Carter's Charity Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Preesall

Carter’s Charity VC Primary School, Preesall

Reporting inspector: Mr Steven Hill OIN 21277

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Carter’s Charity VC Primary School, Preesall

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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

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Carter’s Charity VC Primary School, Preesall

Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the appropriate authority must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. Every registered parent of a registered pupil at the school should receive a free copy of the summary of the report within ten working days of receipt of the summary by the appropriate authority. A charge not exceeding the cost of supply may be made by the appropriate authority for any other copies of the report and/or its summary provided to any person who asks for one. The appropriate authority should make a copy of the report and the summary available for inspection by members of the public at such times and at such a place as may be reasonable Any enquiries about this legislation should be addressed to the OFSTED Compliance Helpline Tel. 0171421 6567 Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall-3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Pilling Lane Preesall POULTON-LE-FYLDE Lancashire FY6 OHH

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Phyllis Hardman

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November 1995 Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall-4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr. S Hill, RgI English, Geography, Design and Technology, Art, Special Educational Needs Attainment and Progress, Teaching, Leadership and Management, Staffing Mrs. A Strong, Lay Inspector Attitudes, behaviour and personal development, Attendance, Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare, Partnership with parents and the community, Accommodation and Learning Resources. Mr. W Jefferson Mathematics, History, Physical Education, Religious Education Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, Efficiency Mrs. G Beasley Science, Music, Information Technology, Under fives, Equal Opportunities Curriculum and Assessment,

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Evenlode Associates Ltd 6, Abbey Close Alcester Warwickshire B49 5QW

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall-5

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MAIN FINDINGS

What the school does well Where the school has weaknesses How the school has improved since the last inspection Standards in subjects Quality of teaching Other aspects of the school The parents’ views of the school

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INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of the school 001 - 005 Key indicators

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Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

Attainment and progress 006 - 017 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 018 - 22 Attendance 023

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Quality of education provided

Teaching 024 - 033 The curriculum and assessment 034 - 043 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 044 - 047 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare 048 - 053 Partnership with parents and the community 054 -

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The management and efficiency of the school

Leadership and management 059 - 066 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 067 - 069 The efficiency of the school 070 - 074

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

Areas of learning for children under five 075 - 085 English, mathematics and science 086 - 110 Other subjects or courses 111 - 155

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PART C: INSPECTION DATA

Summary of inspection evidence 156 Data and indicators Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall-6

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• .Pupils make good progress at both key stages in mathematics, history, and physical education, and in geography and art at Key Stage Two. • .Standards in reading are good. • .Teaching is consistently good throughout the school. • .Pupils behave very well, have very positive attitudes, develop very good relationships with each other and with adults, and their personal development is very good. • .The school has a very positive ethos. • .Provision for pupils' moral and social development is very good. • .Provision for children under five is consistently good. • .Extra-curricular provision is excellent.

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WHERE THE SCHOOL HAS WEAKNESSES

I. Standards are unsatisfactory in information technology. II. There are weaknesses in planning and the use of assessment, so that what pupils learn does not build sufficiently upon what they already know and have been taught. III. The monitoring of standards and provision in different subjects is not sufficiently systematic. IV. The writing curriculum is not balanced and as a result some pupils, particularly the more able, do not attain the standards of which they are capable. V. Accommodation is unsatisfactory; lack of space restricts aspects of the curriculum.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION

The school has made satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Strengths at the last inspection have generally been maintained and built upon. Standards have improved in maths, history, geography and physical education. The quality of teaching has improved. Assessment procedures have been improved significantly, but results are still not used enough to inform curriculum planning. The subject co-ordinators now give good support to colleagues, but procedures for them to gain a clear overview of teaching and learning remain inadequate. Strategies for monitoring and evaluating the curriculum have improved, but still have weaknesses. The school has set appropriate, carefully worked out targets for improving standards. It is well placed to continue to improve, building on the very positive ethos and the staff’s high level of teaching skills.

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STANDARDS IN SUBJECTS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds in 1999 based on the National Curriculum tests:

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similar schools

· Key well above average A above average B English B B average C Mathematics A A below average D Science B C well below average E Inspection evidence generally confirms this picture. Children under five make good progress and the majority meet the desirable learning outcomes by the age of five. At both key stages, pupils make good progress and achieve good standards in maths, history and physical education. At Key Stage Two, pupils Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall-7 make good progress in geography and art. Pupils make inadequate progress in information technology at each key stage and standards are unsatisfactory. In other subjects, at both key stages, pupils make sound progress and reach appropriate standards. Although good progress is made in elements of science and English, weaknesses in the curriculum mean that overall progress and standards are only sound. The excellent provision of extra curricular activities contributes well to standards, particularly in music and

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Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 – 11 years

English Very Good Good Good Mathematics Very Good Good Good Science n/a Good Good Information technology n/a Unsatisfactory Unsatisfactory Religious education n/a Satisfactory Satisfactory Other subjects Very Good Good Good Teaching is consistently good in all classes, and is very good for pupils under five. During the inspection, teaching was satisfactory or better in 100% of lessons, and was good or better in 77%. It was very good in 25% of lessons. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. Teaching in information technology (IT) is unsatisfactory, because teachers do not make sufficient provision to use IT to support work in other subjects.

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Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 – 11 years

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. 'Satisfactory' means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour Very good, both in class and around the school. Attendance Good. Ethos* Very good. The school is a community where pupils work hard, feel safe and secure, and enjoy learning. There are high expectations of work and behaviour. Leadership and management The headteacher provides clear direction to the work of the school and staff work hard and conscientiously as a team. There are weaknesses in the strategic role of the governors, and in the arrangements for monitoring standards and provision. The role of the subject co-ordinators is not sufficiently developed in this respect. Curriculum Generally broad and balanced, although the writing curriculum is not balanced. There are weaknesses in planning, which is inconsistent in different subjects. Provision for extra-curricular activities, including sport, is excellent. Assessment procedures are good, but are not used sufficiently to support curriculum planning.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils with special educational needs Provision and administration are good. Management is sound, but some individual education plans are not sufficiently specific or detailed. Pupils make good progress because individual class teachers and non-teaching assistants provide them with very good support. Pupils in the Nurture group are well taught and make good progress. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Social and moral development are very good. Spiritual development is good. Cultural development is sound. Staffing, resources and accommodation Staffing and resources are satisfactory. Accommodation is unsatisfactory, because in some areas it restricts the curriculum, when large classes are in small spaces. Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall-8 Value for Money Good. * Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

VI. Standards of behaviour are good. VII. Their children like school. VIII. They find the school very approachable. IX. The school's values and attitudes have a positive effect on their children. X. The school enables children to achieve good standards of work. XI. They are not sufficiently informed about

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

XII. They do not have a clear understanding

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

Inspection evidence supports parents' positive views. Information provided to parents is good, and reports to parents provide a satisfactory picture of children's progress. Information about what is taught has some strengths, but there are also limitations, for example in the information on the curriculum in the prospectus. ·

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

· KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION In order to improve provision the school should:-

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

1. Improve standards in information technology (paragraphs 35. 69. 95. 101. 127-134), in line with current priorities, by a.Systematically implementing the new scheme of work. b. Providing staff with more training, as appropriate. c. Carefully planning how information technology can be used most effectively to support work in other subjects, and ensuring that these plans are implemented systematically. d. Improving resources, particularly those for control and monitoring.

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1. Make better use of assessment information, and plan more carefully, so that what pupils are

taught builds more effectively on what they already know and have been taught (paragraphs. 31. 32. 36. 37. 41. 42) by:- a. Using assessment data to analyse why standards in some aspects of the curriculum are weaker than others, so that progress in these aspects can be improved. b. Improving schemes of work, so that there is clearer and more detailed advice to teachers about what should be taught from year to year. c. Improving written planning, so that it is clear what different groups of pupils are to learn. d. Ensuring that work is better targeted for groups of pupils who learn at different rates, particularly those who are high attainers.

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1. Make better use of assessment information, and plan more carefully, so that what pupils are

2. Improve the monitoring of standards in different subjects (paragraphs 60. 61. 62. 95. 101. 110) by:- a. Devising and implementing more systematic ways for subject co-ordinators to monitor planning and record and evaluate the results. Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall-9 b. Devising and implementing systematic ways for subject co-ordinators to monitor pupils’ work in different classes, and to evaluate and record the results of such monitoring. c. Ensuring that the results of monitoring are analysed and shared with colleagues, so that they can be used to improve provision.

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1. Make better use of assessment information, and plan more carefully, so that what pupils are

3. Revise and improve the curriculum for writing (paragraphs 35. 42. 86. 87. 88. 92. 94. 95) by:- a. Giving pupils more opportunities to write at length in a range of styles and genres, for different purposes. b. Improving the use of pupils’ writing skills in different subject areas, and making less extensive use of worksheets. c. Making less use of the commercial scheme as a basis for work, so that pupils have more chance to apply their good knowledge of grammar, punctuation and spelling to their own writing. d. Ensuring that written work is sufficiently challenging for the higher attaining pupils in the classes.

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1. Make better use of assessment information, and plan more carefully, so that what pupils are

1. Continue the good work already done in improving the accommodation, (paragraphs. 68. 84. 145) as funds permit, in line with the school development plan.

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1. Make better use of assessment information, and plan more carefully, so that what pupils are

There are other more minor weaknesses outlined in paragraphs 47. 66. 117. 118 which the governors may also wish to consider in their action plan. Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall-10

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5. Characteristics of the school

5. 1. Children are admitted to school in the September following their fourth birthday and at the time of the inspection, none of the children in the reception class was of statutory school age, and only four had had their fifth birthday. The majority of children have attended the pre-school which is integrated into the school for three sessions a week. 1. 2. The school is set on the edge of Morecambe Bay, on the outskirts of the village of Preesall. Most pupils come from Preesall or the larger nearby village of Knott End, and a few from other local villages. The school has grown since the last inspection from 207 pupils, and now caters for 228 pupil’s aged from 4 to 11 years. The social background of pupils is very varied, but is average overall. The number of pupils entitled to free school meals is average, and has been rising slowly over the last few years.

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5. Characteristics of the school

3. All pupils are white and all have English as a first language. Thirty one pupils altogether are on the register of special educational needs, which is broadly average, and four have a statement of special need, which is average.

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5. Characteristics of the school

4. Baseline assessment information from when pupils first enter the school indicates that pupils’ attainment on entry covers a wide range, but overall is broadly average. There is evidence of a significant number of pupils who enter the school at a later stage, often during Key Stage Two. For the current Year 6 class, the number of such pupils is large, and includes a large proportion who have special educational needs. 4. 5. The school’s aims are “To provide an education most suitable for the natural development of each child. To give children the best possible preparation for life, bearing in mind their varying ages and differences in aptitude and ability.” More expanded aims cover the social, personal and academic progress of pupils in more detail, including an emphasis on helping less able pupils, and preparing pupils for transfer to their secondary schools. Current priorities for the school include

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5. Characteristics of the school

specific provision in numeracy and literacy for lower attaining pupils at Key Stage Two; introducing a numeracy hour; increasing provision of non-teaching assistance, and upgrading and improving provision for information technology. Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall-11 5. Key indicators Attainment at Key Stage 1

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Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999 15 20 35

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5. National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Number of pupils Boys 13 13 14 at NC Level 2 or Girls 17 18 18 above Total 30 31 32 Percentage at NC School 86 ( 94) 89 (100) 91 (100) Level 2 or above National (80) (81) (84)

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5. Teacher Assessments Reading Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 13 13 15 at NC Level 2 or Girls 18 18 18 above Total 31 31 33 Percentage at NC School 89 (94) 89 (100) 94 (100) Level 2 or above National (81) (85) (86) 1 Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year

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Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999 11 27 38

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1 National Curriculum Test Results English Mathematics Science

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Number of pupils Boys 8 9 9 at NC Level 4 or Girls 23 24 23 above Total 31 33 32 Percentage at NC School 82(79) 87(73) 84 (71) Level 4 or above National (65) (59) (69)

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1 Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 8 9 8 at NC Level 4 or Girls 23 24 24 Above Total 31 33 32 Percentage at NC School 82(73) 87 (79) 84 (73) Level 4 or above National (65) (65) (72)

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............................................. Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall-12 1 Attendance

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Percentage of half days (sessions) missed % through absence for the latest complete Authorised School 4.5 Reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.09 Absence National comparative data 0.5

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Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during Number the previous year: Fixed period 0 Permanent 0

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Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 25 Satisfactory or better 100 Less than satisfactory 0 Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall-13 1 PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

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1 EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

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1 Attainment and progress Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 14 1. Pupils make sound progress overall and attain appropriate standards in most subjects. Standards in mathematics and reading are significant strengths, but standards in information technology are a weakness.

