Hatherley Infant School

INSPECTION REPORT

Reporting inspector: Mrs Jennie Willcock-Bates Inspector Number 1967

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INSPECTION REPORT

Dates of inspection: 11 – 14 October 1999

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INSPECTION REPORT

Under OFSTED contract number: 707333 Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996

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Hatherley Infants’ School

Head-Teacher: Mrs K James 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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Hatherley Infants’ School

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. (0171) 421-6567 Hatherley Infants’ School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Hatherley Road Gloucester GL1 4PW

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Stan Skinner

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6 – 9 November 1995

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Jennie Willcock-Bates, Registered Inspector English 4.1 Attainment & Progress

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Music 5.1 Teaching Physical Education 6.3 The Efficiency of the School Section 11 Michael Hudson, Lay Inspector Equal Opportunities 4.3 Attendance 5.5 Partnership with parents and the community 6.2 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Joy Donovan, Team Inspector Mathematics 6.1 Leadership and Management Religious Education Art History Under-Fives Special Educational Needs Family Centre Ian MacGregor, Team Inspector Science 4.2 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Information Technology 5.2 Curriculum and Assessment Design and Technology 5.3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Geography 5.4 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare [this table should list all team members and also indicate, in the subject column, the team member with responsibility for under fives, special educational needs, equal opportunities and English as a second language]

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Education Department PO Box 51 Town Hall Weston-super-Mare North Somerset BS23 1ZZ

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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

The Registrar Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE

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MAIN FINDINGS

What the school does well 6 Where the school has weaknesses 6 How the school has improved since the last inspection 6 Standards in subjects 7 Quality of teaching 7 Other aspects of the school 7 - 8 The parents’ views of the school 8

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INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of the school 1 - 6 Key indicators 7

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Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

Attainment and progress 8 - 18 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 19 - 23 Attendance 24

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Quality of education provided

Teaching 25 - 30 The curriculum and assessment 31 - 37 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 38 - 42 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare 43 - 49 Partnership with parents and the community 50 - 53

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The management and efficiency of the school

Leadership and management 54 - 60 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 61 - 65 The efficiency of the school 66 - 72

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECT

Areas of learning for children under five 73 - 81 English, mathematics and science 82 - 104 Other subjects or courses 105 - 124

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PART C: INSPECTION DATA

Summary of inspection evidence 125 - 127 Data and indicators 128

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What the school does well

• . The very good provision in the Family Centre and successful start the children get to their schooling in the reception classes • . The improving attainment and good progress of children throughout the school in English, mathematics and science. • . The clear educational leadership of the headteacher. • . The good quality of teaching, particularly in English and mathematics, and the successful implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategies. • . The pupils’ attitudes to learning and the very good relationships at all levels. • . The very good provision for the pupils moral, social and cultural development and the way the school celebrates the richness of the diversity of the cultures represented by the pupils. • . The very good curriculum and the successful assessment procedures that provide valuable information about the pupils’ progress. • . The way the school provides very good equality of access for all pupils including those who speak English

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What the school does well

as an additional language and the pupils with special educational needs. • . The very effective procedures for monitoring progress and personal development and promoting discipline and good behaviour. • . The excellent links with the community, which enrich the curriculum and the quality of education provided by the school.

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What the school does well

I. The school development plan does not provide a helpful tool for future developments or financial planning and the governing body does not have a clear strategic view over the longer term about how the school’s finances can be managed.

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What the school does well

The school has considerable strengths that far outweigh the weaknesses. However, these weaknesses will form the basis of the governor’s action plan, which will be sent to all parents and guardians in the school.

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What the school does well

· How the school has improved since the last inspection

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What the school does well

The school has made good progress in improvement since the previous inspection in 1995 and has successfully completed work related to the key issues. It continues to build on and improve good practice and the quality of education is now very good. The good levels of attainment have been maintained and the school works hard to increase these levels further. The curriculum and procedures for assessment are very good and are clearly strengths of the school. The work of the subject co-ordinators is mainly good. Analysis of the performance of pupils in tests is effective in raising standards. However, the school has not fully developed this work to identify its own targets or targets for different cohort of pupils. Currently, it exceeds the targets set by the Local Education Authority. The governors are very supportive of the schools and have a good knowledge of the curriculum. However, their role in strategic planning is not secure and there is a reduction in the quality and

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What the school does well

effectiveness of the school development plan. The school maintains the very good links with parents and there have been improvements in the links with the community, which are excellent. The school has the ability to develop further. · Standards in subjects

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What the school does well

This table shows the standards achieved by 7 year olds in 1998 based on the National Curriculum tests:

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similar schools

English C A Mathematics C A A well above average; B above average; C average; D below average; E well below average.

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similar schools

The information in the table above shows that the school’s performance in tests in English and mathematics in 1998 was average when compared to all schools nationally. The percentage of pupils reaching the average Level 2 was above the national average but very few pupils reached the higher Level 3. In science the pupils’ attainment in the teachers’ assessment in the same year was in line with the national average. As with English and mathematics an above average percentage of pupils reached Level 2 but very few reached the higher Level 3. However, when compared to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds the school’s performance is well above average in English, mathematics and science. The test results for 1999 indicate an improvement with more pupils reaching the higher Level 3.

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similar schools

The inspection findings reveal that the pupils’ attainment and competence is at least in line with what is expected nationally for this age group. A significant proportion of pupils are reaching higher than average standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Pupils’ attainment and competence in information technology is in line with expectations. In religious education standards are in line with the Locally Agreed Syllabus. Standards in physical education are good.

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Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years

English Very good Very good Mathematics Good Good Science Good Information technology Good Religious education Too little evidence Other subjects Good

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Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years

Overall the quality of teaching is good. It is satisfactory or better in 98 per cent of lessons. In 79 per cent it is good or better and in 24 per cent of these it is very good. Very little teaching is less than satisfactory.

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Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 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 Good. Pupils know the school rules and they are polite and helpful. Some restless behaviour but pupils respond well to discipline. Attendance Satisfactory. Authorised and unauthorised absence in line with the national average. Registers do not fully comply with statutory requirements. Ethos* Very positive. All are committed to high standards and the pupils are valued and have an equal access to all aspects of school life. Leadership and management Good overall. Strong and effective leadership from the headteacher. Governors are supportive and have a good knowledge of the curriculum. Weakness in development planning. School development plan is not a strategic plan. Curriculum Very good. Effectively planned, broad and balanced. Strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy. Assessment also a strength. Pupils with special educational needs Good provision. Well supported to make good progress in lessons and in

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Aspect Comment

withdrawal groups. Individual Education Plans good quality. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Overall very good. Moral, social and cultural development strengths of the school. Social development is good and spiritual satisfactory. Not enough time for pupils to reflect and wonder. Staffing, resources and accommodation Staffing very good. Accommodation adequate some problems with the size of the hall. Resources good in quality and range. Value for money Very good.

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Aspect Comment

*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

II. The parents find it easy to approach the school with problems or questions. III. The school gives parents helpful information about what is taught. IV. The parents like the reports about their children’s progress. V. They feel the children reach a good standard of work. VI. The parents whose children speak English as a second language feel their children are sensitively taught. VII.The parents like the way the children are valued and encouraged to do well. VIII. A very small minority do not feel that the

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

The inspectors agree with the strengths identified by the parents. The parents are happy with the school. There is no evidence to show that the school does not deal with complaints effectively. · KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

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

To further improve the good provision in the school and the pupils’ attainment and progress the governors, headteacher and staff should:

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

Improve financial and development planning and ensure that the governors are fulfilling their strategic responsibility for planning the use of resources by: i) ensuring that the school development plan covers all elements of development over a period longer than one year; ii) ensuring that budget allocations are linked to the development plan and that all estimated costs, including time, are allocated; iii) ensuring that the governing body know the development plan and that they monitor the cost effectiveness of developments in terms of raising standards and improving the quality of education in the school; iv) ensuring that the governing body has a clear strategic long term view of how the school’s finances can be managed by planning budget predictions over a longer period of time. (paragraphs: 58 & 66)

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

In addition to the key issues above the following less important weaknesses should be considered for inclusion in the action plan. These are indicated in paragraphs: • ) Attendance – 24, 43, 49 & 60; • ) Planning – 35 & 80; • ) Pupils sitting listening too long in English – 29 & 90; • ) Time for religious education – 31 & 107. ·

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Characteristics of the school

1. Hatherley is an average sized infant school with a Family Centre attached. There are 178 pupils on roll between the ages 3 and 7 years old, which is about the same as other infant schools. The Family Centre provides a broad range of activities for families and their children. The 20 three-year-old children attend the Family Centre one session each week. The 65 children due to be four this current academic year, attend the Centre for three half days. At the end of the year, when they are due to become five years old, the majority of these children will transfer to one of the two reception classes in the school. Overall, there were 108 children under the age of five years old at the time of the inspection.

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Characteristics of the school

2. The school is situated in Tredworth once a small community outside the city of Gloucester but which is now a well-established area close to the centre of the city. The quality of housing is variable. A small proportion of parents owns their own homes and works either locally or in the city. However, the area experiences socio-economic deprivation. A high percentage of parents are unemployed with many lone parents dependent on benefit. Some families are in work but earning very low incomes. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, 74 per cent, is well above the national and local averages. There has been a considerable rise in free school meals since the previous inspection and over the last year.

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Characteristics of the school

3. There are slightly more boys than girls, particularly in Year 2. There is a rich cultural diversity in the area and the school enjoys an ethnic mix. Just over a quarter of the pupils are from either black African, black Caribbean cultures, India and from other cultures in Europe. Of these, thirty-six pupils representing 20 per cent, are supported through a Section 11 grant for pupils who speak English as an additional language. There are 7 pupils who come from homes where English is not the first language and they are supported by a Gujarati speaking bilingual support teacher. This number is high.

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Characteristics of the school

4. Overall, attainment on entry to the Family Centre is low, particularly in language, and their social development. Eight children representing 16 per cent are identified as having special educational needs related to speech and language, behaviour and health. By the time the children join the school in the reception class, their personal and social development is satisfactory. However, their attainment in the local authority’s assessment on entry to school in language and literacy and mathematical development is below average. Sixty-four (32 per cent) are on the special educational needs register which is well above the national average. Seven pupils are on stages 3 to 5 and 2 have statements of special educational needs, which is in line with the national average.

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Characteristics of the school

5. The school aims to: • . provide a caring environment in which children can reach their full potential, socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically; • . provide a stimulating learning environment; • . maintain high standards and expectations in academic achievement and behaviour; • . maintain the unique and positive community spirit, which exists at present.

