Glebe Primary School

11 th to 14 th October, 1999

Under OFSTED contract number: 707868 Inspection number: 187291

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11 th to 14 th October, 1999

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Glebe Middle School, October 1999 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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11 th to 14 th October, 1999

Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 and the Education Act 1993, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Lane Southwick West Sussex BN42 4GB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of Chair of Governors: Dr. Cecil French

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: February 1996 Glebe Middle School, October 1999

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

John Woollard Registered inspector Special educational needs Mathematics Design and technology Information technology Attainment and progress Teaching

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Juliet Baxter Lay inspector Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents and the community Di Wilkinson Core inspector Equal opportunities English History Religious education Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Judy Morris Team inspector Modern foreign languages Music Physical education Curriculum and assessment Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Heather Toynbee Team inspector Science Geography Art Leadership and management Efficiency of the school

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Salter Baker & Associates (Education) Limited Drayton House Oving Chichester West Sussex PO20 6EW Tel: 01243 780805

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Glebe Middle School, October 1999

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MAIN FINDINGS

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

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INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of the school 1 - 3 Key indicators

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Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

Attainment and progress 4 - 10 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 11 - 17 Attendance 18 - 20

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Quality of education provided

Teaching 21 - 29 The curriculum and assessment 30 - 37 Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 38 - 42 Support, guidance and pupils' welfare 43 - 49 Partnership with parents and the community 50 - 56

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The management and efficiency of the school

Leadership and management 57 - 62 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 63 - 67 The efficiency of the school 68 - 71

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

English, mathematics and science 72 - 97

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What the school does well

• . Implementing the literacy strategy which is raising standards of attainment • . Developing the school ethos; monitoring and promoting good behaviour. • . The overall quality of teaching. • . Relationships between staff and pupils and between pupils themselves. • . Teaching of pupils with special educational needs and the progress they make. • . Very clear educational direction by the Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher. • . Professional development of staff. • . The efficiency of financial control and administration.

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Where the school has weaknesses

• . Attainment in English particularly spelling and handwriting. • . Information communication technology (ICT) provision and teaching. • . Using assessment information for tracking and maintaining individual pupil’s progress. • . Providing challenge and opportunity for all pupils and investigational work in mathematics and science. • . Implementation of health and safety procedures. • .Attendance and the behaviour of some pupils.

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The weaknesses are outweighed by what the school does well but they will form the basis of the

governors’ action plan, which will be sent to all parents or guardians of pupils at the school.

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

Strategies were put in place to remediate the areas identified by the previous OFSTED inspection and the action plan was subsequently carried out by the current management team. Music provision and the pace of teaching is much improved. Some schemes of work are still not fully developed. The cultural provision is now only satisfactory and ICT provision is not satisfactory. The school is well placed to make further improvements and to meet its targets.

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Standards in subjects

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds in 1998 based on the National Curriculum tests:

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schools Key

well above averageA above average B average C below average D well below averageE nglish E D Mathematics E D cience D C ll subjects E D Glebe Middle School, October 1999 The comparison with similar schools is based upon the number of children claiming free school meals. The figure is high at this school. The extremely poor results in 1998 are still unsatisfactory when this is taken into account.

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schools Key

The 1999 comparative results are not yet available from OFSTED but initial scrutiny indicates that they are considerably better and much improved over the previous year’s results.

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eaching in: - 11 years 1 – 12 years

nglish ood ood Mathematics ood ood cience ood ood formation technology atisfactory atisfactory eligious education atisfactory ood ther subjects ood ood

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eaching in: - 11 years 1 – 12 years

The teaching in nearly two thirds (64%) of the lessons is good or very good. Some very good teaching was seen in most areas but there was a small amount (2.8%) of unsatisfactory teaching. The strength of the teaching lies in: well structured lessons, active support given to pupils and the quality of relationships in the classroom. Less good teaching is associated with poor behaviour management and inappropriate activities.

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eaching in: - 11 years 1 – 12 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 Overall, the behaviour of the children is good but that of a few pupils could be improved. The children are seen to be friendly, willing and polite. Attendance Although procedures put in place by the school are appropriate, the attendance is unsatisfactory. Punctuality and the use of time are mainly good. Ethos* A strong feature of the school is the good relationships between staff and pupils and team work. Most pupils show a good attitude to work but this wanes when the challenge or interest of the work is weaker. There is a commitment to raise standards. Leadership and management The Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher give a very clear educational direction for the work of the school. The support and monitoring of the teaching is mainly satisfactory. The implementation of the school’s aims and objectives and the development of the curriculum are being effective in raising standards from their previous low level.

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Aspect Comment

Curriculum and assessment Extensive and consistent curriculum planning ensures that the curriculum is both broad and balanced. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy are being successfully implemented. There are weaknesses in the provision for IT. Although regular assessment takes place it is not used sufficiently to promote effective planning for pupils’ progress. Pupils with special educational needs The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The work of the support staff makes a significant contribution to children’s learning. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Spiritual, social and cultural development is satisfactory. There are missed opportunities for spiritual development, particularly in assemblies. The provision for moral development and the example set by staff is good. Glebe Middle School, October 1999 Staffing, resources and accommodation Staffing, and the continuing professional development of staff are good. The

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Aspect Comment

accommodation and resources for learning are adequate. Value for money The school offers satisfactory value for money. * 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

• . Encouragement for pupils to take part in extra- curricular activities. • . The standard of work achieved by their child or children. • . The way in which they can approach the school for help, advice and information. • . Homework diaries. • . The influence of the Headteacher. • . The support given to more able pupils. • . The poor behaviour of a few children.

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

The inspection team agree with most of the parents’ statements but judge that the standards achieved could be further improved. A very small number of parents attended the Parents’ Meeting. Glebe Middle School, October 1999

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

To improve the standards the pupils achieve and the quality of education provided, the Headteacher, the Governing Body and the staff should ensure that all statutory requirements are met and that:

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• . Standards of attainment are raised through: developing writing skills especially spelling and handwriting; (paragraphs – 6, 77, 78, 88) developing research skills; (paragraphs – 15, 70) having higher expectations of the pupils; (paragraphs – 37, 74, 79, 81, 99) developing skills of independent learning; (paragraphs – 15, 25, 33, 78, 91) using more investigational work especially in mathematics and science; (paragraphs – 25, 33, 95, 96, 98) creating assessment records to promote effective planning for pupils’ progress. (paragraph – 44)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• . The provision for information technology is fully implemented through: ensuring all pupils have appropriate access to computers; (paragraphs – 84, 92, 102, 103) the development of teaching resources; (paragraph – 107) the professional development of teachers and other staff; (paragraph – 107) the efficient use of the computer resources; (paragraph – 102, 103) developing strategies to improve pupil behaviour; (paragraph – 105) ensuring that all aspects of the National Curriculum are resourced; (paragraph – 102) addressing health and safety concerns. (paragraph – 104)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• . The effectiveness of the procedures to promote attendance and to meet health and safety issues are assured. (paragraphs – 18, 47, 66, 104)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

In addition to the key issues above, the following less important weaknesses should be considered for inclusion in the action plan.

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• . Give better access to the school library to enable independent learning by all children. (paragraphs 66, 83, 84) • . Having a consistent approach to marking by all teachers. (paragraphs 26, 37) • . Increasing the efficiency of the use of parts of the school. (paragraphs 66, 69, 84) • . Developing the physical education policy and scheme of work. (paragraphs 31, 142) • . Improving the assemblies to give more time for focused reflection and the appreciation of music. (paragraphs 40, 134) • . Developing the role of governors to better direct the school and act as its critical friend. (paragraph 59) • . Providing a richer range of heritage literature. (paragraphs 43, 76, 84) Glebe Middle School, October 1999

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Characteristics of the school

1. Glebe Middle School is a co-education middle school situated between the coastal towns of Shoreham and Brighton and provides an education for 180 boys and 203 girls aged 8 to 12 years. The number on roll has decreased over the past five years but increased this year. In addition to the Headteacher there are 16 teachers and 13 classes of an average class size of 30. The school serves a mixed catchment area but draws pupils from wider than its identified boundary.

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Characteristics of the school

2. There are 139 pupils with special educational needs. Of these, 58 have the involvement of outside specialists and five have statements of special educational need. There are few pupils from ethnic backgrounds. Census information for Southwick and the neighbouring wards indicates that the pupils' background is similar to that of pupils in the country as a whole.

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Characteristics of the school

3. Thirteen classrooms are within the main building and an additional one is nearby. There is a main hall, computer room, library, several store rooms and administration rooms. There are specialist teaching areas for French, music, science and technology. The school has a clearly stated philosophy that focuses upon helping children to achieve their potential through an ethos of support and high expectation.

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1998 38 44 82

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test Results English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 17 21 28 at NC Level 4 or Girls 27 13 23 Above Total 44 34 51 Percentage at NC School 56 43 65 Level 4 or above National 65 59 69

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 19 23 22 at NC Level 4 or Girls 26 17 25 Above Total 45 40 47 Percentage at NC School 57 51 59 Level 4 or above National 65 65 72 Glebe Middle School, October 1999

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Attendance

Percentage of half days (sessions) % Missed through absence for the Authorised School 8.5 latest complete reporting year Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.0 Absence National comparative data 0.5

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Exclusions

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during the previous year: Number

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Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 17.6 Satisfactory or better 79.2 Less than satisfactory 2.8

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Attainment and progress

1. Children arrive at the school with skills and attainment below what is expected nationally. The school’s own assessments and the local authority audit indicates that a higher than average number of pupils have special educational needs. They respond well to the literacy, numeracy and science lessons; they make good progress in mathematics and science and satisfactory progress in English throughout the school.