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2. Baseline assessment information from when pupils first enter the school indicates that pupils’ attainment on entry covers a wide range, but overall is broadly average. There is evidence of a significant number of pupils who enter the school at a later stage, often during Key Stage Two. For the current Year 6 class, the number of such pupils is large, and includes a large proportion who have special educational needs.

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3. Children make good progress in the reception class and, by the age of five, the majority attain the desirable learning outcomes in the mathematical, creative and physical areas of learning, in knowledge and understanding of the world and in their personal and social development. They also attain the desirable learning outcomes in speaking and listening and in writing. Pupils exceed the desirable learning outcomes in reading and numeracy.

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4. Results of national curriculum assessments in English in 1998 indicated that standards at the end of Key Stage One were well above average in relation to all schools and in relation to similar schools. The above average scores reflect large numbers of pupils attaining the expected level 2, but with relatively few gaining the higher level 3, except in reading. Results for 1999 show a similar pattern, with large numbers of pupils gaining level 2, and a significant minority obtaining level 3 in reading and in speaking and listening, but few gaining level 3 in writing, and none in the writing test. At the end of Key Stage Two, results of national assessments in 1998 were average in comparison with all schools and with similar schools. Results for 1999 show improvements in test scores, which are now slightly better than average. Examination of the test results shows a clear difference between scores in reading and writing, with only three pupils gaining a level 5 in writing,

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while 15 gained a level 5 in reading. This difference is much greater than average.

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5. Inspection evidence is broadly in line with the assessment evidence, with satisfactory overall standards at the end of each key stage. Progress is good in reading, with high standards at the end of each key stage. In writing, progress is satisfactory overall, and although lower attaining pupils make good progress, higher attainers do not make sufficient progress in writing to exceed the national expectation. Most pupils make at least sound progress in technical aspects of writing such as spelling and handwriting. However, because of shortcomings in the curriculum, pupils do not have sufficient practice in using extended writing in a variety of genres and contexts to make good progress, and in particular, most higher attainers are unable to exceed the national expectation. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection, and have improved in reading.

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6. At the end of both key stages, the results of National Curriculum assessments in mathematics show that for the three-year period to 1998, the performance of pupils was well above the national average in relation to all schools and to similar schools. The 1999 test results indicate that these high standards have been maintained. Inspection evidence supports these findings, and pupils are making good progress in all classes. However, attainment at the end of Key Stage Two is only satisfactory in the present class of Year 6 pupils. This class has a significant number of pupils who are on the special needs register, Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 15 a good proportion of whom joined the school at different times during Key Stage Two. Despite the good progress that they are currently making, they are not overall exceeding national expectations, in the way previous cohorts did, and most classes in the school still

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do. Standards have risen since the last inspection. 7. The results of national assessments in Science at the end of Key Stage One in both 1998 and 1999 show 86% of pupils reached the expected level of attainment, and this proportion was well above the national average. However only 9% of pupils attained the higher level 3 in experimental and investigative science in 1999, which is low. No pupils attained the higher level in life processes and living things, materials and their properties or in physical processes in end of key stage assessments in 1998 and 1999. This is well below average. Pupils at Key Stage One make sound progress and are attaining standards in line with national averages. The results of national assessments at the end of Key Stage Two in 1999 show 84% of pupils reached the expected level of attainment, and this proportion was above the national average. This is an improvement on the previous year’s results.

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Twenty six per cent of pupils attained the higher level 5, which is also above standards expected nationally. Observations during the inspection this year support the school’s targets for the year 2000 when standards are expected to be in line with national averages; the decline is due to the large numbers of special needs pupils in the present Year 6 cohort. Pupils in Key Stage Two make sound progress and attain standards in line with national expectations. Overall, although pupils build up a sound level of factual knowledge, their skills in experimental and investigative science are weaker.

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8. At both key stages, pupils make good progress and achieve good standards in history and physical education. Pupils make satisfactory progress in geography and art at Key Stage One, and good progress at Key Stage Two. In religious education, pupils make satisfactory progress and achieve standards in line with the requirements of the agreed syllabus at each key stage. At both key stages, pupils make satisfactory progress in design and technology and in music.

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9. Pupils make inadequate progress in information technology (IT) at each key stage and standards are unsatisfactory. Although progress in specific lessons on the subject is sound, too few opportunities are taken to use IT in other subjects, and pupils have too little experience to attain sound standards overall. The control aspects of the subject are not taught at all.

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10. The excellent provision of extra-curricular activities contributes well to standards, particularly in music and physical education.

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11. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because of the skilled teaching and extra help they receive. Pupils with varying levels of attainment generally make similar progress, except that in some lessons there is insufficient challenge in work for higher attaining pupils, and they then do not make the progress of which they are capable.

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12. Pupils make good progress in the key skills of literacy and numeracy, and in speaking and listening, sound overall progress in writing, but inadequate progress in information and communications technology (ICT). Their skills are generally used well to support work in other subjects, but the use of their writing skills is variable between subjects, and the use of Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 16 their ICT skills is unsatisfactory.

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17. Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

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13. Throughout the school, pupils have very positive attitudes to their work and say how much they enjoy school. Parents’ views confirm this. Pupils are very attentive and enthusiastic during lessons and are very willing to contribute during class discussions. They show an ability to sustain concentration, and respond well to their teachers. They demonstrate very positive attitudes to work in literacy and numeracy sessions. For example, they are keen to find the correct answer in mental arithmetic sessions.

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14. The positive ethos of the school has maintained and strengthened the good attitudes and behaviour found at the previous inspection. Behaviour in classrooms and around the school is very good. No incidents of bullying were witnessed during this inspection and pupils and parents report that such incidents are rare, and are dealt with quickly and appropriately. Staff deal with occasional minor incidents of inappropriate behaviour immediately and effectively. Children give a friendly, courteous welcome to visitors and are keen to show them the school and aspects of their own work. Their collaborative skills are very well developed and they work together effectively in pairs and small groups. In the lessons observed in design and technology, for example, pupils shared tools amicably, and listened carefully to each other’s ideas. There have been no exclusions.

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15. Relationships between pupils are very good. They are caring and supportive of one another and have very good relationships with staff. They show great respect for the values and beliefs of others and are sensitive to their peers who have need of support.

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16. Pupils with special educational needs respond very positively to the good support they receive. They concentrate well and this helps them make good progress in the light of their initial attainment. They relate well to their classmates and are fully accepted by them. Their response in the “nurture group” in Key Stage Two, is positive and they try hard and take a keen interest in their work. They take pride in the success they achieve.

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17. Personal development is very good and the children show initiative in their lessons and their social interactions. They are keen to undertake responsibilities in the classroom and around the school, with older pupils taking on greater responsibility, such as the care of the animals throughout the year. Older pupils support and engage in activities with the younger ones including running a recorder session for them. Their sense of citizenship is high, and was shown by their support for the Poppy Day fund raising and through their exemplary observance of the minute’s silence throughout the school.

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18. The school has maintained the good level of attendance found at the last inspection. Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 17 Authorised absence remains below the national average and unauthorised absence is minimal. Registration is quick and efficient and meets legal requirements. Standard of attendance and punctuality make a positive contribution to pupils’ attainment and progress.

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19. Teaching is consistently good in all classes, and is very good for pupils under five. During the inspection, teaching was satisfactory or better in 100% of lessons, and was good or better in 77%. It was very good in 25% of lessons. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. The good teaching leads to pupils making generally good progress in their lessons. However, because of weaknesses in the curriculum, particularly writing and information technology, the overall progress which pupils make is only sound, although they make good progress in several subjects. The overall quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection.

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20. The quality of teaching for children under five is very good. All staff know the children very well and plan relevant activities which are very well matched to individual learning needs. There is a very good balance between teacher-led and independent learning activities, which contributes significantly to the children’s personal development. The management and integration of children with special educational needs is excellent and appropriate support enables all children to make good progress.

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21. A major strength of teaching across the school is the very good management of pupils, which promotes good progress in the majority of lessons. Teachers establish very good relationships through a positive approach in which high expectations of work and behaviour are made clear. Teachers value pupils’ ideas and contributions, and deal sensitively with mistakes, so that pupils are happy to take the initiative, or to contribute even when they are not sure of the answer. Clear and useful classroom routines are established and are understood and followed well by pupils; this ensures that little time is wasted, and supports pupils’ good progress in lessons.

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22. Teachers’ knowledge of the subjects they teach is good overall, and is a particular strength in art, mathematics, history, and reading, and in the areas of learning for under-fives. This contributes to the good progress which pupils make in these areas. Subject co-ordinators have good knowledge of the subjects they teach so that they are able to provide good advice and support to colleagues who ask for help. However, a weakness in subject knowledge is in information technology (IT). Staff have improved their confidence in using IT through a variety of appropriate training, and there is evidence that this has impacted positively on some aspects of pupils’ attainment. However, most staff are insecure in using IT to support work in other subjects of the curriculum. This not only means that there are missed opportunities in these subjects, but that pupils are not given enough opportunities to practise their IT skills. This is a significant factor in the unsatisfactory progress in IT,

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despite recent improvements in resources. The school is aware of the shortcomings, and Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 18 further training and developments in IT are planned.

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23. The teaching of literacy is good. Teachers have high expectations of work and behaviour, which are made explicit. This generally leads to hard work and good behaviour from pupils, and to good progress in the lessons. Teachers’ subject knowledge is good for speaking and listening and for reading. Questioning skills are good and pupils are successfully encouraged to think through and explain their ideas. Reading is well organised and pupils’ progress is monitored thoroughly by class teachers, and good teaching of phonics is complemented by clear specific teaching of higher skills. Shared reading, based on the literacy strategy is used very effectively. There are weaknesses in some aspects of the teaching of writing, and insufficient provision is made for pupils to extend their writing skills, both within English lessons and in other subjects. Teachers prepare well for their lessons but written planning has weaknesses. Teachers use the literacy strategy planning

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framework as their basis for weekly planning. As many lessons are not really based on the literacy strategy, but follow the commercial scheme, this can be confusing. Planning for pupils to do work matched to their different levels of attainment when working in groups is weak. Although teaching is good overall, and results in pupils making good progress in lessons, the gaps in the curriculum mean that overall progress in the subject is only satisfactory.