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Characteristics of the school

1. The school is currently working on: • . Numeracy • . Literacy in particular writing. • . Information communication technology. • . Behaviour and discipline remains an on-going priority.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1998 30 37 67

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Attainment at Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics Number of pupils Boys 27 25 29 at NC Level 2 or Girls 32 33 35 Above Total 59 58 64 Percentage at NC School 89 88 97 Level 2 or above National 80 81 84

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Attainment at Key Stage 1

Teacher Assessments Reading Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 28 29 29 at NC Level 2 or Girls 32 35 35 Above Total 60 64 64 Percentage at NC School 91 97 97 Level 2 or above National 81 85 86

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Attainment at Key Stage 1

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed % through absence for the latest complete Authorised School 5.5 Reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.5 Absence National comparative data 0.5 7.

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Exclusions

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

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Exclusions

1 Percentage in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year 7. Quality of teaching

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Exclusions

Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 24 Satisfactory or better 98 Less than satisfactory 2 7.

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Exclusions

7. PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL 7. 7. EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

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Exclusions

1. Most children’s attainment when they start the Family Centre is well below average. On entry to the reception classes, the attainment of the majority of children is still below average in the tests on entry to school. The great majority, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in their learning skills in the Family Centre and this continues when they move to the reception classes. Consequently, they are on course to meet the nationally recommended outcomes in language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development and personal and social development by the time they are five. They are well prepared to start the National Curriculum Programmes of Study.

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Exclusions

2. The results in national tests in 1998 for 7 year olds at the end of Key Stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics are in line with the national average and well above the average of schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. No pupils attained the higher Level 3 in reading and writing and the percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 3 in mathematics was also well below average. In the teacher assessment in science of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1998 the percentage of pupils reaching the expected levels was above the national average. Again, the percentage reaching the higher Level 3 was below average. The percentage of pupils reaching the average Level 2 in experimental and investigative science and materials and their properties was very high when compared to schools nationally. The results were well above the average for similar schools. The tests in 1999 indicate an improvement in the numbers reaching Level 2 in reading, writing and

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Exclusions

mathematics. The results for spelling in 1999 indicate that a higher proportion of the pupils reached higher levels than in 1998. There is a clear rise in the number reaching the higher Level 3. However, there are no national results yet, so it is not possible to judge the impact of this rise in comparison with national averages. The school works hard to raise standards by carefully analysing test results and then targeting specific areas for improvement. The teachers successfully plan activities to extend the pupils’ learning. However, the information is not always used by the school to set its own targets or targets for individual pupils. They are already reaching the targets set by the local education authority in English and mathematics for the year 2001. The inspection findings reflect the results for 1999 more closely than those for 1998.

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Exclusions

3. While it is still early in the final year of Key Stage 1, the attainment of the majority of pupils is at least average and a significant proportion of them are attaining higher than average levels in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Since the last inspection the pupils’ attainment has improved overall. Standards in speaking and listening remain good. The pupils speak in sentences about their work and express their ideas clearly . They listen well and are attentive. By the end of Key Stage 1 the attainment of the majority of pupils is reading at least in line with national expectations. For a significant proportion of high and average attaining pupils, standards in reading are above average. Overall, pupils are using a range of strategies to read unfamiliar words. They know their letter sounds and use them to build up words they do not know. However, the majority of pupils do not have a broad

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Exclusions

knowledge about different books. They are not familiar with non-fiction and many do not know how the library works. The pupils’ attainment in writing is at least in line with expectations for the age group. A significant proportion of pupils’ writing and spelling is above average. They practice their writing skills effectively in other subjects. For example, standards of writing are good in accounts in history and diagrams and instructions in design and technology. Their writing is usually grammatically correct and the spelling of simple words is accurate. The pupils use their knowledge of letter sounds to spell words they do not know. Standards in handwriting are good.

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Exclusions

4. Pupils throughout the school are confident in their use of numbers and at the end of the key stage attainment is at least in line with and more frequently above the average for the age group, despite it being early in the pupils’ final year in school. The pupils’ numeracy skills are well developed. The majority already counts and orders numbers to 100. They add and subtract numbers to 10, and sometimes to 20. They are beginning to know multiplication tables for 2, 5 and 10. The pupils recognise and name three-dimensional shapes and are learning how to recognise the number of sides and faces the shapes contain. They use mathematical terms such as “face”, “edge”, “side”, “corner” and “base” with increasing confidence. The pupils collect and organise data about the colour of eyes and favourite fruit and make graphs to show their findings.

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Exclusions

5. The pupils’ attainment in science is broadly in line with the national expectation. They have a very secure knowledge and understanding of materials, of life processes and of living things. In Year 2, pupils make simple comparisons between the fruits they are observing and record and describe their observations. They describe the foods that are important to a healthy diet. They use symbols when recording the weather and carefully and accurately describe ways in which materials are changed by bending and stretching and record their ideas through drawing. Pupils recognise that things grow and reproduce.

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Exclusions

6. In information technology the pupils’ competence and attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is in line with national expectations. The school has maintained the standards identified in the previous inspection. In Year 2 the pupils use the word processing program to write simple text and can explain how to print their work when they have completed stories. They accurately explain how to drag and drop labels to a drawing when creating a map. They use programmable toys such as a 'Roamer' for control technology. High attaining pupils in Year 2 explain how they have collected data on eye colours as part of a science project. They know how to input the information to the computer and analyse what the graph created tells them.

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Exclusions

7. The pupils’ attainment in religious education is broadly in line with the Locally Agreed Syllabus and standards have been maintained since the previous inspection. The pupils are learning about celebrations of world religions such as Chinese New Year, Eid, Diwalli and the major Christian festivals such as Easter and Christmas. They are able to relate the concept of promises to their own experiences in school and at home. Standards exceed expectations in physical education because of the good quality of teaching. Standards in art, design and technology, history and geography are at least in line with expectations for this age group.

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Exclusions

8. Pupils with different levels of attainment and from different backgrounds are attaining appropriate levels by the time they leave the school. A significant proportion of pupils, particularly the most able, is attaining higher than average standards due to carefully planned, high quality and challenging work. Although some of the low attaining pupils and those with special educational needs are functioning at lower than average levels than others in relation to their prior attainment, they are reaching good standards, particularly in literacy and numeracy. There is no evidence of differences between the attainment of boys and girls.

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Exclusions

9. The pupils who speak English as an additional language are attaining appropriate levels in English and mathematics with the effective support of a specialist Section 11 teacher and a bilingual support teacher. This builds up the pupils’ confidence in speaking, reading and writing. The bilingual teacher provides effective support in the pupils’ first language to give them access to what is taught in all subjects. The Section 11 teacher carefully analyses their responses in the literacy hour and this forms the basis of effectively targeted work. Detailed profiles of the pupils’ progress and clear and successful communication with class teachers ensures that their needs are fully met. Consequently, they are making good progress in language proficiency and confidently practise their skills and understanding in the full range of subjects. The parents are generally happy about the progress their children are

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Exclusions

10. Throughout the school the pupils are making good progress in their knowledge, skills and understanding as a result of good and sometimes very good teaching and positive recognition of their capabilities. When they enter, school their attainment in language and literacy is below average. The school is adding good value to the pupils’ education. There is clear evidence of the pupils’ good progress over time in reading and writing, mathematics, science, religious education and information technology. Pupils of all abilities are making good progress because the work is well planned to meet their various needs. All pupils effectively consolidate new learning and practise their skills. Throughout the school and in the Family Centre the pupils with special educational needs are progressing well. Consequently, many are removed from the special educational needs register by the time they are 7 years old. This is because of the good teaching and the very successful support of the

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Exclusions

learning support workers. The work in class, and when pupils are withdrawn for individual support or group sessions, makes good use of the Individual Education Plans to ensure that pupils individual needs are well catered for. This makes a positive contribution to the good progress made by all pupils.

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Exclusions

11. Good progress is made in each class and across the key stage. Good progress is made in speaking and listening, history, geography and physical education. The pupils make good progress in practising their literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects such as history, geography and design and technology. Progress in art and design and technology is satisfactory. There is too little evidence to provide a secure judgement about progress in music but the pupils sing enthusiastically and in this aspect progress is satisfactory.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

12. Overall, the attitudes, behaviour and personal development of the pupils are very good and make a significant contribution to their attainment and good progress. The school has maintained the good standards identified in the previous inspection. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good throughout the school. They show interest in their lessons and their surroundings and they are keen to find out about their world and beyond. In lessons they concentrate well on the tasks set. A class of under-fives who in literacy had listened to the story of “The three bears” remained keen to answer the teacher’s questions and offer suggestions about the sequencing of the story when taking part in the group work that followed. A class in Year 1 exploring ways to travel balancing a bean bag in physical education and a group of pupils in Year 2 studying photographs to identify the differences between seaside

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

holidays of 1909 and 1999 both demonstrated how they can sustain concentration for suitably long periods. Their capacity for personal study is good. The pupils under-five in the Family Centre and the reception sensibly select and use the resources in class role-play areas and older pupils organise equipment well when completing practical tasks.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

13. Pupils throughout the school are confident in generating ideas and most attempt to solve problems with enthusiasm. The take pride in their work and their recording of tasks and observations in geography, science and mathematics is thorough and careful. They are keen to succeed and respond well to challenges, which they tackle with enthusiasm and enjoyment. Pupils of all ages contribute eagerly to class discussions and listen attentively to adults and to each other.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

14. The pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school and in the playground is generally good. There is some restless behaviour in lessons and some boisterous behaviour during playtimes but pupils respond well to the steps taken by teachers and other adults to maintain appropriate behaviour. The pupils know the school rules well, have contributed to these themselves and usually abide by them; there have been no exclusions from the school in the last twelve months. Pupils are polite and helpful to adults and each other, and treat property and resources with care and respect. No bullying was seen during the inspection. A high proportion of the parents who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire considers that the school achieves a high standard of behaviour.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

15. Relationships between all members of the school community are very good and a strength of the school. Pupils feel at ease with their teachers and other adults. This gives them confidence to ask for help when they need it, which contributes to effective learning. Pupils form constructive relationships with each other in lessons and at play. The pupils with English as an additional language work well together and with other children in their classes. The majority of pupils show respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others, demonstrating a high degree of social and racial harmony. They show care and consideration, for example at playtimes, when eating lunch in the hall and when sharing equipment during lessons. Most pupils work well together, and work collaboratively when required. 16. The personal development of pupils is good. They are beginning to articulate their own views, and are

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

beginning to recognise the diversity of beliefs and cultural traditions. Most are able to discuss and reflect on their behaviour and feelings, for example in circle time. The children under-five in the Family Centre and reception classes work and play together in relative harmony, co-operating and sharing toys and equipment. Many choose and carry out activities confidently and independently, and they help with the tidying up. They are developing independence in dressing themselves, and by the reception year many can cope well. As they move through the school, pupils grow in self-confidence and self-discipline. The pupils enjoy taking responsibility for tasks around the school and carry out their duties, such as helping with lunchtime organisation or arranging the physical education equipment conscientiously. Pupils’ sense of citizenship is enhanced further by the school’s excellent involvement with the local community.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

17. Attendance is satisfactory and recorded unauthorised absence is broadly in line with the national average. Registration is prompt and efficient. However, the school’s registration procedures are unsatisfactory and attendance registers do not fully comply with statutory requirements. A record of pupils arriving late is not always kept. In several registers family holidays taken in term time, which exceed the agreed period show the additional days as authorised absences. This is incorrect. Most parents observe procedures for absence, but some are consistently late in bringing their children to school. Attendance figures are published appropriately in the prospectus and governors’ annual report to parents.