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Attainment and progress

2. In the 1998 national tests, standards were generally poor. In English, the number of pupils gaining Level 4 in the tests and the teacher assessments was below the national average. In mathematics, the results were well below the national averages. In science, the teacher assessments were well below the national average but the test results are close to the national average. This is an indication that teachers under-estimate the potential of the children and that the teacher assessment procedures need reviewing. For the 1999 results, the official figures and national benchmarks for schools like Glebe Middle are not available at the time of publication. Initial analysis of the results indicates that there has been a significant improvement.

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Attainment and progress

3. The attainment of the children at the end of Key Stage 2 reflects this improving trend. However, in English, attainment continues to be below the national average. The improvements in reading have not been matched by improvements in handwriting and spelling. In mathematics, the attainment is in line with national expectation which shows children are making good progress. In science, attainment is in line with national expectation. At the end of Year 7 the picture is the same. Mathematics, numeracy and science are in line with the national averages whilst English and literacy are below. Attainment in religious education is in line with national expectation but attainment in IT is below national expectation.

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Attainment and progress

4. Progress in English throughout the school is satisfactory and in lessons it was seen to be good. This is as a result of clearer planning, target setting and pace of teaching brought about by the introduction of the literacy strategy. In mathematics, progress is good. Children are attaining higher levels to reach the national average at Level 4 but the higher level standard is not reached. In science progress is good throughout the school. Frequently, well planned and taught lessons with good resources lacked the challenge necessary for pupils to attempt and succeed at higher levels of work. As a result, we see an overall increase in standards but there is a potential for better results for the higher attaining pupils. A telling example was a lesson in teaching alternative methods of addition. It contained a clear exposition and effective dialogue between the teacher and learners. Many children gained new skills and understanding. However, for a number of

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Attainment and progress

children the practice of the method was unnecessary and they would have benefited from being challenged to find alternative, quicker methods. Progress is satisfactory in both religious education and information technology.

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Attainment and progress

5. The Year 7 classes are taught the Key Stage 3 curriculum. In the majority of subjects, including mathematics and science, attainment is in line with national standards or expectations. However, in English the attainment is below the national average and in information technology it is well below. In French the standards are above national expectation. Progress in Year 7 is satisfactory throughout and in mathematics, science and French it is good. The good progress can be attributed in part to specialist teaching, setting in mathematics and clarity in what is being taught and how it is being taught. The recently introduced weekly planning sheets are commendable but now there needs to be a consideration of levels of attainment and using them to guide teaching by reference to statements of how well the children are expected to work. 6. The school’s understanding of the attainment of individual pupils is weak because there is no single document

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Attainment and progress

describing progress across the years. Important data is regularly collected but this is not readily accessible to teachers.

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Attainment and progress

7. When compared with the previous report, the important trends over time are the improvements in standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. There is a significant fall in attainment in information technology in relation to national expectation. Art is now not as strong but French retains its good position. The significant weakness in music has been remedied. The school is meeting its own targets but the revised local authority target for year 2000 results appears unrealistic and is more likely to have a negative effect on the morale of the school. There is good special educational needs provision. The progress of higher attaining children is not as significant as the progress of the lower attaining pupils.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

8. Improving the attitudes and behaviour of pupils has been the focus of intensive work on the part of staff over the last couple of years. Some staff say that training for all staff on behaviour management has been of considerable assistance in tackling the poor behaviour associated with a small number of pupils in the school.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

9. Most pupils have good and positive attitudes towards their work. These pupils listen attentively to their teachers, are interested in the content of lessons and contribute well to plenary sessions and discussions. They work well independently at their tables and when asked to work collaboratively they do so with enjoyment and sharing resources sensibly. For example, in a science lesson they took turns when heating substances in test-tubes and then they recorded the observations. However, in some classes there are a few pupils who do not listen well and whose attention wanders on frequent occasions throughout the lesson. This is due to poor pupil management on the part of some teachers who too easily allow pupils to get away with fidgeting, restlessness and an undercurrent of inappropriate chatter.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

10. Behaviour in and around the school is satisfactory except, again, on the part of a small number of pupils who are defiant when reprimanded and continue to behave inappropriately and especially when some teachers do not exercise sufficient control and discipline. Most pupils behave well and abide by the school’s codes of conduct although they are often boisterous and noisy when, for instance, changing classrooms and walking along corridors at break and lunch times. Pupils welcome visitors to their school and are courteous, open and friendly. Although the school is vigilant, bullying is not perceived to be a problem. There are no racial tensions. Many parents, staff and governors comment that pupil behaviour has improved since the last inspection, a view supported by the current inspection team.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

11. Relationships in the school are good. Pupils get on well with their teachers and support staff to whom most show respect and friendship. Pupils enjoy good relationships with their peers. They socialise and play well together in the playgrounds at break times. Noticeably, pupils appreciate the contribution of their fellow pupils in lessons and it is not unusual for them to applaud spontaneously in response to a contribution they have particularly enjoyed and appreciated. Most respect the values of others; school and personal property is respected and the school is a friendly community.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

12. A number of responsible tasks are undertaken by pupils around the school such as acting as register monitors and preparing the hall for assemblies. The school has recently introduced junior governors to enable pupils to be a part of the consultation and decision making process. Those pupils who are elected as junior governors or as house captains and vice-captains respond very well to such positions of pupil authority and grow in self-esteem and confidence accordingly. Many pupils have considerable capacity for taking responsibility. If more opportunities to show their initiative or undertake more complex responsible tasks were afforded to a larger number of them they would respond with maturity and their personal development would be enhanced. Similarly, too few opportunities are offered to pupils to develop independent learning and research skills of which many are undoubtedly capable.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

13. A series of residential visits planned for all year groups makes a significant contribution to pupils’ personal growth and maturity. Most are developing an awareness of good citizenship by hosting school events to Glebe Middle School, October 1999 which local elderly residents are invited. They are also beginning to understand the needs of those less fortunate than themselves by raising money for their chosen charities.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

14. Improving attitudes and standards of behaviour throughout the school are beginning to have a positive impact on pupils’ attainment and progress, particularly in literacy and numeracy.

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Attendance

15. The rate of for the year 1997/98 was in line with the national average for primary schools at 93.8 percent. However, in this last reporting year of 1998/99 the rate has dropped to below the national average at 91.5 percent. This rate is unsatisfactory. The drop is explained firstly by a growing number of pupils who take holidays during the school year. Secondly, it is due to long-term absence on the part of two pupils who have returned to their country of origin for family reasons and whose absence the Headteacher has sanctioned on a discretionary basis.

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Attendance

16. The school registers were examined by inspectors during the sixth week of this term and showed that thirty pupils have already taken holiday leave in this current school year. Pupils come to school enthusiastically each day and most are punctual. All lessons were observed to start punctually and this is an improvement on the findings reported at the time of the previous inspection when some lessons were observed to commence late.

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Attendance

17. The rate of exclusions in the past year has risen dramatically and is very high. The inspection team examined the exclusion records for the year in question and, in view of the serious and unacceptable offences committed on the part of all relevant pupils, consider the action taken by the school to be fully justified in all circumstances. The team also noted that there have been two short-term exclusions of boys so far during this current term

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Teaching

18. The quality of teaching across the school is good with no significant difference between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3. The quality of teaching contributes well to the attainment and progress of pupils. Nearly two thirds of teaching is good or very good. Some very good teaching was seen in most areas but there was a small amount (less than 3%) of unsatisfactory teaching in one classroom. In all subjects the teaching is good, except in religious education where it is satisfactory but good in Year 7 and IT where it is satisfactory but has some significant weaknesses.

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Teaching

19. Although teaching is good there are some clear areas for development and these are necessary if the standards of attainment are to be raised further. The unsatisfactory teaching is associated with poor behaviour management. Many teachers have to deal with naughty children and it is commendable that they do not allow those children to disrupt the education of the others. Poor behaviour is associated with movement of children between activities within the classroom and when they go to other areas of the school, particularly the computer room.

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Teaching

20. One good and important characteristic is the proactive teaching style of the teachers. They take every opportunity to intervene and support; the demonstrations and explanations are probing and diagnostic. The teachers are addressing the issue of pace. They enable reflection through discussion, give clear expositions and draw together ideas and understanding in plenary sessions. The special educational needs teaching by both teachers and teacher assistants is good.

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Teaching

21. However, improvements must take place to ensure standards are raised. In English, although different work is prepared for different groups of children, some children are more able than the materials demand. In mathematics the setting of children in classes composed of pupils of similar ability is having beneficial effects especially where extra staffing is introduced and smaller classes are established for the less able. However, these classes still have a range of abilities. It is not satisfactory to teach to the class as a whole without considering the needs of pupils with different abilities.

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Teaching

22. The teaching of the application of mathematical and scientific skills is not sufficiently integrated into the classroom activities to ensure their full development. Children are given insufficient opportunities to use their mathematical knowledge and understanding and to trial and experiment so as to fully develop their skills in those areas. There is a tendency for the teaching to be prescriptive. Direct instructions are given and there is not enough opportunity for children to explore, investigate, search and experiment in their work. They are not encouraged to become independent learners even through small steps like making resources readily available to them in the classroom.

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Teaching

23. Although a marking policy exists, it is inconsistently followed. Where marking is good: it supports the child; guides future work and helps teachers judge progress over time. Some marking is simply a list of platitudes or unfocussed generalisations. It is not always constructive and some pupils do not respond or have to respond to the comments.

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Teaching

24. The teaching of literacy and numeracy skills in English and mathematics ensures that the pupils are making satisfactory progress. Those skills are also developed in other subjects of the National Curriculum. Progress in numeracy is good. In information technology there is a serious lack of knowledge and understanding on the part of the teachers. Teaching materials and strategies are being developed but at this time are of inconsistent quality and value and do not enable children to meet the needs of the National Curriculum.

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Teaching

25. In all areas there is a need to increase the challenge being given to the children. The planning needs to be developed to incorporate clear statements of the level at which the children will be working and the next level at which they should aim.