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24. The teaching of numeracy is good overall, was at least satisfactory in all lessons observed, and was sometimes very good. Subject knowledge is generally a strength. The consistent good teaching is a major factor in the good progress and standards in the subject. Where teaching is very good, lessons are conducted at a good pace, teachers subject knowledge is very good and there is very good provision of different work to pupils at different stages of attainment. In the mixed-age, Nurture Group, pupils receive good support with tasks that are closely matched to their individual levels of attainment. Conversely, a weakness of some lessons observed, which were nonetheless sound overall, was insufficient provision of different, suitably challenging work to pupils with high levels of attainment.

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25. Teachers are confident in teaching the class as a whole, and are good at involving all pupils. They give clear explanations, and use questioning skills well to check upon pupils’ understanding. In the best lessons, the presentation is lively and is often supported by well- chosen resources. All this ensures that pupils’ interest is maintained, supporting good progress. When pupils are working more independently, their progress is usually monitored effectively so that any misconceptions are noticed and addressed. In better lessons, teachers question pupils effectively to get them to consider the quality of their work and challenge them to evaluate and improve it. They are given good oral feedback on how they are progressing, although written marking is usually brief and does not always give pupils pointers about how to improve. Resources are used well across the curriculum except in IT. Good use is made of extra adults to support pupils’ learning, particularly for pupils with

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special education needs, and for children under five. Adults are well-briefed on what is expected, so that they contribute positively to pupils’ learning when working directly with them, or perform other tasks for the teachers, who can then give all their attention to the pupils.

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26. Teachers prepare thoroughly for lessons and work hard to ensure that lessons are based on the school’s medium-term planning. However, written planning lacks detail and is not based Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 19 on any overall format except for weekly literacy plans. Plans seldom outline clearly what pupils are intended to learn, and the different activities and intentions for different groups of pupils are not outlined clearly enough. This occasionally leads to a lack of clear focus in the lesson, and makes it difficult for subject co-ordinators, who monitor planning, to get a clear view of the provision in their colleagues’ classrooms.

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27. In general, work is well matched to the needs of the class, and presents a good level of challenge to most pupils. Pupils who struggle with aspects of work are supported well. Teachers and support staff have a good knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of these pupils and intervene appropriately to help them cope with work, or ensure that they are given different work, which matches their needs. As a result, pupils with special educational needs and those with relatively lower attainment often make good progress in lessons. The provision of work for higher attaining pupils is less effectively organised, and is sometimes unsatisfactory. In a few lessons, pupils spend time doing tasks which are well within their capabilities, instead of tackling more challenging work. In English, particularly at Key Stage Two, insufficient attention is paid to developing pupils’ writing in a range of styles, and too much time is spent on working from textbooks. This prevents higher

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attaining pupils from going beyond the national expectation to attain high standards. In science, particularly at Key Stage One, too little work is done which would enable pupils to attain beyond the expected average level. In general, too little attention is paid to providing work which is carefully matched to the needs of pupils who learn at different rates, and insufficient use is made of the good assessment data which is available. This is a particular issue when pupils work in groups during lessons based on the literacy or numeracy strategies.

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28. Homework is used effectively and supports pupils’ progress.

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29. The curriculum for children under five is broad, generally balanced and relevant. The children take part in a good range of experiences, which are interesting and appropriate to the early years of learning and prepare them well for the National Curriculum. However, the recently introduced literacy and numeracy strategies take up more than the recommended amount of time and leave fewer opportunities for the children to develop other areas of learning. For example, the children need more regular opportunities to develop their physical skills by using wheeled toys and balancing and climbing apparatus.

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30. Throughout the rest of the school, the curriculum is broad, generally balanced and relevant and meets statutory requirements except in information technology where the control and monitoring of external events are not taught. The curriculum lacks balance in some subjects. For example, information technology is not allocated a time as a separate subject, as the intention is to integrate it into work across the whole curriculum. In practice, pupils experience very little information technology, as there are too few planned opportunities in most subjects, and lessons, for pupils to use computers. In English, pupils have too few opportunities to write for different purposes or to develop extended pieces of writing. The use of writing skills in other subjects is variable. For example, in geography at Key Stage Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 20 Two there are good examples of writing about field trips. However, in contrast, there are

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few examples of reports for whole science investigations. The daily literacy and numeracy lessons take up most of the morning requiring all other subjects to be squeezed into the afternoon. On occasions, activities have just got started when it is time to stop.

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31. There are appropriate policies for all curriculum subjects and all teachers follow these. There are schemes of work for the core subjects. English and mathematics are based on the literacy and numeracy strategies, science follows a whole school overview and information technology follows a commercial scheme, which has been recently adopted. The way the school has adapted the literacy strategy is not supporting improvements in writing, because it has resulted in imbalances in the curriculum. Insufficient detail in the science scheme of work leads to a lack of progression in what is taught, and the repetition of some work at the same level is evident. Sex education is taught appropriately through the science and health education schemes of work, as is drugs awareness. An appropriate range and amount of homework is set for each year group and ranges from reading with parents at home in Year 1 to formal questions booklets in Year 6.

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32. At the time of the last inspection, a key issue was that the school should continue to develop strategies for monitoring and evaluating the curriculum to ensure continuity and progression across and within subjects and key stages. As there are still weaknesses in this area of the curriculum, this issue has only partly been addressed. There are policies for all subjects but there is too little guidance on what teachers should teach in most subjects for their age group. This leads to some repetition of the same work at the same level and means that the more able pupils are not always challenged.

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33. The curriculum for pupils with special educational needs has similar strengths and weaknesses as for other pupils. A positive feature is the carefully worked-out curriculum provided to match pupils’ needs in the “nurture group” in Years 3, 4 and 5. In other classes, good support from teachers and other staff enables pupils to access all aspects of the curriculum at an appropriate level.

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34. The school provides an excellent range of extra curricular activities and these have a positive impact on the curriculum and standards of attainment. A wide range of sporting activities is open to both boys and girls and the teams representing the school have had considerable success. The quiz and chess clubs provide balance to the development of the mind as well as the body. The number and variety of lessons in instrumental music tuition enrich the wide range of musical activities. During the inspection, pupils met for their first rehearsal for the annual Christmas Show for parents and the choir and guitar club are busy practising carols for their contributions. Pupils from each key stage attend the gymnastic clubs, and the dance club and swimming galas add further enrichment to the curriculum. Each week, pupils meet to teach each other the recorder and this makes a significant contribution to personal development. A range of visitors into school and visits to places of

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interest enriches the curriculum further.

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35. Procedures for collecting assessment information are good and good use is made of the information to group pupils for literacy and numeracy lessons. Regular assessments are made in mathematics and English and the information is used well for tracking the progress Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 21 of individual pupils and setting appropriate targets for groups of pupils. Detailed baseline assessments are made when the pupils start school and good use is made of the information to match activities to individual learning needs. For example, individual tracking of the pupils’ learning in the reception class is partially responsible for the good progress in reading.

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36. However, insufficient use is made of the information to make changes to the curriculum to improve learning. In recent years despite good overall scores, no pupils have attained the higher levels in some aspects of English, mathematics and science at Key Stage One, and few have attained higher levels in writing at Key Stage Two. The school has not used this information effectively to evaluate and review the curriculum in order to address these issues.

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37. The school has introduced the numeracy strategy well and standards in mathematics are good. The way the school has adapted the national literacy strategy, while continuing to support high standards in reading, has not helped to support progress in writing. The school’s use of literacy across the curriculum, while satisfactory, is variable. Good use is generally made of reading skills, for example to research information in history or geography. In some subjects, pupils are not given enough opportunities to develop extended pieces of writing or to write for different purposes. For example, in science pupils are given worksheets to complete which restrict their ability to write full accounts of their investigations. Numeracy extends well into other curriculum subjects, as pupils are encouraged to use these skills in a range of subjects and contexts.

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38. All pupils have equal access to the whole curriculum regardless of gender and ability. Care is taken to ensure that pupils with special educational needs who receive individual support, and pupils who take part in instrumental music tuition, are not withdrawn from the same lessons each week.

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43. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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39. Good provision is made for pupils’ spiritual development. The daily acts of collective worship, which fully meet statutory requirements, are an important part of spiritual provision. Pupils are given good opportunities to reflect upon appropriate aspects of the curriculum and their daily lives. A conservation area, with dedicated seating and a pond, provides pupils with good opportunities to appreciate their natural environment. A livestock area with breeding hens and rabbits provides good opportunities for pupils to observe nature at work with the successful, and sometimes failed, hatching of eggs and the birth and development of young animals. The physical location of the school and its sea wall, in relation to Morecambe Bay and the fells, presents good opportunities for the pupils to reflect on the development of landforms and their use by people. Teachers are alert to the need for pupils to reflect about their work and provide suitable opportunities. For example,

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in an art lesson pupils spent time discussing and carefully observing natural objects such as shells and seeds, before attempting to draw them.

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40. Provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. From their earliest days in the Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 22 school, the pupils are effectively taught the difference between right and wrong. They are made aware of, and abide by, the school rules. By the manner in which they listen to and respect the pupils in their care, teachers and support staff provide very good role models. School assemblies provide very good encouragement for pupils to consider the effects of their actions on other people. There is strong parental support for the school’s values and the very positive effects they have on their children.

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41. Provision for pupils’ social development is very good. The school provides a happy, supporting and caring environment. There are many, very well-planned opportunities for the pupils to work together. During the Christmas period, infant pupils presented productions of ‘The Innkeeper’s Sleepless Night’, and junior pupils staged their production of ‘Up the Beanstalk’ for the school and to residents from the local nursing and rest homes. The large school choir performs concerts including a joint musical evening with the Pilling Band. Pupils are given very good opportunities to participate in a wide variety of sporting activities. The school netball team was particularly successful last year and this year the school football team, including girl players, is unbeaten. A full week of camping under canvas is made available to upper juniors, shared with pupils from a nearby primary and neighbouring special school. This provides very good opportunities for pupils to mix with

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others, to perform camp duties together and to take part in good social activity. Pupils are encouraged to be aware of others less fortunate than themselves by supporting charities including the local David Powell Memorial Fund, the Kenyan School Project and Children in Need. In lessons, provision for pupils to work independently and collaboratively are well balanced and contribute well to the very good overall social development.

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42. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory, with considerable strengths in extra-curricular provision, and the use of visitors, but some weaknesses in the curriculum subjects. Strong links are made with Kabare School in Kenya and a missionary has visited this school. Pupils learn effectively about other cultures through their studies in history. Flourishing music groups, for a variety of instruments, add good quality to the school’s public musical performances. The large school choir takes part in performances including good, joint productions with the Pilling Band. There is a chess club, which competes well in games against other schools. An artist visits the school and displays of pupils’ work are well presented in Fleetwood Museum and Knott End Library. Opportunities for pupils to gain a sense of their own culture through stories and poetry are relatively limited, however. Although pupils do study different artists and composers, the is no overall plan for this to

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ensure a balanced programme as pupils move through the school. Multi-cultural education is supported satisfactorily by Religious Education with a good supply of pictures and artefacts being available. Some opportunities are taken in other subjects as they occur, for example the artwork in Year 4 on African masks. However, the provision is not systematic. Feasts and Festivals from other cultures are not celebrated and the planned curriculum does not sufficiently support the cultural development of the pupils. There is no systematic programme to introduce pupils to the diversity of cultures present in contemporary British society. 47.

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47. Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 23 43. The school continues to promote effectively the welfare of its pupils as the previous inspection found. The caring staff successfully support the ethos and aims of the school and provide a happy, safe, secure environment where pupils are valued. Procedures for monitoring progress and personal development are good and those for the latter, in particular, have a positive effect upon pupils’ development. The school’s commitment to its aim to provide an education most suitable for the natural development of each child ensures continuous support into secondary education. The pre-school provision within the school ensures a smooth induction for children entering the reception class.

