Southtown Primary School

Southtown First School

Dates of inspection: 11 th – 14 th October 1999

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Southtown First School

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Southtown First School -2 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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Southtown First School

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. Southtown First School -3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Tamworth Lane Great Yarmouth Norfolk NR31 0HJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr J E Murfitt

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: March 1996 Southtown First School -4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

G Bate Registered Inspector Science History Geography Music Attainment and progress Teaching Leadership and management

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

C Laverock Lay Inspector Equal opportunities Attendance Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents and the community Staffing, accommodation and learning resources J Pryor English Art Religious education Special educational needs Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development C Glenis Mathematics Design and technology Information technology Physical education Curriculum and assessment Efficiency

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Bench Marque Limited National Westminster Bank Chambers Victoria Street Burnham on Sea Somerset TA8 1AN

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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 Southtown First School -5

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MAIN FINDINGS

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

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INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of the school 1 - 4 Key indicators

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Southtown First School -6 Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school Attainment and progress 5 - 13 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 14 - 26 Attendance 27 - 28

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Quality of education provided Teaching 29 - 35 The curriculum and assessment 36 - 49 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 50 - 56 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare 57 - 61 Partnership with parents and the community 62 - 66

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The management and efficiency of the school Leadership and management 67 - 74 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 75 - 81 The efficiency of the school 82 - 88

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

Areas of learning for children under five 89 - 100 The core subject 101 - 149 Other subjects or courses 150 - 182

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PART C: INSPECTION DATA

Summary of inspection evidence Data and indicators Southtown First School -7

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What the school does well

• . The overall quality of teaching is good. • . The pupils make overall good progress through the school, especially in the under-fives and Key Stage 1. • . Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards their individual targets. • . The pupils display positive attitudes; their relationships with each other and adults and their behaviour are good. • . The procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment are good. • . The provision for the pupils’ moral and cultural development is good and for spiritual and social development very good. • . Financial planning, control, school administration and use of staff, both teaching and non-teaching, are very effective. • . The pastoral care of the pupils is well led by the headteacher, effectively supported by the governing body, and is a strength of the school. • . The staff work hard to involve parents in their child’s education. • . The effectiveness of the school’s strategy for literacy is good.

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What the school does well

· Where the school has weaknesses I. English is not yet up to standard throughout the school. II. Work in mathematics on space, measures and investigations is not yet up to standard. III. The range of the information technology curriculum in Year 3 requires extension. IV. Standards in science, although improving, are below average in Year 3. V. The provision for the outdoor physical development of the under-fives is unsatisfactory. VI. The steady progress of some pupils is hindered by poor attendance. VII. Assessment is not yet fully effective in informing future curriculum planning. VIII. There is no formal oversight of the continuity of pupils’ learning experiences. IX. Some classroom accommodation is inadequate for the number of pupils, for example there is insufficient carpeted space for literacy sessions in the Year 3 mobile classroom. X. There is no formal evaluation of the outcome of some policy decisions, for example the

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What the school does well

monitoring of teaching and the marking policy.

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be sent to all parents and guardians of pupils at the school and progress towards

targets indicated by the governing body in their annual report.

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be sent to all parents and guardians of pupils at the school and progress towards

· How the school has improved since the last inspection

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be sent to all parents and guardians of pupils at the school and progress towards

The school has overcome most of the weaknesses pointed out in the last inspection in 1996 and standards are beginning to rise. It has, for example, effectively addressed the funding and allocation of curriculum resources and raised standards in, and the time allocated to, science. However, information and communication technology in Year 3 still requires Southtown First School -8 attention in relation to the Programme of Study, and higher attainers are not yet always challenged. Whilst the monitoring of the school development has been very successfully addressed, this procedure has not been extended to the assessment of whole-school planning and an evaluation of policy decisions. The overall quality of teaching has improved. As the issues still to address are predominantly extensions and refinements of existing practice, the school is in a sound position to bring about further improvements.

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be sent to all parents and guardians of pupils at the school and progress towards

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

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similar schools

well above average A above average B Reading D C average C Writing E E below average D Mathematics E E well below average E

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similar schools

The information shows, for example, that while standards in reading were below average in the 1998 national tests, they were average when compared with schools deemed to be similar. For these comparisons, similar schools are those with 20 to 35 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals. Further analysis of this group of pupils shows that 34.5 per cent were eligible for free school meals, five per cent attended the district’s Language Development Centre, all with statements of special educational need, and a quarter of the pupils in the school in 1998 were admitted or withdrawn. Nearly a third of the pupils are identified as having special educational needs, which is well above the national average. The introduction of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies is beginning to have a positive effect upon the standards in English and mathematics.

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similar schools

Standards, at Key Stage 1, in reading and writing, number, science, religious education and information and communication technology, are broadly average. Those pupils in Year 3 in Key Stage 2 attain standards that are broadly average in English, number and religious education and just below in science. They do not meet expectations in information and communication technology, as the curriculum does not yet fully cover all aspects of the subject, for example control and handling information.

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similar schools

There is no subject in which progress is deemed to be unsatisfactory. Good progress is made in English, where competence in basic literacy is rising, in science, history and geography and the under-fives. Progress in numeracy is sound overall but is restricted in some aspects of mathematics, for example the use and application of the subject and data handling. Southtown First School -9 ·

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Quality of teaching

· Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years 7 – 11 years

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Quality of teaching

English Good Good Good Mathematics Satisfactory Satisfactory Satisfactory Science Good Good Information technology Satisfactory Satisfactory Religious education Satisfactory Satisfactory Other subjects Satisfactory Good Good

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Quality of teaching

The overall quality of teaching is good. It was good in 53 per cent of lessons and very good in a further four per cent. The teachers manage and organise their classes well, using time and resources very effectively. They have high expectations of behaviour and seek effectively to extend the pupils’ subject language. Relationships with pupils are good and all adults show care and concern for the pupils’ welfare. The teaching of, and support given to, pupils with special educational needs are good. Lesson planning varies in quality but is sound overall. The quality of teaching has a strong impact on the progress made, particularly in English and science. There are good procedures in place for the assessment of pupils’ progress but marking, whilst regular, is inconsistent in quality.

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Quality of teaching

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 Consistently good throughout the school. The pupils are polite and show considerable courtesy to each other and to adults, including visitors. Attendance Poor. It is well below the national average. A number of pupils are persistently late. Ethos* Good. There is a clear desire to establish and maintain relationships and a growing commitment to raising standards. Leadership and management There is a strong and effective partnership between the governing body and headteacher, which provides a clear direction for the school. Some aspects of monitoring and evaluation are under-developed. Very effective administration. Curriculum Sound. There is an appropriate emphasis on literacy and numeracy. Provision for under-fives’ physical development is unsatisfactory. The whole of the mathematics and information and communication technology curriculum is not taught. Assessment is not yet used to modify planning and there is

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Aspect Comment

no oversight of the continuity of pupils’ learning experiences. Special educational needs The provision for these pupils is good and very effective. Activities are very well matched to the pupils’ needs, they are supported well and make good progress. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development A strength of the school. Provision is good for the pupils’ moral and cultural development. It is very good for their Southtown First School -10 spiritual and social development. Assemblies are exceptionally good. Staffing, resources and accommodation Good balance of teaching and support staff expertise to meet the demands of the curriculum. Good classroom displays. The building is well maintained but some rooms are overcrowded. No suitable outdoor area for the under-fives. Range, quality and accessibility of resources are sound. Value for money Good.

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Aspect Comment

*Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards. Southtown First School -11

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

XI. The encouragement given to play an active part in the life of the school. XII. They find it easy to approach the teachers. XIII. Children like school. XIV. They feel well informed about their child’s progress. XV. The children achieve good standards of work. XVI. The school has good values. They have a good effect on my child. XVII. Reports are good. They set targets. XVIII. The calm atmosphere and moral values. XIX. Teachers instil discipline and kindness. XX. Pupils know right from wrong. XXI. Reading books brought home nightly. XXII. They are not given enough

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

Inspectors’ judgements concur with the positive views of the parents. Standards are rising but are, at the moment, broadly average. They also agree with the comments about what is taught. The school has appropriate strategies to deal with bullying, and behaviour inside the building is generally of a high order. The school is actively seeking a solution to the homework issue. Southtown First School -12 · KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

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

In order to build upon the many positive aspects of the school and to raise standards further, the governing body, headteacher and staff should:

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

XXVI. raise standards further in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology by:

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

-. continuing to build on the improvements resulting from the successful adoption of the Literacy Strategy -. ensuring the whole of the mathematics curriculum is taught, for example its use and application -. ensuring continuity of experience in science, especially across the key stages -. extending the information and communication technology curriculum at Key Stage 2 to include, for example, handling information and control; (paras: 5, 7, 10, 12, 31, 37, 38, 39, 68, 79, 101, 102, 109, 114, 115, 116, 118, 119, 122, 125 130, 131, 133, 140, 170)

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

• . ensure there is a formal co-ordination of the whole curriculum in order to provide continuity of learning experiences, particularly in mixed-age and cross key stage classes, and consistency in planning, for example by agreeing the learning objectives; (paras: 32, 36, 39, 45, 90, 109, 122, 130, 170)

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

• . extend the good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress to include an assessment of the curriculum and its possible amendment in the light of experience; (paras: 45, 48, 68, 72, 122, 130, 137, 170, 175)

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

• . ensure that the curriculum for the under-fives includes opportunities for outdoor structured play by:

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

a) providing a suitable area and appropriate apparatus, and b) planning regular access to the area in order to improve the children’s balancing, climbing and social skills; (paras: 8, 36, 78, 80, 81, 89, 97)

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

• ) develop the successful procedures now used to evaluate progress towards the targets set in the school development plan to include regular evaluation of all school policies and practice, for example the monitoring of teaching and the marking policy; (paras: 35, 46, 69, 72, 122, 130, 137, 165, 170)

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

• ) continue to examine ways of improving attendance, for example by agreeing individual targets with parents. (para: 27) Southtown First School -13 Southtown First School -14 · INTRODUCTION

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

1. The school is situated to the south of the centre of the coastal borough of Great Yarmouth, close to an area of mixed commercial activities. It was built in 1982 to cater for 140 pupils and has five class bases, a hall and attractive grassed areas. Two mobile classrooms provide additional accommodation, one of which houses the Eastern Area’s Language Development Centre which opened in 1992. Most of the property in the immediate area consists of terraced houses, about half of which are rented. Many of the larger houses in the area have been converted into flats. A number of these are used by the Department of Social Security to house families, from all over the country, who are temporarily faced with problems. This has significantly increased the number of pupils who spend only a short time in the school. This figure has now risen to 26 per cent. Travellers’ children also use the school when they are in the area. Pupils attend from the age of four until eight, that is, Reception to

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

Year 3, before moving on to the local middle school. At the time of the inspection, of the 184 pupils on roll, 19 children under five attend part-time until Christmas. There is a second intake of under-fives in the New Year. A majority of the children attend local playgroups before entry. There is an overall gender balance.

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

2. Standard of attainment on entry covers a wide range but overall is below average and many children have language and social skills difficulties. Unemployment in the area is about three times the national average. Many of the parents work in the low wage and seasonal economy. It is anticipated that the area is soon to move from the second to the highest priority status of the Single Regeneration Budget. About thirty per cent of the pupils are currently eligible for free school meals, which is well above the national average. Virtually all the pupils are of white ethnic origin but there are two homes where English is not the first language. Nearly a third of the pupils have special needs and ten pupils have statements of special educational need. Both these figures are well above the national average.

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

3. The overall aim of the school is to provide all children with a high quality education based on a broad and balanced curriculum. This will take place in a stimulating, happy, secure environment where all are valued and where teachers can help children to become caring individuals who will have the skills to achieve success and to lead rewarding lives. The school aims to act as support to those families who find themselves in need for whatever reason, and to encourage the children to have positive attitudes of enthusiasm, contentment and humour.