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Teaching

26. The children are given ample opportunities for extra-curriculum activities. These, with the music tuition and able child initiatives are having a very good influence upon a large number of children. The involvement of parents through the use of the homework diary and the consistent approach to homework is also having a good influence upon learning.

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Teaching

27. The previous report commented upon the slow pace of lessons and the inconsistency of marking. Marking remains inconsistent although there is some good practice which can be built upon. The school is addressing this issue through a new initiative. There has been improvement in the pace of lessons and there are signs that further improvement will be made.

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The curriculum and assessment

1. Extensive and consistent curriculum planning, particularly within the last year, has ensured that the curriculum is both broad and balanced. This confirms the standards seen at the last inspection. All subjects, with the exception of Art and PE, now have schemes of work and the weaknesses identified in the 1996 report relating to music have been satisfactorily addressed. This is an improvement since the last inspection.

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The curriculum and assessment

2. Statutory requirements are being met for all subjects except in information technology where some of the elements are not being taught. Religious education is taught in accordance with the Local Authority agreed syllabus. The curriculum is extended in Years 6 and 7 by the teaching of French which makes a positive contribution to these pupils’ learning. Glebe Middle School, October 1999 3. The curriculum satisfactorily promotes the intellectual and personal development of all pupils and prepares them for the next stage of their learning. However, there is lack of independence in learning as opportunities within mathematics and science lessons for all pupils to carry out their own investigations are limited. Health and sex education are promoted satisfactorily in science and there is a programme for drugs awareness for Year 7 pupils. These have been approved by governors and receive support from parents. The school places a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ personal and social skills,

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The curriculum and assessment

although good practice has yet to be drawn together in a comprehensive whole school programme. This is planned for development in the near future. There is a Home/School Agreement and a homework policy. Sufficient, regular homework is set for all pupils at both key stages and there is an after-school Homework Club which provides extra support to pupils.

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The curriculum and assessment

4. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been fully and effectively implemented and this is increasing the rate of progress pupils make. However, some policies and schemes of work do not yet identify how literacy, numeracy and information technology skills can be used and developed within some subjects of the curriculum and this limits their application. Similarly, there is little mention of how different subjects may promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Planning takes place in year groups to ensure consistency in learning but it does not always consider the ability of the individual. There is lack of emphasis and detail placed on work suited to the needs of various ability groups, or within set groups for mathematics, which will ensure continuity and progression.

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The curriculum and assessment

5. The school is effective in ensuring that all pupils, have equality of access to the planned curriculum. The school fully meets the requirements of the Code of Practice for pupils with special educational needs. These pupils have clearly identified targets in their individual education plans and receive effective support from classroom assistants.

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The curriculum and assessment

6. The curriculum is broadened by a good range of extra-curricular activities. These include, at different times of the year, football, netball, gymnastics, dance, recorders, choir and textiles. Activities are well supported and, together with inter-school sporting events, help to promote pupils’ physical development. Pupils visit museums, historic houses and the local area to support their topic work. Residential visits are organised for pupils in Years 5 and 6 and the school is planning a visit to France for pupils in Year 7. The visits make a positive contribution to pupils’ personal and social development. Visitors to school enrich the curriculum further.

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The curriculum and assessment

7. Testing in English and mathematics is undertaken when pupils enter the school and at the end of their first year. Results are used initially to identify pupils who need extra support, to measure progress over the year and to set broad groups for English and mathematics. Other regular assessments takes place but they focus mainly on the acquisition of knowledge and understanding and not on the pupils’ level of skills. At present the information from all assessments is not used purposefully or effectively to define clear, concise objectives which will move pupils forward onto the next stage of learning or to plot individual progress through the school. Ineffective use is made of the information available to develop long and medium term curriculum plans in ways which will promote the raising of standards of attainment throughout the school. The assessment of pupils with special educational needs is more

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The curriculum and assessment

closely controlled. Tight targets are set for work and these are based on previously completed work. The good quality of the individual education plans, therefore, reflects this assessment. The school has recently adopted a policy for marking which gives clear guidance on how to support pupils and encourage progress. However, not all teachers are consistent in following the policy. In some classes much of the marking only gives positive comments. Effective marking which informs pupils of teacher expectations and gives guidance on improving performance and standards of presentation is not carried out in all classes.

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The curriculum and assessment

8. There is a More Able Pupil Policy but a formal process of identifying these pupils is not well established. Currently about eight pupils from the school attend a variety of courses for the more able organised by the local authority. Parents are kept informed of these and, when pupils apply, teachers choose the individuals to take part.

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Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

9. The school makes satisfactory provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This generally maintains the provision seen at the last inspection.

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Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

10. The school makes satisfactory provision for pupils’ spiritual development. Acts of worship meet statutory requirements. They encourage pupils to reflect on their own and others’ values and beliefs and to link these to their own experiences. There is time for quiet thought and reflection but these are frequently brief and of limited value. A very good example was seen in an assembly on Celtic music. Assemblies are used well as an opportunity to promote moral and social development. Religious education lessons are also used well to give pupils an understanding of Christianity and other world religions. They help them to understand what belief means to different faith communities in terms of their way of life, behaviour and values. Spiritual development is not specifically planned for in other subjects, but pupils develop a sense of awe and wonder when they see changes in the world around them in their science lessons and the aesthetic qualities of poetry and art. Some younger girls described with

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Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

enthusiasm the animals they found in the pond. Older children could recall poems that had interested them and made them think of others and their plight.

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Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

11. Moral development is good and is built round an effective behaviour policy which helps to encourage and develop positive attributes. The school has established a code of behaviour which is acceptable to both pupils and adults and adults provide effective role models. Moral issues such as bullying are covered well in assemblies and religious education lessons when good discussions promote a positive response from pupils. Pupils clearly know the difference between right and wrong. Some classes have discussed and created their own rules but several had not. Pupils are taught to be considerate to each other and tolerant of those who are different from themselves.

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Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

12. Social development is satisfactory overall although there are a number of good features. There is a conscious promotion of pupils’ self esteem which helps them to develop confidence and celebrate their differences and uniqueness. Pupils are taught about unselfish behaviour and the responsibility that they have towards others, particularly through the House Point System. This results in pupils being able to work well co-operatively. These strategies help pupils to develop the confidence to deal with situations in the wider world and promote a tolerance and understanding of people with different beliefs, cultures and abilities. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their own possessions and those of others. They take responsibilities when asked to do so. A number of pupils, called junior governors, meet to discuss school policies and changes that are proposed by the teachers. This develops an ethos of trust

p.16

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

and promotes responsibility. Pupils develop a sense of citizenship through raising money for charity and involvement in the local community, for example in inviting local senior citizens to a harvest tea. Pupils are given less opportunity to develop their capacity for personal study and make decisions about their own learning.

p.16

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

13. Cultural development is satisfactory. In religious education lessons pupils are given the opportunity to learn about the way of life in different cultures and faiths. They are taught to appreciate the work of authors and artists through visitors such as a textile artist and book and poetry weeks. Although there is a good focus on the authors of children’s literature, less emphasis is given to the work of well known playwrights and authors such as Shakespeare and Dickens particularly in Year 6. Visits to the local area and beyond, for example to museums and historic places of interest give pupils a sense of their cultural heritage. Older pupils gain a good understanding of the work of well-known artists both past and present and listen to music in their lessons and at assembly times, but opportunities are missed to help pupils learn more about the work of famous composers.

p.16

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

Glebe Middle School, October 1999 14. Pupils receive sound pastoral care and they thrive in surroundings where they can trust their teachers and all adults in the school. Pupils’ academic progress is monitored satisfactorily through annual reports to parents and through class records. However there is room for considerable improvement in this aspect of the school’s work by developing more detailed and regular procedures and, for example, more diagnostic and helpful marking of pupils’ work. Their behaviour and personal development is monitored by tracking sheets, completion of relevant behaviour and incident logs and through discussion at weekly meetings of year group staff. Attendance is well monitored by the office manager who ensures that computer records are fully up to date at the end of each week. The education welfare officer visits the school every few weeks to provide further monitoring of pupils’ attendance and punctuality.

p.17

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

15. The procedures devised by the school to promote discipline and eliminate bullying are effective and have made a significant impact on the improvement in pupils’ behaviour over the last two years. This is supported by the generally positive outcomes observed during the inspection. Effective and sensitive child protection procedures are in place and staff training is appropriately updated annually by the co- ordinator for special educational needs.

p.17

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

16. Currently, provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is mainly through science and religious education lessons. A scheme of work for this important aspect of pupils’ growth is in the early stages of development and a policy is due to be finalised shortly. The co-ordinator for personal, social and health education is newly appointed this post. Scrutiny of her plans for development of this subject indicate that it will continue to successfully underpin the school’s support and guidance provision to its pupils.

p.17

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

17. The school has a detailed health and safety policy and the chairman of the governors’ health and safety sub-committee undertakes regular risk assessments with the site manager. Whilst this action illustrates the school’s commitment to pupils’ safety and welfare, a number of health and safety issues were identified during the inspection which caused the team some concern. These have been reported to the Headteacher.

p.17

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

18. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by the school and they make good progress. Professional staff from a number of outside appropriate agencies assist the school when required.

p.17

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

19. Good first aid procedures are in place and many staff have first aid training certificates. The welfare officer takes good care of pupils in the medical room who are unwell or who sustain minor injuries during the school day. Accident books are completed appropriately and fire drills are held regularly.

p.17

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

20. There is good support for pupils when they transfer to Glebe. Year 4 teachers visit schools to meet their prospective pupils. A recent initiative on the part of the school’s junior governors has been the making of a friendly ‘welcome’ videotape recording facts about the school’s procedures and routines. Similarly, when pupils are ready to move to the next school they are supported effectively by sound and sensitive procedures to ensure that the transfer is smooth and seamless.