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44. The support and guidance given to children under five are good and staff provide a safe and secure learning environment. Individual portfolios of the children’s achievements are kept and used to monitor progress. The baseline assessment is repeated at the end of the reception year and provides very useful information on the rate of progress of individual children.

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45. Teachers across the school know their pupils very well. Relationships are very good and as a result pupils are confident and parents report that their children are happy to be at school. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well, both in terms of formal arrangements such the successful “nurture group” and specific help from non-teaching staff, and through well-judged help from their teachers, who ensure that they are purposefully involved in the curriculum.

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46. Very high standards are set for behaviour and pupils respond accordingly. The school has a well thought out behaviour policy, based on good manners, courtesy and respect. The staff implement this consistently and the pupils respond positively.

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47. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance are good and unauthorised absence has decreased to a minimum. Registration procedures are carried out quickly and efficiently.

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48. Procedures for child protection, pupils’ well-being, and health and safety are good. Health and safety requirements are met and sound arrangements for first aid are in place. Several members of staff have undertaken recognised training, and pupils are given appropriate medical support when required. The services of the educational welfare officer and other visiting professionals are used appropriately to support areas of the curriculum. Suitable child protection procedures are in place and staff are vigilant. Sex education and personal health are integrated in the curriculum throughout the school years. Drugs awareness, alcohol and tobacco abuse issues are addressed with strong support from parents.

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53. Partnership with parents and the community

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49. The quality of information provided by the school to parents is good, and regular, illustrated, good quality newsletters, covering all aspects of school life, keep parents informed. Parents find annual reports give a clear picture of their child’s progress and attainment. However, they do not always show targets for future development. The school Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 24 prospectus is produced as a wallet of useful booklets, which meets statutory requirements. However the governors’ annual report to parents does not give an account of the attention given to security issues in the previous year. The home/school agreement document has had substantial parent input.

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50. Partnership with parents of children under five is good. There is a reading diary which is used very effectively by teachers and parents to keep each other informed about individual children’s progress. Informal opportunities to discuss progress are also available at home time. All parents and the children who attend pre-school are invited to assembly every Tuesday and are included in birthday and personal achievements celebrations. Several parents come into school to help on a regular basis and they make a very positive contribution to the children’s learning. There is a good starting-school booklet, which gives useful information to parents.

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51. Parents strongly support the aims and values of the school. Some help out in classes, in various ways and one parent takes a drama lesson. There is no parent teacher association but “Friends” of the school offer support when needed, such as providing costumes and help during book week. Parents feel welcome in the school and the previous inspection findings, that their support made a significant contribution to the pupils’ learning, continues to be true.

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52. Although the school is geographically isolated, the enrichment though links with the community is very good. The school takes every opportunity to take part in activities such as in music and art, and competitions for pupil speaking and sport, often with success. A very good induction is in place for children coming into school from the pre school group, and strong support smooths the transition of the older pupils to secondary school. Links with the church are made by some religious education classes taken by the local vicar, and further religious, spiritual and social links are strengthened by the school’s support for the Gift of Knowledge project in Kabare School in Kenya, and visits from its missionary. Visitors to the school, such as an artist, photographer, musicians and theatre groups further support the curriculum. Residential trips to places such as Ross on Wye and Buxton strengthen the school’s cultural and social links and create more awareness of the

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environment. Senior citizens are entertained at Christmas and the choir has joined with Pilling Band to entertain at a children’s hospice.

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53. Business links are provided by training opportunities from British Aerospace, in design and technology and computers. The school provides work placements for students though a local partnership. This continues to make a very positive contribution to the life of the school and a positive impact on pupils’ learning.

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58. THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

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54. The school benefits from sound management, which has enabled it to make satisfactory Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 25 progress since the last inspection, including maintaining and improving standards, and improving the quality of teaching. Standards have been generally maintained since the last inspection, and have improved in mathematics, history, geography and physical education. Improvements have been made in all key issues, but there are still weaknesses in using assessment data and in monitoring standards. The headteacher provides clear educational direction to the school’s work, and is supported effectively by colleagues who work together effectively as a team. Shared aims and values are established and staff work hard and consistently to implement them. This has contributed well to the high standards of behaviour, the consistently good teaching, the very positive ethos in the school, and the good

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55. The management of the overall curriculum is satisfactory, but there are weaknesses in aspects of this facet of the school’s work. Subject co-ordinators give good support to colleagues and have used their good subject knowledge effectively to help provide a sound curriculum in most subjects. Co-ordinators have worked hard to produce policies and schemes of work which are generally effective, although there are weaknesses in some subjects, in art for example. The introduction of the national numeracy strategy has been effective, and has helped the maintenance of high standards in mathematics. However, the way the school has introduced the national literacy strategy has not had the beneficial results which would be in proportion to the hard work of the staff, although sound standards have been maintained. The development of pupils’ reading is managed well, and results in good progress and high standards.

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56. The management of the provision for pupils with special educational needs is sound. It is administered well by the special educational needs co-ordinator, who works hard in limited time to support her colleagues. Effective links are maintained with external support services provided by the local education authority. Good use is made of the skilled support staff, and links with parents are maintained effectively. The management of support staff is sufficiently flexible to ensure that the most effective use is made of their time. Individual education plans are satisfactory overall, but are variable in quality. The better examples draw clearly on the assessment information available, and set out clear, detailed targets, which give teachers and pupils specific things which they can aim for. Other examples are much weaker, do not have sufficiently specific targets, and do not always derive clearly from the assessments available. The decision to teach a number of pupils at Key Stage

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Two, who struggle with basic literacy and numeracy, in a “nurture group” has been effective. The small group size and the good quality of the teaching are enabling them to make consistently good progress.

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57. The monitoring of standards and provision in different subjects is unsatisfactory. Although co-ordinators monitor teachers’ planning regularly, the results of this are not recorded or used sufficiently systematically. The lack of a common format for planning makes monitoring more difficult. Informal monitoring of teaching by the headteacher has been effective, and supports good general standards. However, subject co-ordinators have little opportunity to monitor teaching, and there is no system to enable them to monitor the standards of work in their subjects. This makes it difficult for them to get a firm grasp of progress in their areas of responsibility, or to identify areas of concern, which means that they cannot always use their expertise to best effect. Although co-ordinators have monitored data from national curriculum assessments, they have not analysed these in sufficient detail Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 26

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to support refinement and development in the curriculum. For example, the reasons for the wide disparity in scores between reading and writing last year at Key Stage Two have not been addressed.

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58. The governors are supportive of the work of the school but their role in providing strategic direction is weak, this aspect having been effectively delegated to the headteacher. Sound systems are in place to enable governors to gain a view of the curriculum although, in discussion, governors are unclear about curricular strengths, weaknesses or priorities. The governing body has a much clearer grasp of financial and other matters, and exercises a secure oversight of the extensive developments in the buildings over the last few years. This has been managed well by all concerned.

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64. The school development plan provides a good overview of what priorities the school intends to address. These are suitably grouped under headings such as staffing or curriculum. The plan includes a useful three-year forward overview, which is updated each year. There is a sound, subjective overview of the previous year’s plans and priorities. Costings are included, and are based on the school budget. The weakest part of the document is the lack of focus on standards of attainment, and the lack of clarity in targets for evaluating success, especially in the curriculum section. For example, while clearly it is appropriate for the work in information technology to result in “all pupils being computer literate”, it is not clear how this is defined, or how it will be assessed. The governors discuss the development plan after the headteacher has produced it, in consultation with colleagues. The governing

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body’s involvement in the formulation of the plan and in helping to set overall direction is inadequate.

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59. The school has a very positive ethos, which is founded on very good relationships and a shared sense of purpose. Its policies and aims are generally reflected throughout its work, and the pastoral side of the school is extremely well developed. The learning environment promotes a calm and purposeful working atmosphere, and strongly supports the good progress which pupils make in lessons. The staff and pupils are committed to high standards; pupils are keen to do well and staff work hard to ensure that they do.

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60. The school generally fulfills its statutory responsibilities effectively, except for missing out elements of the IT curriculum, failing to include classroom observation as part of the appraisal of teachers, and minor omissions in the governors’ report to parents.

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66. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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61. The school has an adequate number of qualified teachers with a good range of experience and expertise to provide support across the curriculum. The staff is very stable, but there is a useful staff handbook which would help new members of staff to function effectively in school. Teachers take responsibility for all relevant subjects and a range of aspects and have clear job descriptions which are updated yearly. The school has a useful appraisal system which operates on an annual basis, and is used to identify points for development and to target further in-service training. Currently, the process does not involve classroom Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 27 observation, and so does not meet statutory requirements. Provision of non-teaching staff to work in the classroom is good and effectively compensates for many of the disadvantages of larger classes. These skilled staff have a positive impact on pupils’ progress, particularly

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children under five and pupils with special educational needs. The school, in addition to class teachers, employs a teacher to take a group of special needs pupils at Key Stage Two for literacy and numeracy. This is effective in supporting the progress of these pupils. Administrative support is efficient and effective, and the school caretaker and staff maintain the building to a good standard, supporting the school as a pleasant and effective learning environment.

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62. The previous inspection found the school building and grounds well maintained. Considerable improvements have since taken place. The school is clean and functional but the accommodation is unsatisfactory overall. The size of classrooms with 30 and more pupils, especially at Key Stage 2, means they are over crowded when all pupils are working exclusively in the classroom, and this sometimes limits progress in practical activities. Good use is made of all available space, and the school is kept tidy. This, together with a range of colourful and varied displays, provides a positive and stimulating environment for teaching and learning. The school hall is used for a variety of purposes including school assemblies, and as a lunchtime dining room. However, the size of it places limitations on the teaching of physical education. The lack of separate accommodation for an office for the head teacher and secretary is detrimental to confidential discussion with parents. The school

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grounds are well used for such activities as orienteering, and a small pond and a conservation area support the curriculum. The well-cared-for animals remain an integral part of school life. The pleasant open-plan library is also used for some music lessons and a medical room if required.

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63. The inadequacy of some resources found in the previous report has been addressed and provision is now overall satisfactory, with that in history and religious education being good. There is, however, a lack of equipment to support computer generated control for Key Stage 2, and the provision of large and wheeled toys to promote the physical development of the youngest pupils.

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64. The school’s efficiency is good overall. There are effective procedures for financial planning with specific responsibilities delegated to an appropriate committee of the governing body. The quality of financial planning is good and spending is carefully monitored and evaluated by the Finance Committee. Spending decisions are linked well to the school development plan and have resulted in good improvements and developments to the school accommodation.

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65. Good use is generally made of all staff. Teaching staff are deployed effectively and subject co-ordinators offer useful support to colleagues. However, insufficient use is made of their expertise in monitoring standards. The effective and skilled support assistants are well deployed and are well supplemented by other volunteer helpers who give good support to the younger pupils. Non-teaching staff make particularly valuable contributions to the Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 28 progress of pupils with special needs and children under five. Funding of special educational needs is used effectively. It provides good staffing of a mixed age ‘Nurture Class’ for English and mathematics and additional, good staffing support for pupils with statements of special educational needs.

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66. Throughout the school, learning resources are generally adequate and used well. However, the recently purchased, good quality, information technology hardware is insufficiently used, particularly in English and mathematics. The space-restricted accommodation is used well, including the school grounds.

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67. The recent external audit indicates that the financial management of the school is of a very good standard. There are a few minor concerns requiring attention. The day-to-day administration of the school’s finances is well managed by the clerical staff who provide good support for the headteacher. Procedures for controlling and monitoring income and expenditure are effective.