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Teaching

18. Overall, the quality of teaching is good; it remains a strength of the school and has a positive impact on the pupils’ attainment and progress. The school has maintained the strengths identified in the previous inspection. In 55 per cent of lessons teaching is good and, in 24 per cent it is very good. There is very little that is less than satisfactory. In the Family Centre teaching is good with some very good features. The range of activities is generally high quality and sessions are very carefully planned. The children under-five are well taught in the reception classes where some very good teaching was observed. In Key Stage 1 teaching is mainly good and never less than satisfactory. In nearly one third of lessons it was very good. Teaching in English is very good and it is good in mathematics, science, information technology and history. Teaching in design and technology is satisfactory and there are

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Teaching

good features to lessons. There is too little evidence to judge the quality of teaching in religious education, art, geography and music.

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Teaching

19. The greatest strengths in teaching are:

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Teaching

• . the teachers’ very good subject knowledge in literacy and good knowledge in mathematics, science, and physical education that enhances the lessons and the pupils’ attainment; • . the effective understanding of how to teach young children in the under-fives and at Key Stage 1; • . the high expectations of behaviour and academic achievement resulting from careful assessment and analysis of work that promotes the pupils’ progress particularly in English, mathematics and physical education; • . the good planning in the school and the very good planning in the Family Centre that identifies clear learning objectives for the six recommended areas of learning; • . the very successful range of methods within very well organised lessons that effectively motivate pupils and the very good quality and range of activities that fully meets the needs of the different ability groups in the class. • . the effective management of pupils through clearly established routines and praise that promotes

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Teaching

good standards of behaviour in lessons motivates the pupils to want to learn.

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Teaching

27. Teaching successfully promotes the pupils’ learning. The pupils with special educational needs are taught well. Sometimes the teaching is very good. Their clear Individual Education Plans are effectively used to plan carefully matched tasks in all subjects and particularly in literacy and numeracy. The teachers plan the work of all pupils carefully and the most able are suitably challenged to extend their learning. Their attainment often exceeds expected levels in English and mathematics. The work of the learning support workers is very good in their support of pupils across the ability range. They are well trained and experienced and work in successful partnership with the teachers. They are successful in raising standards. 27. 28. The pupils who speak English as an additional language are successfully taught. This enables them to gain confidence and build up their self-esteem. The careful link between the first language and

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Teaching

English of the Gujarati speaking pupils and support of the bilingual support teacher provides them with an understanding of the concepts being taught and enables them to practice their English. The teacher funded under Section 11 effectively uses the shared time in the literacy hour to assess the responses and involvement of pupils for whom English is an additional second language. There is good communication between these teachers and the class teachers. Careful analysis of the needs of individual pupils and how they learn enables them to make good progress. Where the pupils have special educational needs in addition to their second language, effective communication with the special educational needs co-ordinator enables support to be provided and Individual Education Plans to be produced to encompass all the needs the pupils have.

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Teaching

1. There are no significant shortcomings in teaching. In a few lessons the pupils are expected to sit on the carpet too long. At times, opportunities for children to evaluate their work and the work of others are limited and this was identified as a shortcoming in the previous inspection.

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Teaching

2. The quality of day to day assessment is very good and clearly a strength. Observation and evaluation are used successfully to check what the pupils know and understand. Teachers throughout the school know children well. Marking is effective and helpful to the pupils. The use of homework is good. Pupils are encouraged to take reading books and library books home, some learn spellings and in Year 1 a particularly good example of homework was set that related closely to the new ideas about the sounds of letters taught in the lesson.

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3. The curriculum is very good for children under five and in Key Stage 1. This is another strength of the school and marks an improvement since the previous inspection. It makes an effective contribution to the educational standards achieved by the pupils of all backgrounds. The curriculum is effectively planned, broad, balanced and relevant. It supports the pupils’ intellectual, physical and personal development and prepares them very well for the next stage of their education. The requirements of the National Curriculum are covered through a combination of topic and subject teaching. There is a strong and appropriate emphasis on English and mathematics that ensures the consistently good development of literacy and numeracy. Information technology is well planned to support other subjects but the plans and timetables for religious education indicate that it is too loosely linked to other topics and time allocations are sometimes inadequate. However, long term planning ensures that

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the requirements of the National Curriculum and the locally Agreed Syllabus for religious education are met. There is good provision for personal and social development that covers the components of family life, citizenship, healthy life, and drug education and sex education. The governors have agreed the sex education programme as required. This is taught if and when required within the topic programme and science. 4. The school is very successful at providing equality of access and opportunity for all pupils; including those who speak English as a second language and those with special educational needs. Subject policies identify ways of providing good support and parents whose children do not speak English as first language have stated that they feel their children have access to the whole curriculum and are pleased with the progress they make. The school also carefully plans to meet the needs of the African

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Caribbean boys and non-English speaking refugees. The work of the Section 11 Teacher and the bilingual support teacher is planned well. The provision is organised effectively and this has a positive impact on pupils learning in all subjects and in particular English. The pupils are able to fully participate in the literacy hour. The non-English speaking children participate very well with the support of the bilingual teacher and there is a good balance of work in their first language as well as English.

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5. The provision for those pupils who have special educational needs is good and meets the requirements of the Code of Practice. The pupils have a good balance of participating in class activities and working in small withdrawal groups or working alone with an adult. They are very well supported by the effective learning support workers. Individual Education Plans are clear and specific and carefully used by the teachers to ensure that pupils’ individual needs are well catered for. This makes a positive contribution to the good progress made by all pupils. As a result, many are no longer in need of additional support by the time they are 7 years old.

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6. The curriculum for pupils under five, in both the Family Centre and the reception classes, is very good and gives them a very successful start to their schooling. This high standard was recognised by the previous inspection. It is a broad curriculum, which is carefully planned to cover the recommended learning outcomes, and also provides for a good balance of adult directed tasks and child initiated activity. There are very good opportunities for the children to talk to adults and other children and play purposefully.

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7. There are effective schemes of work in all subjects and the national strategies for literacy and numeracy are being implemented effectively. The school is increasingly using the nationally recommended exemplar schemes of work in planning and this is having a positive effect on developing the curriculum provision for science and information technology in particular. Planning is generally extensive, carefully ordered and focussed particularly on literacy and numeracy. The work of subject co-ordinators, and the curriculum planning by teachers in year group teams, is generally very effective. There are some good examples of lesson planning in the school but some teachers do not plan sufficiently carefully. Planning is less well developed in the reception year where there are inconsistencies in the experiences planned for pupils between the two classes. Continuity with the work of the Family Centre is not always clear. The school has responded well to the key issue from the

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last inspection report and has continued “the good work in developing the curriculum” as required.

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8. The curriculum is enhanced through a good programme of extra-curricular activities. For example, there is a good range of visits, theatre and environmental trips and singing and recorder groups.

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9. There is a good policy for assessment and very comprehensive procedures for assessing pupils’ work. These are effective, manageable and useful. The school rigorously analyses its national test data to identify strengths and weaknesses and uses this to plan for future development. The school undertakes an assessment with every child during the first term in the Reception year, and again at the end of that year, in order to provide a good measure of progress. Further tests of reading ability and of general capability are used diagnostically in Years 1 and 2 and teachers use checklists of key areas of learning to carefully monitor progress of individual pupils. Work in English, mathematics and science is collected, analysed and moderated by teachers in whole school staff meetings, to ensure that teacher expectations are kept to a high level. Information from assessment is used very well for informing

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curriculum planning and for appropriately grouping pupils in class.

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37. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 10. The school’s overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good and makes a significant contribution to the quality of education provided and the standards pupils achieve. Provision for pupils’ moral, social and cultural development is very good, especially the opportunity given for pupils to develop awareness of the wide range of cultures represented in the school. The school has generally maintained the good standards identified in the previous inspection. There have been improvements to the provision for cultural development but opportunities to promote spiritual development, although satisfactory overall, are not always fully exploited.

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11. Provision for pupils' spiritual development is satisfactory overall. It is fostered particularly through religious education lessons and the daily act of collective worship. Assemblies cover a wide range of themes and particular care is taken to respect and represent the wide range of beliefs amongst families of the school. Parents from all faiths feel welcomed into assembly. During the inspection, visiting speakers at assembly included representatives of the local churches and the West Indian community. During the year pupils celebrate Eid and Diwali as well as the Christmas nativity. Pupils learn about Christian values and beliefs and those of the other world religions. At the time of the inspection the whole school was involved in work linked to harvest festivals. Although pupils are encouraged to talk about feelings and beliefs, opportunities for quiet reflection are limited. Opportunities for developing a

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sense of wonder in lessons such as science, art and drama and in assemblies are often missed and pupils have very little quiet time to reflect.

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12. Very good provision is made for pupils’ moral education. A caring ethos pervades the school. The pupils have clear values, based on mutual respect, honesty and concern for one another. They can distinguish right from wrong. Acts of collective worship offer some moral guidance, for example on helping others and on behaviour, such as explaining precisely why the headteacher rewards pupils who had met their behaviour targets. Class teachers deal with other moral issues, such as honesty and fairness, as they arise in a sensitive way, through circle time and through assemblies, which may be addressed by outside helpers such as the nurse, the police or the road safety officers.

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13. The provision for the pupils’ social development is good. It is successfully promoted through many aspects of school life. Personal and social education is an important element of provision including circle time and assemblies, sometimes planned and presented by the pupils themselves. Many instances were observed of pupils spontaneously helping each other, for example with changing for physical education or when using the computers. The pupils in all classes take responsibility for a range of jobs. The teachers provide many opportunities for pupils to work co-operatively. They almost always behave sensibly and respond well to the trust placed in them. The pupils are encouraged to participate in extra-curricular musical activities and theatre visits that enhance their social development. The older pupils sing carols at the community centre and to local senior citizens. These, as well as other educational visits, and the “twinning” arrangements with two other schools provide

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opportunities for them to mix socially with a wider group of pupils and adults and to experience environments different from their own. The school supports the children’s ward at the local hospital and pupils carry out sponsored activities in support of charities.