p.17

Partnership with parents and the community

21. The last inspection report judged there to be a close partnership between parents and the school. The partnership has been maintained in the intervening years. The attendance at the parents’ meeting was very low.

p.17

Partnership with parents and the community

22. It is made clear that staff are accessible and available to parents at all times and whilst this is not in doubt, it was noted during the inspection that no staff were visible outside the front of the school at either the beginning or end of the school day. There is a long driveway between the school gates and the school building which creates something of a physical barrier between parents and the school. Some parents comment that the staff and Headteacher can be seen at any time but that an appointment is necessary. Because of the Headteacher’s classroom teaching commitments it is advisable to make an Glebe Middle School, October 1999 appointment. The staff are considerate of the needs of parents. However, arrangements at the end of day mean that a lot of parents do not come onto the site but wait outside the main gate. Although there is a teacher on duty at the Kingston Lane gate there is little opportunity for informal contact between staff

p.17

Partnership with parents and the community

23. Communication between parents and the school is satisfactory. Regular newsletters are sent home and one consultation evening each term is arranged for parents to learn how their children are progressing. Parents who have pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in annual reviews and, where appropriate, individual education plans. Pupils’ annual reports are satisfactory and inform parents what their children know, understand and can do. They also give pupils the opportunity to set their own targets and outline the means by which they hope to achieve these. However, the reports do not contain specific targets for pupils in the core subjects and would be improved by the adoption of this procedure.

p.18

Partnership with parents and the community

24. Inspectors were informed that parents help in the classrooms although none were observed to be doing so during the inspection week. Parents also help out on school trips and outings. Scrutiny of a sample of pupils’ homework diaries illustrates that most parents are closely involved in their children’s learning at home.

p.18

Partnership with parents and the community

25. The school has a Friends of the School association which arranges fund-raising and social events during the year. The funds raised are used to benefit pupils and enrich their learning literacy and numeracy. In particular, the new mathematics scheme is being paid for from money raised through a sponsored walk. One of the current aims of the Friends Association is to increase parental participation in its activities. The school makes appropriate efforts to involve parents in the life and work of the school.

p.18

Partnership with parents and the community

26. The school is playing a growing part in its local and the wider community. It welcomes visits to the school, for example the local vicar, community police officer, musical groups and a textile artist. A number of local organisations hire the school’s premises for their activities.

p.18

Partnership with parents and the community

27. Membership of appropriate cluster groups of schools ensures that the school has good links with other schools in the area. An area for development identified by the school is to increase its links with the business community. Currently it does well to have a successful relationship with the local education business partnership. The school has received a generous donation in the form of computers through the commercial connections of one of the governors. The school enjoys the support of local small businesses who donate raffle and draw prizes for fund-raising events arranged by the Friends Association.

p.18

Leadership and management

1. Overall, the leadership from the Headteacher, supported by the Governing Body, Deputy Headteacher and senior management team, is sound. The Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher work closely together professionally and provide a very clear educational direction for the work of the school. Both have joined the school fairly recently and were not in post at the last inspection. The Headteacher has brought about many significant changes since his appointment. These include an improvement in curriculum planning, pupils’ behaviour and classroom organisation as well as higher standards being achieved in mathematics and science in the national tests at the end of Key Stage 2. He is establishing a good team spirit among teachers and non-teaching staff committed to his vision for the school. The energetic Deputy Headteacher has a wide-ranging and detailed list of responsibilities, some of which encroach on

p.18

Leadership and management

those of other members in the management team, particularly in respect of curriculum planning and year group responsibilities. Her job description gives clear guidance towards meeting the main aims of the school with regard to teaching and learning. The Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher are responsible for monitoring and evaluating classroom practice and pupils’ progress and giving satisfactory support where necessary. This has not yet resulted in the needs of the more able pupils being met or information Glebe Middle School, October 1999 technology being taught well.

p.18

Leadership and management

2. As detailed in the last report, the governors are well organised and very supportive, some giving generously of their time and expertise. Their working parties and sub-committees, each with clear terms of reference, hold useful meetings that are minuted well by the finance manager. Both the chairman of the Governing Body, and the one for the finance committee, have regular informative meetings with the Headteacher. Each governor is allocated to a class in which to take an interest, but as yet there is no particular focus for such visits to the school. They have recognised the need to become aware of recent educational developments and have invited subject co-ordinators to talk at their meetings. Additionally, through attendance on local education authority courses, the governors for literacy and numeracy have been prepared for their role in supporting these areas of the school curriculum. The governor for special

p.19

Leadership and management

educational needs is a member of the support staff and, therefore, is well aware of provision in this area. The governors’ involvement in strategic planning, their monitoring of standards and developments in classrooms and the effects of spending decisions, is at the moment fairly unstructured and not yet fully developed. Except for information technology, where the needs of the national curriculum are not met, all significant statutory requirements are covered. There are some minor omissions in the school prospectus and the governors’ annual report that that have been pointed out to the school.

p.19

Leadership and management

3. The key issues raised in the last report have been met. The planning for school development is instigated by the Headteacher, and after consultation with all staff, Governors and selected parents, it is put in place as a comprehensive school development plan. This is a sound working document. It links financial planning effectively with the provision of resources and staff development and gives precise timescales for achievement of appropriate success criteria. The school has made a sound start to the process of self-evaluation, with the adoption of a appropriate range of procedures. Aspects of work being monitored include the operation of the literacy and numeracy hours and an analysis of national test results, but a system for tracking the progress of individual pupils is not yet in place. Development planning, monitoring and evaluation overall are satisfactory.

p.19

Leadership and management

4. As at the last inspection, the effective corporate planning by year co-ordinators and their teams secures consistency across classes in the same age range. The subject co-ordinators for literacy and numeracy have successfully introduced the new national strategies in their subjects. The special educational needs co-ordinator arranges good provision enabling pupils with special educational needs to make good progress. All co-ordinators are responsible for setting priorities for their areas of responsibility. These are clearly set out in action plans and attached to the school development plan. Overall, co-ordinators carry out their responsibilities well and are involved in planning, monitoring and evaluating the implementation of their action plans, managing a budget and auditing resources. There is some over-lap in areas of responsibility for curriculum planning and year group organisation with those detailed in the

p.19

Leadership and management

Deputy Headteacher’s job description. This leads to some lack of delegation to co-ordinators and in some cases undermines their role. Overall, not enough support is being given to the specific professional and personal develop needs of members of the middle management team, so that they can carry out their duties more effectively.

p.19

Leadership and management

5. The school’s values and policies are well reflected in the life of the school, but the aim that all pupils should reach their full potential is not being met with regard to the more able. There is a good ethos in the school. The learning environment is effective and the pleasant classrooms are well-organised. Generally, the pupils behave satisfactorily in classrooms and around the school and they have good attitudes to their work. Relationships between staff and children, and among the pupils themselves, are good. Although there is a sound emphasis on providing equal opportunities, the school’s commitment to high achievement is not yet fully realised.

p.19

Leadership and management

6. The day-to-day management of the school is highly efficient, friendly and effective. Systems and procedures are well-established. All staff are familiar with school routines and practice and the pupils are able to develop in a very business-like atmosphere. The school has made satisfactory improvement since the last inspection and is on course to make further improvements in the future. Glebe Middle School, October 1999

p.19

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

1. The school has a good staffing level for the number of pupils on roll. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum in all subjects. There is an appropriate match of staff expertise to core curricular responsibilities. This is in line with the last inspection. There is good provision of committed support staff who work exclusively with pupils with special needs. They form an effective partnership with teachers and are well deployed. This enables these pupils to make good progress. The office staff work an appropriate number of hours for the size of the school and contribute strongly to its smooth-running. Lunchtime and caretaking staff provide an efficient and friendly service.

p.20

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

2. Arrangements for the professional development of staff are good. In-service training is linked to the development plan and is closely matched to both the curricular needs of the school and the professional needs of the staff. All teachers have non-contact time for their subject co-ordination duties and weekly planning meetings. There are good induction arrangements in place to support newly-appointed and newly-qualified teachers. The system whereby Year Groups plan lessons together with the guidance of the Year Leader is especially helpful to new teachers. There is a comprehensive range of information available for all teachers including a Staff Handbook which includes dates and focus of Staff Meetings and assemblies. All teachers and other staff have job descriptions. A professional development review takes place annually between the Headteacher and individual teachers partly to evaluate prior

p.20

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

performance but also to identify individual training needs. Appraisal is currently on hold but a future programme has been planned and is ready to be implemented.

p.20

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

3. The school accommodation is good for the school’s current curriculum and range of pupils. It provides an effective learning environment. In addition to the thirteen classrooms there are other rooms available for group work and for French, information technology, food technology, music and a library area. The science room is under-used and unattractive and requires further development. This was noted at the last inspection. The food technology room is under-used and the library was not in commission during the inspection. The school has a large hall to use for physical education, assemblies and concerts, and as a dining room. There are two quadrangle areas; one is used to provide shelter and a run for the school’s pets while the other includes a pond and seating area. The pond area in particular is in need of urgent maintenance as the plants are very overgrown and the pond stagnant. The area could become a health

p.20

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

and safety issue in the near future, especially as the gate is not kept locked. There are plans to improve this area but this should be attended to as a matter of urgency. Outdoor facilities are good with a large playing field and three tarmac play areas marked for games and complete with picnic benches.

p.20

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

4. The range and quality of educational resources are satisfactory for all National Curriculum subjects, including special educational needs. The resources to support literacy are good but there are deficiencies in the area of information technology. Good use is made of a range of resources beyond the school to extend learning. Pupils go on appropriate historical visits and to museums. Visitors make a valuable contribution to several subjects. Overall, staffing, accommodation and learning resources make a good contribution to the quality of education and the standards achieved.