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68. In view of the generally sound attainment and progress made by the pupils, and the good progress and standards in several subjects, their very good behaviour and attitudes to learning, and the good overall quality of education including teaching, and the low unit costs, the school gives good value for money. Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 29 74. PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

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74. AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

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69. Children are admitted to school in the September following their fourth birthday and, at the time of the inspection, only four children in the reception class were five years old. The majority of children have attended the pre-school class which is integrated into the school for three sessions a week, and start school with skills in line with those expected nationally in all the areas of learning for under fives.

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70. Children make good progress in the reception class and, by the age of five, the majority attain the desirable learning outcomes in the mathematical, creative and physical areas of learning, in knowledge and understanding of the world and in their personal and social development. They also attain the desirable learning outcomes in speaking and listening and in writing. Pupils exceed the desirable learning outcomes in reading and numeracy.

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71. Children settle quickly into school and soon learn the well-established routines. There are very close links and excellent liaison between the school and pre-school, and this has a significant impact on the ease with which the children settle. Children are attentive and listen well to adults and each other, following simple instructions and maintaining an orderly community in the classroom. They are keen to answer questions and are developing good respect for others’ answers. They are developing positive friendships and tolerance towards other children. Very good relationships are well established in the caring ethos created in the classroom.

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72. The quality of teaching is very good. All staff know the children very well and plan relevant activities, which are very well matched to individual learning needs. There is a very good balance between teacher-led and independent learning activities, which contributes significantly to the children’s personal development. The management and integration of children with special educational needs is excellent and appropriate support enables all children to make good progress. Support staff and parents make a significant contribution to the quality of teaching and learning in the under fives. The very attractive and relevant displays provide an interesting and stimulating learning environment and the classroom is well organised into areas, each containing a sufficient range and number of resources.

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73. The curriculum for the under fives is good overall. The current practice of planning within subjects links with the National Curriculum but is not always appropriate to the leaning needs of children under five. The recently introduced literacy and numeracy strategies take up more than the recommended amount of time and this leaves too few opportunities to develop other areas of learning sufficiently well. The range of activities is suitable, however, and provides for continuity and progression in the areas of learning. Baseline assessment is thorough and provides useful information about children’s attainment. The information is used well to group the children for language, literacy and mathematics, and the individual monitoring of the progress in reading and very good teaching effectively raise standards. Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 30 74. Children under five make good progress in their personal and social development and by the

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age of five attain the desirable learning outcomes in this area of learning. The children respond well to adults in the classroom and have developed very good relationships with each other and with adults. They play well together in the post office and the playhouse, taking it in turns to dress up and play the part of the postman. Others work alongside each other in the sandpit and share the area equally to write their names in the sand. The majority of children are able to select an appropriate activity when given a choice and are beginning to develop tolerance towards others, for example by sharing and taking turns to use the construction toys. They are developing a good understanding of the impact their actions have on others through appropriate, consistent and positive adult intervention into minor squabbles and through a well planned religious education programme. Children talk confidently about their feelings.

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75. Children under five respond well to the language and literacy area of learning. The quality of teaching is very good and children make good progress. By the age of five the majority attain the desirable learning outcomes in all aspects of language and literacy except reading, where they attain standards above those expected nationally. Many children have already begun to develop a sight vocabulary of ten to twenty words and use them to read the early stages of the school’s reading scheme. All the children know several letter sounds and can use their knowledge to sound out simple words. They can identify the author and title of any book in the classroom and know that print conveys meaning so that, even if they do not know the words, they can make up a simple story using the pictures as clues. Most children speak confidently to adults and to each other using appropriate vocabulary. However, there

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are examples of children using immature language to describe the activities in which they are involved. Writing skills are still at an early stage but several children can write their name using correct upper and lower case letters, which are formed and orientated correctly.

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76. Children under five make good progress in the mathematical area of learning and the majority attain the desirable learning outcomes by the age of five. They exceed the desirable learning outcomes in numeracy. The majority can count objects to ten. They are learning numbers to ten appropriately through a range of number songs, games and rhymes and use them to help understand simple addition and subtraction problems. They can recognise and name circles, squares, triangles and rectangles. Many children can say which is the bigger of two objects and talk about the size of everyday objects in terms of their length and thickness.

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77. Children make good progress in their knowledge and understanding of the world and the majority attain the desirable learning outcomes by the age of five. In their work with computers, they confidently use a large roller ball to move the arrow around the screen. They can click on the appropriate icon to listen to a talking book and explore the sound and picture effects. Every day the children make a record of the weather and during the inspection were learning about the properties of the clothes we wear when it is raining. They are developing sound design skills and can construct models of trains using a commercial construction kit. The topic about teddy-bears provides a good context through which the children are developing a sense of time gone by, and they have designed and made beds for their bears. The children are learning about where they live by acting out the role of the postman, and by writing letters to people they know in the village.

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Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 31 78. Children under five make satisfactory progress in their physical development and, by the age of five, the majority attain the desirable learning outcomes in this area of learning. Children are able to use scissors accurately and safely to cut around a circle to make a phonics wheel for their literacy work. They produce recognisable pictures with paint, crayons and chalk, with reasonable skill, and some can write their name using correct letter formation. Their “large motor skills” of running, dodging and balancing are appropriate for their age. Some opportunity is available to develop jumping, climbing and balancing skills during physical education and dance lessons, which are timetabled twice a week, but there is insufficient provision to practise these skills. This is because there is not enough access to the hall at other times, or to an outdoor area and large equipment. Large wheeled toys or

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climbing equipment are not always available.

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79. Children under five make satisfactory progress in their creative development and the majority attain the desirable learning outcomes by the age of five. They enjoy singing a range of songs and sing tunefully and accurately. They gave a good rendition of ‘Singing in the Rain’ during their weekly music lesson and were able to use percussion to add simple sound effects to a poem about the weather. Further opportunities to practise and enhance their creative development at other times during the week are inadequate. Children’s work on display shows that they can produce paintings and collage pictures to a good standard .

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80. Results of national curriculum assessments in 1998 indicated that standards at the end of Key Stage One were well above average in relation to all schools and in relation to similar schools. Results over the three years to 1998 show a steady improvement in reading levels, and minor improvements in writing. The high scores reflect large numbers of pupils attaining the expected level 2, but with relatively few gaining the higher level 3 except in reading, where scores are high. Few pupils attain level 3 in writing. Results for 1999 show a similar pattern, with large numbers of pupils gaining level 2, and a significant minority obtaining level 3 in reading and in speaking and listening, but few gaining level 3 in writing, and none in the writing test.

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81. At the end of Key Stage Two, results of national assessments in 1998 were average in comparison with all schools and with similar schools. In the three years prior to 1998 scores in tests have remained stable while nationally standards have risen, so that the school has gone from above average results to broadly average. Results for 1999 show improvements in test scores in line with national trends, and results are now above average, with a significant number of pupils gaining the higher-than-expected level 5. Examination of the test scores obtained shows a clear difference between scores in reading and writing, with only 3 pupils gaining a level 5 in writing, while 15 gained a level 5 in reading. This difference is not reflected in the teacher assessments. Although the gap between reading and writing scores is a national phenomenon, the difference is much greater than average in this school. Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 32

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82. Inspection evidence is broadly in line with the assessment evidence, with satisfactory overall standards at the end of each key stage. At the end of Key Stage One, standards are good in reading, with all pupils making good progress across the key stage, lower attainers doing well, and higher attainers enabled to progress to standards above the national expectation. In writing, progress is satisfactory overall, and although lower attaining pupils make good progress, higher attainers do not make sufficient progress in writing to exceed the national expectation. The position is similar at Key Stage Two, where progress is good in reading for all pupils, with generally high standards obtained by the end of Year 6. Progress in writing is more varied and is satisfactory overall. Lower attainers make good progress, and most pupils make at least sound progress in technical aspects of writing such as spelling

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and handwriting. However, because of shortcomings in the curriculum, pupils do not have sufficient practice in using extended writing in a variety of genres and contexts to make good progress and, in particular, most higher attainers are unable to exceed the national expectation.

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83. Overall attainment in reading has improved since the last inspection, and standards in writing have remained similar. The range of outdated books has been removed, and a good quality scheme to support work has been bought. However, over-use of this scheme is now distorting aspects of the writing curriculum.

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84. Progress in speaking and listening is sound at each key stage. Pupils listen to their teachers attentively and show due respect for each other’s ideas. They contribute to class lessons thoughtfully, trying hard to answer questions and express their thoughts. Pupils make good progress in question and answer sessions in lessons across the curriculum, where positive support from teachers encourages them to express their ideas without worrying about being wrong. Good opportunities are presented in some lessons for pupils to work together collaboratively, for example when making models in design and technology, and they do this well, listening to each other carefully and responding appropriately. In some physical education lessons, they show careful thought when asked to comment on each other’s performances. However, across the curriculum as a whole, there are too few structured opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills through role-play,

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drama or structured debates or presentations.

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85. Progress in reading is good at both key stages. The youngest pupils read their reading books with confidence and display a good sight vocabulary for their age. They have a good knowledge of initial letter sounds, which they use to aid word recognition. Most can identify the author of a book, and higher attainers can discuss the story and characters intelligently. By the end of Key Stage One, pupils make good use of secure phonic knowledge to help their reading. All can work out simple, phonically regular words, and many pupils can break words down into syllables to work out what they say. They can discuss books in more depth, identify what they like about them, and predict what might happen next in a story. They are confident in tackling unfamiliar texts, and use their phonic knowledge, and clues from the grammar and the context, including illustrations, to obtain meaning. Higher attainers can use the contents page of an information book, and use the index effectively,

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with help. Pupils continue to make good progress at Key Stage Two. By the time they are in Year 6, pupils have consolidated their early skills well. They have a wide sight vocabulary, and cope well with a range of unfamiliar words; many can read accurately Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 33 words which are outside their spoken vocabulary, and can use grammatical and contextual clues well to guess their meaning. They can read an unfamiliar passage silently and remember information from it, justifying their answers by referring to specific wording in the text. Higher attaining pupils can do this quickly. They can find a particular word or piece of information on a page by skimming, and use the index and contents pages confidently without prompting. They use the Dewey system and catalogue in the library competently to find books on a given subject. Higher attainers can switch category levels

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quickly and without prompting, for example looking for the reference of “wild animals”, when “foxes” did not appear in the catalogue. Throughout the school, pupils display a good understanding what they read and an enjoyment of books.

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86. Progress in writing, though satisfactory overall at both key stages, is variable. Pupils make good progress overall in their handwriting and, by the time they are at the end of Key Stage One, write legibly with well-formed printing, although at the time of the inspection few were fluent in a joined script. Joined writing is developed well at Key Stage Two and most pupils leave the school writing in a fluent, cursive hand, which is neatly presented and easy to read. Spelling is developed well across the school, building effectively on pupils’ good phonic knowledge, which also supports their reading. The range of writing which pupils undertake, however, is too limited, and too much time is spent on worksheets at Key Stage One, and on work from a commercial scheme at Key Stage Two. This means that pupils have too few opportunities to write at length in a range of contexts and genres, and do not develop high levels of skills in this. The concentration on the textbooks at Key Stage Two

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means that pupils are secure in their grammatical knowledge, can write in sentences easily, and understand the use of a range of punctuation. The lack of extended writing means that they do not apply what they have learned to their own writing often enough to improve its quality and consolidate their understanding. Few older pupils use paragraphs effectively when they do attempt longer pieces of work in Year 6. The quality of this work rarely is better than satisfactory, because of the lack of practice across the key stage as a whole.