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14. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is very good. Pupils explore their own culture through use of the local community for topic work, particularly in history and geography, and they participate in traditional activities such as carol singing. Visits to museums and other places of cultural interest, for example, the local waterways museum and the local mosque also promote pupils’ cultural development. Older pupils present an art exhibition at the school. Their awareness of other faiths and cultures is very well developed through religious education, geography, music, art, in assemblies and by very attractive displays around the school. There are many multi-cultural artefacts and books in school and teachers make good use of their own experiences and that others, to help pupils understand and celebrate the diversity of cultures both in the school, Britain and the world. The school makes an

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exceptional effort to draw on the experiences of parents and others in the community who can contribute to pupils’ multicultural understanding and in this the school is very successful.

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42. Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare 15. The school’s arrangements for the support and guidance of pupils are good overall and the school has successfully maintained the standards identified in the previous inspection. They make a very positive contribution to the quality of education provided and the educational standards achieved. Procedures for monitoring progress and personal development are very good, as are the procedures for promoting good behaviour. The school has good procedures for child protection and promoting pupils’ well-being and health and safety. The school promotes good attendance enthusiastically but the procedures for monitoring attendance are unsatisfactory.

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16. Many parents have chosen to send their children to the school because it is a caring community with a family atmosphere in which pupils feel valued and secure. Almost all parents who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire and all those at the parents meeting said that they would find it easy to approach staff to discuss any concerns, and all agree that the values promoted by the school have a positive effect on their children. Staff have very good relationships with the pupils and their families and are able to offer sensitive support and guidance. The Family Centre and reception classes give appropriate emphasis to the support of pupils on entry. Their welfare and security is given a high priority

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17. Procedures for monitoring the pupils’ academic progress and personal development are very good. The identification of the more able pupils and of their needs has improved since the last inspection. A very good system of formal testing is in place for the under-fives and for English and mathematics at Key Stage 1. Teachers have a very good knowledge of the pupils in each class and the use of target setting for individual pupils is having a positive effect on the good progress made throughout the school. The school gives high priority to the early identification of any pupils who may have special educational needs and provides a well-focused range of support.

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18. The school has very good procedures for monitoring and promoting discipline and good behaviour. The discipline policy emphasises fairness and consistency and positive but assertive approaches to dealing with any disruptive behaviour. Parents speak highly of the school approach to discipline. They are well informed about the school’s high expectations of good behaviour and are involved at an early stage if there are any problems. Any bullying is dealt with immediately and monitored by all staff with parents being kept fully informed. Pupils are familiar with the procedures to follow if they have any concerns. The school has a very good range of strategies for recognising pupils’ achievements, such as through assemblies or by the head teacher visiting classes and praising successful work and good progress. This helps to raise pupils’ self-esteem.

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19. Child protection procedures are good, all staff have appropriate training and guidance and the school has established good links with outside agencies. The school provides effectively for pupils' personal, social and health education and encourages pupils to adopt a healthy lifestyle and teaches them to keep themselves safe. For example, before Guy Fawkes Night the school arranged for the local fire service to visit the pupils to warn of the dangers of fireworks. Sufficient members of staff have First Aid training.

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20. Health and safety policies and procedures are good. The school risk assessment statement gives operating instructions for staff over a wide range of eventualities and health and safety issues are appropriately considered in most lesson planning, such as for practical activities in design and technology and science. Risks are not always assessed in lessons planning for physical education. The school has effective systems for the routine inspection of fire appliances, portable electrical equipment and physical education equipment.

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21. Parents at the pre-inspection meeting felt clear about their responsibilities regarding absence and the school does much to encourage regular attendance. However procedures for monitoring attendance are unsatisfactory. Lateness, attendance and unauthorised absence are not always recorded correctly. There are inconsistencies in the way registers are maintained. The practice of leaving registers in the classrooms, even when pupils are at physical education or on a science investigation in the school grounds, does not meet with good health and safety practice. 49. Partnership with parents and the community

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Teaching

22. The school’s partnerships with parents and the community have improved since the last inspection and are now very good overall and strengths of the school. The quality of information given to parents is good. Communication includes consultations, meetings, assemblies newsletters and notices. School reports are evaluative, show progress by subjects, but they do not indicate areas for pupils’ improvement. The governors’ annual report to parents is clearly written and pleasing to read, however there are a number of omissions, most notably about special educational needs, and it does not meet statutory requirements. The prospectus is a well structured document which complies with statutory requirements. A good home-school agreement has been circulated. The great majority of parents who answered the questionnaire and attended the parents’ meeting are satisfied with what they are told about the curriculum and say the school keeps them well informed about their children’s progress. The

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school has a good procedure for dealing with complaints and most parents find it easy to approach staff with problems and are happy with the way these are handled.

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23. Parental involvement in their children’s learning is good. The school values the part parents play in their children’s education and strongly encourages them to be involved in all aspects of school life. Most parents confirm they feel welcomed and valued. A few regularly help in classrooms, with extra curricular activities and on educational visits. Parents are particularly supportive of the family centre and weekly pre-nursery mornings are very well subscribed. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are closely involved in their children’s education plans. The school has a satisfactory homework policy centred on reading, but including more challenging tasks for older pupils. Most parents are happy with the work their children are expected to do at home. Induction arrangements from the family centre into the school are very good and transfer arrangements with the junior school to which

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most pupils go are being developed. As well as academic exchanges there are staff, social and sporting contacts. The Friends of Hatherley School is active in arranging fund raising and social events such as the ‘Christmas Fayre’. 51. 24. The enrichment of school life through links with the community is excellent and a major strength of the school. Through a mutually beneficial twinning arrangement with two country schools pupils visit farms and see rural activities. Students from local colleges who undertake regular placements at the school contribute to pupils’ learning. Pupils carry out sponsored activities in support of charities such as SCOPE (People with Cerebral Palsy) and Farm Africa. To support topics and enrich the general curriculum the school makes excellent use of local buildings such as the library, museum and mosque. Further afield children visit the Olympus Theatre, Cotswold Wild Life Park and Stratford Park.

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Among visitors to the school are police, fire and road safety officers. Other visitors include those with special knowledge and interests such as local history and different cultural traditions.

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25. The school is involved in many local activities. It supports the children’s ward in Gloucester Hospital, visits care centres and invites elderly residents to its Christmas concert. There are excellent relationships with local religious and cultural centres, and the parish priest and other religious leaders take special school assemblies at Harvest Festival, Eid and Diwali. The school is a member of the Gloucester Education and Business Partnership through which it maintains a strong association with several major businesses, one of which recently sponsored improvements to the environmental area. The school has an excellent reputation within the community and local people have considerable pride in it. A school watch is in place and positive action has been taken to reduce incidents of trespass and theft. The school’s work is substantially enriched by its wide-ranging contacts, and community links

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contribute markedly to pupils’ progress, development and social experiences. 53.

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26. The school has addressed all the key issues in the last inspection report and improvement has been good. The governing body has established a committee structure that enables their work to be effectively organised. Governors have become more informed and involved with curriculum issues, especially literacy and numeracy. The school has a good capacity for further improvement.

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27. Overall the leadership and management of the school is good. There are significant strengths but also some shortcomings. The headteacher, staff and governors work in close partnership to provide very clear educational direction for the school. They share a clearly articulated vision to achieve high standards of attainment and behaviour for all pupils. These aims are apparent in all the work of the school and are shared by parents. The headteacher provides very strong and effective leadership in all aspects of school life and in particular works to foster and extend the good relationships between home and school. There is an atmosphere of openness and trust between the staff and the governors, who support the school effectively and have a good understanding of curriculum matters.

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Leadership and management

28. Most subject co-ordinators lead their subjects well and this contributes to the high standards achieved in the school. The strategies for literacy and numeracy are very effective and the implementation of the literacy and numeracy hours has been well managed. A high priority is given to monitoring the curriculum and teaching to ensure that pupils are enabled to achieve well. The headteacher provides successful professional leadership and monitors teaching and learning throughout the school. Subject co-ordinators monitor planning, pupils’ work and teaching in most subjects, except design technology and physical education, where the role of the co-ordinator is less well developed than in other subjects. The monitoring makes a significant impact on standards of achievement and involves a considerable commitment of time, which reflects the professionalism of staff. Information collected provides helpful

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feedback to teachers to help them to improve. Teaching and non-teaching staff meet regularly to discuss, review and evaluate their work.

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Leadership and management

29. The teachers’ responsible for the pupils who speak English as a second language are well-managed within the school. This enables them to support the pupils well and develop strategies that enable them to continue to improve the quality of the provision. This has a positive impact on the pupils’ attainment and progress. There is a clear vision for including the pupils in the whole curriculum by a careful balance of the use of their own language and English. Communication is good at all levels and all staff are careful to ensure that the specific needs of these pupils are met. The roles of the teacher and the bilingual support teacher are clearly defined and they are an integral part of the language support work. The headteacher and the governing body have an appropriate oversight of this provision and the special educational needs is well-managed by a knowledgeable co-ordinator.

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30. The school development plan identifies relevant priorities and targets for improvement. However, it is not a clear and strategic plan and is not a helpful tool for future developments. The identification of criteria to monitor the success of developments is not always clear. The plan does not indicate how developments will improve the progress of pupils and raise standards of attainment. This represents a reduction in the quality of development planning identified in the previous inspection. Monitoring and evaluation is carried out on an informal basis, through staff discussions but there are insufficient records for the school to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan in terms of school improvement. More importantly it does not identify the costs in time and resources for each development, which makes an evaluation of the true costs difficult. Staff development is not clearly linked to the development plan.

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However, at present professional development is mainly limited to school’s current priorities in literacy, numeracy and information technology. The governors do not have a clear understanding of their role in development planning, or their responsibility to evaluate developments for cost effectiveness. 31. The analysis of school performance data is developing well and used to assist in raising standards and improving the pupils’ progress. The school is beginning to develop the use of specific targets for individual pupils. The test results are carefully analysed to find out what pupils were getting wrong and how to raise levels of attainment by focussed teaching. However, the data has not been used to set whole school targets linked to each cohort of pupils, nor to inform targets set for future years. The school is clearly exceeding targets set by the local authority.

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Leadership and management

32. The school has a very positive ethos that is apparent in all its work. Teaching and non-teaching staff and governors are committed to achieving high standards for all pupils and they are successful in this aim. All staff work hard to provide an attractive environment that supports and celebrates effective learning. Relationships are very good at all levels of school life, and the school has a calm, supportive and happy atmosphere. All pupils are valued and all have equal access to the full range of school activities. The school meets the majority of statutory requirements. However, attendance is not always recorded appropriately. There are omissions to the information in the governors’ annual report related to special educational needs.