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

4. The school’s priorities are to raise standards in the core subjects and information communication technology, to provide better resources and accommodation for early years education and to encourage parents to have a greater involvement in their child’s education. Southtown First School -15 4. Key indicators Attainment at Key Stage 1

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

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

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

4. National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Number of pupils Boys 16 13 16 at NC Level 2 or Girls 15 11 13 above Total 31 24 29 Percentage at NC School 72 (65) 56 (46) 67 (72) Level 2 or above National 80 (80) 81 (80) 84 (94)

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

4. Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 14 17 17 at NC Level 2 or Girls 11 15 12 above Total 25 32 29 Percentage at NC School 58 (60) 74 (69) 67 (46) Level 2 or above National 81 (80) 85 (84) 86 (85)

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

4. Attendance Percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest %

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

Reporting year: Authorised School 6.7 Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 2.1 Absence National comparative data 0.5 4. 4. Exclusions Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during the previous year: Number

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

4. Quality of teaching Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 4 Satisfactory or better 98 Less than satisfactory 2 4. Southtown First School -16

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

4. EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

1. On the basis of the average levels attained nationally for all schools, the results of the 1998 Key Stage 1 National Curriculum tests for the school show performance that is below average in reading and well below average for writing and mathematics. When compared with schools deemed to be similar, that is having between twenty and thirty- five per cent eligible for free school meals, the performance in reading is average and well below in writing and mathematics. When considering these results it should be borne in mind that thirty per cent of pupils were eligible for free school meals, five per cent of the group tested attended the Language Development Centre, all with statements of special educational need, and in that year over a quarter of the pupils were admitted or withdrawn from school. This has an adverse effect on standards.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

2. The trend over the last three years, 1996–1998, in comparison with all schools, is for the performance of pupils to show an average deficit in progress of about four months for reading and mathematics and over six months for writing. However, the trend from 1997 to 1998 is up, especially in reading. Inspection evidence indicates this trend is continuing. Evidence from the inspection now indicates that, at Key Stage 1, standards of attainment in reading and writing are broadly in line with the national average. In mathematics, standards are broadly average in number, but below average in aspects such as mathematical investigations. Standards in science are also broadly in line with those expected nationally of seven-year-olds.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

3. Those pupils who took the 1999 tests, for which national comparative data is not yet available, are now in Year 3 and the oldest pupils in the school. They now attain standards that are broadly in line with those expected of eight-year-olds in English and just below in science. In mathematics they attain average standards in number, but below average standards in such aspects as data handling. This improving trend is a result of the effective introduction by the school of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and the more systematic use of the structured scheme of work for science. As the Numeracy Strategy has only been in place for a short time its full effect has yet to be felt. As the pupils enter the school with below average, and a large minority well below average, attainment, these results indicate overall good progress is made through the school. Pupils with special educational needs also make

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

good progress due to their good support from teachers and assistants and appropriately set targets.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

4. Most of the children under five show much interest in all the activities they undertake in school. They enjoy school and make good progress in the development of their language and literacy skills and in the knowledge and understanding of the world. They make satisfactory progress in mathematics, creative and physical development except for climbing, balancing, riding and co-ordination skills, as there is no suitable outdoor area and equipment. The great majority of the children listen carefully to their teachers and other adults, especially to stories. Some children recognise their names in print, but few understand that words have meaning although they are aware of meaning in pictures and words when sharing a book with an adult. They show a sound understanding of early mathematical concepts, some, for example, take away Southtown First School -17 one from five using their fingers, count to 18 and add money to 5p. Every opportunity

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

is taken by the teachers to reinforce the children’s numeracy skills, for example in physical education and when singing action songs. The children successfully extend their knowledge and understanding of the world in which they live when they taste the exotic fruit, look at clothes from different cultures, learn about the properties of materials and use a computer. The children develop well their control of small-scale equipment such as scissors, spreaders and pencils and they gain great benefit from the more formal physical education experiences in the hall. Most children begin to sing in tune and time, mix colours appropriately and produce recognisable paintings and drawings. Although given appropriate guidance, few children use tools such as hammers in a satisfactory way. Although many of the children, by the age of five, do not achieve the Desirable Learning Outcomes, particularly in literacy and physical

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

development, a majority make at least satisfactory, and frequently good, progress towards them.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

5. Good progress is now made in English through Key Stage 1 and in Year 3. They have an established way of dealing with difficult words using phonics. Some lower attaining pupils effectively use other cues to help their reading, such as the pictures. Most pupils can use books to find information and they are introduced to new words and expressions linked to topics and themes they study. Although the school’s approach to English encourages clear and accurate speech, for example, by taking part in assemblies and discussions in class, standards are below average. Good foundations are, however, laid for the future. Standards in writing are improving mainly as a result of the focus placed by the school on this aspect of English and the successful introduction of the Literacy Strategy. The pupils know, for example, that stories have beginnings and endings and the order in which words are used can change meaning.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The oldest pupils recognise different forms of writing, such as poetry, prose and scripts. Standards in spelling and handwriting are satisfactory. The good progress made by pupils is a result of the systematic and good teaching, together with the positive attitudes of the pupils, which has a positive effect upon their listening skills.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

6. Most pupils make satisfactory progress in mathematics. Good progress is frequently made during the whole class oral sessions and in a significant minority of lessons when pupils develop an understanding of standard measures and three-dimensional shapes. Pupils at Key Stage 1 develop effective number skills, counting on and back in tens, with increasing confidence in fives and threes and adding and subtracting to ten and beyond. They recognise and record numbers in money and time. Higher attaining pupils in Year 3 accurately find the smallest and largest numbers from given numbers up to four digits and extend their mathematical language in using terms such as diagonal and horizontal. Progress in mathematics lessons is unsatisfactory when, for example, the work following the introductory session is less demanding, such as colouring in shapes, unchallenging worksheets or the pupils are unable to read the

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

instructions. Pupils use some of their mathematical skills in subjects such as science where they, for example, use graphical representation of the survey on materials.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

7. The concerns raised in the last report about standards in science have been successfully addressed and the overall level of progress is good. The pupils have a good understanding of the notion of fair testing and prediction. They understand about the classification of materials by their properties or origin. Higher attaining pupils show a good understanding of the reversibility of some physical changes. The pupils' scientific language is effectively extended and they carry out simple investigations systematically, both of which assist the pupils’ good progress. Southtown First School -18 8. Good progress is made through the school in religious education and the majority of pupils attain the levels indicated in the agreed syllabus. The effective linking of themes in collective worship and work in religious education assists progress. The pupils are aware of not only Christian stories and festivals, but also of faiths such as

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Hinduism. Standards in information and communication technology just meet national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1 but they are not yet in line for the Year 3 pupils as the curriculum does not include the full Key Stage 2 Programmes of Study, for example handling information and control. Key Stage 1 pupils word process, print and use mouse and keyboard skills successfully. A strength in information technology, at both key stages, is the pupils’ ability to draft on screen. The increasing confidence in this subject shown by most teachers is beginning to improve pupils’ progress, which is satisfactory overall in the aspects currently taught.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

9. Pupils make generally good progress in history and geography. They understand that changes occur over time and identify differences, for example in domestic artefacts over the last hundred years and in places in contrasting locations. Pupils also make good progress in art, particularly in developing colouring and drawing skills. Overall progress in music, physical education and design and technology is satisfactory. The pupils develop the ability to sing in tune and keep time and effectively play both tuned and untuned percussion instruments. In physical education the pupils show increasing control of body movements and awareness of space. They work well in pairs. Pupils show effective designing and making skills and use a computer well to assist in the design process.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

13. Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

10. The pupils' attitudes, behaviour and personal development throughout the school are good and have a positive impact upon their achievement and progress. Response is good in nearly two thirds of the lessons observed and satisfactory in practically all the others.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

11. The positive comments made about behaviour and attitudes in the last report are supported by the current inspection. The development of good behaviour among the pupils, the mutual respect between pupils and staff and the creation of the school as an orderly environment are still effectively maintained as central to the work of the school.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

12. In most aspects of their personal development the pupils under five make good progress. They become more confident in the relationships with each other and with adults. They respond well when the order and structure of the classroom is effective and they can feel secure. They learn to play together and to share play and learning resources.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

13. Throughout the school pupils of all ages listen carefully to their teachers, carry out instructions willingly, and work consistently at the tasks they are given. The groups in literacy and numeracy time who are working on their own do so well. They get on with the work set, support each other and carry out the tasks with care and generally with enthusiasm. The pupils are sensible in the way they ensure that they can see the white-boards or Big Books and other demonstrations, generally doing so without causing unnecessary upset to other pupils. Southtown First School -19 14. During midmorning and lunchtime breaks the pupils play well together in the extensive grounds. There are facilities for being quiet and generally pupils who elect to do so are not disturbed even though the rest of the play going on tends to be boisterous. Behaviour during lunchtime in the hall is generally good, and when they become too

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

noisy, the pupils respond quickly to the calming and effective manner of the lunchtime supervisors. Both in the playgrounds and about the school the pupils show a good level of self-control.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

15. During the past year only two incidences of exclusion for a fixed term are recorded. This frequency has been static over the past few years and occasions of bad behaviour needing this sort of treatment are rare.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

16. The pupils are courteous to visitors. They are polite to the staff and to each other. They develop techniques of polite conversation, moving slowly from short single word answers to questions, to conducting conversations with some ease. They are careful with the school's property and there is very little litter and no graffiti about the school. Apart from isolated incidents they respect one another's belongings.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

17. The pupils work collaboratively in a number of situations. They share resources for learning well. The older ones, for example, mix powder paints and prepare other media for the younger ones. They are sensitive in their comments about each other’s work. In religious education and in collective worship they are sensitive to the beliefs and values of others. Pupils who have, and practice, a religious belief are not made to feel awkward if they talk about it. This effectively enables the pupils to express and learn about their own and other people's emotions and feelings.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

18. A number of pupils undertake duties and responsibilities concerned with the smooth running of the school taking it in turns every day. They return registers to the secretary, collect and distribute books and resources in the classrooms, arrange furniture and set up small apparatus and carry out a number of other necessary and important duties, which are within their competence. This gives the pupils a real sense of responsibility and helps them to grow towards independence.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

19. During collective worship pupils take leading roles, reading prayers, introducing hymns and reading short passages and, as a result, grow increasingly confident in speaking out in public.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

20. The good behaviour in classes enables the teachers to concentrate all their time on the pupils' learning. Such behaviour improves the quality of learning that takes place and increases the effectiveness of the teaching.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

21. Good quality attitudes, behaviour and personal development are also found among the pupils with special educational needs and so they make good social and personal development as well as progress in learning. In the case of the pupils in the Language Development Centre, the pupils respond well to the treatment they receive which speeds up their return to their own schools.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

22. Most of the parents affirm that the school achieves high standards of behaviour among the pupils. All agreed that the school's values and attitudes have a positive effect upon their children.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

26. Attendance Southtown First School -20 23. Pupils’ attendance is poor when compared with the national average and there is a high incidence of unauthorised absences. This has deteriorated since the last inspection. There are several families whose children are often absent. This is very closely monitored and appropriate action taken as a result. Several families take their children on holiday during term-time. These high levels of absence are impeding the progress of pupils. The school has identified improving attendance as a priority in its development plan, but this has yet to have an impact. The education welfare officer visits the school regularly and provides good support.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

24. Whilst the majority of pupils arrive at school on time each day, several arrive late. Parents are encouraged in the school prospectus to ensure their child arrives punctually, although not all do. Registers are completed efficiently at the beginning of morning and afternoon sessions. A swift start is made to the day and a pleasant atmosphere is created 28. QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED 28.

p.20

Teaching

25. The overall quality of teaching is good. Over half of this teaching is good with four per cent very good. Two per cent was judged to be unsatisfactory. The teaching has a positive impact upon pupils’ progress through the school and on the gradual raising of standards. The strength of the teaching moves many pupils from standards that are well below average on entry to levels broadly expected of seven and eight-year-olds.

p.20

Teaching

26. Approximately half of the teaching of the children under five is good and just under half is satisfactory. One lesson was judged unsatisfactory. The teachers have good relationships with the children and have high expectations for behaviour and for the quality of their spoken responses. The teachers recognise the importance of this aspect of their work as a significant number of children have considerable language problems. The teachers effectively develop children’s listening skills, for example when expecting them to respond immediately during physical activities. Planning is based on the Desirable Learning Outcomes and is done jointly. However, on occasions, the subsequent experiences of the children in the two classes differ, which hinders overall assessment of progress. The teachers are very good at using other adult support. It is effective and well planned. Children needing additional support are

p.20

Teaching

identified quickly. They are then well supported.