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87. Pupils respond positively to their lessons at both key stages. Their behaviour is good and they take a genuine enjoyment from reading and from sharing books. They enjoy contributing to discussions and do so with enthusiasm. Older pupils are thoughtful in their contributions and try hard to think through and explain more complicated ideas. They like and trust their teachers, so they are confident in offering suggestions even if they are not sure they are correct. When settling to writing tasks, they do so conscientiously and do their best to fulfil the teacher’s expectations and to produce good work, even if the task is somewhat mundane. They take a pride in what they have done, respond positively to praise, and enjoy sharing their successes with visitors.

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88. The quality of the teaching is good. Teachers have good classroom management skills, based on good relationships with their pupils, and high expectations of work and behaviour, which are made explicit. This generally leads to hard work and good behaviour from pupils, and to good progress in the lessons. Teachers’ subject knowledge is good for speaking and listening and for reading. Questioning skills are good and pupils are successfully encouraged to think through and explain their ideas. Reading is well organised, pupils’ progress is monitored thoroughly by class teachers, and good teaching of phonics is complemented by clear specific teaching of higher skills such as using context, skimming and scanning and using the index or the library catalogue. Shared reading, based on the Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 34 literacy strategy, is used very effectively to build on and consolidate pupils’ good skills.

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Teachers prepare well for their lessons but written planning has weaknesses. Teachers use the literacy strategy planning framework as their basis for weekly planning. As many lessons are not really based on the literacy strategy, but follow the commercial scheme, this can be confusing. Planning for the central part of the literacy hour, for different work to be done by pupils of different levels of attainment, is weak. Although teaching is good overall, and results in pupils making good progress in lessons, the gaps in the curriculum mean that progress in the subject is only satisfactory overall.

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89. The curriculum is broad but the writing aspect lacks balance. There is not enough attention paid to developing extended writing in a range of genres. The school has decided to cover the content of the national literacy strategy through teaching a commercial scheme. This does not make effective use of some aspects of the strategy, and is time consuming. Far too little time is spent applying what is learned to pupils’ own writing, and too much on exercises from the books. For higher attaining pupils, in particular, this does not allow them to attain high standards in their writing. Across other subjects, good use is made of pupils’ reading skills to support work, for example in researching information in history or geography. However, they are not using their writing skills sufficiently in all subjects. Although there are good examples of writing, such as in history at Key Stage Two, many other opportunities are missed. The proliferation of worksheets in “topic” at Key Stage

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One, and the lack of pupils’ own accounts of investigations in science at Key Stage Two are examples of this. Too little use is made of information technology to support pupils’ learning. Although pupils are starting to use CD-Roms, and refining and modifying their reading skills through this in reading a range of different kinds of text, opportunities are missed to use word processing. Although some examples of word processing are attempted at each key stage, it is not integrated sufficiently into the writing curriculum. This deprives pupils of chances of improving their drafting and re-drafting skills, as well as missing out on practising their IT skills. Assessment procedures in English are good and information is used well to support pupils’ reading development, and to ensure that lower attaining pupils are given effective support. Too little use is made of the assessment data which is available

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to analyse and address weaknesses in the curriculum. The subject co-ordinator is aware of many of the problems within the curriculum and is considering how they can be addressed. At the moment, although she monitors planning, this is not recorded or used in any systematic way, and the planning itself is often too brief to give a clear idea of what is happening in the classrooms. There are few opportunities for the co-ordinator to monitor teaching, and no systematic procedures for monitoring pupils’ work.

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90. At the end of both key stages, the results of National Curriculum tests and teacher assessments show that for the three-year period to 1998, the performance of pupils was well above the national average. At the end of Key Stage One, the results of the 1998 tests indicate that attainment is very high in comparison with the national average and is well above average in comparison with similar schools. The 1999 test results indicate that these high standards are maintained. Inspection evidence supports these findings, and pupils are making good progress. At the end of Key Stage Two, the results of the 1998 tests show that the performance of pupils is above the national average and is well above average in Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 35 comparison with similar schools. The 1999 test results indicate continuing improvement, with most pupils obtaining the expected level 4, and a large number getting to the higher

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level 5. Inspection evidence shows that for most of Key Stage Two attainment in maths is high, and pupils make good progress. However, attainment at the end of Key Stage Two is only satisfactory in the present class of Year 6 pupils. This class has a significant number of pupils who are on the special needs register, a good proportion of whom joined the school at different times during Key Stage Two. Most pupils in this class attain in line with the national expectation, and a significant minority attain above this. Nonetheless, there is also a substantial minority of pupils with special educational needs who fall below the national expectation. Despite the good progress that they are currently making, they are not overall exceeding national expectations, in the way previous cohorts did, and most classes in the school still do. Inspection evidence indicates that the overall attainment of this cohort of

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91. Pupils make good progress at both key stages. At Key Stage One, there has been a significant improvement since the previous inspection, when pupils’ levels of attainment were broadly satisfactory. At Key Stage Two, where standards of attainment have been high for some years, attainment is higher than at the previous inspection, except in the one class with high levels of special educational need. Across both key stages, the progress of pupils with special educational needs is good.

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92. By the end of Key Stage One, pupils have a good understanding of number and fractions and use this well to solve problems. They classify two and three-dimensional shapes and measure accurately, using both standard and non-standard measures. They recognise collections of regular and irregular polygons and can sort them into sets related to a variety of attributes. They accurately interpret data from pictographs and bar charts. As they move through the key stage, they build progressively on their knowledge and understanding. By the end of Key Stage Two, pupils have a good understanding of place value and use the four operations of number to two decimal places. They understand percentages and can do calculations involving the equivalence between fractions, decimal fractions and percentages. They have a very good knowledge of reflective and rotational symmetry, the properties of circles and can recognise and draw a variety of angles in shape. They work confidently and

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solve problems by trying out their own ideas.

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93. The quality of pupils’ response to their lessons is good overall. They are keen to learn and their very good attitudes and behaviour contribute significantly to their progress. When they work in groups or in pairs, pupils collaborate well. In a very good lesson, pupils worked hard and concentrated well to identify the quick route to working out the area of regular shapes by applying previous knowledge.

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94. Teaching is good overall, was at least satisfactory in all lessons observed and was sometimes very good. The relationships between teachers and pupils are very good and this has a positive effect on learning. Pupils are managed well, and little time is wasted. Subject knowledge is generally a strength. The consistent good teaching is a major factor in the good progress and standards in the subject. Where teaching is very good, lessons are conducted at a good pace, teachers subject knowledge is very good and there is very good provision of different work for pupils at different stages of attainment. In the mixed-age, Nurture Group, pupils receive good support with tasks that are closely matched to their Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 36 individual levels of attainment. Conversely, a weakness of some lessons observed, which were nonetheless sound overall, was insufficient provision of different, suitably challenging

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work to pupils with high levels of attainment. Teachers’ use of information technology to support pupils’ progress in data handling is under-developed. Teaching has improved since the previous inspection. For example, the problem of pupils wasting time by standing for a long time in queues to have their work marked has been eliminated.

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95. The curriculum is broad and balanced and meets statutory requirements. There is a good policy which is scheduled to be revised following the school’s evaluation of the introduction of the Numeracy Strategy. The school is currently using the framework of the strategy and linking it effectively with a commercial scheme. However, the use of information technology is not yet sufficiently integrated into the mathematics curriculum. Assessment procedures are good but subsequent teaching does not always begin from the level of attainment which this assessment identifies. Clear records are kept and parents are happy with the levels of information provided in the annual report. The role of the co-ordinator is not sufficiently developed, to allow effective monitoring of teaching and standards in other classes.

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96. Resources are good. They are readily accessible to teachers and pupils from designated resource areas or in individual classrooms.

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97. The results of national assessments at the end of Key Stage One in 1998 and 1999 show eighty six per cent of pupils reached the expected level of attainment, and this proportion was well above the national average. However only nine per cent of pupils attained the higher level 3 in experimental and investigative science in 1999, which is low. No pupils attained the higher level in life processes and living things, materials and their properties or in physical processes in end of key stage assessments in 1998 and 1999. This is well below nationally expected standards.

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98. Pupils at Key Stage One make sound progress and are attaining standards in line with national averages. They are able to carry out, with support, simple investigations of ideas suggested by their teacher and record their findings on simple charts provided for them on worksheets. A small number of pupils in Year 2 are able, with encouragement, to predict possible outcomes to their investigations and to say what happened. These pupils can make secure observations and say whether what happened was what they expected. The majority of pupils in Year 2, when investigating a range of objects made from different materials, can follow the teacher’s direction and can say whether the objects can be changed by stretching, squashing, twisting and bending. They are not yet able to explain when and why a test is fair. Pupils in Year 1 are developing a sound understanding of life processes. They are able to talk about the physical changes that have occurred since they were babies,

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can recognise and name the external parts of the body including the features of the face, and know that we all grow. Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 37 99. The results of national assessments at the end of Key Stage Two in 1999 show eighty four percent of pupils reached the expected level of attainment, and this proportion was above the national average. This is an improvement on the previous year’s results. Twenty six per cent of pupils attained the higher level 5, which is also above standards expected nationally. Observations during the inspection this year support the school’s targets for the year 2000 when standards are expected to be in line with national averages. This drop is because of the large numbers of pupils with special educational needs in the current Year 6 cohort.

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100. Pupils in Key Stage Two make sound progress and attain standards in line with national expectations. Pupils are able to investigate ideas presented by their teacher to a satisfactory standard and know the importance of making a test fair. There are, however, too few opportunities for pupils to plan and carry out their own investigations, so that the ability to select suitable equipment or the knowledge of how to change only one factor to make the test fair, is insecure. Although pupils are able to record their observations and measurements on charts and graphs on prepared worksheets, opportunities to record their investigations independently to allow consideration and comparison of patterns in a series of results are insufficient. Older pupils are developing a good understanding of physical processes and are, for example, able to suggest ways of changing the thickness of an elastic band, or the amount of water in a glass bottle in order to alter the pitch of the sound

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produced. Evidence from the scrutiny of work shows that older pupils, who are able, can extend their knowledge and understanding of a range of scientific aspects to a higher level. Overall, although pupils build up a sound level of factual knowledge, their skills in experimental and investigative science are weaker.

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101. Most pupils are enthusiastic and enjoy carrying out investigations. They work together well to make observations and simple comparisons. They co-operate well sharing and taking turns with the resources, when investigating sound and changing materials, for example. This is in response to good preparation by the teachers who consider beforehand the need for sufficient resources being available so that all pupils can investigate individually. Pupils are eager to talk about their work and confidently ask and answer questions, and discuss their findings to extend further their knowledge and understanding.

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102. The quality of teaching is sound overall with a number of good features. Teachers prepare well for lessons, have secure subject knowledge and plan very interesting and motivating activities for pupils. Questioning skills are good and used well to find out whether pupils understand particular scientific concepts. As yet, the school does not have a policy for recording pupils’ achievements in science and are unable to use their knowledge of pupils’ understanding to systematically plan for the next stages of learning. While most teaching seen during the inspection was good, the impact of teaching overall is reduced by weaknesses in planning the curriculum. Some work is repeated in different year groups, and there are too few planned opportunities to extend the knowledge and understanding of higher attainers at Key Stage One, or for developing experimental and investigative skills at Key Stage Two.

