Seaton Delaval First School

Dates of inspection: 8 th – 11 th November 1999

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

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Dates of inspection: 8 th – 11 th November 1999

Under the Schools Inspection Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Page No 1 Seaton Delaval First School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Seaton Delaval Whitley Bay Tyne & Wear NE25 0PS

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr B Pidcock

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18 th – 21 st March 1996

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Design & Technology Attainment & Progress

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Leadership & Management Terry Heppenstall, Lay Inspector Equal Opportunities Attendance

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Partnership with Parents & the Community Chris Cheong Areas of Learning for Children Under Five

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Religious Education Attitudes, Behaviour & Personal Development

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Staffing, Accommodation & Learning Resources

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Special Educational Needs June Foster Information Technology

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Physical Education Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural Development

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Schools’ Inspection Agency St. Martin’s College Education Development Unit Low Nook, Rydal Road Ambleside Cumbria LA22 9BB Tel: (015394) 30266

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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

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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’ view of the school

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Characteristics of the school Key indicators

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Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school 8 - 23

Attainment and progress Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance

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Quality of education provided 24 - 54

Teaching The curriculum and assessment Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Support, guidance and pupils' welfare Partnership with parents and the community

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The management and efficiency of the school 55 - 70

Leadership and management Staffing, accommodation and learning resources The efficiency of the school

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What the school does well

• . Pupils make good progress in English, mathematics and science, and attainment is above the national average in these subjects by the time pupils leave at the end of Year 4; • . The school is effectively implementing the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies; • . Relationships are good, as is pupils’ behaviour; • . The school has a good ethos, with a strong commitment to high standards; • . The headteacher provides good leadership, especially in promoting the aims, values and ethos of the school and is well respected by staff, governors and parents; • . Relationships with the community, and particularly the parents are very good.

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What the school does well

I. Attainment in information technology is below the level expected of pupils by the end of Year 4; II. Teachers’ short-term planning, other than in literacy and numeracy, lacks a common approach and sufficiently clear learning intentions; III. Subject co-ordinators are not sufficiently involved in monitoring the standards of pupils’ work throughout the school; IV. There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to write independently and at length; V. Not all teachers’ marking does not tell pupils what they need to do to improve their work, and does not set short-term targets for them.

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

· How the school has improved since the last inspection

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

All of the positive aspects of the previous inspection report have been successfully maintained, including the ethos, relationships, behaviour and partnership with the parents. The school has also maintained its high standards of attainment in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science.

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

Following the recommendations of the previous report, the school has introduced schemes of work for all subjects; many of these are based on the recommendations of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. These, along with the long-term plans produced by the subject co-ordinators, provide appropriate coverage and progression throughout the school. The school’s capacity for improvement in the future is good.

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

There has been less progress in developing information technology. Previously this subject was judged to be satisfactory. Since then greater requirements have been placed on schools and by the time pupils reach Year 4, their attainment is now below the level expected for pupils of this age. · Standards in subjects

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

This table shows the standards achieved by 7 year olds in 1999 based on the National Curriculum tests:

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similar schools

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

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similar schools

The table above shows that in 1999, pupils’ attainment was in line with the national average in reading, above average in writing and well above average in mathematics. The number of pupils attaining the higher Level 3 was above the national average for reading, and well above average for writing and mathematics. When these results are compared with similar schools, pupils’ attainment in all three subjects was well above average. Results for 1999 show that overall standards have been maintained but with an increase in the number of pupils achieving the higher Level 3 in reading and mathematics. Test results over the last three years show consistent levels of attainment, although there was a slight drop in the results in 1998 due to the general levels of attainment found in that group of pupils.

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similar schools

The teachers’ assessments of pupils’ attainment in science at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999, showed the percentage of pupils attaining the expected Level 2 or above was above average, and was well above average for the numbers attaining the higher Level 3.

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similar schools

By five years of age most children have made good, and sometimes very good, progress and attained and often exceeded the levels expected for children of this age in all of the areas of learning. Pupils’ attainment in religious education meets the standards set by the locally agreed syllabus. However, while attainment in information technology at the end of Key Stage 1 is satisfactory, by the time they are nine, their attainment is below the level expected for pupils of this age. In all other subjects they attain levels expected for pupils of this age.

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Quality of teaching

· Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years 7 – 9 years

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Quality of teaching

English Good Good Satisfactory Mathematics Good Good Satisfactory Science Good Satisfactory Information technology Satisfactory Insufficient evidence Religious education Satisfactory Satisfactory Other subjects Satisfactory Satisfactory Satisfactory The quality of teaching is at least satisfactory in almost every lesson, and good or very good in over a third of lessons. This is a similar picture to the previous inspection but with fewer unsatisfactory lessons being seen during this inspection. Good teaching is found in all key stages of the school. The most effective teaching is in the early part of Key Stage 1. This teaching produces the best progress and accounts for the high levels of attainment by the end of Key Stage 1. The teaching in Key Stage 2 maintains these high levels of attainment, but does not significantly improve on them.

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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 This is good throughout the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good, above the national average.

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Aspect Comment

Ethos* This is good. The school is committed to high standards of attainment. Leadership and management The headteacher gives good leadership, and brings a strong sense of care, concern and spirituality to the life and work of the school. The governing body is well informed and plays an active and effective role. The role of the subject co-ordinators is less well developed. Curriculum This is satisfactory for the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. It is less effective in the other subjects where too much emphasis is placed on knowing facts rather than developing skills. Pupils with special educational needs There is satisfactory provision. Special needs teachers and classroom assistants give good support. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Good provision for pupils especially in moral, social and cultural development. Multi-cultural development is weaker. The headteacher provides a strong lead in spiritual

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Aspect Comment

development. Staffing, resources and accommodation Satisfactory overall. In-service training by the teachers has had a positive impact on the development of literacy and numeracy throughout the school. Value for money The school provides good value for money.

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Aspect Comment

*Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards. · THE PARENTS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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

VI. They are encouraged to play an active part in the life of the school; VII. The school is easy to approach; VIII. Parents get a clear understanding of what is taught; IX. Children achieve a good standard of work; X. Pupils’ behaviour and the attitudes and values the school promotes; XI. Pupils enjoy coming to school. XII. There were no negative comments y one negative comment about the work pupils

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

The questionnaires returned by parents showed very high levels of satisfaction. Those parents who returned the questionnaire either agreed or strongly agreed with seven of the eleven statements. The inspection team fully supports the parents’ positive views.

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

The governors, headteacher and staff should now take action to:

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

XIII. Improve pupils’ attainment in information technology by covering all the National Curriculum requirements and increasing its use in other subjects of the curriculum; (paragraph numbers 15,16,33,112,113,114,115,116 refer )

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

XIV. Improve teachers’ day-to-day assessment by making the learning intentions for lessons clearer and using these more effectively to evaluate pupils’ gains in knowledge and understanding; (paragraph numbers 29,34,97,145 refer )

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

XV. Provide opportunities for pupils to write longer, independent pieces of work in English and other subjects; (paragraph numbers 11,91,94,137 refer )

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

XVI. Improve the quality of teachers’ marking so that it clearly tells pupils what they need to do to improve and sets short-term targets for them; (paragraph numbers 30,103,145 refer )

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

XVII. Give subject co-ordinators a greater role in monitoring the range and quality of learning and pupils’ attainment. (paragraph numbers 57,61,97,104,111,123,140,156 refer )

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

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

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

· Improve the quality of pupils’ handwriting and presentation; (paragraphs 95,99) XVIII. Make full use of all of the teaching time in Key Stage 2. (paragraph 38) · INTRODUCTION

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

1. The school is situated on the northern outskirts of the village of Seaton Delaval, a former mining village in a semi-rural area close to the coast. Most of the pupils come from the immediate area but with an increasing number from further afield. The school takes pupils between the ages of four and nine. There are 189 pupils on roll, 104 boys and 85 girls. This is slightly fewer pupils that at the time of the previous inspection. There are 35 children under the age of five who are admitted into the reception class at the beginning of the school year. There are 21 pupils on the register of special educational needs (approximately 11 per cent), which is below the national average, and three pupils with statements of special educational needs, which is slightly above average for schools of this size. Around 21 per cent of pupils (40), are entitled to free school meals, which is broadly average. Five pupils come

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

from ethnic minority families and two pupils have English as an additional language.