p.20

Teaching

27. The teachers’ subject knowledge is generally satisfactory, except for some aspects of information and communication technology, for example control. In no lesson was progress hindered by a lack of understanding and the teachers are securely prepared for the teaching of literacy and numeracy. The subject co-ordinators will provide support in the preparation of planning should a colleague require it, which is a positive development since the last inspection. Teachers are now more confident about teaching information and communication technology than was noted in the last report but the use of information and communication technology in lessons is inconsistent and this reduces the overall rate of progress. Teachers have high expectations for behaviour and also for the use of extended subject language. For example, in English the pupils are encouraged to think hard in order to find the most appropriate word to

p.20

Teaching

describe a situation, or in science when they are encouraged to use the correct name for specific teeth, such as incisor or molar. In physical education lessons the teachers expect and receive immediate response. This high expectation results not only in a Southtown First School -21 safe lesson but it increases the time available for physical activity. In some lessons expectations are too low and time is spent just colouring in previously prepared sheets. Here the pace of learning drops and higher attainers are not sufficiently challenged.

p.20

Teaching

28. The overall quality of teachers’ planning is satisfactory. The schemes of work assist the teachers to identify and plan the learning outcomes for their lessons. Where planning is good, the planned learning outcomes are very specific. This assists the teachers to make accurate assessments and in turn for the pupils to make good progress. Where learning objectives are too general, for example ‘extend the notion of touch’, assessment of progress is more difficult. Most of the teachers match the work well to the needs of the pupils, including those with special educational needs.

p.21

Teaching

29. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good and this ensures they make good progress. The work is well planned to meet their needs, and especially so when they are taken by the special educational needs teacher. Good records are kept of their progress and these are used to inform the planning of individual education plans, which are reviewed regularly by the special educational needs staff and class teachers. Support staff are kept well informed. A particular strength of special educational needs teaching is the good knowledge and understanding of special needs strategies by the very well trained and experienced special educational needs staff. Relationships between teachers and pupils with special educational needs are good. The pupils are managed well and within their limitations they are challenged to work hard and achieve good results. Homework and liaison with the pupils’ homes

p.21

Teaching

initiated by the school is good, though not always reciprocated.

p.21

Teaching

30. Good use is made by the teachers of a suitable range of methods and organisation. Most lessons begin ‘on the carpet’ where the teachers build successfully on the pupils’ previous knowledge and understanding. These introductory sessions are usually brisk and motivate the pupils well. Occasionally these sessions are too long, for example in some mathematics lessons. Time, as a result, was not used effectively as some pupils had to be reminded to pay attention and little time was left to complete the subsequent practical activities. Conversely, in a science lesson, the introduction was so rapid pupils did not understand what they were required to undertake. In a Key Stage 1 lesson, the introduction was particularly effective as the teacher wrote out the objectives for learning on the white-board. All teachers move around the classroom very effectively intervening in the pupils' learning, posing stimulating questions and

p.21

Teaching

reinforcing the objectives. No teacher merely moved around exhorting pupils to remain on task. Effective reinforcement of learning takes place in most lessons during the plenary session. In the most effective lessons teacher return to the objectives set at the beginning, not only reinforcing the learning, but providing assessment opportunities. This was done particularly well in a lesson where the pupils had, for example, to identify a material suitable to make a rain hat.

p.21

Teaching

31. The management of the pupils is good. The teachers maintain discipline in their classes but not at the expense of good, productive relationships with the pupils, whom they know very well. This quality of relationships and thorough understanding of the pupils, enables the teachers to make effective face-to-face assessments of progress on a day-to-day basis. The effectiveness of the teachers' question and answer skills greatly assists assessment, which is used to inform short-term planning. Marking, however, is regular but inconsistent in quality restricting progress towards desirable targets. The best includes targets for future improvement. The teachers systematically Southtown First School -22 ensure reading books are taken home regularly and seek appropriate opportunities for other suitable tasks to be undertaken at home. The results of the parents’ questionnaire indicate general approval of the current policy. The support staff and

p.21

Teaching

the teachers work very well together. This co-operation, which is very effective, has a positive impact on standards.

p.22

Teaching

32. The breadth and balance of the curriculum for children under five is unsatisfactory in relation to outdoor activities, restricting progress in physical skills such as climbing and balancing. There is, at present, unsatisfactory accommodation and resources to enable this area of learning to be developed. The school offers at least a sound foundation in the remaining areas of learning for under-fives which leads appropriately into the National Curriculum. Long and medium-term planning have clear objectives for learning. Short-term planning for the younger Reception children is detailed. Planning is sometimes inconsistent between the two Reception classes although there are procedures and formal times provided for teachers to plan together. Planning achieves a reasonable balance between adult-directed and child-initiated activities and places due emphasis on promoting independence generally.

p.22

Teaching

33. The Key Stage 1 and 2 curriculum is broad and balanced and meets the requirements of the National Curriculum and religious education with the exception of control and modelling in information and communication technology at Key Stage 1 in providing the broader range of information and communication technology, physical education skills at Key Stage 2 and appropriate balance in mathematics. All subjects of the curriculum are taught and generally provide pupils with equality of learning opportunities to prepare them for the next stage of education. The school has correctly placed an emphasis on the core subjects. As a consequence provision for these subjects has been strengthened, notably in science, since the last inspection and standards are rising. There is adequate provision to allow pupils to develop intellectual, social and physical skills.

p.22

Teaching

34. The school is making good use of the National Literacy Strategy and is developing its use of the Numeracy Strategy to provide a clear structure for planning and teaching in these subjects. This is having a positive effect on the teaching and progression in these subjects across the school. Literacy and numeracy skills are reinforced in other curriculum subjects but there is little evidence of early mathematical investigations and data handling at both key stages and information and communication technology data handling at Key Stage 2. In some subjects the preponderance of worksheets restricts pupils’ opportunities to develop skills and knowledge, particularly in mathematics where they are frequently less challenging than the whole-class interactive parts of the lesson. The scheme of work for physical education does not refer to Key Stage 2.

p.22

Teaching

35. There are schemes of work and medium-term planning for all subjects but there is no overview or coordination of the whole curriculum. The continuity of learning experiences is hindered by repetition of parts of the curriculum with little progress, for example in mathematics work on two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes showed little development between year groups and key stages. Medium-term planning between classes with the same-aged pupils is not well matched throughout the school and within mixed-age classes there is little difference between work of younger and older pupils. Short-term planning is inconsistent with some staff providing Southtown First School -23 detailed plans with clear learning objectives for all pupils but other staff’s planning is less effective. In several plans staff sometimes do not distinguish clearly between activities and learning objectives. Apart from literacy and mathematics the curriculum

p.22

Teaching

for higher attaining pupils relies on the judgment of individual teachers.

p.23

Teaching

36. The pupils on the special educational needs register have equal access to the curriculum with those not on the register. Those at Stage 2 of the Code of Practice and above are provided with individual education plans which identify the particular areas of the curriculum which need attention. These are regularly updated and parents are kept well informed. The assessment of the work set for pupils with particular needs is effectively used in the planning of future work and assists them to make good progress.

p.23

Teaching

37. The planning of the school’s curriculum is of a similar standard to the last inspection findings although planning for science and aspects of information and communication technology has greatly improved.

p.23

Teaching

38. There is a drugs education policy and the school invites the local police officer to support this aspect of the curriculum, particularly in Years 2 and 3. The governors have decided that sex education will be taught in science and any questions raised by the pupils answered according to their age and stage of development. There are health education projects as part of the two-year cycle of planned topics.

p.23

Teaching

39. There is no provision at present for extra-curricular activities. The school is aware of this and there are plans to offer a sporting activity, for Key Stage 2 pupils, with support from a local sports scheme. A range of educational visits enriches curriculum provision and pupils benefit greatly from visitors such as poets, police and religious leaders.

p.23

Teaching

40. The curriculum provides equality of access and opportunity for pupils to make progress and there are no significant differences in the attainment of boys and girls. The withdrawal of pupils with special educational needs, who require additional support, is well planned to ensure they do not repeatedly miss the same subjects.

p.23

Teaching

41. The policy for assessment, recording and reporting is sound with good procedures in place for the formal assessment of pupils at the end of a year, term or topic. Systems to check and record pupils’ progress in literacy and numeracy follow national procedures and are being implemented satisfactorily in mathematics and have developed well in literacy. New procedures in science are being implemented well. Other than in English, mathematics and science there is no consistent approach to evaluation of the longer and medium-term planning in relation to how pupils are progressing and its use for informing future planning. Nor do most day-to-day assessments always inform future planning. This hinders pupils’ progress and leads to some mismatch of work to pupils’ prior attainment. Little use is made of sampling to monitor pupils’ strengths and weaknesses, apart from national test moderation.

p.23

Teaching

42. There is a policy that teachers set targets for pupils’ learning but this is implemented inconsistently with teachers following different procedures, or none at all, and this limits staff’s ability to plan for learning needs in a more focused way. Southtown First School -24 43. The assessment procedures for children under five are inconsistent, with very good assessments carried out with the part-time Reception children but not yet fully in place with the full-time under-fives. The school uses the local authority’s assessment system of children’s attainment on entry to school to help staff identify skills and abilities and to plan appropriately, however only half of this assessment is completed in the first seven weeks which gives an incomplete picture of pupils’ overall strengths and weaknesses.

p.23

Teaching

44. The school is developing well its ‘tracking’ procedures to follow pupils’ progress through the school. However, the assessments used are overwhelmingly standardised tests with a limited focus and there is no system to record developments in areas of the curriculum other than some aspects of the core curriculum.

p.24

Teaching

45. The assessment and recording of the work of pupils on the special educational needs register is very well done. The management of pupils withdrawn from the classroom for special help is very well managed to ensure that there is no loss of balance in the curriculum they receive. 49.

p.24

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

46. The overall level of provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is good throughout the school. The opportunities provided for the spiritual development of the pupils, both through the curriculum and the very well prepared acts of collective worship are very good. The establishment of routines that enable the pupils, from a very early age to undertake responsibilities for aspects of the life of the school makes the provision for social development also very good. This aspect of the school's life is a strength and well supports the achievement of the strong pastoral elements in the aims of the school.

p.24

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

47. The comments of the previous inspection report identifying this area as a strength of the school are echoed in the current inspection.

p.24

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

48. The acts of collective worship gather the pupils and representatives of the staff together to share in activities which express the values they share. Opportunities are provided for the pupils to think quietly about the things that have been talked about, such as thanksgiving for harvest and, if they wish, to join in the prayer. These occasions give the pupils a sense of belonging to a group of people with whom they are safe. This also provides a sure base for their spiritual development as people, helping them to discover themselves. This is supported by work that is done in art, where they explore the possibilities of self-expression as they examine what things look and feel like. Work in English when they become absorbed in stories also supports this aspect of school life. The music to which they are introduced at the beginning of assembly sets the mood for the occasion and enriches their experience.

p.24

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

49. The school's well thought out and well managed behaviour policy provides a practical basis from which the pupils can develop an understanding of what makes some actions right and others wrong. The staff take care to explain this when they have occasion to check a pupil over what they are doing wrong. They are helped to see how what they do affects other people. All adults in the school are very positive role models in this respect. The day-to-day running of the classes emphasises the importance of thinking about what we do as it may affect others. The lessons they learn about themselves are supported by the discussions that they have, in literacy Southtown First School -25 sessions and on other occasions, about the behaviour of characters in the stories they read or have read to them. They learn both through the practice of observing games and in discussions in religious education about the Commandments, of the

p.24

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

importance of having rules which everyone observes.