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103. Although there have been some improvements in the curriculum since the last Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 38 inspection there are still some weaknesses in planning. There is a good long-term plan which identifies the scientific themes to be covered in particular terms in all the year groups. This is not sufficiently detailed to give teachers guidance on planning to develop content and skills in lessons, or to ensure that what pupils are taught builds on what they have already learned. Some classes plan in a topic format and, while this is suitable for the integration and linking of some aspects of science, coverage of the full curriculum and the extension of learning are not always assured. Information technology is not used sufficiently well to support the recording and presentation of results. Assessments at the end of Key Stage One shows that no pupils attained the higher level 3 in many aspects of

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the science curriculum and the school has not used this information to evaluate and review the curriculum to make necessary changes.

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104. The co-ordinator is aware of the weaknesses in the curriculum and intends to review planning procedures and develop a scheme of work to address the issues. Although teachers’ planning is monitored, this has not yet had an impact on the planning across all areas of the science curriculum. The co-ordinator has no opportunity to monitor teaching and learning in the classroom and therefore is unable to evaluate the impact of planning on the curriculum. Resources are adequate and are used well in lessons to support the teaching. The conservation area, hens and rabbits make a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual and social development, and are used effectively to add interest and motivate learning in science. 110.

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Art

105. No lessons were observed at Key Stage One, but evidence of pupils’ work enabled a judgement to be made, and pupils make sound progress. Pupils in Year 1 build on the good start they are given in the reception class, for example in the paintings of faces where they use their skills effectively to produce lively, bold work. Pupils in Year Two develop their techniques and their understanding of other artists, by studying paintings of fruit by a wide range of artists. They then attempt their own pictures, based on the work of Cezanne; these are of high quality, indicating a good understanding of the representation of light, good control of the pastels used, and a very effective use of colour.

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Art

106. At Key Stage Two progress is good and much work is of a high standard. Pupils in Year 3 make good progress in attempting a range of activities. Their portraits show greater sophistication and more subtle use of colour than in Key Stage One. Their painted autumn leaves show a good understanding of colour-mixing, and they broaden their understanding of media when using fabric pens to decorate t-shirts, drawing on their own careful designs. In a good lesson observed, when pupils made patterns from a range of cut-out hand shapes, some showed a good feel for pattern, and care and imagination in using a limited range of possibilities. Pupils in Year 4 produce a good range of high quality work, particularly in painting. For example, they have done very different portraits, in the styles of Klee and Modigliani, which show a good understanding of both styles, and a subtle use of colour. Earlier this year they worked with a visiting artist to make large pots on a “sea” theme,

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Art

which are of very high quality. In a good lesson during the inspection, pupils showed good Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 39 observational drawing skills, when using a range of drawing tools, producing high quality pictures of feathers, shells and other objects. In Year 5, good quality work, often linked with themes from other subjects, is evident. Collages of Tudor and Stuart monarchs are of a good standard, using a variety of materials with imagination and care, and the finished results show a good resemblance to contemporary portraits, and a good understanding of style. In Year 6, pupils’ drawings of Victorian artefacts show skillful use of shading to show three-dimensional effects.

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Art

107. Pupils are enthusiastic about art, use a range of materials with confidence and enjoyment and take a pride in their work. They are keen to show results to visitors and explain how they did the work. They work with great care, as for example in the meticulous drawings of feathers in Year 4. Pupils are well behaved in lessons, pay good attention to detail, and share materials amicably.

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Art

108. It was not possible to make a secure judgement about teaching at Key Stage One. Teaching at Key Stage Two is good. Teachers have a good understanding of the subject and use this understanding to devise an effective curriculum within each year group, so that pupils make good progress. In some classes, in Year 4 for example, particularly good subject knowledge, and good teaching, supports a wide and interesting curriculum and pupils make produce work of high quality. In all lessons, good relationships support secure discipline. An interesting variety of tasks, which enthuse pupils and ensure their hard work and co- operation, leads to good progress in their understanding and improvements in their skills.

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Art

109. The co-ordinator gives good, informal support to colleagues, and helps them to refine and develop pupils’ work effectively; for example in supporting the Year 2 teacher in helping her class to refine the high quality pictures of fruit described above. The subject has a sound policy, but there is no scheme of work to give detail about what pupils should do in each year group, or what artists should be studied. Consequently, although each teacher devises a broad, balanced curriculum within their own class, there is nothing to ensure balance in the overall curriculum which pupils experience as they move through the school. Overall, standards from the time of the previous inspection have been maintained.

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Design and Technology

110. Insufficient evidence was available to make a judgement about progress at Key Stage One, but teachers’ planning and the overall curriculum plan for the subject indicate that pupils cover a satisfactory range of activities over each year.

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Design and Technology

111. At Key Stage Two, progress is sound. Pupils make good progress in construction skills and in their understanding of design, but only limited progress in putting designs on paper, or in written evaluations of them. The curriculum provides for a satisfactory range of work over the year, and examples and photographs of pupils’ work show that their making skills are sound. The written evidence for their design skills is limited, and they spend relatively little time on this aspect of the subject. However, discussion with pupils and observations in lessons show that they are developing their understanding of the design process Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 40 satisfactorily. Pupils in Year 4 discuss their work effectively in groups, considering the different implications of different designs carefully, for example, different ways of fitting sails on a model land-yacht. They are able to generate ideas and make realistic suggestions.

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Design and Technology

By Year 6, pupils show a good understanding of the design process, including the need to evaluate and modify designs during construction, and they refer to their original designs when judging the success of their work and deciding how to make improvements. They are developing an understanding of the need to meet conflicting requirements, for example, greater height and greater load-capacity when building towers of paper. Pupils show sound making skills and good understanding of a range of techniques, for example in using wood when making land yachts in Year 4, or in constructing towers of paper in Year 6. However, there are some gaps in their skills, and Year 4 pupils showed weak techniques in using saws, although they used a range of other construction techniques capably.

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Design and Technology

112. Pupils show a keen interest in their work, work hard, and show high levels of collaborative skills. They share ideas well, listening to each other’s suggestions and considering carefully how they can complete their work successfully. Their behaviour is good, and they handle tools and materials safely and with care. They listen carefully to instructions, show good imagination in their suggestions for designs, and are persistent in the face of difficulties. The quality of teaching in the 2 lessons observed was good in one and very good in the other. Secure discipline and a high level of organisation ensured pupils’ concentration and hard work. Explanations were clear, the pace was good, and subject knowledge was high. Pupils were questioned carefully to get them to consider their designs and the possible consequences of their strategies, leading to improved understanding and refinements in what

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Design and Technology

was made. Lessons had a high level of challenge, with high expectations of behaviour and independence. This all led to at least good progress in the lessons, although overall the progress across the key stage is only satisfactory, because of the weaker progress in written design skills.

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Geography

113. Progress in geography is satisfactory at Key Stage One, and good at Key Stage Two. No lessons were observed at Key Stage One. At Key Stage Two, in three lessons observed, progress was good in two and very good in the third. A revised scheme of work, put in place in February, provides a good basis for progress, but this is only just being fully implemented.

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Geography

114. Pupils in Year 2 last year did work to a generally satisfactory standard on a range of maps and plans, and higher attaining pupils attained good standards. However, there was no written evidence of the other aspects of the geography curriculum, and opportunities to develop pupils’ literacy skills in the subject are not taken.

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Geography

115. Progress at Key Stage Two is good, and maintains the strengths from the last inspection of using field trips effectively. The display in Year 5, for example, based on pupils’ trip to another village, Clapham, shows they are developing a good understanding of the features of place which affect peoples’ lives, and of the contrasts and similarities between their own and other environments. Some of their writing about this is extensive and of good quality. In Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 41 a lesson in Year 3, pupils made very good progress in their understanding of the purposes of maps of different scales, because of very good teaching which drew effectively on pupils’ homework to take forward their learning. Work in books by pupils in Year 4 shows a good understanding of the relationship between the weather and farming, and they make good use of their literacy skills when answering questions from the text-book. This good

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Geography

understanding was confirmed when they developed this work in a lesson observed during the inspection. Written work from last year’s Year 6 pupils is limited, but of sound quality. In lesson observation, Year 6 pupils showed good understanding of geographical ideas. They have a secure knowledge of where the continents are, develop a good understanding of the process of volcanic eruption, and understand why volcanoes are likely to occur on the Pacific rim.

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Geography

116. Pupils enjoy geography, as was evidenced by the hard work put into homework by pupils in Year 3. They are well behaved, listen carefully to each other and to their teachers, and work independently or collaboratively when required. They are keen to discuss what they find out with each other and with adults, and show a fascination for different aspects of what they see, for example when pupils in Year 6 gave time and thought to examining and discussing examples of geodes. Pupils in Year 6 showed good use of their reading skills, and sound progress in their IT skills, when researching information about geography from books and from a CD-Rom.

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Geography

117. The quality of teaching at Key Stage Two is good, and is sometimes very good. Very good relationships support good discipline, and a relaxed working atmosphere. High expectations of work and behaviour lead to consistently good progress. Subject knowledge is good, planning is clear, and resources are prepared well. Pupils are challenged to think through and explain their understanding, and, when appropriate, are given time to consider and reflect upon what they have seen or learned. Lively presentations and clear explanations also help take pupils’ understanding forward effectively. The co-ordinator supports his colleagues well, but there are no systematic procedures to monitor teaching and attainment in different classes.

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Geography

118. Pupils make good progress at both key stages. This is an improvement on the previous inspection. At Key Stage One, pupils use their developing historical vocabularies to differentiate well between the past and the present, for example when examining photographs of the same location taken at different times. Pupils have a good developing understanding of chronology, which was exemplified when they discussed the different time scales between dinosaurs, cavemen and Guy Fawkes, and could identify that he appeared in history 400 years ago. They use literacy skills well when distinguishing between past and present tenses. At Key Stage Two, older pupils made good progress in identifying changes over time during their studies of the late Victorian era. After watching a well-chosen video of school life, related to school teaching and school inspection, they were able to draw a wide range of well-stated conclusions. During another effective lesson, pupils researched

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Geography

well from a wide range of texts, and made good progress in understanding the problems of sailing ships in Tudor times. Their very well-developed topic books showed good use of their literacy and numeracy skills, with graphical representation and extended writing. Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 42 119. Pupils’ response to history is generally good. They have positive attitudes and respond well to questions. Their behaviour is always very good and they have well-developed investigative skills. They are very eager to learn the use, names and age of artefacts.

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Geography

120. The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers’ subject knowledge is good and they build effectively on the interest shown by pupils. Good planning ensures that the subject makes a positive contribution to the development of the pupils’ literacy skills through research and the planning of writing. The school has a good selection of CD-Roms to support learning but they are being under-used. There is a plentiful supply of quality resources for the successful delivery of the scheme of work.

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121. The majority of pupils, at both key stages, make unsatisfactory progress and attain standards which are below national expectations. This is due to the lack of subject expertise of some teachers and the failure to fully implement the recently adopted scheme of work. Until recently, progress was also hampered by a lack of suitable resources, and resources for control are still inadequate. Opportunities to use information technology are not systematically identified in teachers’ planning and pupils are given insufficient opportunities to use information technology to support learning in other subjects. The little information technology seen during the inspection was relevant and pupils were achieving satisfactory levels of attainment in those aspects being taught. It is the inadequate amount of time and insufficient coverage of information technology that results in unsatisfactory standards.

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122. The last inspection reported similar weaknesses, but since then the school has purchased additional up-to-date computers and pupils are attaining satisfactory standards in the few information technology skills they have been taught. There is a good development plan showing an intention to purchase additional computers and equipment to develop the subject further, and a commitment to improve staff expertise. Recent developments in information technology show an improving picture.