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

2. The school aims to provide: • . a stimulating environment for each child, allowing them to develop in a way, and at a pace, appropriate to themselves; • . encouragement and guidance for children to achieve their full potential, acquiring the basic skills of literacy, oracy and numeracy; • . through discovery and first-hand experience, a genuine thirst for knowledge; • . each child with the personal and social skills and attitudes that enable them to play a full part in school life.

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

1. The school’s current targets for development are in literacy, numeracy, information technology, data interpretation and target setting, and developing teaching and learning. 3. Key indicators

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4. Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999 19 14 33

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Test/Task Results

Number of pupils Boys 16 19 19 At NC Level 2 or Girls 12 16 17 above Total 28 35 36 Percentage at NC School 85 (87) 88 (90) 91 (92) Level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Test/Task Results

3. Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 16 19 19 At NC Level 2 or Girls 12 17 17 above Total 28 36 36 Percentage at NC School 84 (90) 90 (92) 91 (92) Level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Test/Task Results

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year: %

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Test/Task Results

Authorised School 6.0 Absence National comparative data 5.2 Unauthorised School 0 Absence National comparative data 0.5 3.

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Test/Task Results

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

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Test/Task Results

1 Percentages in parenthesis refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 10 Satisfactory or better 98 Less than satisfactory 2 3. PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

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Test/Task Results

3. EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

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Test/Task Results

1. Pupils’ attainment in the national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999, was in line with the national average in reading, above average in writing, and was well above the national average in mathematics for those attaining the expected Level 2 or above. The percentage of pupils attaining the higher Level 3 in these subjects was above average in reading, and well above average in writing and mathematics. When these results are compared with other schools that have similar characteristics to Seaton Delaval First School, it shows that pupils’ attainment in reading and writing and mathematics is well above average. The teachers’ assessments of pupils’ attainment in science was above the national average for the percentage of pupils attaining the expected Level 2 or above, and well above for those attaining the higher Level 3.

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Test/Task Results

2. Test results over the last three years show consistent levels of attainment, although there was a slight drop in the results in 1998 due to that particular group of pupils. The school has set itself clear targets aimed at maintaining this overall high level of attainment, and increasing the number of pupils who attain the higher levels in national tests. The increase in the number of pupils attaining the higher Level 3 fulfils the key issue from the previous report of “maintaining the high standards in English, mathematics and science.”

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Test/Task Results

3. Children under five years of age in the reception classes make good progress and by the time they are five, the majority are on target to achieve, and some exceed, the Desirable Learning Outcomes for entry into compulsory education in all areas of learning. 2 Having started with below average levels, children are making good progress in both reception classes, particularly in language and mathematical development. They listen well to the teacher and to each other, and are good at putting forward ideas and suggestions. By the end of year, many can read to a good standard for their age and have started to write. In mathematics, most children are able to count up to 20, and many beyond this, and they can count back from ten to zero. They enjoy number songs that practise counting in this way, such as “Five Little Speckled Frogs”. They recognise regular two-dimensional shapes such as triangles, squares and rectangles, and can explain the important features of these, such as the

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Test/Task Results

4. The attainment of pupils in Year 4 in English is good, although the rate of progress through Key Stage 2 is slightly slower than in Key Stage 1. Pupils speaking and listening skills are good and there are many opportunities to practise these in literacy and other lessons. Standards in reading are above average. Writing is an area of weakness and there are few examples of pupils writing longer pieces of personal writing. Handwriting and presentation are also areas of weakness. Insufficient

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Test/Task Results

2 These are the areas of learning that include language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development that are considered desirable for pupils to attain before they are five and begin compulsory education. attention is given throughout the school to the correct formation of letters and numbers. Too many of the older pupils in school are still printing and this slows down their rate of working.

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Test/Task Results

5. In mathematics, standards are good and by the time they leave the school they are above the level expected of nine-year-olds: pupils make good progress. All aspects of mathematics are covered, and pupils have a good knowledge of shape and measurement, although they are less secure in handling and using data. Their ability in numeracy is generally good, and pupils’ oral and mental mathematics is developing well. Pupils are confident in using numbers and calculate accurately in their work. Most know their tables and number bonds, and use their quick recall of these to help them in their day-to-day mathematics. However, the highest attaining pupils are not always sufficiently stretched, and many can work faster than they do at present. There are also too few opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills in other subjects, for example, measuring in design and technology, or collecting, recording

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Test/Task Results

and interpreting data in science or information technology.

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Test/Task Results

6. The attainment of the oldest pupils in science is good, and above the level normally expected for pupils of this age. This good level has been maintained since the previous inspection. The work in small groups, or with a partner, and the discussions that come out of this are effective in increasing pupils’ understanding of science. A good example of this was seen in the Year 1/2 class where pupils worked together to separate a selection of natural materials from those that had been changed by man.

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Test/Task Results

7. The previous inspection report judged attainment for the oldest pupils in school in religious education to be in line with that expected nationally. Evidence from this inspection indicates that this has been maintained and pupils’ attainment meets the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. Pupils understand Christian responses to personal and social issues and recognise the importance of their own personal values and beliefs within the school and the wider community.

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Test/Task Results

8. Attainment in information technology is below the level expected for pupils of nine years of age, and pupils do not make sufficient progress overall, particularly in Key Stage 2. Pupils have below average skills in using the computer and have little experience of loading programs or storing and retrieving information. Many pupils, who have computers of their own at home, are capable of carrying out all of these processes. This has changed since the previous inspection where standards overall were judged to be satisfactory, with many pupils achieving high standards.

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Test/Task Results

9. Children enter school with levels of attainment that are below the average for children of this age. They make good progress overall during their time in school, although the rate of progress is faster during their first two years. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in mathematics and satisfactory progress throughout the school in all other subjects. They benefit from the additional support given both in the classroom and when withdrawn from lessons. Pupils make good progress in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. There was insufficient evidence to assess pupils’ progress in music, although the quality of pupils’ recorder playing was good. However, progress in all other subjects, with the exception of information technology, is at least satisfactory, and pupils achieve the standards expected for their age.

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Test/Task Results

16. Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 10. The school has maintained good standards of attitudes, behaviour and personal development since the previous inspection.

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Test/Task Results

11. Pupils have good attitudes to work. Children under five have very good attitudes, enjoy their work and are very keen to join in and learn. At both key stages, most pupils are enthusiastic about their work and are eager to learn. They are keen to contribute to lessons, listen attentively, and are quick to put up their hands with answers to questions. At both key stages, in a small minority of lessons, the attitudes, and occasionally the behaviour, of a small minority of pupils is unsatisfactory. These pupils start lessons fairly keen to learn, but are easily distracted, do not give the teacher their full attention and disrupt the class by calling out. Although pupils have good attitudes to work overall, they generally do not take responsibility for their own learning or select their own materials. This is because opportunities for pupils to make choices within lessons are limited.

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Test/Task Results

12. With a few minor exceptions, behaviour throughout the school is good. There have been no incidents of exclusions in the last three years. The behaviour of children under five is very good. Parents feel that behaviour of pupils in school is good and this is supported by inspection evidence. Movement around the school is orderly, and in assemblies and in the dining hall the behaviour of most pupils is good. Pupils enjoy playtime and generally play well together in spite of the small playground areas.

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Test/Task Results

13. Relationships between pupils, and between adults and pupils in the school are good. Children under five relate well to each other and their teachers. Throughout the school pupils co-operate well when asked to work together, for example, in physical education or when sharing equipment during lessons such as art. They show respect for each other, and mostly listen well to each other’s contributions in class discussions. Pupils are sensitive to other’s feelings and beliefs. They do not discriminate against pupils who are less capable and all pupils take part in all aspects of school life. Pupils are proud of their school and treat it with care and respect.

