar self-evaluations,

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The rate of progress of some pupils of average and above average attainment in Key

teachers' questioning concentrates on what the pupils like about a performance rather than the quality of the performance and how it could be improved.

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The rate of progress of some pupils of average and above average attainment in Key

24. The school recognises that the marking of pupils' work is not being used consistently to improve standards and is taking steps to remedy this. Evidence from the inspection bears out the school's own perceptions and analysis. Best practice in the school uses the marking of pupils' work as an instrument to provide both written and oral feedback to pupils on their performance and how they can improve. However, this good practice is inconsistent and some books contain comments of praise and stamps relating to neatness and presentation but very few comments relating to the quality of the piece of work or providing feedback on what pupils need to do to improve. Particularly in the case of some of the average and more able pupils, praise is not always awarded for work that merits it. Some teachers effectively use the marking of pupils' work to identify areas of misunderstanding and what they need to be taught next. However, this practice is

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The rate of progress of some pupils of average and above average attainment in Key

inconsistent and some books belonging to the average and more able pupils show the same errors occurring over a period of time without evidence that the errors have been addressed. Consequently the rate of progress for these pupils is too slow. Some work is undated making it difficult to use as a record of pupils' progress.

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The rate of progress of some pupils of average and above average attainment in Key

25. There is an inconsistent understanding of the purpose and the best use of elements of the literacy strategy within the school, resulting in its impact on pupils' progress being less than it could be. The school has identified that guided reading and writing are areas of confusion. Evidence from the inspection confirms the school's perception. In some cases guided reading has become a session in which children take turns reading around the group rather than a time of focused teaching, based upon a close reading of the text, by which pupils are able to develop understanding and skills at an appropriate level. In some lessons teachers do not fully understand the difference between shared writing and guided writing, with the result that the advantages of a small focused session Mandeville Primary School - 18 encouraging the average and more able pupils to produce their own writing of high quality

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The rate of progress of some pupils of average and above average attainment in Key

are not fully exploited. Similarly the whole class sessions at the end of lessons, plenary sessions, are not always used well to reinforcing what has been learned in the lesson or to find out what the pupils have learnt. The good practice present in some plenary sessions, such as a Year 3 class where the teacher required the pupils to identify whether a pupil's shared work fulfilled specified criteria and, if not, how it could be improved, should be shared across the school.

p.18

The time spent on teaching and learning is less than the national recommendation

and is not always used effectively or efficiently.

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The time spent on teaching and learning is less than the national recommendation

26. The amount of time spent on teaching and learning across the breadth of the curriculum is squeezed because of two factors. Firstly, the curriculum time within the school day for both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 is significantly less than the time recommended by the DfEE. Secondly, the use of time during the day is not always efficiently organised. Lessons at the beginning of the day do not start at the planned time as the bell does not go until 9.00 a.m. and only five minutes is allocated for the pupils to come in and be registered. Also assembly is longer than the allocated time. In Key Stage 1, lessons leading up to lunch time and the end of the day are sometimes shortened so that the children can get ready to go out, and the drinking of milk is included within curriculum time. Consequently there is a shortfall, even in the curriculum time identified by the school.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• identify what does and does not work well by monitoring and evaluating: • the implementation of national initiatives; • individual pupils' progress through their classwork; • the impact of teaching on pupils' progress and standards.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• further improve the rate of progress of pupils of average and above average attainment in Key Stage 1 and parts of lower Key Stage 2 by enabling teachers to: • share and apply consistently within all lessons the very good teaching practices already present in the school; • understand the levels at which pupils should be working and towards which they should be aspiring; • focus planning and teaching on pupils' learning; • challenge pupils to improve their performance during lessons; • make better use of marking to inform future planning and provide feedback to pupils on gaps in knowledge and areas of misunderstanding; • improve their understanding and use of the elements of literacy hour;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensure that the maximum amount of time is used effectively and efficiently to promote pupils' learning and progress by: • reviewing the length of the school day; • improving the organisation and use of time within the school day.

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Mandeville Primary School - 19 Number of lessons observed 35

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 6

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

0 26 31 34 9 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 15 220

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 13 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR– Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 2 60

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 12

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 5

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Mandeville Primary School - 20

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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 21 30 51

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 19 21 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 26 29 30

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 88 98 100 at NC level 2 or above National 82 83 87

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 19 21 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 28 26 27

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 92 92 94 at NC level 2 or above National 82 86 87

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 9 14 23

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 8 9 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 12 13 14

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 87 96 100 at NC level 4 or above National 70 69 78

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 7 9 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 10 10

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 78 83 83 at NC level 4 or above National 68 69 75 Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Mandeville Primary School - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 5 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 2 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.21

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.7 Financial year 1998/9

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– Y6 Total expenditure 417,912

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 1778

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 66.75 Balance brought forward from previous year -5341

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 5079

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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) 0.7

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 16

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 10 FTE means full-time equivalent. Mandeville Primary School - 22

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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. 44 51 5 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 37 60 2 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 34 43 13 5 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 26 57 14 3 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. 55 41 4 1 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. 48 47 4 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 31 56 12 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 45 45 3 0 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 42 50 6 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 32 41 16 0 11

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The arrangements made by the school for the large Year 6 class. Some average ability pupils are not "stretched".

p.22