p.25

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

50. There is a close connection between the provision for moral and for social development. Younger pupils are taught how to live within a social group, and many of the decisions made about their behaviour are about whether it helps or hinders the life of the society of the school. The school is careful to provide the pupils with opportunities to work for the good of the community of the school. They take turns in having jobs to do that affect the smooth running of the classes and of the school. They learn through practical experience to carry out tasks they are given, or for which they volunteer. Tasks such as handing out and collecting in books and other resources, taking the register and dinner numbers to the secretary each morning are important, and the pupils undertake them with due seriousness. The close attention paid to the social development of the pupils by the school ensures that the provision

p.25

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

51. There is a good provision made for the cultural development of the pupils. They are introduced to a good range of traditional and modern stories and songs. They look at, and copy the style of, the paintings of a number of important artists from the recent past such as Picasso, and Monet. Each morning, as well as in music lessons, they have opportunities to hear the music of significant composers and they are introduced to stories about them. The pupils have an extensive repertoire of songs which they sing in assembly with considerable enjoyment. Opportunities are taken, in odd minutes at the end of school sessions, to learn traditional number and nursery rhymes. Visits from professional storytellers, musicians and performances of puppet plays broaden the range of their experience, and give them a taste of live performance. Visits to local churches give them insights into significant features of

p.25

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

their own culture. Work in religious education and in geography in particular enables them to learn something of cultures other than their own, and with which they are likely to come into contact, as they grow older. The school broadens this by bringing in visitors to explain about their beliefs and ways of life, such as that of the Jewish faith.

p.25

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

52. Overall the good provision for the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development supports the curriculum of the school and particularly the good quality personal development of the pupils.

p.25

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

56. Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

p.25

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

53. The school continues to provide good support and advice for all its pupils, including those with special educational needs as was noted in the previous report. Induction procedures for the under-fives are good. Staff know each pupil well and take good care of them. The pastoral care of pupils is a strength of the school. Procedures for monitoring each pupil’s academic progress and personal development are good. Pupils’ needs are met and this enables them to cope effectively with everyday life in school. Procedures for monitoring attendance and punctuality are very good. Registers are checked each week and parents contacted if there are unexplained absences or their child has arrived late.

p.25

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

54. The high quality records kept of the progress of pupils with special educational needs enable the good quality knowledge about them to be available to all staff who deal Southtown First School -26 with them. There is a governor appointed for special educational needs, the teacher governor, and another, newer member of the governing body who is shadowing the teacher governor in the special educational needs role and undertaking training sessions as offered by the local education authority. This is an effective strategy. A governor, who is not a parent, was deliberately and suitably chosen to respect the sensitivities about the identification of special educational needs pupils among the parents. This applied also to the identification of high achievers. These positive strategies are raising the awareness of special needs issues amongst the governors and their effectiveness in supporting developments.

p.25

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

55. Overall, the school has good measures to promote discipline and good behaviour. In classes, teachers have high expectations of good behaviour and mostly achieve this. This has a positive impact on educational standards. At lunchtimes, staff manage behaviour effectively and create a pleasant atmosphere in the dining hall for pupils to eat their lunch. Any incidents which do occur are recorded and appropriate follow-up action is taken. Staff manage challenging behaviour well. Bullying is rare, and when it does occur, there are effective strategies to address it.

p.26

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

56. There are effective procedures in place to deal with child protection issues and local authority guidelines are followed. The headteacher is the designated teacher. She has received training in the past, which was passed on to other staff. However, there has been no recent training undertaken. All staff are aware of signs to look out for, would report their concerns appropriately and of the importance of following good practice regarding physical contact with pupils.

p.26

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

57. Procedures for promoting pupils’ health, safety and general well-being are satisfactory overall. First aid is administered properly and pupils are well looked after if they feel unwell. There are good links with the school nurse. The local police support the school in warning pupils about the dangers of strangers and harmful drugs. There are occasions, however, when insufficient attention is given to pupils’ health and safety. For example, some pupils are allowed to wear jewellery, which is not covered by tape or removed, in physical education lessons and there is some lack of attention to hygiene when pupils are preparing food. There is no safety skirting around the mobile classrooms and this is potentially unsafe. The school is aware of this and in the process of addressing it. Southtown First School -27 61. Partnership with parents and the community

p.26

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

58. The school has maintained the good partnership with parents commented positively upon in the last report. A high priority is given to supporting families and a lot of time is spent on this. Whilst this does detract from other duties, the time is not wasted as it enables parents to value their child’s education and better support the work of the school. Parents find staff approachable and feel they are encouraged to take an active part in the life of the school. Several help in classes. They effectively support classroom work, particularly hearing readers which has a positive effect on standards. Useful information is provided by the school to help parents in this role. Parents also assist the school by their fundraising efforts.

p.27

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

59. Parents are supportive of work which is sent home for their child to do, although they would appreciate homework tasks to be written down in case their child forgets what has been set. One teacher is already doing this. Parents are encouraged to support their child’s learning through visits to the local library, particularly when exhibitions are on.

p.27

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

60. The information provided by the school is satisfactory overall. General information is issued regularly and is useful. The prospectus is clearly written and illustrated with children’s drawings. It encourages parents to visit the school and to be actively involved. It gives a clear picture of the school’s priorities, although only briefly explains the curriculum. There have been opportunities provided to parents for the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy to be explained, although these were not well attended. Some teachers involve parents at the beginning of the day in activities which enable them to develop their skills to help their child better at home. This is good practice.

p.27

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

61. The governing body’s annual report is briefly written and does not contain all the information it should. There is no written information given to parents about what is to be taught in each class. Pupils’ annual reports are good and this is an improvement since the last inspection. They identify strengths and weaknesses for all areas of learning for the under-fives and the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education for those in Years 1-3. A good overview of each pupil’s progress is given and targets are set for future development. Liaison with the receiving middle school is good.

p.27

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

62. The school’s work is enriched by links with the local community. A good range of visitors supports assemblies and the arts. These contribute to pupils’ attainment and personal development. Visits are made to the local church and other places of interest nearby. £1500 was raised by local industry for literacy resources. This is good support.

p.27

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

66. THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL 66.

p.27

Leadership and management

63. The governing body, headteacher and staff work well together. For example, a number of governors regularly visit the school to assist with reading and/or mathematics and the recently appointed chair of the curriculum committee has been involved with monitoring of teaching. Some of the teachers were also invited to make Southtown First School -28 presentations to the governing body on the implementation and implications of the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. The chair of governors frequently makes more than one visit per week to the school. These strategies contribute to the raising of standards and quality of education. The governing body complies with all statutory requirements with the exception of small omissions from its annual report to parents of which it has been informed.

p.27

Leadership and management

64. The governing body and headteacher are very clear about the educational direction the school needs to take. This is assisted well by their close personal involvement. They are concerned that they must provide an environment in which the pupils can develop self-esteem, self-discipline, self-reliance and increased confidence. The headteacher provides strong pastoral leadership and, with the assistance of her colleagues, is very successful in achieving these desired objectives. Increasingly, the governors are seeking to ensure that in parallel with the clear pastoral direction of the school there are systems in place which will lead to the raising of standards, for example by putting in place a range of curriculum policies, including schemes of work. This represents an improvement on the last report where, for example, there were no formal whole-school curriculum planning and assessment procedures. Nearly all the

p.28

Leadership and management

other remaining weaknesses identified in the last report have been completely or successfully addressed. However, the breadth of the information technology curriculum and full implementation of assessment procedures still require attention.

p.28

Leadership and management

65. The introduction of the monitoring of teaching is an important and useful initiative. Some very effective monitoring has been carried out, for example in literacy and numeracy, with perceptive and helpful comments written on the quality of teaching. This process was started some years ago but it has not been carried out consistently and regularly. Annual and mutually agreed target setting by the headteacher and individual teachers is very effective, is regularly and consistently carried out and has a positive impact upon standards in the school. Subject co-ordinators are increasingly involved in the evaluation of their subject’s curriculum. They regularly monitor colleagues’ planning and make useful suggestions for amendment where necessary.

p.28

Leadership and management

66. The school’s aims and agreed philosophy are clearly seen at work in the school, for example it is a stimulating, happy and secure environment. As well as developing the pupils’ self-esteem, the school successfully encourages pupils to have positive feelings about each other and to respect differences in ability, belief, race or background. There is, however, no specific reference to the raising of standards. The implementation of these aims results in a good ethos where good relationships flourish, there is equality of opportunity within an effective, secure and attractive learning environment and it adds increasingly to the raising of standards.

p.28

Leadership and management

67. The supportive pastoral ethos of the school is a significant feature of the good quality of this aspect of the special educational needs provision. This, and the good quality special educational needs provision and practice, are significant elements in the development and maintenance of that ethos. The special educational needs provision is regularly and appropriately reviewed by the governing body.

p.28

Leadership and management

68. The school development plan is an effective document. The governing body and staff are involved throughout the drafting stage. It appropriately includes the nature of the tasks, the personnel involved, costings, monitoring and evaluation procedures. It is now also subject to an annual formal review. This is an effective response to the Southtown First School -29 previous report. However, the formalisation of the regular review of the school development plan has not been extended to other school documents. For example, although generally effective schemes of work have been produced and assessment and marking policies agreed, there is no framework for evaluation of their outcomes. In relation, for example, to the schemes of work, there is no system in place which ensures that evaluations of them in the light of experience result in amendment to these schemes. This is unsatisfactory.

p.28

Leadership and management

69. Routine administration is carried out very effectively with good lines of internal communication. This good organisation has a positive effect on attainment, for example by ensuring that resources are always readily available. The provision for the under-fives is well managed, despite the absence of facilities to extend their physical development.

p.29

Leadership and management

70. The commitment of the governing body, headteacher and staff has a positive impact upon the ethos of the school and they are in a satisfactory position to bring about further improvements.

p.29

Leadership and management

74. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

p.29

Leadership and management

71. There is a good number of teachers to match the demands of the curriculum, the needs of children under five and those with special educational needs. The majority of staff are very experienced and fulfil their role well. Teachers are ably supported by classroom assistants who contribute very effectively to the work of the school. All staff work well together and this enhances the quality of learning which takes place. The staff who work with pupils with special educational needs are well qualified for the roles they undertake.

p.29

Leadership and management

72. The staff have upgraded their qualifications with appropriate in-service training. Their experience with special educational needs is also good. The same is true of the support staff. There is a high quality of teamwork among the staff in general, but this is particularly noticeable among those dealing with special educational needs pupils. The resources for special educational needs are very good in quality, quantity and availability and appropriateness for the range of pupils. The resources are used jointly by the Language Development Centre and the school to the benefit of both.

p.29

Leadership and management

73. Arrangements for the professional development of all staff are good. The headteacher meets with each teacher every year to discuss their training needs and agrees targets for future developments. Teachers are beginning to be observed in the classroom and feedback is given. Induction arrangements for new teachers are good. Staff support one another and work well together as a team. Support staff are encouraged to develop their skills and knowledge and this contributes to their overall effectiveness. Staff appraisal is not being carried out in line with requirements, however, the well- planned staff development programme, which the school has established, impacts positively on the quality of teaching.

p.29

Leadership and management

74. The accommodation is unsatisfactory for delivering the curriculum. There is a lack of dedicated space for the under-fives to use large play equipment to meet their physical development needs. Classrooms vary in size and quality. Two classes are housed in temporary accommodation next to the main building. One is used by the Language Southtown First School -30 Development Centre and is adequate for the current numbers of pupils. The other one does not have sufficient carpeted space for literacy sessions. Some classrooms in the main building are cramped and this makes it difficult for both pupils and their teacher to move around. Corridor areas are used effectively as additional space. For example in a Year 2/3 art lesson, the classroom assistant worked effectively with a small group outside the classroom.

p.29

Leadership and management

75. The hall is adequate for physical education lessons and all pupils can eat their lunch in two sittings. The library space is too small for whole-class teaching sessions. A resource room has to double as a small group room. There is inadequate space in the staffroom for all staff. The premises committee of the governing body oversees a sensible rolling programme of maintenance and redecoration.

p.30

Leadership and management

76. Externally, playground space is sufficient for the current number of pupils, although is subject to flooding and cannot always be used. There is a pleasant green area with shrubs and trees but no pond or wildlife area to support science lessons. An inner courtyard is currently underused and unattractive.