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Test/Task Results

14. Opportunities provided for pupils’ personal development are satisfactory. Most pupils act in a mature way and are willing to work together. It is also evident in the way in which some pupils carry out helpful jobs around the school. Pupils are developing the capacity to reflect on their behaviour and explore their feelings. An example of this in one class was in the recently introduced “circle time”. Other opportunities for personal development in classrooms are more restricted and, on occasions, there is an overuse of worksheets or a lack of investigation activities to stimulate discussion and promote independent learning.

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Attendance

15. Attendance has varied between satisfactory and good since the previous inspection. Currently, the level is judged to be good. There are a small number of unauthorised absences. This good level is due partly to good parental co-operation and effective support by the Education Welfare Officer. The school discourages holidays taken in term time, but they do occur. The practice has not yet become a serious problem but the trend is rising.

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Attendance

16. In general, pupils arrive at school on time, the registration arrangements are efficient and lessons start punctually. 23. QUALITY OF

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

17. The previous inspection judged teaching to be “generally sound to good”, with “ 92 per cent of teaching being satisfactory of better ”. There have been few changes to the teaching staff since the last inspection and this level has been generally maintained. This inspection found the overall quality of teaching is satisfactory, with 97 per cent of lessons being satisfactory or better, and almost four out of ten lessons being of either good or very good quality. Good quality teaching is found in both key stages. However, even within this high level of satisfactory teaching, there are differences across the school and the teaching in the earlier years is of a more consistently high quality that that found in the middle and older age groups. This leads to pupils making more rapid progress than in other parts of the school.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

18. The best teaching uses a combination of approaches, skilful classroom management and good subject knowledge. Teachers insist on accurate subject vocabulary and use pupils effectively to demonstrate for others. In the best lessons, effective group work was often an important feature in their success. A good example of this was seen in a science lesson in the Year 1/2 class, where pupils worked in groups to sort and classify natural and changed materials. They talked about what they were doing and helped each other to come to decisions.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

19. Teachers have good relationships with their pupils, although there are differences in the way teachers manage their classes. In active lessons such as physical education, the youngest children in school show remarkable control and concentration when they listen closely to the teacher’s instructions and follow directions quickly and quietly. Where teaching is unsatisfactory, or has unsatisfactory elements, the control and management of the lesson has weaknesses. Teachers do not have pupils’ full attention, particularly at the start of activities, and are not consistent in the way they ask questions or accept answers from pupils. This confuses pupils as to what is expected of them.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

20. The teaching of children under five in both reception age classes is good and often very good. Teachers understand the needs of children at this age and plan work effectively around the areas of learning leading towards the introduction of the National Curriculum as they become five. The lessons provide an appropriate mix of direct teaching, for example, number work involving the whole class, and opportunities for children to experiment and explore other aspects of learning. The activities set out for children when the come in at the start of the day are effective both in helping them settle and providing choices within a carefully planned structure.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

21. Teachers’ short-term planning for literacy and numeracy is good. It follows the national guidance for these subjects and has clear learning objectives but, as with other subjects, teachers rarely share these with the pupils to tell them what is expected of them. However, all teachers are implementing these successfully and work is planned appropriately for pupils of differing attainment. Good attention is given to those pupils who have special educational needs. Individual education plans produced for these pupils are clear and teachers use their knowledge of these pupils to plan appropriate work for them. Learning support staff and other adults are used well to help these pupils progress.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

22. Other short-term planning is less effective. There is no consistent method used throughout the school and, while the best is effective, the level of detail is very variable. The quality of teachers’ learning objectives is often weak and more descriptive of the activity than the expected outcome. This lack of clarity prevents some teachers from effectively assessing pupils’ gains in knowledge and understanding at the end of the lesson that would then help in planning the next stages in learning.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

23. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ work and achieve good levels of knowledge, but there are inconsistencies in the quality of presentation in pupils’ books and handwriting in general is not as good as it should be. The overuse of often low- level photocopied worksheets in some subjects requires little of pupils in the way of extended writing. It also limits the response pupils can make and does not give a clear picture of what they can do or what they actually understand. Teachers’ marking is an area for further development. All work is marked regularly and the comments made are supportive of pupils’ efforts. However, it does not clearly tell pupils what they need to do to improve their work, and there is little in the way of target setting for individual pupils following on from this.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

24. The curriculum provision for the under-fives in the reception classes is very good. It successfully promotes the Desirable Learning Outcomes and prepares pupils well for the transition to the National Curriculum. The curriculum is broadly based and appropriately balanced for this age group. The curriculum is thoughtfully planned and there is a good balance between tasks that promote new learning and those that effectively reinforce previous learning.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

25. Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils receive a broad and well-balanced curriculum covering the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. Within the school day the time allocated to the teaching of numeracy and literacy is appropriate and contributes to promoting pupils’ attainment and progress in these areas. The curriculum successfully promotes the pupils’ intellectual, physical and personal development and generally prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education at the middle school.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

26. The curriculum meets statutory requirements in all subjects except information technology, where the whole programme of study is not being addressed. Religious education is being taught in line with the Northumberland Agreed Syllabus. Sex education is not being taught other than that required by the National Curriculum programmes of study. Drugs education is taught in line with the policy agreed by parents and governors.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

27. The curriculum is taught mainly through separate subjects. Policies and subject guidance are in place to support most areas of the National Curriculum although they lack a common format and are variable in their quality. Long and medium-term planning is good and staff plan thoughtfully to cover the mixed age classes. Short- term planning varies in quality and format. Some lacks precise learning aims for the pupils, which sometimes leads to a lack of a clear focus within the lesson.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

28. Pupils with special educational needs have equal access to the curriculum, and equal opportunities to make progress. Assessment for those on Stage 2 or above of the National Code of Practice is good. Forms used by staff to record children’s assessments are clear, entries are always dated, and targets are generally written in precise language. The special educational needs policy is clearly written but has no direct mention of raising standards or enabling pupils to catch up with their peers.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

29. The extra-curricular provision offered by the school is satisfactory. There is a science club, pupils learn to play the recorder and a choir is formed each year. There is a half- termly book club for the whole school and recently football training has started with opportunities to play against other teams.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

30. Assessment procedures for the under-fives are good. Assessment information is used effectively right from the start to set targets for the class and individuals. Assessment procedures at Key Stages 1 and 2 are satisfactory with some good analysis of long- term assessments taking place. The school makes good use of the national and other test information to set targets, to determine trends and areas for development. Less strong is the use of short-term assessment and marking of pupils’ books to enable detailed target setting for individuals and groups of pupils to take place. Little use is made of self-assessment and pupils are sometimes unaware of the purpose and the target for their learning within the individual lessons. In information technology, no formal assessment is undertaken and in information technology and religious education there is no whole-school system for record keeping. A satisfactory policy for

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

planning and assessment is in place but now needs further updating.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

31. At Key Stage 2, the length of the taught day is short and time is sometimes further lost by classes finishing early, especially prior to the lunchtime break.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

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

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

32. Overall, provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. This provision makes a significant contribution to the ethos of the school and to the learning environment, as it did at the time of the previous inspection.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

33. Provision for spiritual development is satisfactory. Daily acts of collective worship play an important part in the school day and meet statutory requirements. These contribute very positively to spiritual awareness, reinforcing the values and aims of the school and wider community. They include time for prayer and reflection about pupils’ own lives and the lives of others. A very good example of this was seen when, as part the armistice assembly, the headteacher used historical sources as well as the Internet to obtain the names and addresses of soldiers from Seaton Delaval who had died. He then asked all those children who lived in the same streets to stand at the front before having two minutes silence. Very little religious education was seen during the inspection, and that which was seen did not significantly contribute to spiritual awareness. Pupils are given few opportunities beyond assemblies, to

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

consider and reflect on the wonders of the natural world, their own feelings and beliefs and the things that effect their families and friends.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

34. Provision for moral development is good. All staff set good examples for pupils and consistently teach and reinforce the difference between right and wrong. They successfully create a calm, orderly atmosphere, which is effective in supporting the high standards of behaviour and moral conduct seen throughout the school.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