p.20

The efficiency of the school

5. The school’s finances have been prudently managed to provide a sound education which meets statutory requirements. The school’s approach to budgeting is clearly driven by the needs and priorities identified in the school development plan. In the first place, the Headteacher advises the governors on his proposed Glebe Middle School, October 1999 allocation of funding to different aspects. Following this, there is close consultation and liaison between governors, the finance manager and the Headteacher upon spending decisions. The funding available for staff development is carefully used to give good support for educational priorities such as the introduction of the literacy hour and developments in numeracy teaching, as well as the needs of the individual. The resources for special educational needs are being used effectively to provide good withdrawal and in-class support in both key stages.

p.20

The efficiency of the school

6. There are times when the staff meet during school time. This is not an efficient use of teachers’ time, which could be better employed supporting teaching and learning in the classroom situation. Support staff are used very effectively. Their knowledge of what is being taught is raised by attendance at in- service meetings and they give informed support to pupils both in classrooms and on a withdrawal basis. Overall, the resources and accommodation in the school are used carefully and appropriately. However, the pond and two quadrangle areas are in a poor state, which limits their use in support of teaching and learning. The kiln has not been used recently for clay work. Some of the specialist rooms in the school are under-used, in particular the food technology room and the science laboratory. Subject co-ordinators manage their budgets carefully to maximise available resources.

p.21

The efficiency of the school

7. The efficiency of financial control and school administration is highly professional. There are appropriate “value for money” systems in place and the finance manager clerks all of the governors’ meetings proficiently. The governors and senior management team are kept well-informed and up-to- date on current spending. The recent auditor’s report approved of the systems in place in the school and only made some minor recommendations, which have been met.

p.21

The efficiency of the school

8. The income and expenditure per pupil are above the national average for schools of a similar size and type. Taking into account the average social circumstances and the attainment on entry, the quality of education provided and the standards achieved when pupils leave, the school provides sound value for money.

p.21

English

1. In 1998, the number of pupils reaching the expected level of attainment (Level 4 or above) was below the national average. The number reaching the higher levels was also below average. Teacher assessments over estimated the numbers reaching the higher levels. This is largely as a result of insecure assessment procedures. These have now improved. When compared with all schools and also schools in similar contexts, pupils’ overall performance was well below average. Trends over the last 3 years show pupils’ attainment to be well below average. Standards fell in 1997, but rose last year although they were still below the 1996 levels. The results from the 1999 tests show that the 1998 standards are being maintained. Girls outperform boys and this broadly replicates national trends.

p.22

English

2. Inspection findings show attainment in English at the end of Key Stage 2 and also for Year 7 pupils to be below average. However, the successful implementation of the literacy hour means that standards are rising and the overall attainment of pupils in Years 4 and 5 is around that seen nationally. Although this represents a decline in standards since the last inspection, recent developments including improvements in teaching show that this trend is now reversed.

p.22

English

3. When they enter the school pupils’ attainment is slightly below average but there are a large number of pupils with special educational needs. Overall, progress at both key stages is satisfactory. However, progress in the majority of literacy lessons is good and, as a result, most pupils in Years 4 and 5 are making good progress. Teachers do not have high enough expectations of the more able pupils and so the tasks they are given are not sufficiently challenging and pupils do not always make the progress of which they are capable.

p.22

English

4. In their speaking and listening pupils at both key stages are confident, and effectively share their ideas and present their opinions. Pupils in Year 4 make satisfactory progress and attain the standards expected for their age. However, this progress does not continue and the attainment of pupils in Years 5 and 6 is below average. This is because the choice of words and the structure of the sentences they use are not well developed. Due to a good emphasis on discussion and presenting and justifying a point of view at Year 7, Key Stage 3 pupils make good progress and attain the standards expected for their age.

p.22

English

5. In all year groups pupils make satisfactory progress overall in developing their reading skills, although attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 and in Year 7 is below average. However, better progress has been made as a result of the literacy strategy and standards are rising. Pupils in Years 4 and 5 reach average standards of attainment. Good provision has also been made to develop the higher order reading skills for Year 7 pupils but the range of heritage rich literature in Year 6 is less good. Year 4 and 5 pupils read a range of texts with a good degree of accuracy and fluency. They discuss the plot and characters, know the names of authors and are beginning to develop preferences. Year 5 pupils begin to predict what will happen using both knowledge of characters and the context, as well as genre. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils develop good attitudes towards reading. A good home/school reading programme means they read

p.22

English

6. Overall progress in writing is satisfactory, but pupils make only slow progress in developing their spelling and handwriting skills. Attainment in all year groups is below average. Younger pupils in Key Stage 2 write effective character descriptions of “Matilda”, they present their work satisfactorily although spelling is well below average. They write for a range of purposes and use sentences correctly although their writing is not effectively organised unless working with a writing frame chosen by the teacher. By the end of the key stage pupils have made satisfactory progress in writing for a range of purposes and audiences although they are still reliant on teacher support to do so, for example they write letters using the correct format. The organisation of their work is below the level expected and few use paragraphing. Progress in the consistency and neatness of handwriting is satisfactory although few pupils write cursively and this limits

p.22

English

the progress made. They do not reach average standards. Spelling is still well below average. The majority of pupils only spell common words accurately and many make simple errors. At Key Stage 3 pupils make Glebe Middle School, October 1999 good progress in developing appropriate styles of writing, for example they can write in a formal style and also write persuasively. However, their attainment is limited by the lack of a range of interesting vocabulary and below average handwriting and spelling skills.

p.22

English

7. Good opportunities are provided for the development of literacy skills in other subjects and pupils apply these well although they are limited by their below average spelling and handwriting skills and few opportunities for independent research.

p.23

English

8. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and they make good progress towards the English targets set in their individual education plans. More able pupils are often set work of a higher standard than the rest of the class. However, teachers’ expectations of what they can achieve are not high enough and they do not make the progress or gain the standards of which they are capable.

p.23

English

9. Across the school the majority of pupils are well motivated and are interested in their work. They listen well to their teachers and each other and work well collaboratively when required. A significant number of pupils contribute well to discussions particularly when teaching is good or very good. In a few lessons, when not corrected by their teacher, pupils do not wait to be asked before calling out or talk amongst themselves when they should be listening.

p.23

English

10. At both key stages the majority of teaching is good and no unsatisfactory teaching was seen. Very good teaching was seen in both key stages. Teachers’ subject knowledge is good. They have worked very hard to successfully implement the literacy strategy and, as a result, all teach confidently and enthusiastically. Teachers plan well and identify separate activities for pupils of different ability. However, Key Stage 2 teachers do not have high enough expectations of what the more able pupils can achieve and this limits the progress they make. A good marking policy has led to some good practice with effective comments and useful advice for improvement, although this is not consistent in all classes. Homework, particularly reading, is well used to promote progress.

p.23

English

11. In the best lessons teachers maintain a good balance between focusing on the development of skills and encouraging pupils’ creativity. Teachers react very well to the comments made by pupils and use these very effectively to help all make progress. Very well chosen resources, for example, recent weather forecasts taken from the newspaper, help pupils make good progress. Very high expectations of pupils ensures that all, including the most able, make good progress and attain appropriately for their ability.

p.23

English

12. Curriculum plans provide for all aspects of the subject and also help teachers to build on and extend pupils’ skills and knowledge. However, planning at Key Stage 2 does not always fully meet the needs of the most able pupils. The school has implemented the literacy strategy well and this is having a significant impact on improving progress and raising standards. There is good provision for the development of the skills needed to locate information in books in literacy lessons pupils have been given few opportunities to use these skills. Assessment procedures are being developed and are satisfactory at present. Termly assessments help teachers to identify the progress pupils are making and to plan effectively for the next steps in learning. However, current procedures do not make it easy for the school to track progress over time and this makes it difficult to set targets for improvement.

p.23

English

13. The school has sufficiently qualified and experienced staff for the teaching of English. High quality classroom assistants give good support in the classrooms, particularly to pupils with special educational needs. Resources are satisfactory overall although they are good for literacy lessons where they are used well. There is only a limited range of fiction books in each classroom and book areas are not well organised. There is a lack of high quality literature for older pupils. The library is currently out of use due to refurbishment and this has limited the development of reading skills. Pupils do not have sufficient access to computers to regularly word process their written work and present it in different ways and for different audiences.

p.23

Mathematics

Glebe Middle School, October 1999 14. Attainment in mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 and Year 7 is in line with national averages. This reflects a year on year improvement from being well below the national average in the 1998 national tests. There is good progress being made in mathematics and this is seen in the majority of lessons. Progress is stronger in Year 7 influenced by the expertise of the subject co-ordinator. The attainment in mathematics is similar to that of the previous report and the school has addressed the criticism of the previous report that number skills are poorly developed.

p.24

Mathematics

15. Progress in mathematics through both key stages is good. Children with special educational needs also make good progress as a result of the setting. In particular, children in Year 6 benefit from extra staffing in mathematics and therefore reduced class sizes. This is particularly beneficial during this important year when the children are completing the Key Stage 2 curriculum. Setting means that the most able children are taught together and those requiring extra support or a modified curriculum are taught together. The classes still contain pupils with a range of abilities and skills. Only in a small number of classes does the teacher acknowledge this by providing a range of activities. The quality of reports to parents is usually good but a small number of individual reports lack targets and clear statements of attainment. In the good reports there are clear statements of what the child can do and what the child and parents should concentrate upon in the

p.24

Mathematics

16. The response of the children to mathematics varies. In some lessons it is very good whilst in others it is unsatisfactory. In Year 7 it is consistently good. Where the response was less than satisfactory the children thought the work was boring or too easy and children simply did not concentrate. In several classes the children’s behaviour is poor. The teachers are forced to stop teaching the subject because of children calling out. Where pupils respond very well to mathematics the work has a sense of challenge, and, importantly, there is pace. The teachers set time targets and end points to work and the management of the pupils’ behaviour is good. When challenged the children respond well and are prepared to tackle difficult concepts and carry out sustained work. However, the children are frequently presented with work that does not challenge and so their attainment is limited.