p.30

Leadership and management

77. Overall, learning resources are adequate for the school’s curriculum and the range of pupils in the school. This is an improvement since the last inspection and some subjects are now well resourced, for example science, art and music. However, the quantity of tuned percussion instruments is limited. In English, there is a good range of books in classrooms and the library. The resources for pupils with special educational needs are very good. They are used jointly by the Language Development Centre and the school. Although resources for the under-fives are satisfactory overall, there is insufficient large play apparatus available and this inhibits pupils’ physical development.

p.30

Leadership and management

78. Financial planning is good. The finance committee exercises effective budgetary control and the overall level of efficiency is good. The school development plan includes suitable targets, costings and measures of success although this is done over a period of one year only. The school management state that to cost the school development plan over a longer period of time would be inefficient because of fluctuating numbers of pupils but its absence means there is a lack of an effective base from which to adapt targets and costs. The yearly plan ensures that suitable finance is available to secure the school’s educational targets for that period of time. Administration is effective and well organised. Prudent spending decisions are made, based on the priorities set by the governors and national strategies. Accurate financial information is readily available within school for all governors’ meetings and there are

p.30

Leadership and management

monthly printouts for the chair of the finance committee from the local education authority finance department. The school has met the recommendation of the most recent ‘Finance Health Check’ by the local authority. Day-to-day financial administration is good.

p.30

Leadership and management

79. The funds provided for pupils with special educational needs are appropriately spent and this efficient targeting of available funds supports the good progress these pupils make. Southtown First School -31 80. Governors have recently spent a previous carry forward on extra teaching and non- teaching staff for pupils with special educational needs and music, computers, new under-fives resourcing and refurbishment of parts of the school. To avoid a future ‘underspend’ the finance committee will be monitoring the budget balances more effectively. Money from the National Strategies has been appropriately spent on training and resources, which are having a good impact on improvements in pupils’ progress, for example in literacy and numeracy. All budget holders have access to financial statements as required. The school management is in the process of applying for grants under ‘New Deal for School Initiative’ and ‘Single Regeneration

p.30

Leadership and management

Budget’ mainly to improve the school premises and accommodation which is part of the clear educational view they have for the school.

p.31

Leadership and management

81. Since the last inspection report which found the efficiency of the school good overall, there have been improvements in relation to the governors’ role in developing spending priorities and evaluating the effect of financial planning, a significant improvement of resources for information and communication technology and music. The reserve budget has now been appropriately spent for pupils presently at the school.

p.31

Leadership and management

82. The deployment of the teaching staff is very effective and the governors and headteacher have shown commitment to employing extra staff to support pupils and improve standards and to supporting the training of classroom assistants. The non- teaching staff provide high-quality support and their deployment is efficient and good. Their contribution to improvement in pupils’ overall attainment and progress is good. The school benefits from a loyal band of parent and carer helpers who help in the classroom and with other activities in school, as well as fund-raising.

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Leadership and management

83. The school makes satisfactory use of the building and outdoor playground and fields for lessons although not for children under five. Good use is made of the inside accommodation with a range of displays which promote pupils’ learning satisfactorily. Subject resources are efficiently deployed apart from the computers which are not used as effectively or frequently as they could be. Funds allocated for children under five have been used to improve resourcing in the part-time Reception class and there are plans for this to be extended to the full-time Reception children this financial year.

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Leadership and management

84. The cost per pupil is well above the national average but this includes funding for pupils with particular needs. Taking into account the context of the school, the below average attainment on entry, the overall quality of teaching, the generally good progress made by pupils and the efficient financial planning and administration, the school provides good value for money. Southtown First School -32 88. PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

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Leadership and management

88. AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

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Leadership and management

85. Children are admitted to the two Reception classes on a part-time basis initially. Those who reach the age of five by Easter have the opportunity for a full-time place as the autumn term proceeds. At the time of the inspection the full-time children were in their second week of full-time education and were generally responding well to the change. Children who will be five after Easter remain on a part-time basis until the Spring term when they are able to attend school full time. There were 20 full-time and 19 part-time children at the time of the inspection. The full-time children are in a mixed-age class with nine Year 1 pupils. Many Reception children have attended some form of pre- school education. The Reception classes are housed in the main building and there is a small enclosed area adjacent to the younger Reception class. There is no direct access to this outside area for older Reception children. The outside area is

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Leadership and management

unsuitable for outdoor activities with no soft surface area and very few resources for children to use outdoors.

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Leadership and management

86. Children’s attainment on entry is generally below the national average and the language and literacy skills of a significant minority of the children are well below the national average. As a result, although the majority of children make at least satisfactory and frequently good progress in the Reception classes, by the age of five many do not achieve national expectation in the Desirable Learning Outcomes, particularly in literacy and physical development, although a significant number do. The curriculum for the under-fives is planned to the Desirable Learning Outcomes. Planning for older Reception children and Year 1 pupils in the mixed-age class does not always distinguish between the Desirable Learning Outcomes and the Key Stage 1 Prgrammes of Study. However, the overall quality of teaching is satisfactory.

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Leadership and management

87. Standards have been broadly maintained since the last inspection which took place prior to the implementation of the Desirable Learning Outcomes.

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Language and literacy

88. As many of the children enter the school with poor language skills their attainment by the age of five is below national expectation but the good quality of teaching ensures that children make good progress. Many children enter school with non-standard dialects and limited language skills, which restricts their ability to express their thoughts and feelings clearly. A minority have immature speech and are not used to conversing with visiting adults. Children have frequent opportunities to improve their listening skills and extend their vocabulary, for example during ‘literacy hours’. They generally listen well to peers and adults. Most children can express their wants and needs. Many have a limited knowledge of story and information books. They listen to instructions and follow them appropriately, for example when group work is being organised. They listen well to stories, point to pictures and words and most tell a story

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Language and literacy

reasonably well through the pictures or talk about the pictures. The children are familiar with books and most handle them well. They choose books independently but few choose to sit and read without adult support. They learn initial sounds through reading with staff from a selection of simple reading books and whole-class literacy lessons. Some younger pupils are able to recognise their names and point to letters within words. Southtown First School -33 89. When working in small groups children usually listen carefully to adults and peers and they learn to take turns when speaking, for example when sharing books and stories. Opportunities for developing language through role-play are limited. As an early writing skill, children make marks or form letters using paint, pencil and crayon. They have regular experience of handwriting patterns and are developing pencil control satisfactorily. They are beginning to name letters sometimes with prompting from

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Language and literacy

adults in preparation for reading. Most recognise and attempt to write their name. Many can over-write and copy effectively. Focused small group work is usually well planned and children make good progress in these activities.

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Language and literacy

90. Children take books home regularly and the quality and frequency of their reading experiences outside of school have a direct consequence on the quality of their reading. While reading to an inspector, few children recognised words had meaning although they were aware of meaning in words and pictures when they read to teachers and other staff. Children are sometimes limited from access to activities such as early information and communication technology programs because they are unable to read the simple instructions and to implement them.

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Mathematics

91. Children acquire a satisfactory grasp of mathematical knowledge and processes and make sound progress towards the Desirable Learning Outcomes, which a minority obtain. The overall quality of teaching is satisfactory. Suitable provision is made for children to sort, match, count, sequence and form numbers to ten and to develop early mathematical language. Teachers effectively consolidate children’s knowledge of number through helpful resources such as a teddy bear counting aid. Staff take every opportunity to include counting in formal and informal situations, for example, how many children are allowed to work on physical education apparatus. Children count on and back to five and sing action-songs relating to taking one away from five using fingers as resources although children’s skills were not consistent between Reception classes. A minority of children recognise numbers to ten without counting.

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Mathematics

One group of children counts up to 18 and another group could count money up to 5p with effective support from the teacher. They name colours correctly and have experience of the properties of shape and space through construction work, jigsaws and games. They also learn about the number system through a variety of games and rhymes. They have made some good patterns with shapes and are learning the names and properties of shapes such as circles, squares and triangles. The children are included in the well-structured numeracy lessons. Children work well with staff and the other children and enjoy the work.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

92. The majority of children make good progress in their knowledge and understanding of the world aided by the good quality of teaching although attainment is below the national expectation. They experiment with the properties of different materials, for example, water, paper and sand. They learn about places in and beyond their environment through the use of multicultural stories. There was some good work observed using multicultural stories including a tasting of exotic fruit and looking at materials and clothes from different cultures. Children accurately name animals such as the elephant and ostrich, make observations about the weather and season Southtown First School -34 changes and are learning about the properties of material such as plastic. They use construction bricks and materials effectively. There was good use of computer programs in the class of part-time children where the children were able to use the

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

mouse to click and point, to count and match numbers to eggs and to match and click on shapes to complete shape pictures. A number can work independently in small groups. Children show a sound understanding of the pattern of their day, for example when snack time occurs. Younger children are able to collect their activity choice cards prior to doing a particular activity. Snack times are well-organised and enjoyable sessions on most occasions and children develop social skills well in a good atmosphere.

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Physical development

93. As a result of the effective teaching, children develop and make satisfactory progress in manipulative skills using equipment such as pencils, crayons, scissors, paint, brushes, glue spreaders as a result of the suitable opportunities provided for them by the teachers. Children join in physical education lessons and playtimes well to develop their balance and skills such as running, jumping and rolling but there are insufficient opportunities and equipment for outdoor physical development. Some lessons in the hall are used for formal games, gymnastic and dance lessons, which in themselves are good but do not always allow for the development of early physical skills. However, staff ensure that children take advantage of the use of the hall which benefits the children enormously. Older Reception children show good, sensitive interpretation of music in dance. Children are developing independence in dressing

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Physical development

and undressing but most, even the older pupils, cannot dress themselves without assistance, although the younger children are gaining independence rapidly. Physical development is under-resourced and, as a result, the children do not make satisfactory progress towards the Desirable Learning Outcomes in this aspect of their development. There is no suitable outdoor area and very little outdoor equipment such as wheeled toys or climbing apparatus to enable children to develop the necessary climbing, balancing, riding and coordination skills. This aspect of the curriculum is unsatisfactory.

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Creative development

94. The teaching of creative development is satisfactory and the majority of children make sound progress but do not attain the Desirable Learning Outcomes. They have suitable opportunities to draw, colour, paint, glue and print. They are developing increasing control in using techniques but a lot of the work is very teacher-directed and limits children’s creativity and exploration of colour, texture and materials. Children use colour to represent the world around them and learn to apply colours with care to produce recognisable drawings and paintings. The teachers ensure that they are given some opportunities to mix colours. Children develop singing skills and learning to keep time with peers and teachers and keep in tune. They are also learning to combine actions with words. There was a limited range of opportunities for structured and unstructured role-play and the role-play areas are not particularly

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Creative development

imaginative or stimulating and resources are limited. This limits their effectiveness in developing and stimulating children’s imaginations and creative language. The children usually play well in the home corner and on the carpet. Staff teach pupils how to use materials and tools in a safe way although a few children do not respond to this guidance and use equipment in an unsatisfactory manner. The teachers respond quickly to such situations. Southtown First School -35 95. Good provision is made for pupils with special and particular educational needs who join in with all activities. Support staff work very effectively with these children.

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Creative development

96. The under-fives are well managed by the teacher-in-charge. She has a good understanding of how children of this age learn and develop and has already identified the problem of having no suitable outdoor area to provide appropriately for physical development. She ensures the children are well cared for and their needs addressed.

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Creative development

97. In the 1998 Key Stage 1 tests for seven-year-olds, attainment was below average in reading and well below average in writing. When compared with similar schools performance was average in reading but was well below in writing.

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Creative development

98. An analysis of the school’s test results from 1996 to 1998 shows that in reading there was a slight decline from 1996 to 1997 but a rise in 1998 back to just below the national average. In writing, standards over the three years have remained below the national average. Whilst the performance of boys, in the two aspects of the subject, was well below average nationally, the performance of girls was below average. When considering these results note should be taken of the above average proportion of pupils with special educational needs, the large number of pupils who spend only a short time in the school and that five per cent of the 1998 cohort were pupils who attended the Language Development Centre on having statements of special educational need.