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60. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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33. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources have improved since the last inspection and are now good overall with some very good and excellent features. The match of teachers to the curriculum is very good and a strength of the school. All teachers are suitably qualified and experienced to meet the requirements of the curriculum and teach it effectively, including the areas for learning for under fives. Teachers are dedicated and diligent and very well deployed to benefit the pupils’ attainment and progress. The teaching staff is experienced and knowledgeable about the school. Co-ordinators are designated for all subjects, including special educational needs.

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Leadership and management

34. The match of support staff to the demands of the curriculum is excellent and a major strength of the school. There are learning support workers in all classes with appropriate qualifications and experience. They are fully involved in all classroom activities and their roles and responsibilities properly complement those of the teachers with whom they work closely in planning, teaching and recording pupils’ progress. The co-ordinator for special educational needs, Section 11 teacher and bilingual support teacher are highly qualified and totally committed, and they make excellent contributions to pupils’ achievements. Non-teaching staff such as the secretary, lunchtime supervisors and caretaker are very well regarded and fully integrated into the school community.

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Leadership and management

35. The arrangements for the professional development of staff are satisfactory. Although staff training is monitored, there is no staff development policy. Whilst the current training is linked to the priorities in literacy and numeracy, there is no long-term plan for professional development. Attendance on courses is determined by individual and school needs. Those attending external courses share the information they gain with other staff during in-school training, a practice that contributes significantly to effective teaching across the school. There are sound procedures for the induction of new staff, including the support of students on placement. Satisfactory job descriptions have been drawn up for all staff and subject co-ordinators, and a helpful handbook is issued to all staff and supply teachers explaining school policies and routines. The importance of relationships and teamwork is emphasised. The school has a satisfactory appraisal policy that is presently being implemented through

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Leadership and management

36. The accommodation is satisfactory for the effective delivery of the curriculum. The school is housed in a Victorian building with compact grounds and a small environmental area. The adjoining Family Centre enjoys purpose built accommodation. There is a covered area for under fives. In the summer term the school uses a local playing field for some outdoor activities. There are six adequately sized classrooms with sufficient space for current pupil numbers. The school has no designated specialist areas and the library is small and also used for withdrawing pupils in small groups. The hall is well suited to assemblies and concerts, but it is small particularly when large physical education apparatus is used. The hall has a dual use as a dining room. This puts a constraint on the school as the time taken to prepare for and clean up after lunch limits the time available for some physical education

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Leadership and management

lessons. The atmosphere in the school is warm, friendly and attractive. Wall and tabletop displays and mobiles are imaginative, colourful and stimulating and suitably support topics and learning projects. Many have a multi-cultural theme reflecting the richness of the cultural diversity in the school. The balance between the celebration of pupils’ work and teaching aids is good. The hall is nicely decorated for assemblies and all classrooms have play, listening or reading corners and computer workstations.

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Leadership and management

37. There is a good quality and level of learning resources for the effective delivery of the curriculum. The quality and quantity of resources is good in all subjects except design technology. There is an adequate number of computers but some are nearing the end of their useful lives. There is a good range of software. Although storage space is limited and resources are widely dispersed about the school; they are well organised and clearly labelled. There is a broad range of good quality fiction books and the provision of non-fiction books is satisfactory. Older pupils feel confident in using computers and the library. The provision of specialist resources for pupils with special educational needs is good, as is that of large toys and construction kits for under fives. There is a good variety of multi-cultural resources. Consumable materials are appropriate and plentiful. The school’s learning resources are

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Leadership and management

suitably supplemented by visitors with special knowledge and interests appropriate to the curriculum, and by educational visits to such places as museums and environmental centres.

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Leadership and management

38. The overall efficiency of the school is good. The school has maintained most of the strengths identified in the previous inspection report. However, there are some shortcomings in financial planning. Day to day financial planning is good. The finance policy is clear and helpful but the guidelines are not always followed. The budget is carefully used for school improvement and to raise standards. However, the school development plan does not provide a helpful tool for financial planning, as there are no budget allocations to the priorities. Information about finances tends to be what has been spent. Governors and staff know that finances are linked to priorities but the overall costs of developments in terms of time as well as funds are not explicitly recorded. The governors’ finance committee is very supportive to the headteacher and they have a clear idea on spending and how to be economical and

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Leadership and management

work within financial constraints. However, the governing body does not have a clear strategic view over a longer term than one year about how the school’s finances can be managed. Consequently it is not able to fulfil all its strategic responsibilities for planning the use of resources. The governing body still tend to rely extensively on the headteacher. Spending plans are not well documented and the governors do not have the information that enables them to play a full part in monitoring the cost effectiveness of their development plan.

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Leadership and management

39. Financial controls are good. Effective use is made of the local authority’s financial management. As a result finances are carefully monitored. There are effective systems to ensure that spending keeps within agreed limits. The school has been recently audited (July 1999) and the use of the computer systems are complimented. The few recommendations have already been implemented. The school is an orderly and effective organisation. The office is efficient and administrative systems are generally clear and unobtrusive, enabling staff to focus their work on the pupils.

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Leadership and management

40. Teaching staff, in the school and the Family Centre, are very effectively deployed to maximise their strengths. Morale is generally high and the teachers plan effectively together in year groups. The pupils are very well managed in lessons and consequently they are interested in their work and behaviour is good. This enables them to learn easily and progress effectively in the majority of subjects particularly literacy and numeracy. Teaching, learning and teacher’s plans in most subjects are carefully monitored to ensure that what has been agreed is being taught effectively. Most co-ordinators have a successful knowledge of the subjects they manage. There is a strong and appropriate emphasis on literacy and numeracy and the national strategies have been effectively implemented and work is well developed based on a careful audit of the provision. Governors know the school well and some have a good knowledge of teaching and learning through regular visits to classrooms.

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Leadership and management

41. The headteacher and co-ordinators analyse test results and use the information to deploy resources to raise standards. For example following a concern about reading results the headteacher and co- ordinator assessed what the pupils were doing wrong. Learning support workers were targeted to support the pupils who were functioning at just below average levels and those pupils who were able to reach higher than average levels were challenged and extended. Reading became the focus of the school and the test results for 1999 show an improvement in the standard of reading. The school has specifically re-organised the work of the most able to enable them to reach higher than average standards in writing and mathematics. This has been cost effective as internal tests show that the pupils are making good progress.

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Leadership and management

42. The grants for pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are very effectively used. These pupils make good progress with support from teachers and learning support workers. The section 11 teacher and the bilingual teacher ensure that all the pupils have equal access to a full curriculum.

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Leadership and management

43. The accommodation is used effectively and efficiently. The Family Centre occupies a separate building that is used to the full for parents and their children. The main school building is small and there is very little additional space for specialist teaching. The hall is adequate for physical education and the teachers have to work hard to ensure that the time available in the hall is used to the full. The library area is small and accommodates the special educational needs teacher and some withdrawal groups from literacy and numeracy lessons. Corridor space is used for books, reading and displays of pupils’ work. Following a number of thefts the governors have made efficient use of effective security systems. Time is generally used efficiently and lessons start on time. There are sufficient learning resources and they are used very effectively to support the curriculum.

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Leadership and management

44. There have been clear improvements since the previous inspection. There is a rising trend of improved levels of attainment particularly in English and mathematics and the school’s results are well above the average to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. The pupils make good progress over time as a result of good teaching. The overall quality of education the school provides is very good and the pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good. The unit cost for each pupil is high and the school maintains high levels of non-teaching staff that have a direct impact on the pupils’ attainment and progress. Overall the school gives very good value for money.

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72. PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

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72. AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

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45. The provision for the children under 5 years old in the Family Centre is very good and in the reception classes it is good. The children get a very good start to their schooling. The Family Centre, for children aged 3 and 4 has 119 who attend on a part-time basis, the youngest for one session each week with a parent or carer. As they near the year in which they are five they attend more sessions in preparation for entry to the reception classes in the school. The school provides a secure and caring environment with daily routines firmly established. A full and effective programme of meetings both in individual homes and in the centre and when transferring to the reception classes ensures that the children have a happy and confident start to their school life. The very good broad curriculum based on the nationally recommended areas of learning for children under five fully supports the children’s

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Leadership and management

intellectual, physical and social development. When children start to attend the Family Centre their attainment is well below that expected by children of the same age. On entry to school the attainment of the majority of children is still below average in the tests on entry to school. The great majority, including those with special educational needs make good progress in their learning skills in the Family Centre and this continues when they move to the reception classes. Consequently, by the time they are five their attainment often exceeds the desirable outcomes and they are well prepared to start the National Curriculum Programmes of Study. 46. Personal and social development is given a high priority in both the centre and the reception classes. The children work and play together in relative harmony, co-operating and sharing toys and equipment. Many choose and carry out activities confidently and independently, and they help with the

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Leadership and management

tidying up. Children concentrate for short periods when listening to a story, and for longer periods when engaged in activities they have chosen. They are developing independence in dressing themselves, and by the reception year many can cope well, needing just a little help with fastenings. The majority of children follow class routines, and behaviour is good. Teaching and non-teaching staff in both the Family Centre and the reception classes are very successful in making the children feel secure and happy. They are on course to meet the nationally agreed outcomes.

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Leadership and management

47. In both the Family Centre and the reception classes, there is a strong emphasis on the development of language and literacy skills. Despite starting well below average, by the time they are five, the children’s attainment is in line with expectations. In the Family Centre staff and helpers support and extend children’s language by playing alongside them in the role play area, discussing their work while sorting conkers and fir cones and using snack time to describe the properties of a banana. The children enjoy listening to stories and saying nursery rhymes. They are learning to recognise their own first name and the more able can write it. In the reception classes children listen attentively to stories, songs and rhymes. Many are confident and willing to talk to each other and familiar adults about their experiences. They are extending their vocabulary and use of language. For example, in a technology

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Leadership and management

activity, children used words like “bumpy”, “wavy” and “rough” to describe the sea in their picture. They enjoy books and are able to point to the words as they try to make sense of the text. The more able are beginning to recognise a few key words and some letter sounds. All the children understand that pictures have meaning and can “tell a story” from the picture. They are beginning to “write” confidently. Many are able to make marks and random letters, and a few can write their name and are beginning to use their knowledge of letter sounds to spell words. Children make good progress in all aspects of the language and literacy curriculum because of very good teaching.