35. Provision for social development is good. Relationships in the school are good. Pupils learn to relate to each other, are confident and demonstrate good social skills, for example, by saying “please” and “thank you” appropriately, and where one Year 1 boy stopped to help another who had tripped and fallen. They take turns sensibly, listen attentively and show appreciation for the efforts of others when opportunities for this arise. A sense of citizenship is developed by pupils collecting for charity, welcoming visitors into school and helping to design and create garden areas in the school grounds. School visits to such places as the Roman Fort make a positive contribution to pupils’ social development.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

36. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is good. A satisfactory learning environment is created by displays around the walls, which shows the school clearly values all pupils’ work. Pupils explore their own cultural heritage through visits to museums and field trips in the local area. Further opportunities come through visits by theatre groups, authors and local artists. Opportunities to develop an understanding of other cultural traditions are provided through religious education and, to a lesser extent, in assemblies and literature. There are displays relating to Divali and some musical instruments from other cultures. However, opportunities to raise pupils’ awareness of the cultural diversity in the world are not always taken.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

43. Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

37. The school makes satisfactory provision for pupils’ support and guidance. Procedures for promoting good behaviour are effective: this was also noted at the previous inspection. The school has a strong commitment to the provision of a high standard of welfare for its pupils. All staff are conscientious in this area and the pupils feel secure and confident in the care provided by their teachers, including the headteacher.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

38. In general, procedures to monitor pupils’ progress and personal development, including those pupils with special educational needs, are satisfactory although monitoring pupils’ personal development relies heavily on the class teachers’ professional judgement.

p.19

EDUCATION PROVIDED

39. The school has a good behaviour policy, which provides procedures for the pupils to resolve conflicts. This is reinforced by a system of rewards and sanctions. The policy is understood by pupils and is effective; the rewards for good behaviour are valued by pupils. There are a few pupils with behaviour problems and appropriate use is made of the local authority's behaviour support services. The inspection did not reveal any evidence of bullying.

p.19

EDUCATION PROVIDED

40. The arrangements to monitor and record attendance are satisfactory. There are clear procedures to deal with information from parents and the registers are marked consistently and in accordance with legal requirements. However, the staff have no common view about procedures related to absence without a known cause, and there is no system to record temporary absence during the course of the school day. The Education Welfare Officer visits the school regularly.

p.19

EDUCATION PROVIDED

41. Child protection arrangements are satisfactory. There is a designated teacher and guidelines for staff. There has been no recent training for any of the staff but they are aware of the need to draw concerns to the attention of the designated teacher. Lunchtime supervision arrangements are good. There are an adequate number of supervisors who are competent and confident about their roles. Good use is made of specialist support services such as the school nurse.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

42. There are satisfactory arrangements to ensure a good standard of health and safety. These include a good policy and there is a staff health and safety representative. Staff are familiar with their responsibilities and the head and caretaker, in particular, carry out inspections. However, these tend to rely on a common sense approach and there is no clear indication of procedures to ensure consistent arrangements. In addition, inspections are carried out by the local authority. No health and safety issues were identified during the inspection.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

49. Partnership with parents and the community

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

43. The parents' meeting, other discussions with parents and the parents' questionnaire provide overwhelming satisfaction with all aspects of the school. No significant concerns were raised. Good relationships with parents were also noted at the previous inspection.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

44. Parents are encouraged to play a role in the life of the school and several help regularly with a variety of tasks, including work in classrooms. These parents feel well supported and that they provide a useful service; their efforts are valued by the school. There are opportunities, which are used, for all parents to support work which their children do at home. In addition, parents support and help with specific fund- raising initiatives, which can provide about £2,500 per year for school use. Overall, parents make a good contribution to the learning provisions of the school.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

45. The information provided for parents is good. Newsletters are regular and informative. There is a useful booklet for the parents of new starters and the school prospectus and governors’ annual report are clearly presented, although the latter has some minor deficiencies in its contents.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

46. Information for parents about their children's progress is also good. Depending on the year group, there are three or four formal opportunities for parents to visit the school to discuss progress and there is considerable scope for informal discussions. The approachability of the class teachers and the headteacher is very much appreciated by parents. Annual, written progress reports are suitably detailed and they satisfy legal requirements. However, they contain little information on what pupils should do to make further progress. The parents of children with special educational needs are kept well informed about progress. Many, and in particular the parents of children with statements, take advantage of opportunities to be involved in reviews.

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EDUCATION PROVIDED

47. The school's links with the community and industry are very good. They promote the school within the community, provide financial and other resources and enhance the curriculum. For example, the school is involved in activities with the Community Forum. It also participates in a local authority environment initiative which provides resources and expertise, and it has links with a local shopkeeper who supports prize giving. The school's high profile link with industry, which was described as excellent in the previous inspection report, is a long-standing relationship with the local factory of a multi-national company. Visits to the factory have declined over recent years because of health and safety considerations. However, there are visitors from the factory and the school contributes artwork to the company's calendar. 54. THE

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

48. The headteacher provides good leadership, is influential in promoting the positive ethos found in the school, and brings a strong sense of care, concern and spirituality to the life and work of the school. Parents recognise and value these strengths as important features that contribute to the continuing good quality of education their children receive. This was also recognised in the previous inspection report.

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

49. The headteacher, governors and staff have a strong commitment to high attainment, which is implicit in the aims of the school. The headteacher carries out his administrative and management role effectively. He regularly scrutinises pupils’ work and monitors teaching, but there is less evidence of formal targets for improvement being set as a result of this.

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

50. All teachers have responsibilities as curriculum co-ordinators, but no time is currently given to formal monitoring or evaluation of their subjects. Monitoring of the literacy strategy has taken place and some time has been included in the school development plan for next term, to allow the mathematics co-ordinator to monitor the impact of the recently introduced numeracy strategy. This lack of monitoring prevents best examples of teaching and learning being spread throughout the school. With the exception of the good work done by the assessment co-ordinator in analysing test results, subject co-ordinators have little detailed knowledge of the overall quality and range of attainment found throughout the school. There is no formal or agreed system that would enable them to scrutinise pupils’ work and share the results of this with other teachers. This is a weakness.

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

51. The school development plan is an effective document, combining national and school initiatives and putting these in order of importance to the school. The governing body, staff and those with responsibilities as subject co-ordinators all contribute to its production. The key people involved in carrying it out and monitoring its impact are identified, and a clear time scale is given.

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

52. The governing body is well informed and plays an active role in setting the overall direction of the school. There is an appropriate committee structure, individual committees meet regularly and report to the full governing body. The governing body makes a clear distinction between the day-to-day management of the school, the role of the headteacher, and its role of governance. The Chair of Governors is knowledgeable about the issues that face the school and fully involved in all aspects of its work. Members of the governing body visit school regularly and aspects of the school development plan provide an agenda for these visits. The outcome of this monitoring is formally reported to the full governing body at its regular meetings.

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

53. The governing body is involved in setting overall targets and is effective in its role as a ‘critical friend’ to the school. However, while individual governors are linked to subjects, they have little direct experience of assessing the range and quality of the work being done in school beyond analysing and discussing test results. Nevertheless, the governing body meets the statutory obligations and responsibilities it has for the curriculum, special educational needs, collective worship, reporting to parents and the welfare and progress of pupils. 60. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

54. The school employs an appropriate number of teaching staff suitably qualified to match the demands of the curriculum and the age range of pupils. Many staff have undertaken further training and courses to qualify them to lead in curriculum areas for which they were not initially trained. Current job descriptions are satisfactory overall. They identify the general areas of responsibility for each member of staff but lack detail especially about their monitoring and evaluation roles. All the staff, including the headteacher, have a role as a subject co-ordinator. There is a satisfactory number of non-teaching and support staff. They are well deployed and suitably experienced. They give effective support to teachers and pupils. The impact of the recent initiative to support pupils’ language development by support staff is already showing gains for individual pupil’s learning. The hours for the secretarial support have been raised

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

since the previous inspection and administrative and site management staff makes an effective contribution to the work of the school.

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

55. There are satisfactory arrangements for the professional development needs of staff, with teachers attending a wide range of in-service training. Members of staff are encouraged to attend courses for their personal development, and to address the needs of the school and recent government initiatives. The school has effective informal practical arrangements for the induction of new staff, and experienced staff support newly qualified teachers well. Arrangements for the appraisal of staff is carried out informally.