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Creative development

99. Inspection evidence now indicates that pupils are making good progress at Key Stage 1. For those pupils who took the 1999 national tests, and are now in Year 3, attainment is broadly in line with national averages. The introduction of the literacy hour and the extra effort the school has put into improving standards in English, especially in writing where standards were particularly low, has resulted in an improving trend. This is also confirmed by the results of regular testing of aspects of English, such as reading.

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Creative development

100. During Years 1 and 2, the pupils make good progress in reading. They learn new ways of dealing with difficult words such as sounding them out phonetically, looking for clues in the rest of the story or in the pictures that accompany the writing. The pupils write stories together, learning how to give their stories interesting beginnings and endings. They learn how a change of words or the order of words can make a difference to the way the story is understood. The pupils use books well to find out, for example about how houses are made. They are also shown how to find information from books in a library, though the size and position of the school library reduces the opportunity of whole classes to use the library together.

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Creative development

101. Pupils with special educational needs are given good support in learning English. The work planned for them is geared to their particular needs, and the support staff, as well as the teachers, ensure that they make good progress in English in relation to the targets set in the individual education plans. The pupils who are capable of more difficult and challenging work are frequently given harder tasks or are expected to Southtown First School -36 undertake the same work as the other pupils but to achieve higher standards.

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Creative development

102. The Year 3 pupils also make good progress. They recognise the different forms of writing, prose, poetry and play scripts, and turn stories into interesting plays which they then perform. They develop their reading skills further using them both for pleasure and for finding things out. They learn how to discuss things together, how to speak out to the whole class, and in assemblies to the whole school, developing their speaking and listening skills.

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Creative development

103. Throughout the school the pupils are introduced systematically and effectively to new words and expressions associated with the topics and subjects they are studying. They are encouraged to use these proper terms in discussions in class and when they are writing. The approach to English in the school encourages clear and accurate speech with modest success, but lays a good foundation for future development. The pupils make sound progress in developing their handwriting skills. The standard of spelling is satisfactory.

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Creative development

104. The pupils enjoy the work provided for them. They are enthusiastic and work well at the tasks they are set. The lessons are carried out at a brisk pace and very little time is used up in regaining or maintaining order. The pupils of all ages are well behaved and work together well. The groups in the literacy hour, who are given work to do on their own, get on with it with the minimum of fuss. As a result of the positive attitudes shown by the majority of pupils, good listening skills are developed.

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Creative development

105. All of the teaching of English in the school was at least good and some was very good. The teachers in all classes are familiar with the nationally supported literacy hour and use the methods suggested effectively. The use of these methods has already had a good effect on the standards of writing throughout the school. In most classes the teachers have high, but realistic, expectations of their pupils, encouraging them to think deeper and harder and to find the right word. Planning of work in English, which follows national guidelines, is generally good. In some cases, where there are mixed-age groups in a class the difference between the work for different groups of pupils lacks clarity. The teachers organise the work in English well so that the pupils move from activity to activity in lessons, knowing what they are expected to do, and with their interest maintained. The assessment of pupils in English is generally

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Creative development

done well and records of the pupils' reading are well maintained.

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Creative development

106. The subject is well managed and co-ordinated. The staff development in the subject of both teachers and support staff has been effective so that a good standard of teaching and support of the subject has been established and maintained. There is a good supply of well chosen, good quality books to support the subject, and the recent acquisition of 'listening centres', which are very well used, has led to improvements in listening skills and in reading and writing. The library is well supplied with books. The generous distribution of books in classrooms around the school ensures that books are readily available where they are needed and has a positive impact upon reading standards.

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Creative development

107. Parents are involved in hearing their own children read for homework, and a significant number of them help in the school, often hearing individuals read or supporting small groups. This has a good effect on the pupils' learning, especially as the parent and governor helpers are well supported by the teachers.

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Creative development

108. The attention paid to literacy over the past year has led to an improvement in writing and reading in other subjects. Southtown First School -37 109. The pupils have a wide range of stories to read, or have read to them. The discussions they have about them and the characters involved are important in developing their understanding of people and the world. The stories also introduce them to cultures other than their own, and raise moral questions. In this way English plays an important role in the pupils' personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, which is a strength of the school.

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Creative development

114. In the 1998 national tests standards of attainment of pupils at Key Stage 1 were well below the national average for pupils reaching Level 2 or above. Standards of attainment of pupils reaching Level 3 or above were below the national average. During the inspection standards of attainment in number were broadly in line with the national average at the end of Key Stage 1 and for pupils aged eight but standards are below average in other areas of the mathematics curriculum mainly because pupils have fewer opportunities to work on space, measures and mathematical investigations (using and applying mathematics). Key Stage 2 pupils also have very little experience of data handling in mathematics resulting in below average standards in this aspect of the subject. The use of information and communication technology is also under-developed. Few examples of the use of mathematics in other subjects were noted. There are, however, good examples of numeracy being related to money

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Creative development

and shape. 114. 115. Pupils’ attainment in the 1998 tests was well below average for similar schools. The performance of girls was close to the national average but the performance of boys was below the national average. The results of three years’ tests show that standards declined in 1996 but were improved slightly in 1997 and remained stable in 1998 at below national averages. These results need to be considered in the light of the numbers of pupils taking the tests and the above average proportion of pupils with special educational needs who are included in the results. However, the teachers are developing the Numeracy Strategy satisfactorily and have good experience of the structure of such lessons. This strategy is having a positive effect on the standards in numeracy, including those pupils with special educational needs.

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Creative development

116. By the end of Key Stage 1 most pupils can count and order numbers to 100 orally, many can count on and back in tens to 100 confidently. They count in twos and fives as a whole class starting and finishing from a range of numbers. They develop confidence in counting back in tens and fives and beginning to count in threes. Pupils are familiar with recording addition and subtraction calculations to ten and beyond and learn to recognise and record numbers in money and time. They learn about halves in time and shape and through some work on symmetry. Pupils show generally good knowledge of doubling single-digit numbers. They have little experience of using their understanding of number in mathematical investigations, for example making predictions about number sequences.

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Creative development

1. Key Stage 2 pupils continue to make satisfactory progress in number and, during the inspection, showed good knowledge and understanding of three-dimensional shapes; for example, using blocks to make such shapes. Higher attaining pupils devise shapes using two levels of blocks, they find largest and smallest numbers from given numbers up to four digits - thousands, hundreds, tens, units. They learn the terminology and Southtown First School -38 meaning of vertical, horizontal, diagonal and standard measures and many use the terms correctly.

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Creative development

2. In a significant minority of lessons throughout the school attainment is below average because the work is inappropriate for pupils’ age, curriculum level or prior attainment, for example, where pupils spend time drawing round templates or copying names of shapes rather than exploring the concepts of shape. This offers insufficient challenge to pupils, particularly the higher attainers. On several occasions worksheets were much less challenging than the introductory oral session and the lesson did not build well on that good start.

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Creative development

3. Most pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2 throughout the school make satisfactory progress. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and the school has organised well the support for these pupils within class and in withdrawal sessions. Good progress is often made in whole-class oral sessions and in a significant minority of lessons throughout the school where pupils learn new terminology, show clear development in understanding standard measures and three- dimensional shapes. There was unsatisfactory progress in a small minority of lessons or aspects of lessons where pupils were unable to read instructions, individual work was not completed and worksheets were unchallenging.

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Creative development

4. The response of most pupils is at least satisfactory and good in a significant minority of lessons throughout the school, particularly in whole-class situations. This is having a positive effect upon standards. Pupils try hard to answer questions, are enthusiastic, engaged and settle very quickly to work. Pupils’ response is occasionally less good in group work without adult support. They are sometimes off-task and lacking concentration.

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Creative development

5. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and good in a minority of lessons throughout the school where teachers give good, pacey whole-class introductions and challenge all pupils. In such lessons the teachers encourage the use of mathematical language and independent work and have good subject knowledge. A strength of some teaching is the use of pupils’ errors to inform the next part of the lesson. There were some over-long teacher-led whole-class and group sessions and pupils became restless and less able to work actively. Teachers’ marking is up-to-date but does not always identify how pupils could improve their work. Oral assessments are usually helpful. Teachers circulate well to support pupils’ learning during lessons. Good use is made of support staff who contribute very well to the learning of all pupils.

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Creative development

6. The policy, scheme of work and planning are being developed in line with the National Numeracy Strategy. There are examples, however, of work being repeated across year groups with very little progress; for example, very similar work on shape was observed in different year groups. The monitoring of short-term planning is at an early stage of development in considering curriculum modification in the light of experience and pupils’ progress. The present co-ordinator, who is new to the school, has experience of the role and is being used well to work alongside colleagues to improve these areas. Effective use is made of standardised tests for grouping pupils or identifying needs but the assessment of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses to inform daily and longer-term planning is under-developed. Resources are satisfactory but need further development to enable complete coverage of the curriculum, particularly

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Creative development

for Key Stage 2 pupils. Southtown First School -39 7. Some very helpful numeracy resource packs for individual pupils have been made by staff although these were not observed in use during the inspection. 123.

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Science

8. In the 1998 National Curriculum Key Stage 1 teachers’ assessments of seven-year- olds, a well below average proportion attained the expected Level 2 when compared with all schools. At the higher Level 3 overall performance was below average. When these results are compared with schools deemed to have similar backgrounds attainment is also below average.

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Science

9. Inspection evidence, including the scrutiny of pupils’ previous work, indicates a trend of gradual improvement. As a result of this good teaching, now well supported by an effective scheme of work, overall attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is broadly in line with that expected of seven-year-olds. Overall progress in Year 3 is good and about three-quarters of the pupils attain standards that are broadly in line with that expected of eight-year-olds. This is below the national average but an above average proportion of the pupils in the school, about thirty per cent, are on the special educational needs register.

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Science

10. The youngest pupils at Key Stage 1 have a sound understanding of the properties of materials and place a range of them correctly into two rings representing a different property. As a result of the good systematic introduction by the class teacher, some of the higher attaining pupils recognise that some materials share both properties. They record these results effectively in simple Venn diagrams. During the group discussion, some of the pupils show their mathematical understanding by mentioning that some plastic shapes are a rectangle, square or sphere. This appropriately planned and challenging activity set by the teachers helps to ensure that good progress is made in the lesson.

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Science

11. Good progress continues through the key stage, mainly as a result of the overall good quality of the teaching and the positive attitudes of the great majority of the pupils. For example, pupils attending the Language Development Centre make good progress towards their targets when they extend the range of words they use correctly to describe the feel of a range of artefacts when working on the sense of touch. The provision for all pupils in the school with special educational needs is good. It ensures they make good progress towards their targets. Good progress is made by Year 2 pupils in identifying, for example, differences between two types of birds, magnetic and non-magnetic materials and healthy and unhealthy foods. In another lesson on the properties of materials, the pupils recognise and name correctly a number such as clay, plastic, metal etc. In subsequent discussion, higher attaining pupils use the term

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Science

‘waterproof’ correctly and have a sound understanding of natural and man-made substances.

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Science

12. The overall level of teachers’ planning is sound. In the best planning, the learning objectives are very specific, aiding the teachers’ ability to assess the pupils’ progress. The teacher, in one lesson on materials, used the learning objectives as a chart on the white board, effectively reinforcing the nature of the task at the beginning and for suitable reinforcement at the close of the lesson. In no lesson was progress by the pupils restricted by the teachers’ lack of knowledge and understanding of the subject. Southtown First School -40 The high expectations they have for behaviour and the use of correct scientific language also helps to ensure progress. For example, in a lesson on the change of state of substances that are reversible, the teacher ensured the pupils had a very clear understanding of the notion of ‘prediction’ and in a lesson on teeth the pupils’ scientific language was appropriately extended by insistence on the use of terms such

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Science

as incisor, molar, dentine and enamel. The pupils respond well to the challenge and are pleased to try and use the terms correctly.