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48. The children’s attainment in mathematical skills by the time they are five is good overall. In the Family Centre, they enjoy number rhymes and are learning to match, sort and count using a range of practical activities. They respond to mathematical language such as “big, small, more, less, the same as”, but do not always use it themselves. By the time they are in the reception classes, many children can recite numbers to 10, count to 5 and recognise numerals. The more able can say what one more than a given number is. The children enjoy making repeating patterns with beads, and can recognise a triangle because it has 3 sides. Progress in mathematics is good for all pupils and many are on line to exceed the expected outcomes for five-year-olds.

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49. The children are extending their knowledge and understanding of the world through a good range of experiences and they make good progress overall. They are on course to exceed the recommended outcomes. They are beginning to have an understanding of the differences between the past and the present as they talk about their families and events in their lives. Both the children in the Family Centre and the reception classes learn about the seasons and talk about how the leaves change in autumn. They take note of the weather, and even the youngest understand how it affects their lives. For example they know that when it rains they cannot go out. In the Family Centre the children enjoy making close observations of leaves, conkers and fir cones. In the reception class children extend their scientific skills and can identify similarities and differences in fruits and have some understanding of how plants grow. The children are learning to cut, fold and join paper and other materials; for

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example children in a reception class carefully cut out triangular sails to make a boat picture. They enjoy cooking and the children in the reception class already understand some of the rules for safety and hygiene. However, there are too few opportunities for children to select and explore building materials independently. In the reception children use computers confidently and show the ability to use both keyboard and mouse skills. The children under-five in the Family Centre do not have access to a computer.

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50. The children’s attainment in their physical development is in line with expectations. In the Family Centre they have daily access to indoor large climbing equipment and climb, balance and swing with increasing skill. They have large wheeled toys to use during outside play. Reception children use the large physical education equipment in the hall for lessons but do not have daily access to climbing apparatus. They have no access to wheeled toys. In physical education lessons their attainment is sound. However, they do not benefit from more informal opportunities to develop their physical skills. In the classroom, children handle scissors, small construction kits and soft materials like play dough, with increasing control and accuracy. In the reception classes children are gaining good control over their use of pencils and crayons and many can draw recognisable pictures, for example of vegetables,

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fruit and people. Progress in physical development is good and they are on course to exceed the recommended outcomes.

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51. The children’s creative skills are effectively developed though a good range of activities. In the Family Centre children paint independently, making leaf prints and drawing pictures. They enjoy singing nursery rhymes and taking part in their first ever dance lesson. They show that they can walk to a beat, attempt to clap a rhythm and learn a short dance sequence to a song. By the time they are in the reception classes, children remember songs and sing melodies with increasing accuracy. They clap simple rhythms with increasing reliability and enjoy responding to music in dance lessons. They make good progress in the creative aspects of the curriculum and are on line to exceed the expected learning outcomes by the time they are five.

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52. The quality of teaching in the Family Centre is nearly always good and has some very good features. There are very few shortcomings. In the reception classes, the quality of teaching is good. It is never less than satisfactory and in over a quarter of lessons seen it was very good. The teaching of all children under five in the school promotes high educational standards through a balanced range of methods including whole class, group and individual teaching. The best teaching is characterised by very clear learning objectives achieved through good use of time and resources and skilful questioning. The very few shortcomings in teaching occur when teachers do not successfully build on children’s learning, or ask questions that require single word answers that limits opportunities for the children to develop their speaking skills. Planning in the Family Centre is very good at all levels. It clearly

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identifies the areas of learning and what the children are expected to achieve. Although there are some inconsistencies in planning between the two reception classes, they do not affect the progress of pupils. The teaching and non-teaching staff work well together and form strong teams in both reception classes and Family Centre. The nursery nurse is fully involved in planning and uses her skills to the full. The learning support workers are very experienced at working with young children. The quality of all staff involved has a positive impact on the children’s attainment and the good progress that they make in all areas of learning.

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53. The accommodation available for the Family Centre is very good and, together with the good resources provides an excellent learning environment for the youngest children. This has a positive impact on the children’s confidence and progress. Both accommodation and resources in the reception classes are good. 81.

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54. The results in national tests in 1998 for 7 year olds at the end of Key Stage 1 in reading and writing in are line with the national average. The percentage of pupils reaching Level 2 in reading was above the national average but no pupils reached the higher Level 3 and that was well below. The percentage reaching Level 2 in writing was above average but again, no pupils attained Level 3. However, the test results are well above the average of schools with pupils from similar backgrounds in both reading and writing. The tests in 1999 indicate an improvement in the numbers reaching Level 2 in reading and writing. There is a rise in the number reaching the higher Level 3. The results for spelling in 1999 indicate that a higher proportion of the pupils reached higher levels than in reading and writing. However, there are no national results yet, so it is not possible judge the impact of the rise in

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comparison with national averages. The school works hard to raise standards in English by carefully analysing test results and then targeting specific areas for improvement such as aspects of reading and writing. Teachers successfully plan activities to extend the pupils’ learning. They are already reaching the targets set for the year 2001. The inspection findings reflect the results in 1999 more closely than those in 1998. While it is still early in the school year, the attainment of the majority of pupils is at least average and a significant proportion of them are attaining higher than average levels in reading and writing.

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55. Standards in speaking and listening are good. The pupils speak in sentences about their work and express their ideas clearly. They carefully describe what they are doing and this is evident at the end of lessons when the pupils revise what they have learned. The pupils listen well. They are attentive and consequently remember what they have learned. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and who speak English as an additional language, make good progress across the key stage and practise their speaking skills in other subjects such as science and history. For example, when questioning the caretaker about her life in Gloucester when she was a girl, the pupils asked sensible and appropriate questions.

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56. Taking into account that the pupils are at the beginning of Year 2, the majority is reading at an average level and at least in line with expectations. A significant proportion of pupils are achieving standards in reading that are above average. Their comprehension is good and they carefully explain what they have read in their reading books. The pupils are using a range of strategies to read unfamiliar words. They know their letter sounds and use them to build up words they do not know. The able pupils read the text for meaning to find out about an unknown word and many are correcting themselves automatically. Most pupils talk about characters in stories. However, while they know how to find the author’s name and know that an illustrator draws the pictures, they do not have a broad knowledge about different books. They are not familiar with non-fiction and most do not know how to use the content page or the index. Many do not know how the library works. The pupils who speak

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English as a second language are developing effective reading skills. The majority read confidently, benefiting from the support of the Section11 teacher and the bilingual teacher. They are quickly learning the complexities of reading in English.

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57. The pupils’ attainment in writing is at least in line with expectations for the age group. A significant proportion of pupils’ writing and spelling is above average. The pupils label diagrams and write clear and helpful instructions for models they have made in design and technology. They write simple poems using alliteration and stories using a guide to help them sequence events. They practise their writing skills in history, for example by writing accounts about a trip to the seaside 90 years ago. Whilst there are good examples of short stories or accounts, there are limited examples of pupils writing longer stories. The pupils use capital letters accurately and the majority knows and remembers that capital letters are used for the beginning of a sentence, their names, months and days. The pupils make good progress in writing across the key stage.

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58. Pupils’ writing is usually grammatically correct and the spelling of simple words is accurate. The pupils use their knowledge of letter sounds to spell words they do not know. Standards in handwriting are good. The pupils form letters clearly which are often joined. They present their work tidily and neatly. Progress in handwriting throughout the school is good because the pupils are systematically being taught how to form and join letters.

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59. The pupils make good progress in English. When they enter, school their attainment in language and literacy is below average. They make clear gains in reading and writing because of the very good teaching throughout the key stage. Most pupils in Years 1 and 2 apply what they have learned in the literacy hour; for example, linking reading with spelling and their ability to sound out words. The pupils with special educational needs make good progress with well-targeted support from a special needs teacher and the able learning support workers.

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60. Those pupils who speak English as an additional language also progress well with the effective support of a specialist Section 11 teacher and a bilingual teacher. This builds up the pupils’ confidence in reading and writing. The bilingual teacher provides effective support in the pupils’ first language to give them access to what is taught. The most able pupils are progressing well. Their good progress is the result of challenging activities that extend their learning and motivate them. All pupils effectively consolidate new learning and practise their skills.

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61. The pupils’ attitudes to reading and writing are good. They clearly enjoy the literacy hour and are interested in books. They write carefully and take pride in their finished stories and accounts. In Year 1 the response is particularly good and the pupils celebrate each other’s success in spelling and handwriting. They enjoy poetry. Behaviour is generally good and the pupils concentrate effectively often for a long time. In Year 2 the pupils persevere to get their writing correct. When given the opportunity they organise their own learning; for example in Year 2 when they completed diagrams and instructions, they went to the book area to read each others poems.

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62. The quality of teaching in English is very good. It is at least satisfactory and there are very few shortcomings. Where teaching is at its best teachers are very skilful at motivating pupils and challenging them. The teachers have a very good knowledge of the literacy strategy and the literacy hour is well taught. Clear focussed direct teaching raises standards in lessons. Effective use is made of technical language to extend pupils’ vocabulary and knowledge of words. There is very good attention to detail in reading, writing and spelling and consequently the pupils make good progress. A very good range and quality of activities successfully links English to other subjects such as design and technology, history and mathematics. This enables the pupils to practise their literacy skills in a good range of situations. Lessons are well balanced and organised. Very good day to day assessment informs

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what the pupils need to learn next. The pupils are well managed in the literacy hour and this enables them to make good progress in the different elements of the lesson. In the very few instances where teaching is less successful, lessons slow down when the teacher reminds the pupils to be quiet too often. Sometimes pupils have to sit and listen too much and there is slippage of time extending the lesson for too long.

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63. The English curriculum is broad and balanced and fully meets statutory requirements and the recommendations of the National Literacy Strategy. All pupils have equal access to the curriculum. There are clear agreements about assessment and the procedures are very good. Information is used effectively to raise standards. Implementation of the literacy hour has been the priority for development in the school for the last three years. This has had a positive impact on the very good quality of teaching and the pupils’ attainment and progress. The subject is well led by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic co-ordinator who has a clear strategy for further developments. The role of the co- ordinator is well-developed to include monitoring of teaching and learning, teachers’ planning and pupils’ work. Resources are generally good in quality and range. The big books are both fiction and non-fiction and they are very good quality. However, some of the books in the library are old.

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64. The school has maintained the good standards identified in the previous inspection and improved spelling writing and the quality of teaching. The strategy for implementing literacy is effective and the school is well placed for further development. Overall the provision for English is good and a strength of the school. 92. Mathematics

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65. Since the last inspection the pupils’ attainment in mathematics has improved. In the national tests for 7 year olds at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1998, the results were in line with the national average. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 3 was well below average. However, the pupils’ results were well above the average of schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. In the national tests in1999 a higher percentage of pupils reached Level 2 and in addition more pupils than in 1998 reached the higher Level 3. This indicates a continued improvement but as yet there are no national results to confirm this rise in attainment. The school is already exceeding the target set for 2001. The inspection findings reflect the test results for 1999 more closely that those of 1998.