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

56. The school is in a remodelled Victorian building and provides adequate accommodation. Inside, it is attractive and welcoming. It is well cared for and made attractive by good quality displays in classrooms and around the school. It caters satisfactorily for the range of curriculum activities including a small library. The school is short of storage space and staff have successfully overcome this by dispersing equipment, such as for science and music, into individual classrooms. Classrooms are of appropriate size, with some having separate craft areas. Space outside classrooms is limited. There are displays of pupils’ work, which support and celebrate much of the curriculum.

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

57. The outside accommodation is limited, but the school has recently acquired a good, but small, enclosed field and environmental area. A safe working environment is maintained. The school is well cared for by staff and children and the hard working caretaker and cleaning staff.

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

58. Learning resources are adequate overall for the effective delivery of the curriculum, with good provision for the under-fives and mathematics. Library provision of both fiction and non-fiction books is satisfactory, as is the provision of books within classrooms, but some are out of date and in need of replacement. Classroom resources are generally well stored and easily accessible. The accommodation within the school is adequate for teaching small groups of pupils with special educational needs. Additional resources to support these pupils are satisfactory. The school makes good use of resources beyond the school, including visits to a Saxon settlement, a Victorian museum and places of local interest. 65. The efficiency of the school

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

59. The efficiency of the school is satisfactory. The headteacher and the finance committee of the governing body effectively manage the school’s budget. The school has established appropriate systems to make sure that the finances are carefully controlled. The draft budget is discussed in detail by the full governing body before ratification. The budget is reviewed at regular meetings of the finance committee. The governing body is provided with regular, up-to-date information from the headteacher. However, their role in monitoring the effectiveness of short-term financial planning is less well developed.

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

60. A key issue in the previous report was to further develop links between curriculum, finance and resources in the school development plan. The school has taken measures to address this issue. There are now links between the school’s educational priorities as identified in the school development plan and the budget; however, the amounts of funding are not always specific. The budget setting takes appropriate account of forthcoming educational developments, for example, the numeracy strategy. However, strategies for evaluating the impact of financial decisions on pupils’ attainment are weaker.

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

61. Day-to-day administration is satisfactory. The school has taken account of the recommendations of the last audit. There are appropriate systems in place for ordering and paying for stock and there is an inventory of resources. There are effective systems in place for accounting for non-statutory funds. The school administrator supports the running of the school and the work of the teachers in an effective and efficient way.

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

62. The school makes satisfactory use of its available resources. Teachers and non- teaching staff are well deployed throughout the school. Mid-day assistants, caretaking and cleaning staff are all suitably deployed. They make an effective contribution to the smooth running of the school and the high standard of cleanliness observed. Pupils with special educational needs are appropriately supported both within class and in small groups. All areas of the curriculum have at least satisfactory resources that are well deployed, accessible and reviewed by co-ordinators. During the week of inspection the library was insufficiently used to promote pupils’ reading and research skills. The good links with the community ensure that parents, and the school’s parents’ association, contribute very successfully to fund-raising. This is very much appreciated by the school.

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MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

63. The previous report judged that the school provided very good value for money. In relation to its context and income, in terms of the educational standards achieved and the quality of education provided, the judgement of this inspection is that the school provides good value for money. 70. PART B:

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LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

64. At the time of the inspection there were 35 children under five years of age. Induction arrangements for children starting the school are good.

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LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

65. The overall attainment of children on entry to school varies greatly, but is generally below the national average. They make good and sometimes very good progress, and by the age of five achieve levels in line with those normally expected for children of this age in all areas of learning. They make good progress overall with particularly strong progress in language and literacy and mathematics. Progress for children of differing attainment levels, including those with special educational needs, is good as they systematically acquire the necessary skills and understanding across all areas of learning

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LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

66. The two reception classrooms vary in size. The rooms are soundly organised with due regard to health and safety and are stimulating places for children to be in. The quality of education provided for children under the age of five is good overall and some is very good.

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LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

67. By the age of five, children’s attainment in social and personal development is good. They work alongside one another well and are beginning to learn to co-operate with others. They show appropriate self-respect and many are self-confident. Most are able to establish effective relationships with adults and other children. They demonstrate independence very well in selecting activities and equipment and in personal hygiene. They are particularly good at working independently when the teacher is busy working with another group of children. The children respond positively to their tasks and activities, and most undertake their work with interest and enthusiasm. They are proud of the work that they produce.

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LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

68. By the age of five, children’s attainment in language and literacy development is above that normally found. Children under five make very good progress in language and literacy. Most of them listen well in large and small groups. They use a growing vocabulary, with increasing fluency, to express their thoughts. By experiencing role- play, for instance, in the “Three bears house”, they are developing confidence, language and mathematical skills. Most pupils join in well with singing rhymes and songs and clapping rhythms. Early reading skills are well established and many are able to read to a good standard for their age. Many children are able to recognise initial sounds, and a few letter names. By the time they are five, some pupils can use them to spell simple words, but too few pupils can form letters correctly and write clearly.

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LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

69. By the time the children are five, attainment in the mathematical area of learning is good. Mathematical skills are promoted well through a wide range of practical activities and mental tasks. Pupils use mathematical language to describe amounts and name shapes and describe position. They are able to sort, order by height, match objects and many can make simple patterns. They can all count to 20 and many to 30 and match numerals to amounts. Many are beginning to understand one more. By the age of five, pupils can write numerals and most can add numbers up to ten and undertake simple subtraction accurately using practical equipment, and a few without it.

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LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

70. Good progress is made in the development of children’s physical skills, and by the age of five, attainment is in line with expectations for children of this age. Children develop sound skills of physical control, mobility, co-ordination and awareness of space. Good provision is made for children to play with a wide variety of resources, such as water and cutting, in order to develop their co-ordination. The classes use the school hall and the school’s physical education equipment but have no large outdoor toys to use.

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LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

71. Children talk about themselves and their families with increasing confidence, and attainment in knowledge and understanding of the world by the age of five is at a level expected nationally for children of this age. They are becoming increasingly familiar with the seasons, living creatures and their local environment. This was observed when they were talking about making a map of the possible routes around school and thinking about local landmarks. They experience sand and water play and select and explore a wide variety of construction apparatus, malleable materials and jigsaws, developing manipulative and decision making skills to an appropriate level. They use computers well.

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LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

72. By the age of five, children’s attainment in creative development is satisfactory. They make good progress with their creative and aesthetic skills. The teachers provide a wide range of activities including art, craft, music and movement and, in one classroom, imaginative play. Children competently express their ideas in drawing, painting and modelling. They are able to use a variety of brushes, for instance, when painting black and white animals, but rarely a choice of medium. Children’s art is well displayed.

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LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

73. The quality of the teaching for the under-fives is good overall and some is very good. Long-term and some short-term planning is good. It appropriately using the Desirable Learning Outcomes for children of this age group. Teaching and support staff collaborate well. Teachers’ subject knowledge is very good. They cater well, with suitably high expectations, for the full range of abilities of the pupils in the classes. Management of pupil behaviour is good. Relationships are positive. There is a happy atmosphere, in which children feel secure. Preparation is thorough. The detailed profiles and records for each child provide a very accurate picture of each child’s progress and are used well to set learning goals for individuals and groups.