p.24

Mathematics

17. The quality of teaching in mathematics is better than satisfactory in two thirds of the lessons. It is never unsatisfactory and it is very good in a fifth of the lessons observed. In the best lessons the teachers’ clear expositions and emphasis on the key skills of spelling, drawing, presentation and calculating ensure the pupils make good progress. Children were able to draw shapes based upon co-ordinates on a grid. The teacher was interpreting what the children said to better appreciate what the children understood so that they could teach them more effectively. This level of engagement with the children was characteristic of the very good teaching in mathematics. In the less good lessons the teachers did not challenge or motivate the children sufficiently. Generally, the teachers have a good subject knowledge and the work is presented systematically and in an appropriate order.

p.24

Mathematics

18. Mathematics teaching is based upon recently developed planning sheets and medium term plans. Teachers create their own materials and make good use of whiteboards and overhead projectors. A range of techniques are used and many teachers ask or direct children to present their work, ideas or answers on the whiteboard or overhead projector and orally to the class. Pupils regularly use sets of cards with digits on them to answer questions that are asked of the whole class. Teachers can readily see the answer the child is holding up and there is no need for calling out. The range of mental arithmetic activities is rather limited and fun based thinking games are only organised by a few teachers.

p.24

Mathematics

19. £2000 has been raised through a sponsored walk for the purchase of text books. This supports the strategic plans for the development of the mathematics curriculum and will have a major impact upon the standards achieved. The numeracy strategy has been taken on board and this has had a positive impact upon the effectiveness of teaching and the focus upon skills. The mental arithmetic work is rather limited in nature but some teachers are using more imaginative techniques to interest and stimulate the children. The teachers’ expositions and explanations of mathematical principles in many lessons are good. Those teachers show clarity in their thinking and they explain the ideas well to the pupils. Many lessons ended with a plenary where the teacher recapped the important points and this too involved pupils giving explanations of their work. Homework makes a good contribution to children’s learning but the use of information

p.24

Mathematics

Glebe Middle School, October 1999 technology has limited impact.

p.25

Mathematics

20. The resources for mathematics are adequate and well used. Many resources are stored in open areas where the teachers have ready access to them. However, pupils have limited access and in many classrooms the resources are not on display or accessible by the children. Teachers have to hand out and collect resources and they are not available for numeracy work in other lessons. Although children show confidence and trustworthiness to work independently they are limited because independent learning is not promoted.

p.25

Mathematics

21. The development of numeracy skills in other areas of the curriculum is satisfactory. It is better in some areas such as charting in geography and measuring in design and technology. There is a range of computer software for charting, data handling, LOGO and the practice of number skills and calculators but all are under-used. The use of spreadsheets does not occur until Key Stage 3. Access to programmable devices is limited. Pupils were seen to create a range of charts using a spreadsheet package.

p.25

Mathematics

22. There is clear management of the mathematics curriculum with leadership and direction coming from an enthusiastic, experienced and knowledgeable co-ordinator. The teaching plans in each year group have a clear structure. They enable teachers to set clear targets for individual lessons. They are regularly and systematically monitored.

p.25

Science

23. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 is average by national standards. This is similar to the last inspection and in line with the 1998 national tests results in which 65% achieved Level 4 or above and 5% achieved Level 5. In comparison with similar schools these results were average. From lessons observed, attainment in Year 7 is also in line with national standards. The national test results for 1999 are much better.

p.25

Science

24. The discrepancy between inspection evidence and the good results achieved in the l999 tests is due to the lack of planned opportunities for pupils to reach sufficiently high levels in experimental and investigative work. This is not an integral part of the national tests, which are based on pupils’ knowledge and understanding of scientific facts and processes.

p.25

Science

25. Throughout the school the work is planned to develop pupils’ scientific vocabulary, skills, knowledge and understanding. In Key Stage 2 classes pupils carry out teacher-suggested investigations with simple electrical circuits. With varying degrees of accuracy, they predict which materials make good conductors and which do not. They test these predictions sensibly and carefully record their findings on a given sheet. Pupils listen carefully to their teachers’ explanations of the water cycle, about which many already have some knowledge and understanding. In all years of Key Stage 2 they are working within an expected national curriculum level for their age. Pupils in Year 7 carry out experiments to heat solids and assess permanent and reversible changes. They have a good understanding of formal investigation procedures and present information in diagrammatic form. However, there is little evidence that the pupils are achieving

p.25

Science

higher levels of experimentation through opportunities to select apparatus for themselves or to record their observations and measurements in a more sophisticated way.

p.25

Science

26. Overall, in both key stages the pupils make good progress, both in their acquisition of new knowledge and understanding of aspects of science and in building on their subject-specific vocabulary. In only one lesson was there unsatisfactory progress, mainly due to the poor behaviour of one or two pupils that prevented sufficient learning from taking place. The pupils’ attitudes to science are good. They enjoy lessons and usually work with concentration, producing carefully recorded work. In all but one lesson observed, the pupils were well-behaved, obeyed safety rules and used equipment sensibly. 27. The present overall scheme of work for science is very sketchy and not sufficiently linked to national curriculum levels. Although it states appropriate aspects to be covered in each year, it does not give sufficient guidance on how teachers can plan to meet the needs of pupils from a wide range of ability. There

p.25

Science

is little reference to work of an experimental and investigative nature. In their medium term planning, year group teams have expanded this document to give it more relevance to what is actually being taught. This under-pins a consistency in approach across classes in which there are pupils of the same age. However, the scheme of work does not sufficiently secure progression across the years.

p.26

Science

28. The teaching in this subject is varied, but in the great majority of lessons throughout the school it is good. In one lesson in Year 4 in which it was very good, the teacher had a particularly calm approach to classroom management, had matched the difficulty of the work to the ability of groups of pupils and gave especially effective on-going support. In the unsatisfactory lesson seen, the teacher did not establish good discipline and used inappropriate teaching strategies to motivate the pupils. Generally, the teachers have a good subject knowledge and classrooms are very orderly. They explain tasks well and use good questioning skills to elicit thoughtful answers. Many use good plenary sessions at the end of lessons to consolidate knowledge and understanding. Others introduce an appropriate scientific vocabulary and use this well throughout lessons. Pupils with special educational needs are catered for through extra support and

p.26

Science

worksheets matched to their abilities. However, the teachers’ expectation of the ability of more able children is not sufficiently high and few strategies are used to help these reach their full potential.

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Science

29. Aspects of a healthy life style and sex education are taught appropriately within the science curriculum. There are some cross-curricular links with other areas of the curriculum, including geography and numeracy, but these need to be more explicit in the overall planning documentation. The science laboratory is well-organised and provides an orderly environment in which to work. However, it is under-used and this is an inefficient use of specialist accommodation. There is a need for more Bunsen burners to assist pupils’ learning in their use. There are concerns regarding the proximity of some equipment. The teachers are aware of the issue. There is evidence in previous work that the school pond has been used well in the past to support environmental studies. The school recognises that its present condition is lamentable, partly due to vandalism outside its control, and has plans for restoring it to its former good state.

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Information technology

1. Standards of attainment in information technology are below the national average in both Key Stage 2 and Year 7. Although children were combining pictures with text many could not load work they had saved previously and they did not have a sense of audience for their work. Those using the internet could follow the direct instructions given but they did not question the validity of the information found. Children are making progress but strategies are not yet in place to ensure that they will reach the required standards before they leave the school.

p.26

Information technology

2. The school has established a room of eight computers which is timetabled for one hour of access for each class each week. The class teacher usually teaches their own class but some classes are taught by a teacher with special interest. There are plans to use five other computers recently donated to the school by a local company. There are a number of functional machines in storage and unused. Although the school has two scanners, a digital camera, many colour printers and a network connected to the internet it does not have sensing equipment and therefore cannot meet the requirements of the National Curriculum.

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Information technology

3. The school is not meeting its own goals of giving pupils one hour of access per week. During the computer lessons, half of the pupils are occupied by unrelated work whilst the others use the computers. The computer room is left idle for much of the week. Although there is occasional use by a teacher with a class, this represents inefficient use of resources. Importantly, children do not see computers as being an integral part of the whole curriculum and as a resource to support their learning. It is not possible for the school to adequately deliver the information technology requirements of the other National Curriculum subjects although there is some good computer based art work in Year 4. There is no Glebe Middle School, October 1999 formal use of computers with children although a computerised administration system for special needs is under consideration.

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Information technology

4. Although all the teachers observed were mindful of health and safety issues, the facilities in the computer room give rise to a level of risk from trailing leads. There is no large screen display and in several of the demonstrations many pupils could not see the detail being explained. The easy and open access to the internet is appropriately supervised and all access by pupils is monitored.

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Information technology

5. It is easily observed that the behaviour of the pupils in the computer room is less good than elsewhere in the school. Any noise echoes in the room. Importantly, staff need to establish clear routines for entering the room, settling to work, changing places and then preparing to leave at the end of a session.

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Information technology

6. Teaching in information technology is satisfactory because of the hard work and perseverance of the teachers. They actively support individuals by timely intervention. They have strategies for dealing with computers that fail to work and they have clear plans for what they are going to teach.

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Information technology

7. There is good practice in some areas of the school. In particular, the use of a digital camera and image processing software to create logos, posters and t-shirt designs. There is extensive involvement in the developments of the quality and quantity of resources by a school governor; this is having a positive influence upon standards achieved by ensuring the availability of working computers and software. The co-ordinator has been in place for just five weeks. She understands the extent of the task of ensuring the effective and efficient use of the computer room and its network of computers, the provision of teaching materials and the development of teachers’ skills, as well as ensuring the full integration of information and communications technology into the whole of the curriculum.