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Science

13. The teachers manage the pupils well and prepare resources so that they are readily accessible, thereby ensuring no time during the lesson is lost. The teachers use an effective range of methods, involving whole-class discussion, group activities and plenary sessions. Occasionally, however, in both key stages, the objectives for the group activities are not identified before the pupils move to work. This results in a drop in the pace of learning until the teacher can move to the group and fully explain the task. Progress is also restricted when, for example, in lessons on reversible changes and material properties, the introductions are too long to allow for consolidation at the end of the lesson. All the teachers have good relationships with their classes and know the pupils well. This assists their assessment of pupils’ progress as does the good question and answer skills of the teachers. No teacher is dismissive of the

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Science

contributions of any pupil and this is a significant contribution to the school’s aim to raise the self-esteem of the pupils. This was clearly seen on a lesson on materials when one response was so wide of the mark it raised smiles on the other pupils’ faces. The teacher dealt with the issue so sensitively that the pupil’s sense of worth was effectively reinforced and the pupil continued to be motivated. This incident also typifies the respect that the pupils have for the views of others. Such attitudes help to ensure that the pupils co-operate and collaborate well when using resources and carrying out simple investigations, for example in a Key Stage 2 lesson on the effect of acid on teeth, a group of pupils work very well together preparing eggs half covered in toothpaste to be placed in vinegar and, in a Key Stage 1 lesson, they show commendable restraint when experimenting with chocolate.

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Science

14. Concerns raised in the last report about the balance of science education, planning to ensure coverage and resultant standards, have been successfully addressed. The subject co-ordinator has produced an effective scheme of work which assists appropriate coverage of all attainment targets. It includes a range of helpful, suggested activities linked to the National Curriculum Programme of Study. She has plans to develop this document to include more detail in the learning objectives. The monitoring of standards has been assisted well by the creation of a portfolio of moderated work and by provision of time on a regular basis to carry out subject monitoring. This is beginning to ensure improved continuity in the subject, especially across the key stages where it is currently not fully developed. A number of standardised assessments are effectively carried out, for example the One to One Science Assessment. These procedures are good. However, there is inconsistent

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Science

practice in the way in which such data is used to inform curriculum planning. The co- ordinator personally carries out very effective evaluations of the outcomes of her planned work, but school practice is again inconsistent and there are no formal procedures to ensure, for example, that the scheme of work is modified in the light of experience. Support staff are well deployed and briefed and their work has a significant, positive impact on standards. Resources needs are reviewed each term to ensure effective availability. Southtown First School -41 130. Information and communication technology

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Science

15. Individual, pairs and small groups of pupils were observed working at computers during the inspection. Based on this evidence and a scrutiny of work, progress is satisfactory and attainment just meets national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1 in early word-processing, mouse and keyboard skills. Standards of attainment are below those for pupils aged eight in Key Stage 2, as the curriculum does not yet include the full Programmes of Study. Pupils have too few opportunities to develop the full range of skills, for example, control, modelling and handling information and this restricts their overall progress.

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Science

16. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils have opportunities to use mouse and keyboard skills, letter, spelling, number and paint programs. However, few can open and close programs or enter and retrieve information confidently and they have little experience of exploring the use of information and communication technology in their own lives and in the outside world. During the inspection Year 1 pupils were learning to word process and to print their work successfully. Year 2 pupils used mouse and keyboard skills to spell words correctly, and create patterns of different colours. Pupils in the Learning Development Centre were using mouse skills successfully to match, click and sort.

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Science

17. Most pupils begin to use equipment and software with increasing confidence in a limited range of activities and most follow oral instructions correctly. A strength of the curriculum during the inspection is that pupils were not just typing their written work but actually drafting on screen. Older pupils learn to edit and print their work but some have poor skills. They have infrequent opportunities to use different programs and are at an early stage of learning to communicate information and ideas in different forms. Pupils at Key Stage 2 and older Key Stage 1 pupils in the mixed-age class used computers well with good adult support in design and technology and art work.

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Science

18. There is some good use of audio and televisual aids in lessons, notably in work to support literacy and to help pupils to listen in dance to voices other than the teacher; but the use of such resources by pupils needs further development throughout the curriculum subjects.

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Science

19. Pupils generally respond well to the activities and share resources considerately. A number of pupils have computer systems at home and this results in good individual work. The school is not yet building on the pupils’ own knowledge of information and communication technology to improve standards and progress in school.

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Science

20. The overall quality of teaching is satisfactory. However, there is no consistent provision of information and communication technology activities. There were frequent occasions during the inspection where computers were switched on but never used. In other classes there was a good match of information and communication technology to lesson objectives notably in design and technology, art, mathematics and writing; as a result pupils make good progress. Staff aim to incorporate information and communication technology activities in their planning but this is not happening in practice in all classes. There is some use of ‘pupil experts’ to help those less familiar with information and communication technology equipment but this is not yet an established feature of the teaching. Some staff lack full confidence in their knowledge and use of information and communication technology. The school needs to

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Science

Southtown First School -42 implement its planned training programmes to support staff and raise confidence still further.

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Science

21. There is a new co-ordinator with specialist qualifications who has developed a policy and scheme of work with colleagues to improve access to equipment and the full curriculum for all classes and pupils. Some staff make good links between information and communication technology and other subjects and give appropriate guidance to pupils but there is no programme of practising discrete skills, for example the use of the keyboard.

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Science

22. A new assessment system has been developed but only a minority of teachers are using this. Pupils’ learning is limited by some teachers’ lack of awareness of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses. Most teachers monitor pupils’ access to computers to ensure they all have a turn but the monitoring of pupils’ use is ineffective. On several occasions where pairs or small groups of pupils were working together only one pupil, frequently the one who already had the most developed skills, gained ‘hands-on’ experience. This reduces the overall level of progress.

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Science

23. There has been a recent improvement in resourcing but there are still insufficient computers for good levels of pupil access and to enable staff to cover the full curriculum satisfactorily. This reduces the opportunities for pupils to make good progress. The computer in the staffroom has Internet access and some older pupils have had some experience of this facility.

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Science

24. There has also been an improvement since the last inspection in terms of a newly written policy and in planning developments but the National Curriculum requirements are not yet fully met. This has a negative impact upon progress in the subject. Southtown First School -43 140. Religious education

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Science

25. The school seeks to provide an education that caters for every aspect of the pupils' lives. It is concerned that they should develop a sense of personal self-worth and security. The well-planned programme of religious education supports these aims of the school and contributes considerably to the good overall provision for the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Science

26. Good progress is made throughout Key Stage 1 and during Year 3, including pupils with special educational needs. The levels of attainment which the pupils reach by the end of Key Stage 1 and by the time they leave school at the end of Year 3 are appropriate for pupils aged seven and eight years of age in relation to the expectations of the local authority’s agreed syllabus. This finding is similar to that of the last inspection.

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Science

27. Pupils in Year 1 study harvest festivals and the idea of thanksgiving for gifts received, and of sharing the gifts we have received with those in need. They discuss well the idea associated with harvest, the notion of special times and seasons. This leads on to Advent and to the season of Christmas, and the idea of new beginnings in the New Year.

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Science

28. There is a close relationship between the themes undertaken in collective worship and those in religious education and this enables the faith and belief elements of the religious ideas being studied to be set in a suitable and effective context.

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Science

29. Pupils in Year 2 look at Hinduism, very effectively studying aspects of its main beliefs and aspects of everyday life in India which reflect those beliefs. The pupils consider the festival of Diwali and its similarities with other festivals of light such as Christmas. Pupils in Year 3 clearly relate their religious education studies more closely to their own lives. Through looking at parables, such as the Good Samaritan, they understand something of the responsibility people have to care for one another. Through looking at Moses as the Law Giver, they come to understand how rules of living are based on people's responsibilities towards one another. The pupils learn about a variety of religions. At a deeper level they learn from them about spiritual, moral, social and cultural matters such as the differences between right and wrong, and about personal responsibility.

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Science

30. The pupils' response to religious education lessons is generally good and never less than satisfactory. They are interested in the work set for them and in the topics under discussion. They work well together and are generally sensitive to each other’s beliefs and practices. Pupils who attend church or Sunday School do not mind talking about it.

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Science

31. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers have a sound knowledge of the topics they are teaching, largely as a result of careful planning from the recently revised Norfolk Agreed Syllabus and the well-chosen resources for supporting the teaching of the subject. Good use is made of support staff especially to enable pupils with special needs to make good progress. The co-ordination of the subject is supportive. The resources for the pupils are of good quality and support the planned curriculum adequately. The teachers are less anxious and more confident when they clearly understand the professional and educational basis of the programme of religious education. Southtown First School -44 32. Useful visits are made to study the local churches. Visitors are also used to extend the pupils' experience of other faiths and cultures, such as the visit of a Jewish lady who describes her faith and ways of life.

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Science

33. Religious education plays a significant role in the overall provision for the pupils' welfare and personal development. It is associated with circle time and personal and social education. These are very important contributors to the social and moral aspects of the provision for personal development. This whole area of provision is a strength of the school enabling it to achieve many of the aims it sets itself. 149.

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Art

34. Throughout Key Stage 1 and into Year 3, the pupils make good progress in art, particularly developing their skills in drawing and colouring. This covers a good range of art forms but the pupils have limited experience of working with clay. The quality of pencil drawings of interesting objects, often associated with other parts of the curriculum, is generally good and in the case of a number of pupils very good. Pupils explore symmetry as an art form as well as a mathematical idea. The pupils make good use of the interesting stimuli, such as large posters of plants and other natural objects that are provided to give them ideas and extend the range of their imagination. The pictures they make are sensitive and arresting. Pupils of all ages are introduced to the work of important artists such as Monet, Picasso and Seurat. They are helped to understand how they created their pictures and then the pupils make their own

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Art

using similar styles. They experiment successfully with a range of textures and material to achieve the effects they want. The quality of work they produce is good. This is an important element in the development of the pupils' understanding of their own, European, culture. The colourful displays of pupils’ paintings and other art work in classrooms and corridors brighten up the school and enrich the pupils' experience.

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Art

35. The pupils with special educational needs make good progress and some of them achieve good levels of success in art work, for example the use of shading in observational drawing.

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Art

36. Pupils use sketchbooks effectively to record ideas and to make pencil drawings. They are encouraged to come back to their pictures after a day or two to improve them and add to them, having seen them with fresh eyes. Pupils of all ages are encouraged to develop the ability to talk about what they are doing in art and gradually acquire the specialist language to do so with increased accuracy. Skills learned in art are readily used in other subjects such as history and geography. The pupils learn how to take care of the tools they use in art and how to use them safely.

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Art

37. The pupils enjoy art, they work hard and take a pride in what they do. They are generous in their comments about each other's creations and usually accept comments about their own with good grace. The pupils are busily engaged throughout the art lessons. They work co-operatively to clear up at the end, learning the importance of tidiness for good quality art.

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Art

38. The quality of teaching is good. The teachers have a sound knowledge of the art techniques used by the pupils and of how to help them improve. Their lessons are planned effectively and the imaginative organisation of materials and pupils is such that time is not wasted and the pupils can get on with their work quickly. The teachers Southtown First School -45 have high, but realistic expectations of the pupils and challenge them always to produce the best work of which they are capable. Teachers and support staff maintain a proper balance between actively helping pupils to achieve the ends they have set themselves, and challenging them to discover their own best methods. In this way the pupils make good progress in developing new techniques.

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Art

39. The subject is well supported in the school and the co-operative nature of the relationships between all the staff, both teaching and support staff, ensures that good ideas are shared and new techniques tried out.

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Art

40. Most of the assessment in art is spoken at the time that the pupils are working, or when the class shares what they have done. Individual targets for improvement are included in this feedback. Some individual teachers record the success, or otherwise, of particular lessons and use this information in planning subsequent ones.

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Art

41. Art is an important feature of the curriculum in achieving the school's aims in providing a rounded education for the pupils. It provides good opportunities for the development of a sense of self-worth among the pupils and successfully provides them with insights into beauty and wonder derived from a variety of cultures. The resources available for art are good in quality, they are broad in range and sufficient in quantity for the well- expressed aims in the school's art policy to be achieved. 157. 157. Design and technology

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Art

1. Owing to time-tabling difficulties it was possible to observe only two lessons during the inspection. Judgements are supported by other evidence, including teachers’ plans, pupils’ work, photographs, displays and discussions with teachers.