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LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

74. Resources are very good overall, appropriate, but more accessible to one class than the other and a few are old and worn. Arrangements for liaison with parents and carers and for reporting to them are good. All these factors help ensure that pupils under five receive a very good start to their school lives.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

75. In national tests for seven-year-olds in 1999, the percentage of pupils attaining and exceeding the national expectation (Level 2) was in line with the national average in reading and above average in writing. When compared with similar schools, pupils’ attainment is well above average in reading and writing. There are no national tests for speaking and listening, but the teachers’ own assessments judged standards of attainment to be above those of similar schools.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

76. Inspection evidence suggests that standards this year are broadly in line with last year, and similar to those found at the previous inspection. In the last three years, the percentage of pupils attaining the higher level (Level 3) was above average.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

77. Evidence from the inspection shows that by the end of Key Stage 1, standards of attainment are above average in reading, and speaking and listening, and slightly above average in writing. Pupils make good overall progress through the key stage.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

78. Pupils enter the key stage with standards of attainment above those generally found in reading, and speaking and listening, and in line with other schools in writing. They make better progress in reading than in writing. This results from the school’s focus on reading, especially in the literacy hour, and the help pupils receive at home. In the national tests for seven-year-olds in 1999, fewer boys achieved the higher level compared with the number of girls. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

79. In lessons, pupils demonstrate speaking and listening skills generally above the national expectations; a good example was seen where pupils talked about the characters in the story of the “Gingerbread Boy”. By the age of seven, almost all pupils show confidence and most usually listen carefully, making appropriate responses. Many show an understanding of the main points in discussion, and some are able to explain more complex ideas clearly.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

80. By the age of seven, most pupils are able to read a range of texts with good accuracy and understanding. Most read independently, have good word recognition and establish meaning by using appropriate strategies. Most are able to talk about the stories they have read and have views and ideas about the text. A good proportion reaches the higher level of reading. They can read more difficult texts and understanding the main points within informational books. Library skills are not as well developed. This is partly because the school library is more difficult to reach from some of the Key Stage 1 classrooms.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

81. Progress in writing skills for the majority of pupils in Key Stage 1 is good. Many are able to spell a good range of simple words and have a good understanding of letter- sound relationships. A significant number of pupils have spelling skills above the national average. In contrast, handwriting is often poor with letters not properly formed and inconsistent in size.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

82. In Key Stage 2, most pupils listen and respond well to teachers. They are articulate and confident speakers, but there are limited opportunities for the development of speaking and listening skills other than in question and answer sessions with the teacher, and there is little formal planning for talk. Also when listening, some do not reflect well on what other pupils have said, or offer a considered response. In some cases pupils are merely waiting to speak.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

83. Pupils’ overall attainment in reading is average, but with a good number of higher attaining pupils continuing to do well. Many pupils can read fluently and accurately. Pupils can talk confidently about character, plot and book preferences but the choice of authors is limited and many of the lower ability readers are unable to name preferred authors or books. Library skills at Key Stage 2, however, are unsatisfactory; many pupils are unsure how to use the library retrieval system. 84. Pupils‘ progress in writing slows at Key Stage 2, and by the end of the time in the school it is only satisfactory for their age. There are limited opportunities for drafting writing, planning and discussing work and writing for different audiences and purposes. Also at Key Stage 2, many pupils’ handwriting is still incorrectly formed. Information technology is under-used in the development of writing skills.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

85. The needs of pupils with special educational needs are addressed satisfactorily in English, with careful planning and teaching. Their progress is mostly satisfactory.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

86. Pupils’ behaviour and response in lessons is generally good. When suitably challenged and motivated their response is good. Attitudes to learning are generally good and pupils are generally enthusiastic and keen to work well. Pupils mostly show courtesy to adults and each other and take care of resources. They enjoy reading and listening to stories. Relationships between the pupils and the staff are positive. In writing, pupils are easily satisfied with their first attempts and there is little ethos of striving to improve work, or reviewing it with the teacher or other pupils. This hinders progress.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

87. The quality of teaching is satisfactory, with some good teaching in Key Stage 1. The whole-class sessions of the literacy hour are well conducted, with a good concentration on the development of skills and a lively pace. Pupils are involved well and usually well challenged. The final plenary sessions are generally used effectively to review work in an analytical way. The work set in the group-work part of the hour is sometimes not sufficiently challenging, and the level expected too low to extend pupils’ learning. There is an over emphasis on exercises and not enough time given to pupils writing longer pieces of work. However, overall, the approach to the literacy strategy is successful, particularly in reading. The system for sending reading books home is unsatisfactory, especially at Key Stage 2. Books are kept too long and pupils often have no say in the choice of book. However, the range of fiction in both the

p.27

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

88. The teaching of handwriting in both key stages, and writing at Key Stage 2, is not as effective as teaching in other aspects of English. There is a need to address errors, especially in handwriting, and to analyse the quality of writing with pupils, both through discussing it with them and when marking their books. Older pupils need more opportunities to produce sustained pieces of writing, both in English and in other subjects. Above all, teachers need to ensure that there are sufficient opportunities for pupils to receive feedback on the quality of their writing, and that there is an expectation to improve.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

89. The contribution of other areas of the curriculum to pupils’ competence in English is satisfactory. Pupils are developing appropriate mathematical, scientific and technical vocabulary. They listen well in physical education, and follow instructions carefully and safely. Reading skills are adequately developed across all subjects, but there are too few opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills effectively in other subjects.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

90. The subject is generally soundly managed and the arrangements for the introduction of the literacy hour have been effective. A greater focus on monitoring the standards of attainment and how these can be related to the curriculum and teaching would assist the targeting of pupils. The subject scheme of work does not sufficiently identify progression in individual areas, especially in writing. Short-term planning does not clearly define skills and learning objectives clearly enough to enable clear assessments to be made of individual pupils’ attainment. In all, the school lacks a “writing culture”. Very few examples of pupils’ longer pieces of writing are displayed and there are no displays showing the writing process.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

91. Pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 4 is above the level expected for pupils of this age. Test results from 1999 for the end of Key Stage 1, show that pupils’ attainment was above the national average for those reaching the expected Level 2, although the percentage of pupils attaining the higher Level 3 was well above average. When compared with schools that have similar characteristics to Seaton Delaval First School, pupils’ attainment was well above average. Teachers’ assessments of how well pupils were doing were also in line with the scores pupils actually achieved in the tests. The previous inspection judged attainment to be generally appropriate with many pupils achieving high levels. The school has maintained this level of attainment over time.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

92. Standards in numeracy are generally good in both key stages. The school is following the national guidelines for numeracy and teachers are developing pupils’ oral and mental mathematics well. Good examples of this were observed in a Year 1/2 class, where the teacher dictated a series of four numbers for pupils to keep in their heads, and then asked them to identify the largest or smallest of these. Other effective oral work was seen in Year 4, where pupils had to explain the different ways they used to work out the answer to a calculation. Pupils are confident in using numbers and calculate accurately in their work. Most know their tables and number bonds, and use their quick recall of these to help them in their day-to-day mathematics. They have a good knowledge of shape and measure, but less experience of handling a range of data. While the setting out of their work is generally tidy, many pupils do not form

p.28

ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

their numbers correctly and too many reverse numbers when writing them down. Few pupils consistently use their rulers to draw lines and this also spoils the overall quality of presentation.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

93. While pupils make good progress at the end of Key Stage 1 and through Key Stage 2, the rate of progress here is not as quick as that made by pupils in the early part of Key Stage 1, where progress is very good. Here, lessons have a good pace and pupils get through a lot of work in the time available. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress throughout the school, especially where supported by an adult. There are fewer opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills in other subjects, for example, accurate measurement or scale drawing in design and technology, and data handling in science or information technology.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

94. Pupils’ attitudes to mathematics are generally good, although this does vary between classes. Most pupils apply themselves to the tasks and co-operate well, although there are a few who do not concentrate well and cause low-level disturbance, which breaks the flow of the lesson. In these instances, teachers need to devise more effective ways of managing their work and keeping their attention. Pupils are keenest where teachers use a range of approaches to interest them and the work stretches their thinking. However, there are too few opportunities for pupils to work in pairs or small groups, which would allow them to share ideas.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

95. The quality of teaching is generally good, although the best teaching is seen with the oldest pupils in school and in the early years of Key Stage 1. Here, teachers use a wide range of approaches to keep pupils’ interest and make the lessons exciting for them: the oral mental work is done particularly well. The most effective questioning by teachers, as observed in the reception/Year 1 class, is carefully directed at different pupils at their level, to check on their understanding: it does not just respond to those pupils with their hands up. With the large numbers of pupils in many of the classes, teachers also need to give further consideration as to how to make the most effective use of space, particularly where pupils are sitting on the carpet. Often they are squeezed in to a very small area and it makes it particularly difficult when the teacher requires pupils to come out to the front to demonstrate something.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