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Religious education

1. Pupils make satisfactory progress and Key Stage 2 pupils attain the standards set out in the Locally Agreed Syllabus. Year 7 pupils reach the standards expected for their age. This maintains the standards seen at the last inspection. In addition, religious education gives good support to pupils’ moral and social development. As a result, pupils develop good relationships and gain a clear understanding of the values and attitudes promoted by the school. In this respect the school has improved since the last inspection.

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Religious education

2. Younger Key Stage 2 pupils learn about religious teachers such as Jesus. They gain an understanding of his role as a leader and a supportive friend through learning about his disciples. They then relate this to their own lives and the qualities they value in a friend. Pupils make satisfactory progress in increasing their knowledge and understanding of different world faiths. By the end of Key Stage 2 they gain a greater understanding of what it means to be a member of different faith communities. An example of this is their study of the Rites of Passage when they consider the different ways in which Christians, Sikhs and Muslims welcome a new baby. They understand the significance of symbol and celebration, when studying Jewish worship and celebrating festivals such as Succoth and Diwali.

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Religious education

3. Satisfactory progress continues at Key Stage 3 when pupils begin to explore in more detail their own response to beliefs and values. They do this through topics such as Pilgrimage when they learn about the significance of sites such as Lourdes and Mecca and then plan a pilgrimage journey of their own.

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Religious education

4. Pupils’ response in lessons is satisfactory. They listen to their teachers and each other, often contributing thoughtful ideas in discussions. A particularly good feature is the respect and understanding they show for pupils with different beliefs and religious customs to their own.

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Religious education

5. At both key stages, teaching is at least satisfactory and some good teaching was seen. Teachers have sound subject knowledge and lead discussions well, encouraging a sense of openness to the ideas Glebe Middle School, October 1999 of others and relating their learning to pupils’ own values and behaviour. Lessons are effectively planned with clear learning intentions and activities that motivate pupils and promote the objective of the lesson well. Resources such as pictures and artefacts are effectively used to encourage understanding.

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Religious education

6. The curriculum is based on the Locally Agreed Syllabus and is effectively planned to give pupils a wide range of experiences and build on their knowledge and understanding. Good links are made to moral, personal and social education. Assessment is informal at present, but the school is to adopt the local authority’s suggested format. Resources are still being built up, but there is a good range of artefacts.

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Art

1. In Key Stage 3, attainment is in line with national expectation and in both key stages the pupils make good progress. Exemplar pieces of past work kept both in the co-ordinator’s art portfolio, and on display, are evidence that in both key stages some pupils produce work of a high quality. Due to the long periods now allocated to literacy and numeracy, there is currently less time allocated to art. This has resulted in the pupils having fewer opportunities to develop their skills and techniques to the same degree. However, they use an appropriate range of painting and drawing materials satisfactorily both in art lessons and to illustrate topic work. Apart from one effective picture based on the style of Kadinsky, and some current work in Year 4, there are few examples of work of a really large nature.

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Art

2. There is evidence that the pupils build on and extend their skills in close-observational drawing and use these to good effect on educational visits, for instance, in Year 4, during their study of houses in Southwick Green. At present, sketchbooks are used inconsistently and their use to track progress is under-developed. Throughout the school, good progress is made in the pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the work and skills of a wide range of artists, including Lowry, Monet, Seurat and Klimt. Through links with history, the pupils gain information about art in other cultures, for instance the decoration of vases in ancient Greece and Celtic designs in Year 6 and illuminated lettering in Year 7. There is evidence in Year 4 of IT being used resulting from participation in a Media Arts Project. There are few examples of three-dimensional work and the kiln has not been used for some time.

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Art

3. Particularly good work is produced in an after-school textile club and some of this is currently being exhibited to a wider audience elsewhere. In Year 7, a textile artist provides a stimulus for pupils’ work by bringing in, and talking about, a range of stunning, brightly coloured “stained glass window” patchwork she has made.

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Art

4. The pupils’ attitudes to their work are good. They enjoy art, are well-behaved and take great care with equipment. They try their best to carry out the teacher’s instructions satisfactorily and take a pride in their achievements. In one Year 4 lesson observed, they were particularly enthusiastic about working on a larger scale than usual.

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Art

5. The quality of teaching in the subject is good overall, though variable. In lessons taught by the art co- ordinator, who has a great deal of expertise in the subject, the teaching is very good. In these lessons there is effective on-going support for individual pupils, who are given advice which improves their performance. An appropriate range of materials is provided and there is good use of pupils’ work to illustrate good practice to others in the class. For instance, examples are held up and the effective use of colour and composition discussed. Even when working with a class other than her own, and in a different year group, the co-ordinator has no problems with class control. Where the teaching is satisfactory, the same planning is followed but both the teacher and children are less enthused by the activity and there is some inattention on the pupils’ part. This leads to sound, but no better, progress

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Art

being made and work left uncompleted. Planning ensures that there is a consistency of approach across each year group and that pupils build on and extend their knowledge and skills as they move through the school. Samples of work from each year group provide information for reference and assessment Glebe Middle School, October 1999 purposes. Exemplar work is well-displayed, particularly when carefully framed. Through the Textile Club, the school has made good links with the parish church in producing work for the Millennium celebrations.

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Design and technology

1. From the evidence of planning, resources and portfolios of children’s work, attainment in design and technology at the end of Key Stage 2 and in Year 7 is in line with the national expectation. The children carry out a good balance of making and designing activities through an appropriately limited number of projects throughout the year. Those projects contain all the elements of the National Curriculum and provide a broad and balanced technology education with plenty of opportunities to develop craft skills. Links with other areas of the curriculum have been established including electricity, drawing and sketching, numeracy skills and awareness of other cultures. Issues raised in the previous report have been resolved.

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Design and technology

2. There is limited use made of mouldable materials and the kiln is under utilised. However, the use of resistant materials and textiles is good. Visitors to the school are used to support textile work and links with industry support the model car work. The food technology is limited in nature and teachers do not take advantage of the school’s good cooking facilities.

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Design and technology

3. The quality of teaching in design technology, based upon scrutiny of work and discussions with pupils and staff, is at least satisfactory.

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Design and technology

4. The management of the design and technology curriculum is good. There is a good understanding and vision for the role of design and technology in the curriculum and the co-ordinator expresses enthusiasm, knowledge and experience in the subject. The scheme of work delivers the curriculum as a number of projects that enable different subjects to be integrated with the design and technology topic. Assessment is efficiently carried out through a single project in each year. Reports to parents last year were satisfactory, but closer scrutiny by the co-ordinator is needed to ensure that all contain statements of attainment and targets for future work and so help raise standards. The resources for design and technology are adequate and accessible although there is variation in the availability of classroom based resources.

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Geography

1. During the inspection no geography lessons could be observed in either key stage due to this subject being taught in blocks alternating with history. It is clear, however, from the work on display, past work and planning that, overall, attainment in Key Stage 3 is in line with national expectations and that the pupils make satisfactory progress in both key stages. Their work shows that many are demonstrating an increasingly sound depth of factual knowledge and understanding about their local environment and places further afield. They build on and extend the skills needed to help them with work of a geographical nature. The pupils in Year 4 make plans of their classrooms and the school building, they carry out zonation studies on the local beach at Shoreham and visit local downlands to carry out quadrant sampling of a pasture habitat. They compare the lives of children in an Indian village with that

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Geography

of their own. In Year 5, the pupils make a study of rivers, contrasting the local Adur with the Cuckmere in East Sussex. They learn about the water cycle and increase their vocabulary of specialist words through a Waterwatch glossary. In Year 6, they look beyond their own country, studying maps of Europe. Their knowledge of the world is further widened in Key Stage 3 through a study of the Brazilian rainforests, looking at the implications of deforestation on the native flora and fauna and on the indigenous people. World issues, such as global warming, are effectively raised.

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Geography

2. The pupils make appropriate recordings of their work in geography. These include producing maps, charts, Glebe Middle School, October 1999 posters and newspaper articles, as well as illustrated written work, all of which are satisfactorily presented.

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Geography

3. Planning is based on a comprehensive, but rather over-loaded, scheme of work that ensures that the subject is taught consistently in classes across year groups and systematically throughout the school. Links with mathematics, through a concerted approach to mapping skills, are under-developed, as are those with information technology. Teaching aids, such as videos, are little used to stimulate the pupils’ interest. The newly appointed co-ordinator for the school recognises the need to review the current scheme in the light of the new national guidelines, at the same time strengthening and building on cross-curricular links at the planning stage. The co-ordinator, although receiving appropriate in-school support, has not received any expert support from outside the school in order to help her successfully fulfil her new role. The review of the geography curriculum is planned for the year 2000 spring term.

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Geography

4. Educational visits in the area and further afield extend the curriculum. Resources have been audited and are now well-organised and readily available. The present aerial maps of the area are out-dated and need to be replaced. Stronger links with the First School are being sought to establish an even greater continuum in the pupils’ learning.

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History

1. At both key stages pupils make satisfactory progress and attain the standards expected for their age. This maintains the standards seen at the last inspection. The school has been particularly successful in teaching both knowledge and understanding of different eras and also allowing pupils to develop a sense of chronology and history enquiry skills, for example in using primary and secondary sources.

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History

2. Due to good teaching the progress made in lessons at both key stages is good. Pupils make satisfactory progress in developing their skills and knowledge as they move through the school. The youngest pupils at Key Stage 2 gain a good idea of the passing of time when they make a timeline of their own lives. They make sound progress in their understanding of this concept when they go on to make a timeline of their school over the last fifty years before making a timeline of Victorian times. By the end of the key stage pupils make gains in knowledge of different aspects such as Tudor times and Ancient Egypt. They learn about Tudor monarchs and Egyptian Pharaohs. They use artefacts, pictures and different written accounts to find out about the past. At Key Stage 3 satisfactory progress continues. Pupils gain more in depth knowledge about life in Britain in the Middle Ages. They become more skilled at gaining information from different sources and are well aware of the reliability of

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History

primary and secondary sources. They use their skills well to write a pamphlet about town life in Medieval times. They attain the standards expected for their age.