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Art

2. Progress, overall, throughout the school is broadly satisfactory. However, there are inconsistent opportunities for pupils to design, make and develop imaginative and practical objects, work with a range of materials, investigate, disassemble and evaluate simple products. This restricts the progress of some of the pupils in these aspects of the subject.

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Art

3. During the inspection, Year 1 pupils were designing a ‘stable table’ from newspaper and developing cutting and joining skills. They draw recognisable shapes and use shaping and assembling skills well with the help of adults. A small number of pupils were successful at making a stable table. During the evaluation of their work the teacher tested their designs for stability and strength but few pupils were given the opportunity to do this process themselves thereby limiting their experience in this aspect of their work.

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Art

4. Pupils in the mixed Years 2 and 3 class design effective bedrooms using box modelling, cutting wallpaper from a template, and making simple furniture from recycled card materials. Others make and test ‘Lego’ furniture. They accomplished these activities and skills well. The work was well supported by the use of a design and technology computer program which pupils used to good effect, printing their plans alongside their box models.

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Art

5. Pupils respond well in lessons. They listen attentively, show good attitudes to the Southtown First School -46 subject and staff, are interested and involved in the practical work and work well. They take care of resources and generally handle equipment carefully.

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Art

6. The quality of teaching is good with effective planning, sometimes over an extended period of time, for completion of a project, good subject knowledge and links with earlier work and high expectations in the older class of independent work. Some staff lack confidence and there has been little recent training to develop skills or to provide opportunities for staff to share expertise and further improve the quality of teaching.

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Art

7. A scrutiny of displays shows examples of good work linked to other areas of the curriculum such as, making water lilies in art stimulated by the work of Monet, cookery, salt dough models and 'artstraw' skeletons to support work on bones.

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Art

8. There is a policy and an outline scheme of work is being developed by the new co- ordinator who has specialist qualifications. She is aware that there needs to be further development and monitoring to improve the curriculum. 165.

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Geography and history

9. It was possible to observe only one geography lesson at Key Stage 1 and none at Key Stage 2. However, work from the previous year was scrutinised, displays examined and conversations held with pupils. By the time the pupils leave the school, at the end of Year 3, they have made good progress in their knowledge, skills and understanding of the two subjects.

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Geography and history

10. The good progress is a result of the overall good quality of teaching and the positive response of the great majority of pupils. The systematic planning by the teachers ensures, for example, that the pupils make good progress in their understanding that changes occur over time. The youngest Key Stage 1 pupils establish an early sense of chronology by placing in order pictures of people, such as grandparents, that would be familiar to them during their short lives. In Year 2 this develops effectively into an understanding of the past, present and future. A pupil, for example, writes very clearly about ‘I went to the zoo, I am working hard and I will be seven soon’. The progress continues into Year 3 where most pupils, particularly the higher attainers, have an appropriate understanding of the past and how it can be understood using historical sources. The pupils also make good progress through the school in their

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Geography and history

understanding that there are differences between different parts of this country and between this country and other countries. This understanding is assisted well, for example, by the historical work done on the River Nile. The pupils’ sense of location is reasonably well developed, for example, some lower attaining Year 3 pupils accurately identify the four home countries on a map but are insecure about the whereabouts of their home town. However, there was evidence, from the previous work of a higher attaining pupil, of a good understanding of the local area through detailed and well-written work on Great Yarmouth.

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Geography and history

11. The pupils show great interest when studying life on a Scottish island. This is greatly assisted by the systematic planning and approach of the teacher who leads the pupils very effectively to an understanding of the similarities and differences between the island and their home area. The pupils talk very enthusiastically about, for example, variations in the number of shops, range of facilities and such issues as the water Southtown First School -47 supply. As a result, the pupils make good progress in the lesson in this aspect of their geographical understanding.

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Geography and history

12. In the Year 3 class the teacher appropriately encourages the pupils’ independent learning by providing opportunities, for the higher attainers, to research from books on Ancient Egypt. Good progress is, therefore, made in this aspect of the pupils’ historical development. However, some of the lower attainers’ progress is restricted by excessive time spent on colouring-in previously prepared sheets or by their inability to read the text. Good progress is also greatly assisted by the teachers’ motivational style, good use of time and management of the pupils. Suitable planning by most teachers to match work to the prior attainment of the pupils ensures that provision for and progress of those with special educational needs is good. Most lessons are planned with clear learning objectives and this too assists all pupils to make good progress. For example, some pupils were asked to describe the possible use of an

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Geography and history

artefact much in use one hundred years ago. This objective motivates the pupils and they respond with some well thought out ideas and the outcomes reinforce their understanding of historical change.

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Geography and history

13. The lack of curriculum balance noted in the last report has been addressed successfully by the writing of a useful policy and scheme of work for both subjects. The procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment are generally good. There is, however, no effective and formal framework for ensuring continuity of pupils’ experiences, between classes and across key stages and for the modification of the scheme of work in the light of experience. Some initial steps have been taken to develop the monitoring role of the recently appointed co-ordinator, for example sight of colleagues’ planning. However, development of the monitoring role in relation to standards is at an early stage. The resources available for the subjects are satisfactory, but the school has few historical artefacts, which restricts the opportunities for pupils to relate more easily to the past.

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Geography and history

1. The progress pupils make through the school in this subject is satisfactory overall. There is some good progress made in Key Stage 1, especially where the teacher has a good knowledge and understanding of the subject. Only one lesson at Key Stage 2 was available for observation during the period of the inspection, which was taken by a visiting teacher. The overall quality of teaching at both key stages is satisfactory.

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Geography and history

2. Where the teacher has high expectations, not only for the behaviour of the pupils but for their ability to use and respond to correct musical terminology, progress is good. For example, in one lesson pupils learn to sing a song from memory and to respond to the terms forte and piano. They obviously enjoy the use of these ‘grown-up words’ and show great enthusiasm and accuracy when asked to play their percussion instruments accordingly. The success of such a lesson is also assisted by the teacher’s systematic approach to the work and the clear objectives set for the lesson. In nearly all the lessons the teachers build effectively upon the pupils’ previous knowledge and understanding, especially in singing songs with the very youngest Key Stage 1 pupils. These youngest pupils show increasing confidence in singing together and most sing reasonably well in tune but are not yet effective in maintaining a good

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Geography and history

rhythm. The expectations of the teacher are rewarded when the pupils show an early appreciation of dynamics when using shakers to accompany their singing. Southtown First School -48 3. The pupils sing well in assembly, with most joining in when they know the words. Most of this singing is tuneful and there is an early recognition of the importance of musical dynamics in relation to the words and nature of the hymn or song. Most pupils show a considerable enthusiasm for singing and for playing tuned and untuned percussion. They handle the instruments carefully and maintain time, for example when responding musically to the story of the ‘Hare and the Tortoise’. They also learn to clap the appropriate rhythms.

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Geography and history

4. The teachers plan suitably to give the pupils a suitable range of experiences which will assist understanding, confidence and skills. The pupils’ performance confidence grows, particularly when the teacher also has the confidence to use her singing or playing skills with the children. The effective management of the pupils in the great majority of the lessons ensures, for example, that there is good co-operation when sharing instruments and that they respond swiftly to any instructions. Where, however, the pupils have not yet had the opportunity to establish fully a secure relationship with the teacher, their response is less effective and progress made in the lesson is unsatisfactory. For example, in a very well and systematically planned lesson taken by a visiting specialist, the pupils appear to find it difficult to listen to the words of the song and repeat them and little progress is made by the majority of pupils in improving

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Geography and history

5. Progress in the subject is assisted by a useful scheme of work which ensures the pupils have experience of performing, composing, listening and appraising. The pupils are effectively introduced to a wide range of music during assembly time and frequent opportunities are taken to talk about it. Assessment of the pupils is by observation of outcomes. There is no formal procedure yet in place to modify the scheme of work in the light of experience and assessment of performance. The school has a satisfactory range of instruments but the quantity of tuned percussion instruments is limited, reducing the opportunities for pupils to experience the playing of them. 175.

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Physical education

6. Only a small number of lessons involving games, gymnastics and dance were observed during the inspection. Key Stage 2 pupils attend swimming sessions every fortnight but the instructor was ill and the session cancelled during the inspection.

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Physical education

7. Progress of all pupils, including those with special educational needs, by the end of Key Stage 1 is sound and continues satisfactorily at Key Stage 2 in the above areas of the curriculum. However, the policy and scheme of work show little evidence that the school provides for the early stages of the extended Key Stage 2 curriculum, apart from swimming.

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Physical education

8. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils, including those with special needs, present imaginative body shapes and different ways of moving in these shapes. They move in and to a space and ‘shadow’ the movements of partners effectively. They respond appropriately to music while performing dance movements.

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Physical education

9. Year 3 pupils run, skip and jump while developing spatial awareness successfully. They stretch various body parts and work in pairs teaching partners jump movements, Southtown First School -49 a few of which were very complex. Throughout the school a small minority of pupils show good skills in the activities.

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Physical education

10. Pupils’ attitudes are satisfactory at both key stages. Most pupils show respect for the efforts of others, work well in pairs and generally respond to instructions well. They usually take care of resources. Pupils dress appropriately, usually change quickly and independently. A very small number of pupils were wearing jewellery unprotected by tape and which is potentially harmful to them and other pupils.

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Physical education

11. The quality of teaching is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good in Year 3. Teachers ensure that pupils are aware of safety issues, expect immediate response to instructions and use pupils effectively to demonstrate skills to peers. Occasionally, the range of activities is limited and pace slow when teacher explanations are too long. Teaching was good in the lesson observed at Key Stage 2 where the coordinator gave very clear guidance and instructions, has good subject knowledge, planned and managed the pupils well. Standards of teaching have improved in both key stages since the last inspection. Most teachers wear suitable clothing and footwear, thereby setting a good example to the pupils.

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Physical education

12. Resources are satisfactory but, with the help of a local games teaching scheme [TOPS], are to be improved in the near future. Southtown First School -50 182. PART C: INSPECTION DATA

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Physical education

• . A team of four inspectors carried out the inspection over four days representing 13 inspection days. • . During the period of the inspection, 56 lessons or part lessons were observed, adding up to a total of 39.5 hours. • . Inspectors attended school assemblies and registration periods in all year groups. • . Samples of pupils' work were examined for each class for the current and previous academic year. • . The individual education plans and statements of special educational needs of pupils with special educational needs were examined. • . A comprehensive range of school documentation including the school development plan, teachers' records, all curriculum planning documents, the records kept on pupils, sample reports sent to parents and the school register were inspected. • . In each class, inspectors listened to a sample of pupils read. Pupils were examined in their mathematical knowledge. • . Discussions were held with members of staff, governors, pupils, parents and

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Physical education

administrative assistant. • . A parents' meeting held prior to the inspection was attended by two parents, at which they expressed their views about the work of the school. • . The responses to the 12 questionnaires (6.5%) completed by parents were taken into account during the inspection. • . The budget figures and the most recent audit report were examined . Southtown First School -51 · DATA AND INDICATORS

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Physical education

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

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Physical education

· Qualified teachers (YR- Y3) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 9.2

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Physical education

Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 20

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Physical education

· Education support staff (YR – Y3) Total number of education support staff: 8 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 154

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Physical education

£ Total Income 358,650 Total Expenditure 352,833 Expenditure per pupil 2,219 Balance brought forward from previous year 52,535 Balance carried forward to next year 58,352 Southtown First School -52 · PARENTAL SURVEY

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Physical education

Number of questionnaires sent out: 184 Number of questionnaires returned: 12 Percentage response: 6.5

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Physical education

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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Physical education

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagre e Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 33 58 0 8 0

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Physical education

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 42 58 0 0 0

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Physical education

The school handles complaints from parents well 0 67 17 17 0

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Physical education

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 8 75 8 8 0

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Physical education

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 25 50 8 8 8

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Physical education

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 25 75 0 0 0

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Physical education

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 8 67 17 8 0

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Physical education

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 33 33 25 8 0

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Physical education

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 33 67 0 0 0

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Physical education

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 18 55 27 0 0

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Physical education

My child(ren) like(s) school 58 42 0 0 0

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Physical education

(Due to rounding up/down, totals may not always add up to 100)

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