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66. Pupils throughout the school are confident in their use of numbers and their attainment is at least in line with and more frequently above average for the age group, despite it being early in the pupils’ final year in school. The pupils’ numeracy skills are well developed. The majority already count and order number to 100. They add and subtract numbers to 10, and sometimes 20. They are beginning to know multiplication facts for 2, 5 and 10. The pupils measure and weigh objects using standard measures and work with money up to £1. During the inspection the theme for most mathematics lessons was knowledge of shape. The pupils recognise and name three-dimensional shapes and are learning how to recognise the number of sides and faces the shapes contain. They used mathematical terms such as “face”, “edge”, “side”, “corner” and “base” with increasing confidence.

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67. The pupils make good progress in mathematics throughout the school because of regular consolidation and practice. In Year 1 the pupils are able to write clues to describe the properties of a given shape. By the time they are in Year 2, they solve problems related to numbers and shapes mentally. For example, they accurately answer questions such as, “the answer is 12 -what is the double?” and “it has 3 sides- what is the shape?” Overall the pupils make noticeable gains in knowledge and mathematical skills. They are successfully building on what they have learned and are beginning to apply their new knowledge in other subjects such as design and technology and science. The pupils are able to describe their methods of calculation providing successful inks with literacy curriculum in mathematics lessons. The pupils with special educational needs and English as a second language make consistently good

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progress as the result of effective support and tasks that are carefully planned to meet their needs. The most able pupils are appropriately challenged and they too make good progress.

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68. The pupils’ response in mathematics is consistently good. They are enthusiastic and keen to contribute to questions that demand mental calculation. Pupils of all abilities concentrate well and work independently when required to. They move quickly to work and persevere with tasks to get them right. They co-operate with each other and share resources sensibly. Behaviour is good. The pupils enjoy mathematics. For example there was great excitement when using a “feely bag” to select and describe an unseen shape to their friends.

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69. The quality of teaching in mathematics is good throughout the school. In some lessons it is very good. The teachers have a good knowledge of the numeracy strategy and are implementing the recommendations for a numeracy lesson very well to ensure that the pupils make good progress. Where teaching is strong it is characterised by very good planning with clear mathematics objectives. Activities are well matched to the abilities and needs of pupils. The best lessons move briskly and teachers use the time for mental calculation effectively to encourage pupils to think quickly. In the lessons where teaching was very good lessons teachers made learning mathematics fun. The children made good progress because they had a high level of involvement. There were shortcomings in teaching when the tasks were dull and pace was slow. Consequently the pupils were not as interested as they could be. Good attention is given in every lesson to the teaching of numeracy and the teachers

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are successful in developing the pupils’ skills in mental calculations. Good use is made of information technology through maths games and data handling programs.

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70. The mathematics curriculum is successfully based on the Numeracy Strategy and supported by a range of interesting activities. Careful planning ensures that these are matched to the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs. The curriculum is broad and balanced to ensure good progress. Ongoing assessments are effectively used to inform daily planning and half-termly formal assessments are made to provide helpful information about the pupils’ progress. Individual targets are set with each child and monitored regularly. The subject is well managed by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic co-ordinator who supports colleagues well and effectively monitors teaching and planning. There is good quality on-going in-service training to support the teachers in implementing the numeracy strategy. Learning support workers have a significant impact on the quality of mathematics in lessons and they contribute effectively to the good progress made. Resources for

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mathematics are good and are well used. Overall the provision for mathematics is good and is a strength of the school.

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71. In the teacher assessment of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1998 the percentage of pupils reaching the expected Level 2 was above the national average. However, the percentage reaching the higher Level 3 was below average. The percentage of pupils reaching the average Level 2 in experimental and investigative science and materials and their properties was very high when compared to other schools. The results were well above the average for similar schools. The results of assessment in 1999 indicate a significant rise in the percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 3 but as yet there are no national figures to compare the results with those from other schools.

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72. The inspection findings reflect the teachers’ assessment. The pupils’ attainment in science is broadly in line with the national expectation. They have a very secure knowledge and understanding of materials, of life processes and of living things. In Year 2 pupils make simple comparisons between the fruits they are observing and record and describe their observations. They describe the foods that are important to a healthy diet. They use symbols when recording the weather and carefully and accurately describe ways in which materials are changed by bending and stretching and record their ideas through drawing. Pupils recognise that things grow and reproduce.

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73. Progress in science is good. The pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are successfully developing skills of observing, investigating and recording. They steadily develop knowledge and understanding through practical activities, learning how to carry out progressively more complex observations. They develop simple scientific vocabulary well. The pupils make clear gains in knowledge and understanding over time. For example in Year 1 pupils sort and classify materials by their textures using terms such as hard and soft or rough and smooth. They know about the five senses and can relate these to the relevant parts of the body and the nervous system, talking about messages being sent to the brain. Pupils can label parts of the body and the able pupils explain how they carried out a survey of their friends eye colours and

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used the computer to record, analyse and present their results. By the Year 2 their observations and classifications are more detailed. They describe and record the findings of their investigations carefully and accurately.

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74. The pupils respond well to the challenges that they are set. They are keen to contribute ideas and answer their teacher’s questions enthusiastically. They co-operate well in groups work and explore materials sensibly. The quality of their recordings is good and they show pride in their work.

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75. The quality of teaching in science is good and has a positive impact on the pupils’ attainment and progress. In all lessons the work is planned well, with objectives that are clear and resources that are chosen appropriately to support the pupils’ learning. The quality of the resources used is often high and they are well organised for the pupils. The range of activities is well matched to the ability of the groups of pupils and the expectations and challenge offered by the teachers and adult helpers is appropriate. Teachers are confident in their knowledge of the science being taught and give good explanations in the introductory sessions and evaluations at the end of lessons. The questioning in these discussions is good at reinforcing the pupils learning. Interesting displays of pupil’s science work and other stimulating material is found in all classrooms to promote good standards of work.

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This contributes positively to the good progress made by pupils. 76. The subject is very well managed. The co-ordinator provides sensitive support for teachers who are less confident. The curriculum for science is broad and balanced and the good teaching ensures that this is made relevant for the pupils. The pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language are supported well. There is a good scheme of work, which is now supplemented by nationally recommended guidance. Resources are adequate and needs are reviewed regularly. Assessment, which has been reviewed recently, is effective in guiding the overall curriculum and in the matching of tasks set to the needs of pupils. This marks an improvement in science since the previous inspection.

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104. OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES 104. 104. Religious Education

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77. Very few religious education lessons were planned to take place during the inspection, and only one was observed. Consequently, there is too little evidence to make a secure judgement about the quality of teaching. However, based on an analysis of teachers’ planning, photographs and the small amount of pupils’ recorded work, and discussion with pupils, attainment is broadly in line with the Locally Agreed Syllabus and standards have been maintained since the previous inspection. The pupils are learning about celebrations of world religions such as Chinese New Year, Eid, Diwalli and the major Christian festivals such as Easter and Christmas. They are studying the impact of the harvest and the celebrations related to the gathering in of food. The pupils understand that Jesus is important to Christians and that promises should be kept. They are able to relate the concept of promises to their own experiences in school and at home. Overall, the pupils’ progress is good.

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78. The pupils’ attitudes to religious education are good. They are sensitive when discussing Christianity and the world of Islam, which is the other predominant religion of pupils in the school. This sensitivity and understanding is reflected throughout school life, which puts a strong emphasis on the importance of valuing each individual and caring for each other.

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79. The religious education curriculum generally meets the requirements of the very good Locally Agreed Syllabus. However, the teachers’ plans and timetables indicate that religious education is often too loosely linked to other subjects and topics. As a result, time allocation is sometimes inadequate and the objectives of lessons are not always sufficiently focused on the knowledge, skills and understanding related to the religious education. The subject is appropriately managed and resources are satisfactory, representing a broad range of world religions and Christianity.

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80. The pupils’ attainment and competence in information technology by the end of Key Stage 1 is in line with national expectations. The school has maintained the standards identified in the previous inspection. In Year 2 the pupils use the word processing program to write simple text and can explain how to print their work when they have completed stories. They accurately explain how to drag and drop labels to a drawing when creating a map. They use programmable toys such as a 'Roamer' for control technology. More able pupils in Year 2 explain how they have collected data on eye colours as part of a science project. They know how to input the information to the computer and analyse what the graph created tells them.

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81. The progress which pupils make is good over time. In lessons where parent helpers work intensively for a short period with individual pupil’s progress is particularly marked. In Year 1, pupils are learning to control programs by using the mouse and are developing keyboard skills well. They can identify initial letter sounds from pictures and match shapes with shape clues. By the time they are in Year 2 the pupils increase their confidence and use the computer independently. As they pass through the school their knowledge of a growing repertoire of software applications and skills is developing successfully.

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82. The quality of teaching is good and this is an improvement since the last inspection. Teachers make good use of parent helpers and learning support workers to introduce new programs or skills to the pupils, which the pupils can then follow up independently. Teachers identify clear objectives in their planning which the other adults supporting the pupils understand. Use of computers is carefully monitored to ensure equality of access. Tasks are well matched to the pupils needs and this maintains their involvement and attention. The pace of learning is good. Pupils respond positively to information technology activities and concentrate well. They show very good relationships with their adult helpers and with one another when working in pairs.

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83. There is a clear and effective policy for the subject and the school has adopted the exemplar national scheme of work. The school's system for assessment is good with individual pupil’s progress being carefully recorded. The co-ordinator provides good leadership for the subject and has a clear vision for future developments. The in-service training for teachers is effective. There are an adequate number of computers, although some are nearing the end of their useful lives. The teachers are well supported by a good range of software and associated equipment. Recent purchases have been of appropriate quality and the school has successfully applied for connection to the National Grid for Learning. 111. 111. Art

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84. Very few lessons in art were planned to take place during the inspection week. As a result there is too little evidence to make a secure judgement about the quality of teaching. However, from a scrutiny of pupils’ previous work on display and photographs the pupils’ are reaching standards expected for the age group. These standards have been maintained since the previous inspection. There are some examples of good standards in painting and observational drawing. The pupils make satisfactory progress in the use of an appropriate range of resources, including paint, crayon, pastels, fabric, and a range of papers. They use a variety of techniques, which include observational drawing, collage, printing and painting with increasing skill. They study the work of other artists, for example Van Gogh, Monet and Picasso, and attempt to copy their styles and techniques. The pupils’ cultural development is very well supported by the study of art from non-western cultures. For example, there

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is a good display of Jamaican artefacts.