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123. At Key Stage One, pupils are able to use a mouse to load a program and click on the correct answer to various sums in a mathematics game. They can use a mouse to help them listen to and read stories, and to operate sound and visual effects. They are able to word process short poems about bonfire night and can add a border to their finished work. They are able, with support, to print their work but have not yet learned how to save their work to disk. They are also able, with support, to enter information about their favourite bread into a simple data-handling package and to print out their finished block graph. There are too few planned opportunities to extend these activities and enable pupils to practise and consolidate their learning. Pupils do not know how to give instructions to move a programmable toy and they are given few opportunities to consider how information technology is used in the home and in their environment.

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Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 43 124. At Key Stage Two, pupils are able to use a suitable program to enter weather statistics and produce a bar chart to show, for example, the changes in temperature over time. Discussions with pupils revealed their ability to use several function keys to edit their word processed writing and, with support, print it out. Older pupils are able to search and find, without help, information from appropriate CD-ROMs for their history topics and print pictures independently for their work folders. However, pupils playing a mathematics game in one lesson were insecure using the mouse to move numbers around the screen and drop them into the correct place. Pupils have no opportunity to monitor external events such as weather statistics, due to a shortage of appropriate equipment. There is also too little planned work for pupils to learn how to control a programmable toy or to use a database to

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organise and interrogate information. The school has forged a very good link with the local high school, and very good opportunities exist for pupils to have good access to computers, for example to learn about the Internet and send e-mail. Observation of one such activity during the inspection revealed that pupils quickly learn new skills and make very good progress when given the opportunity to use information technology.

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125. Pupils are keen to talk about the information technology activities that they do both at school and at home. They are eager to show off their skills and talk confidently about how to access and manipulate software programs. They are enthusiastic about some of the things they can do and enjoy using computers to make borders and present their work.

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126. Although teaching seen during the inspection was judged to be good, overall, the teaching of information technology is unsatisfactory. There are too few identified opportunities in teachers’ planning for pupils to use information technology to support learning in other subjects, particularly in English and mathematics, and during the inspection computers were rarely seen being used. Some teachers maintain useful class records on computer activity completion but these are not systematically used by all staff. There are no whole school procedures for assessing pupils’ key skills or for recording individual attainment and progress. The school recognises the weakness in teacher expertise and has organised training to update skills.

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127. The curriculum is currently unsatisfactory and does not meet statutory requirements. The school is unable to teach control and monitoring of external events due to the lack of appropriate equipment. The school has recently adopted a scheme of work and this is available in all classes. As yet this has not been implemented and has had little impact on teaching and learning or standards. The identification of how information technology can be used in all subjects has not yet been completed, so that teachers are not using computers effectively to develop information technology skills. The co-ordinator is very well qualified to lead the developments of the subject. She has a clear overview of the development needs of the subject, both for the improvements necessary to update the hardware and for the curriculum developments which need to be made, so that better use is made of computers in the classroom.

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128. The resources available to the school are insufficient to teach the National Curriculum. The school needs to purchase the equipment necessary to teach the control and monitoring external events strands of the curriculum. Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 44 134. Music

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129. Pupils at both key stages make satisfactory progress in all aspects of music. Pupils who learn to play an instrument make good progress. The previous inspection reported that a wide range of musical opportunities enriched and enhanced pupils’ learning. This is still the case. Pupils take part in a wide range of musical performances both in school and in the wider community which make good contributions to their progress.

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130. No music lessons were seen at Key Stage One. Scrutiny of planning and observation of hymn practice shows that pupils are given opportunities to create simple accompaniments and sing a range of songs tunefully and confidently.

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131. At Key Stage Two, pupils are able to sing a range of songs confidently. They make some attempt at singing in two parts, but the lack of time in the singing session observed meant there was insufficient opportunity to improve both the tone and quality of sound. This is also the case when recorded lessons are used. However, pupils are able to talk knowledgeably about how the particular mood and effect is created in the piece of music ‘The March to the Scaffold’, with appropriate reference to the musical elements of dynamics and pitch. Discussions with pupils show that they are able to create short pieces of music and record these onto tape for evaluation and discussion.

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132. Pupils respond well to the interesting way music is presented. They are well-behaved in practical music making sessions and listen attentively to broadcasts. The choir sings enthusiastically and with obvious enjoyment. Relationships between each other and with adults are very good and pupils respond well to the excellent rapport established. This was apparent in guitar club and in brass and string lessons, when pupils confidently performed pieces which they had chosen themselves. Every Friday, pupils teach each other the recorder, asking for adult support as and when required.

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133. The quality of teaching is sound. Teachers have appropriate expertise and support to teach the curriculum. However, progress is hampered by the content of some recorded programmes, the lack of opportunity to match the content of the lessons to the learning needs of pupils and the lack of time over a session. For example, in hymn practice, there is little opportunity to develop pupils’ singing skills as the session ends just as the pupils’ voices have warmed up. In one lesson, progress improved when the teacher abandoned the broadcast to introduce a fun activity to extend the pupils’ understanding of how loud and quiet sounds produced a particular musical effect.

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134. The curriculum is planned around a series of recorded programmes, which increase in difficulty as the pupils move through the school. While these programmes provide appropriate activities to develop skills and the understanding of musical elements effectively, they often contain too many activities, leaving too little time for pupils to improve the quality of their performance or to extend their skills. There is an excellent range and variety of extra-curricular music clubs and instrumental tuition, which has a significant impact on standards in music. Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 45 135. Music makes a satisfactory contribution to spiritual and cultural development and a very good contribution to pupils’ personal development. There is a good link established with Pilling Band and the choir regularly sings in Blackpool and the local community. Rehearsals for this year’s Christmas concerts have already begun.

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136. The co-ordinator is well qualified to lead the subject. She supports the planning of music and co-ordinates and manages the instrumental music teaching very effectively. She has few opportunities to monitor teaching and learning in the classroom, however, and has too little impact on planning a coherent curriculum. There are a sufficient number and range of resources to teach the subject effectively. Since the last inspection the school has purchased a number of instruments, which has added to the range of tuned and ethnic percussion.

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142. Physical Education 142. 137. Pupils at both key stages make good progress and generally attain high standards at the end of each key stage. This is an improvement on the previous inspection, which found that standards of achievement were in line with national age-related expectations. At Key Stage One, most pupils in Year 1 are able to sequence a series of three movements. They exhibit a very good variety of ways of travelling and have very high levels of agility, with some performances being of a high standard for their age. They have good awareness of space. At Key Stage Two, over half of the Year 5 class can perform refined gymnastic movements, which include single hand cartwheels, well controlled handstands into the crab position, crouch handstands and the good development of backward rolls into the straddle position. In a good lesson, where pupils in Years 5 and 6 could choose their activity from football,

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netball and orienteering, pupils made good progress in developing the skills required to identify location from a plan. Standards in games skills are above those expected from pupils of this age.

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138. Pupils respond very well to their lessons. Behaviour is very good and they respond rapidly to their teachers when required. At Key Stage Two, pupils work quickly, quietly and confidently and show good concentration in interpreting their movements. They have very good relationships with their teachers and work well as individuals, in pairs and in mixed- gender groups. Pupils express great enthusiasm for all aspects of physical education and behave very well in lessons and out of school activities.

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139. The quality of teaching is good overall and occasionally very good. Teachers have very good class management skills, clear ideas as to their aims and have very good relationships with their pupils. They have high expectations and use good resources well. Teachers provide an excellent range of extra-curricular clubs, which contribute significantly to the provision for physical education. A specialist gymnastics instructor teaches three large groups, on two evenings each week. Instruction is of a very good standard and the pupils make very good progress. A significant number of these pupils become good role models of quality movement during normal physical education lessons. The school makes the best use of its limited accommodation but the hall is too small for the large groups of older pupils, who use it for dance and gymnastics. Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 46 145. Swimming

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140. The inspection included a specific evaluation of the provision for swimming.

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141. The school provides instruction in swimming for pupils in Year 6. The quality of teaching of swimming is very good. Both teachers have very good subject knowledge and organise their pupils well. Very efficient use is made of the limited time available. Very high levels of activity are encouraged and the individual style techniques are well coached and errors identified.

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142. Pupils respond very well and work hard to improve their body strength and swimming techniques. The one nervous pupil is keen to succeed. They change very quickly to maximise their time in the water.

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143. The eight, top ability swimmers can swim with good style in a variety of strokes over long distances. The ten middle ability swimmers can all swim 25 metres comfortably and are very confident in the water. Of the four pupils in the lower ability group, three are confident in the water and can swim at least 10 metres. The one nervous swimmer moves well on her back with the aid of a float.

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144. Progress is very good. All ability groups learn to correct their strokes and increase their water confidence and competence. With more practice, those who, as yet, cannot swim 25 metres have the potential to succeed quickly.

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145. At the end of each key stage, the attainment of the majority of pupils is broadly in line with the expectations of the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus. They make sound progress throughout the school.

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146. Pupils know well, and understand clearly, many messages and meanings from the Bible. Through class discussion and assembly themes, they have a sound awareness of how people with disabilities feel. Pupils’ understanding of the teaching of Christianity in relation to morality is sound and they are able to relate these principles to their own lives and daily dealings with other people. They have a secure knowledge of the symbols related to the Christian faith. Pupils have sound knowledge and understanding of other faiths they have studied. They are making satisfactory progress in developing their understanding of relationships and how easily they can be damaged. Pupils’ progress in the knowledge and understanding of other faiths is satisfactory.

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147. Pupils are always well behaved, concentrate well and show high levels of respect for their teachers and for other pupils. They show clear interest in their lessons and work satisfactorily to complete written tasks. In an upper junior lesson, pupils showed a good Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 47 understanding of the story of David following their close study of Anne Holm’s ‘I am David’. Pupils speak clearly and well in discussions, and the content in their written stories shows that most pupils listen carefully to what they are taught.

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148. The quality of teaching is sound and occasionally good. Planning of lessons is satisfactory and is related appropriately to the Agreed Syllabus. Control of pupils is good and lessons are presented at a satisfactory pace. Teachers are most sensitive to the subject matter when presenting and leading discussion of moral issues, and these issues are constantly related to the lives of the pupils.

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149. Religious Education forms an effective basis for the good spiritual development and very good moral development of the pupils throughout the school. Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 48 155. PART C: INSPECTION DATA

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156. The school was inspected for a total of 14 inspector days by four inspectors. The inspectors observed classes at work, talked to pupils, and scrutinised the work from a range of pupils across the school. 60 lessons or parts of lessons were observed formally, and a sample of pupils heard to read from each age group. A wide range of documentation was analysed, and interviews and discussions held with the headteacher, governors, subject co-ordinators and other staff. A variety of people involved in the school were spoken to informally, including parents. A meeting was held which was attended by 22 parents, and 130 parents completed questionnaires about the school. 156.

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156. Pupil data Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school’s register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 156.

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156. Qualified teachers (YR-Y6) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 8.6 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 26.5

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156. Education supp ort staff (YR – Y6) Total number of education support staff: 4 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 84

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Average class size: 32.6 Carter’s Charity VC Primary School Preesall- 49 156. Financial data Financial year: 1998-99

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£ Total Income 342539 Total Expenditure 335642 Expenditure per pupil 6897 Balance brought forward from previous year 27884 Balance carried forward to next year 34781

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Number of questionnaires sent out: 225 Number of questionnaires returned: 130

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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 23 62 11 4 0

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I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 45 52 2 1 0

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The school handles complaints from parents well 20 48 25 5 2

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The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 23 54 15 8 1

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The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 28 54 5 12 1

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The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 37 55 8 1 0

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The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 41 49 10 0 0

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I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 30 59 7 3 1

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The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 41 47 10 2 0

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The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 34 54 10 2 0

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My child(ren) like(s) school 51 43 5 1 0

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