96. The teachers are working hard and effectively to introduce the new National Numeracy Strategy throughout the school. Many elements of the work are done through the use of a commercially produced mathematics scheme, although this is being added to from other sources. Teachers’ planning, which follows the National Numeracy Strategy, is good and is generally well matched to pupils’ levels of attainment. However, the highest attaining pupils are not always sufficiently stretched, and many can work faster than they do at present. Teachers also need to be more effective with their marking and their expectations of pupils’ work, for example, the quality of presentation. Not everyone follows up the comments they make in pupils’ books.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

97. The subject co-ordinator has a good personal knowledge of mathematics and the numeracy strategy. All teachers have received training in teaching the daily numeracy lesson and further training is planned for next term. There has been little monitoring of standards by the co-ordinator up to now, although the school development plan includes time next term for classroom monitoring to take place. This is particularly important with the number of mixed age classes in the school to ensure both continuity and progression in pupils’ work. The school has invested a significant amount of money in mathematics to develop the numeracy strategy and resources are generally good.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

98. The attainment of the oldest pupils in school is good, and above the level normally expected for pupils of this age. The teachers’ assessments of pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999, was above the national average for the percentage of pupils attaining the expected Level 2 or above, and well above average for those attaining the higher Level 3. These results are also consistent with the findings of the previous inspection.

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99. Pupils in Year 4 have a good knowledge of the effects of heating and cooling on liquids, although some of their understanding of investigative science is weaker. Pupils worked well in small groups, took turns and shared the tasks fairly. Most could read the temperature accurately and were aware of the ranges of temperature on the Celsius scale. However, the method of recording they were asked to do, straight onto a graph, was beyond most of them.

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100. Investigative work into the conductivity of materials in the Year 3/4 class, allowed pupils to experiment with a range of common materials linked to their topic on buildings. They worked well in pairs and by the end of the lesson were able to sort these correctly into conductors and insulators. They used their previous knowledge of circuits to help them with this work. Pupils in the Year 1/2 class also worked on materials and their properties. They were able to sort these into naturally occurring materials, and those that had been changed by man. They could give good explanations as to why they had placed them into that set. One higher attaining pupil also offered the comment that sand was a material that had been changed by the action of the sea on rocks.

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101. Overall, pupils make good progress through the school but, as in mathematics, slightly faster progress in the early years of Key Stage 1 and in Year 4. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress, although this is better where they have adult support.

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102. Pupils enjoy science and particularly experimental work. There are good examples in many classes of pupils working well in small groups or with a partner, where they share ideas and take turns. This is effective in increasing pupils’ understanding of science.

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103. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, with some good features in many of the lessons. Teachers have a secure knowledge of what they are teaching, and planning provides continuity between classes and age groups. In the best teaching, pupils are allowed to investigate for themselves and the teacher moves between groups asking questions to check on their level of understanding. Where teaching is weaker, the work is less of an investigation and more a practical activity, which is over-directed by the teacher. While lessons are generally planned to allow pupils to investigate and experiment, not all teachers give sufficient opportunities for pupils to either make, or test out, their own predictions of what might happen. Where this does happen, and teachers also share their objectives for the lesson with the pupils, it is not only effective in raising standards but also gives teachers a clearer assessment of

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pupils’ understanding. In some classes there is an over reliance on photocopied worksheets, which do little to extend pupils' knowledge or understanding and can often give a false impression of what pupils actually understand.

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104. The co-ordinator guides the work of the school through a carefully constructed long- term plan based on guidance from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. This provides a secure curriculum across the mixed age classes and is beginning to be used to help teachers to assess pupils’ work, although this still requires much more development. The co-ordinator has a clear commitment to science and in-service courses attended are reported back to the staff. At present, there is little monitoring of the quality of teaching or standards of attainment throughout the school, beyond that done by the headteacher, and this is a weakness. The co-ordinator has an annual budget that has been added to for this year to meet the needs of the new scheme of work. However, the normal amount each year is based on a historic allocation rather than the needs of the subject or the priorities of the school development plan. Resources are satisfactory and are suitably organised in

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classrooms and shared areas for easy access. 111. OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES 111. 111. Information Technology 111. 105. No direct teaching of information technology was observed during the inspection. Judgements are based on observations of pupils working with computers, discussions with pupils and scrutiny of work and displays around the school. At Year 4, the attainment of the majority of pupils is below that expected nationally for pupils of this age. They make unsatisfactory progress through the key stage. The attainment of the majority of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 is in line with that expected nationally and they make satisfactory progress throughout this key stage. In the previous inspection, provision for information technology was satisfactory and attainment for the majority of pupils was average with many achieving beyond it. There are now greater demands on schools from both the curriculum and the training needed for this subject, and the

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school has not kept pace with these requirements.

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106. Throughout Key Stage 1, pupils are beginning to make appropriate use of retrieving information. They are able to recognise the symbols used to fast forward and rewind and are familiar with remote controls. However, insufficient attention is given to developing pupils’ skills across most aspects of the subject. Pupils in Year 1 control a programmable toy using simple programs and by the end of this key stage, pupils use computers to perform limited tasks, for example, simple word-processing and mathematics activities. Opportunities for pupils to generate their own ideas through tables or pictures or retrieve, process or display information are limited. Pupils have appropriate technological language and are able to talk about what they have done both in school and at home.

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107. Pupils’ skills are not sufficiently developed in Key Stage 2 and there is limited opportunity for them to be involved in data-handling, control, monitoring, modelling or desktop publishing. Pupils do not learn how to use information technology to explore and solve problems in a range of subjects. In Year 4, they are able to make limited use of word-processing to improve and redraft work. However, pupils are unable to describe programmes they have used in school. They are also unable to explain how to load programmes, save and print out their work. One pupil explains this clearly, however, he has his own computer and carried out these operations at home. Pupils do not use information technology to organise and present ideas or access information. Work undertaken is generally at a low level.

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108. Although computers are generally switched on in classrooms they are underused in many cases. This results in pupils receiving insufficient time working with computers in order to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress with the additional adult support they receive.

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109. At both key stages, information technology is beginning to support mathematics and literacy, but there is little evidence of it being used to influence learning in other subjects.

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110. At both key stages, pupils have good attitudes to work when working individually or in pairs. They enjoy their tasks, are willing to discuss their work and are willing to take equal turns. They treat equipment with care. 117. Religious Education

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111. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress through the key stages and by the end of their time in the school are in line with the expectations of the Northumberland Agreed Syllabus.

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112. By the time they are seven, pupils recognise that the behaviour and attitudes of Christians are based on the teaching of Jesus. They know the importance of Christian festivals and celebrations such as Christmas and Easter. They know of the major events of those festivals, and some the significance of those events, and the people involved. Through discussion pupils show their ability to form thoughtful views on religious issues. Pupils have good knowledge of stories from the Christian faith and other moral stories. Pupils in Year 1, discuss who was the real friend in the story of the “Good Samaritan” and what were the important characteristics that makes themselves into a good friend for someone else in their class. In another class the importance of reflection and prayer in different religions is explored. Through discussion and reflection pupils are developing a satisfactory awareness of moral

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values and beliefs that govern their lives.

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113. By the time they reach Year 4, pupils demonstrate some understanding of Christian responses to personal and social issues and recognise the importance of their own personal values and beliefs both within school and the wider community. They have developed a little understanding of the richness and diversity of word faiths. In Year 4, the pupils are able to examine a Psalm and discuss why it was a popular choice to be read by troops in the First World War. These lessons give sound support to the English curriculum by making good use of speaking, listening and reporting.

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114. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are generally good and pupils are, in the main, fully engaged with the activities presented. They respond soundly to the challenges set. They mostly listen attentively and are keen to contribute to the discussion, but a few are merely waiting to speak for themselves rather than considering the opinions of others. They are willing to answer questions, confidently offering their own ideas and points of view.

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115. Across the school, teaching is satisfactory. Teachers plan according to the syllabus. Their own knowledge is satisfactory and their expectations are appropriate. Pupils are mostly well managed and time is used appropriately. Teachers use a satisfactory, but narrow range of teaching styles in order to develop the children’s knowledge and understanding. They give some opportunities for pupils to discuss and put forward their own ideas, but this is mainly done by question and answer session and opportunities are missed to use a wider range of techniques.