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History

3. All pupils show an interest in historical topics and are keen to participate in lessons. They join in discussions well and handle resources carefully. They ask good questions to help their understanding and take great care when recording their work.

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History

4. At both key stages teaching is good and some very good teaching was seen. Teachers are clearly enthusiastic and this motivates pupils well. Lessons are well planned with clear objectives. Teachers confidently introduce new topics and lead discussions well. Well chosen resources, for example primary and secondary sources, are effectively used to promote learning. As a result of this good teaching pupils work hard and enjoy their learning. The curriculum has been satisfactorily adapted in response to the new requirements. Good attention has been paid to maintaining a balance between the teaching of history enquiry skills and knowledge and understanding. The curriculum is significantly enhanced by visits to such places as Preston Manor where Year 4 pupils role play the life of a Victorian servant, and by visitors to the school. Glebe Middle School, October 1999

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Modern foreign languages

1. French is taught, in addition to the National Curriculum, to all pupils in Years 6 and 7 and effectively enhances the range of curricular experiences for these pupils. Pupils are developing a range of appropriate vocabulary applicable to everyday life and are achieving a good standard in relation to their age with Year 7 pupils working within Level 2 of the curriculum.

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Modern foreign languages

2. The teacher is well-qualified and enthusiastic. She works hard to ensure pupils enjoy the subject and creates a good rapport with them. Lessons are brisk and reinforcement of existing vocabulary initially takes place to ensure consolidation. There is a fluent and sustained use of French and a variety of appropriate activities to add interest to the lesson. The activities enable written skills to develop alongside vocabulary. Overall the teaching of French is at least good with some very good teaching.

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Modern foreign languages

3. All pupils make good progress. They are keen and eager to learn, concentrate well to improve their pronunciation and are prepared to try new words without hesitation. A proposed visit to France will give relevance to the acquisition of the language skills and will add to pupils’ understanding of the country and its culture.

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Music

1. The curriculum and organisation of the subject have been reviewed and the weaknesses identified at the time of the last inspection have mostly been addressed. Pupils in Key Stage 2 are making sound progress. Pupils in Key Stage 3 are reaching standards at a level expected for their age, and progress is good. At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are able to recognise the musical elements of pitch and tempo and how they can convey a mood or effect. They can compose and control sounds accompanied with tuned and untuned instruments to represent a theme or mood. Most pupils in Year 7 are able to describe and identify the elements of texture, timbre and dynamics in a given piece and incorporate these elements into their own composition. In lessons pupils can sing tunefully with satisfactory volume and diction and perform confidently. In hymn practice and assemblies the standard was generally less good.

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Music

Although music was played in the background attention was not drawn to it and its value was not appreciated by the pupils

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Music

2. Pupils’ response to music is sound overall in Key Stage 2 but very good in Key Stage 3, where their interest is clear. They were well-behaved and attentive and keen to explain the meaning of musical terms. In the best lessons pupils thought carefully and responded to the ideas of others in a mature manner. Pupils treat musical instruments with care and work co-operatively together in groups. In a Lower School Assembly where a visiting musician explained and played music in the Celtic tradition, pupils’ enjoyment and appreciation was very evident. In some assemblies and hymn practice the response of pupils is not good. Pupils were inattentive and failed to put their best into their performance. Their singing lacks verve and sensitivity and this was noted at the last inspection. However, some good singing was observed in classrooms.

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Music

3. Many pupils have an opportunity to take advantage of a range of instrumental lessons which are available during the day. This is organised through a peripatetic music teacher. Although pupils make a financial contribution to these lessons, no pupil who wishes to play is excluded. Support is available for those who find contributions difficult.

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Music

4. Prior to the re-organisation of the subject, most teachers taught their own class for music. Now pupils have the benefit of the expertise within the school. Music in Years 4 and 5 is taught by the co-ordinator for music. The older children are taught by other qualified teachers. The quality of teaching overall in Key Stage 2, is satisfactory with very good teaching in Year 7. Pupils are expected to listen carefully and to work and behave well during lessons. In the best lessons teachers build on previous learning, use good questioning skills to make pupils think for themselves, set a good pace and inform pupils how their Glebe Middle School, October 1999 performance could be improved.. When the objectives of the lessons are made clear to pupils, they know what they are expected to achieve by the end, and this enhances the level of progress made. Knowledge and understanding of the subject is good and teachers use this effectively to support music lessons.

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Music

5. The school choir is open to all pupils, a large number join and take part in the Christmas Production The choir joins with other schools and contributes to the Adur Warm Traditional Carol Service as well as being invited to contribute to Manor Hall School’s music week. The spiritual and cultural development of pupils was enhanced by the visit of a musician to Lower School Assembly.

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Physical education

1. From lesson observations, discussion with teachers and scrutiny of planning documents, it is clear that pupils are offered a range of opportunities and experiences across the curriculum. Pupils of all ages and abilities make sound progress in physical education skills. At the end of Key Stage 2 and at the time they leave the school in Year 7, the standard of their physical skills is at least at a level expected for pupils of their ages. Almost all Year 6 pupils are able to swim 25 metres, the required National Curriculum standard for eleven year-olds.

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Physical education

2. In gymnastics, younger pupils can retain the correct posture for various types of jump and link these into a series of actions that they practise, improve and refine. Year 7 pupils are able to perform a more complex sequence of movements on the floor while keeping an appropriate shape, as well as balance in pairs on apparatus, using opposing body weights. At both key stages pupils were able to recognise and evaluate the their own performance as well as the performance of others. Pupils in Year 5 are able to create and perform a simple dance routine, expressing an activity related to their topic work. In games, older pupils are seen practising hockey skills. They know that there is a correct method for holding the stick and are able to dribble a ball around obstacles with some confidence. In one lesson where there was lack of discipline and respect for the teacher, progress was unsatisfactory.

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Physical education

3. Pupils enjoy their lessons, they show perseverance and co-operate well together, sharing equipment and putting it away safely afterwards. The majority of pupils were well behaved except in one class where bad behaviour by some pupils reduced the opportunities of others to participate fully in the lesson.

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Physical education

4. Over sixty percent of the teaching was good or very good with the remainder satisfactory overall. Poor pupil management was seen in one lesson which affected attainment and progress. In a number of lessons where pupils were unable to participate in the lesson, they were not provided with suitable alternative activities. This resulted in wasted time when they could have been more actively engaged. Teachers have sound subject knowledge but do not always link initial warm-up activities to health education and the need for the heart to beat faster for healthy exercise. Planning is satisfactory and, despite of the lack of a scheme of work, covers all areas of the curriculum and provides continuity and progression for all pupils.

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Physical education

5. Physical education makes a sound contribution to pupils’ moral and social development. Sharing of resources, co-operation and the desire to help others are emphasised. Extra-curricular provision, which includes football, netball, gymnastics and dance helps to improve pupils’ skills further. There are increasing opportunities for pupils to play in competitive matches.

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Physical education

6. The facilities for physical education are good. The grounds provide grassed areas as well as a number of hard surface play facilities. There is a gymnasium with an adequate range of large apparatus and other small equipment. The co-ordinator has helped to raise money to purchase extra resources for most of the sport that takes place and this has enabled pupils to be more fully active in team games. Glebe Middle School, October 1999

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

7. The team consisted of five inspectors, including a lay inspector, who spent a total of nineteen inspector days in school. The inspection team:

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

. spent 110 hours observing 74 lessons and reviewing children's work; . attended a sample of registration sessions attended assemblies and a range of extra-curricular activities had lunch with the students on several days; . observed students' arrival at and departure from school; . observed nearly all teachers at least once and most several times; . had discussions with the Headteacher, teaching and non-teaching staff, the Chairman of Governors and other governors; . reviewed all the available written work of a representative sample of nine students from each year group; . held informal discussions with many students; . analysed a large amount of documentation provided by the school both before and during the inspection, including: • .the school prospectus; • .school policies; • .the Governors' Annual Report to Parents; • .minutes of governors' meetings; • .financial statements; • .the School Development Plan

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

• .subject policies and planning; • .students' reports and records, including special educational needs records.

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

The Registered Inspector held a meeting attended by 16 parents and considered 207 responses from parents to a questionnaire asking about their views of the school. Glebe Middle School, October 1999

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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 Y4 –Y7 383 58 139 64

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Qualified teachers (Y4 – Y7)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent) 15.82 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.21

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Education support staff (Y4 – Y7)

Total number of education support staff 7 Total aggregate hours worked each week 147

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Financial data

£ Total Income 594,697 Total Expenditure 593,055 Expenditure per pupil 1,749 Balance brought forward from previous year 12,924 Balance carried forward to next year 14,566 Glebe Middle School, October 1999

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out: 383 Number of questionnaires returned: 207

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Responses (percentage of answers in each category) :

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 32.0 60.5 6.5 1.0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 48.5 46.0 4.0 1.0 0.5

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school handles complaints from parents well 22.6 62.1 10.3 4.1 1.0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 26.7 61.4 9.4 2.5

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)'s progress 27.6 57.1 10.7 4.1 0.5

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 32.5 58.4 6.6 2.0 0.5

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 29.6 53.8 13.6 3.0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 21.2 63.6 8.6 6.1 0.5

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school's values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 25.1 61.0 11.3 2.1 0.5

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 23.2 53.0 17.7 5.1 1.0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

My child(ren) like(s) school 39.6 51.7 3.4 3.9 1.4

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Other issues raised by parents

Parents queried the support given to more able pupils and commented upon the poor behaviour of some children.

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