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85. There is a good policy and a helpful scheme of work for art that ensures that pupils cover the all elements of curriculum and have equal access to art activities. Art meets the statutory requirements. The subject is well managed. The co-ordinator monitors planning and maintains a good portfolio of pupils’ work. Further examples of pupils’ work are kept and informal assessments made to inform end of year reports. Learning support workers make an important contribution to art lessons. They effectively support and guide the pupils. However, some of the pupils’ work is closely directed by adults and there are very few examples of pupils being given opportunities to explore their own ideas and use materials independently. This was a finding in the last inspection that has not been successfully addressed. Resources for art are good in range and quality. Displays of work are well presented and attractively enhance the environment around the school.

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86. Overall pupils reach appropriate standards and make satisfactory progress in design and technology. The school is maintaining the standards identified in the previous inspection. The pupils in Year 2 choose suitable materials from a collection of card, paper and found materials to design and make a healthy meal. For example they used wool for spaghetti and rolled or curled paper for vegetables or fruit. The pupils carefully explain their choices. Others, in a food technology lesson used labels on a diagram to record their choices of ingredients for a healthy sandwich. Some of the pupils are developing good designing skills to draw the arrangement of their tasty fillings. When making the sandwiches they can manipulate the table knives to cut bread and rolls and spread fillings safely and sensibly. The pupils are extending their design and technology effectively through writing instructions and labelling diagrams in the literacy hour.

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87. In the very few lessons observed the quality of teaching was satisfactory and there were a few good features. Teachers provide suitable challenges for the pupils and the objectives for lessons are made clear. Resources for making the finished products are well organised and the support from learning support workers is good. This enables all pupils to participate in lessons and has an impact on the pupils’ progress. In one lesson, with the whole class making sandwiches, the organisation and management of pupils was very good. Appropriate health and safety arrangements for cleanliness were made. Generally the pupils behaved well. They related effectively with the adults helping them and responded well to questions asked of them.

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88. The planned curriculum for design and technology is satisfactory and the school is supporting this with the nationally recommended exemplar material. Teachers are expected to include designing and making activities in the topic work programme. However, they receive limited support from the co- ordinator. Procedures for monitoring planning and teaching and learning are not systematic and the teachers do not receive feedback to help them improve. This is a weakness. Resources for the subject are adequate. 116. 116. History and Geography

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89. No history or geography lessons were planned to take place during the inspection. However, from the pupils’ previous work and discussions with them, they are making good progress in both subjects and clearly reaching the levels expected for this age group. The standards in the previous inspection have been maintained. In history the pupils have a good understanding of the past within living memory and how events might fit into a time line. For example they can describe the differences in holidays in 1910, 1930, 1960 and 1999. They draw artefacts and clothes to show the differences between what they take to the beach now and what was taken 90 year ago. They ask sensible questions when questioning a visitor about her life in the area when she was young. Younger children can talk about when they were babies and how time has changed them.

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90. In geography, mapping skills are particularly well developed. In Year 1 the pupils recognise and make observations about physical and human features of places such as an island or the places they pass on the route to school. The pupils in Year 2 draw accurate maps of their journey from school to Gloucester Docks, describing geographical and historical features along the way. They draw recognisable plans of gardens and of the school conservation area. They draw elevations of their homes, comparing these with the homes of children who live elsewhere and in very different circumstances such as with nomadic families. They are developing a good knowledge and understanding of the subject.

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91. There are sound policies and schemes of work that ensure that the curriculum is broad and balanced. In history the school makes good use of visits to places of interest, for example the Waterways Museum, and visitors to talk about the past. In geography learning about the lives of others in places such as deserts and the rain forest and studies of topics such as “where our food comes from” or “people have different jobs” enhances their understanding of their own and other cultures. These contribute significantly to the cultural development of pupils. There are clear links between history and geography and with other subjects. For example, in geography studies of the water cycle provide a good basis of environmental understanding and a topic about seaside holidays has made good links with history. Pupils have effectively used information technology to draw simple maps naming the countries. The teachers make informal assessments of pupils’ progress that inform the end of year

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reports to parents. The history and geography co-ordinator provides good leadership. She is knowledgeable and well aware of the strengths and needs for development within the subjects. Resources are good and supplemented by loans from the local authority’s history centre. 119. Music

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92. Too few music lessons were planned to take place during the inspection and there is too little evidence to make a secure judgement about the pupils’ attainment and progress and the quality of teaching. However, the pupils sing enthusiastically in assembly and taped evidence indicates that they can copy a simple rhythm and maintain a beat. The curriculum is broad and balanced and all the elements are in place in planning. The draft music policy is good and will be further updated when the new curriculum is in place. The pupils are provided with good opportunities to listen to an effective range of music in assembly and when changing for physical education. However, opportunities for appraising music are less frequent in the timetable than listening activities. There is a strong and appropriate emphasis on literacy and numeracy that sometimes compromises the time available for music. The co-ordinator is aware of this. The subject is well led and the co-ordinator is experienced

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and well informed. She supports the teachers well. Plans, teaching and learning are monitored and teachers are given feedback about their individual teaching and issues related to music across the school. This provides helpful information to help them improve their work.

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93. The pupils are reaching good standards in physical education. There are many strengths and very few shortcomings in the work observed because the pupils throughout the school are well taught. The current focus of lessons is gymnastics and the pupils are making good progress in creating shapes and sequences that they effectively transfer from the floor to the large apparatus. They successfully perform basic gymnastic activities such as stretching and curling to create interesting body shapes. The pupils are clearly building on what they have been taught and from Year 1 to Year 2 they make good progress in balancing and controlling their bodies. In Year 1 the pupils are learning to use the space in the hall well and to travel while balancing a beanbag. In Year 2 the pupils can travel with control at speed at different levels above the ground and balance and stretch on high benches. They are developing good control when jumping and one physically able pupil achieved great height and

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accuracy when performing a star jump. The pupils in Year 1 are beginning to note how their movement can be improved and to practise, refine and improve their sequences. Whilst pupils in Year 2 refine their movements with practise, they are given too few opportunities to develop skills to help them evaluate their own sequences and those of others.

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94. Pupils clearly enjoy physical education lessons and enthusiastically use the large apparatus. They are motivated to try hard and those physically less able pupils persevere to get their sequences right. They share apparatus carefully in groups. Behaviour is generally good. However, sometimes they lose concentration when they are asked to repeat sequences too often.

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95. The quality of teaching is good and there are elements of very good teaching. For example, in Year 1 very effective routines are established that speed up dressing and undressing. At these times, music is played throughout the school to enable the pupils to listen while they are dressing. This creates an atmosphere of calm concentration in preparation for physical activities. Lesson planning is generally clear. There is no assessment of the possible risks, but the teachers pay good attention to safety when pupils are moving around the hall or using apparatus. Pupils are well managed and the teachers subject knowledge is good. Pupils are successfully used to demonstrate what they have learned as examples to others. Lessons are well balanced to cover a good range of tasks. Teachers’ evaluate the pupils’ work very well. However, opportunities for pupils to evaluate their own and each other’s sequences are limited. Sometimes too much time is spent on apparatus. The pupils loose concentration

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and the quality of their movement declines without the clear and frequent intervention of the teacher. Very effective use is made of apparatus to extend and challenge the pupils physically and intellectually. In Year 2, pupils place the apparatus in the hall to a plan, this provides a very good link with design and technology and aspects of maps and plans in geography. 96. All aspects of the physical education curriculum are planned and the subject meets statutory requirements. Planning is good. On-going assessment in lessons has a positive effect on standards. Procedures are in place for more focussed assessment of the pupils’ performances. The subject leadership is satisfactory. However, the role of the co-ordinator is not fully developed. Plans are in place to monitor planning but monitoring of teaching and learning is not undertaken. Consequently, there is very limited feedback for the teachers to help them improve their lessons. The hall is adequate

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for physical education lessons but the space is small when all the apparatus is in use. The lesson after the morning break has a limited amount of time as the hall has to be set up for lunchtime. There are some days when the pupils have to wait a long time for lessons after lunch, as the hall has to be cleaned. The school works hard to minimise the impact of this on lessons by sensibly rotating hall times. Resources for physical education are good. The large apparatus is appropriately challenging and this has a positive impact on the pupils’ attainment and progress. 124. PART C: INSPECTION DATA

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97. The team consisted of four inspectors who worked in the school over a period of 12 ½ days gathering first hand evidence. Thirty-eight hours were spent in classes, in discussions with pupils and evaluating their work.

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98. Inspectors visited registration sessions and assemblies. All the full time teachers, including those in the Family Centre were seen teaching several times. The literacy hours and numeracy lessons of each teacher were inspected. The work of the Section 11 teacher and the bilingual teacher was monitored. Discussions were held with members of the teaching and non-teaching staff and representatives of the governing body, about their roles and responsibilities both before and during the inspection. All the available work of a representative sample of three pupils’ work, the work of pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language and the pupils’ work from the previous year was inspected. Twelve per cent of pupils were also heard to read. A large amount of documentation provided by the school was analysed, including attendance registers, the school budget, the recent audit report, the school development plan, policies and documents related to curriculum and

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assessment. The registered inspector held a meeting attended by 13 parents and considered the parents’ responses to a questionnaire.

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99. There was insufficient evidence to make a secure judgement about the pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching in music and the quality of teaching in art, geography, history and religious education.

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128. 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

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YR – Y2 178 2 57 133 Nursery Unit/School 119 0 0 0

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Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 9.70

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Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 18.35 : 1

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Total number of education support staff: 9 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 175

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128. Qualified teachers (Nursery school, classes or unit)

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Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 11.8 : 1

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128. Education support staff (Nursery school, classes or unit)

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Total number of education support staff: 2 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 52.5

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Average class size: 29.7 128. Financial data 128.

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£ Total Income 410480.00 Total Expenditure 400066.00 Expenditure per pupil 2072.88 Balance brought forward from previous year 21662.00 Balance carried forward to next year 32076.00 128. PARENTAL SURVEY

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Number of questionnaires sent out: 240 Number of questionnaires returned:

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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree

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I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the [type] 55 34 8 3 0

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I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 79 16 0 5 0

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The school handles complaints from parents well 53 34 3 3 5

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The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 58 39 3 0 0

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The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 53 42 5 0 0

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The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 63 34 0 3 0

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The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 45 45 11 0 0

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I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 55 32 8 5 0

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The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 61 34 3 0 3

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The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 63 26 8 0 3

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My child(ren) like(s) their school 84 16 0 0 0

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128. The parents are very happy with the school. They are supportive of the education it provides. The parents who do not speak English feel that they are well supported by the head teacher and the bilingual teacher. They feel that they can take a full and active part in school life.

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