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116. The subject has a satisfactory policy and a recently updated, helpful, long-term planning document, which is written for each mixed-aged year group. This is used well by staff. A new co-ordinator has recently been appointed to this subject. With this change, currently the subject is not being sufficiently monitored. Also at the present time there is no formal way to assess the pupils and no records are kept.

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117. The lack of suitable resources including books and artefacts from world faiths was highlighted in the previous report. This has been rectified. The school’s resources for religious education are now satisfactory. 124. Art

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118. Pupils make satisfactory progress as they move through the school. They achieve standards in line with that expected for their ages in most classes. In Key Stage 1, pupils are able to represent what they see showing a developing understanding of line, tone, shape and colour. Younger pupils experiment with shape and colour when making string pictures; this is developed in Year 1 when pupils make patterns using a restricted pallet of orange and red to explore the effects of tinting. There is an appropriate emphasis on observational drawing and working with a variety of mediums. A good example of this is seen when Year 2 pupils select materials to create textured paintings.

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119. Older pupils develop their skills appropriately; they are developing a knowledge and understanding of art and artists and are able to combine different techniques to achieve an effect. A good example of this was seen in Year 3. Here pupils paid great attention to interpreting what they saw, when studying self-portraits of famous artists. Pupils in both key stages have a limited artistic vocabulary. They find it difficult to explain the reasons why they selected that media or to evaluate and modify their work.

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120. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress in both key stages. Throughout the school, pupils’ attitudes to their work are good. Pupils are polite and well behaved, they listen attentively and work hard. They concentrate well and enjoy the tasks they are given. Pupils handle the materials they use with care and share them appropriately.

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121. The quality of teaching overall is satisfactory, and in Key Stage 2, some good teaching is evident. Where teaching is good, resources are used well, and the teacher uses a range of work from other artists well. She is encouraging, and her subject knowledge is very good, and she uses questioning well to extend pupils’ vocabulary, knowledge and understanding. Her expectations are high and she uses pupils’ own skills and knowledge to extend expertise. In some classes teachers accept poor first attempts and do not encourage pupils to modify or refine their work. At the time of the last inspection teaching was judged to be variable and opportunities for pupils to use a variety of media were limited. The school has successfully addressed these issues.

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122. The policy for art has clear aims and objectives and provides some useful guidance. There is a scheme of work which ensures coverage of the art curriculum. However, this does not clearly give guidance to teachers as to how they can develop pupils’ skills as they move through school. There are plans to supplement the current scheme with advice from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

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123. The curriculum co-ordinator is effective in her role. She keeps up to date with art developments by attending courses regularly. She talks regularly to teachers and is well informed with regards to the standards of work produced. Where teachers lack confidence she has responded well by providing in-service training, which has been successful; however, her monitoring of direct teaching and working in classes is very limited. Although the co-ordinator is able to scrutinise teachers’ planning, she has received no training about how to provide constructive feedback to teachers. There are no clear plans for developing art and structures for measuring the cost effectiveness of resources with regard to learning outcomes are weak. Resources for art are satisfactory and are stored effectively to maximise their use. 130. 130. Design & Technology 130. 124. There was very little teaching of design and technology during the inspection.

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However, evidence was taken from photographs of previously completed work, discussions with pupils and staff, teachers’ planning and displays around the school. The previous inspection found that pupils’ attainment was in line with national expectations and some pupils achieved above this. The evidence available indicates that this level has been maintained and all pupils, including those with special educational needs, attain standards in line with those expected for pupils of this age.

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125. At both key stages, pupils are developing skills for making their finished articles, but there is less evidence of pupils designing for a range of purposes and then modifying these in the light of experience. Some good design was seen in Year 4. Here, pupils planned the pages of a pop-up book that they were to make. They were able to explain their designs and show what type of mechanism they would use to move parts of the picture. In making the first parts of their books, pupils were able to cut and stick their shapes accurately on to the page to get the effect they wanted. Pupils questioned showed very positive attitudes to design and technology and took a pride in their models.

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126. Insufficient teaching was observed and there was little first hand evidence to allow a judgement to be made on the quality of teaching throughout the school. All teachers include design and technology as part of their work but for most classes little was taking place at this part of the term. While there were links made with some subjects such as art, there were very few obvious links with subjects such as mathematics where pupils could use, for example, skills of accurate measuring.

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127. The school is using and developing the national guidelines produced by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as the basis of their work. The co-ordinator had produced a good long-term plan for the whole school that ensures all pupils have the opportunity to develop their skills and understanding of design technology. However, there is little in the way of assessment of the skills pupils are developing or any regular monitoring of the quality of pupils’ work.

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128. Only one lesson of geography was observed during the inspection. Judgements are based on this lesson observation, discussion with pupils and staff, examination of pupil’s work, teachers’ planning and classroom displays. The previous inspection report indicated that standards of attainment were in line with national expectations, and at Key Stage 2, there was little evidence of pupils’ ability to review information and research contrasting localities. Standards remain average and the school has taken steps to ensure pupils have the opportunity to research contrasting localities.

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129. Pupils make satisfactory progress as they move through the school. They achieve standards in line with that expected for their ages in most classes. In Key Stage 1, pupils learn about their own environment and more distant environments. Younger pupils are able to describe the features of the school and are able to locate them on a plan. At the end of the key stage, some pupils are able to identify symbols associated with weather and understand seasonal changes. There is some evidence of map work and pupils are able to recognise major features on a simple map. They are unable to employ geographical terms to describe their environment and few pupils are able to express views regarding likes and dislikes of environmental features.

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130. In Key Stage 2, pupils use simple co-ordinates and know how to use an atlas. They recognise some features on maps but some confuse boundaries and rivers and do not always use keys appropriately. Little use is made of the library for pupils to research. Pupils talk hesitantly about climatic conditions. There is evidence that shows good use is made of the local environment. In both key stages insufficient use is made of extended writing and there is little evidence of pupils using or extending their mathematics skills in this subject. Pupils with special educational needs, in both key stages, make satisfactory progress.

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131. In both key stages, pupils attitudes to geography is satisfactory, they listen well during interview and respond appropriately to questioning. Pupils are willing to talk about their work, are polite and well behaved. Pupils handle and share materials appropriately.

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132. There is a policy for geography, which contains some useful guidance. However, there is little evidence of this being consistently implemented. There is a long-term plan of topics to be covered. This document, however, does not clearly structure the progression of skills that pupils need to develop in order to make the best progress. There are plans to refine the curriculum based on the advice given by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

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133. The co-ordinators role in monitoring the planning and delivery of the geography curriculum is insufficiently developed. The co-ordinator is new to this post and recognises the need for an effective framework for checking continuity and progression of learning. Resources for geography are satisfactory, display are effectively used. Information technology is not used effectively to support the geography curriculum.

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134. Pupils’ progress in history is satisfactory and their attainment is in line with what is expected for pupils of this age.

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135. Pupils enter Key Stage 1 with some historical knowledge and understanding already well developed. At Key Stage 1, pupils are developing an understanding of the difference between past and present and old and new. They have appropriate understanding of their own family tree. When comparing life in Victorian Britain to the present day, pupils can talk confidently about how houses have changed from then to now. They can outline the negative and positive aspects of life at that time. They can recall some historical figures.

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136. At Key Stage 2, most pupils have gained sound factual knowledge of a historical period. They are able to describe the important features of Saxon times that they have studied and know about some of the important people of that period. Many pupils are able to discuss the reasons for events and changes if the changes are pointed out. They are beginning to understand about historical sources and are able to explain some aspects of the past, by comparing information gained with similar situations in the present. Some have developed a sound sense of chronology. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. 137. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good. They are interested in history and usually work enthusiastically on the topics presented. They mostly listen attentively and are keen to answer questions. Overall behaviour in lessons is good. The subject enables pupils to consider differences between their lives and the lives of others, which enhances their

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138. Using the evidence of the lessons observed, discussions with pupils and a scrutiny of previous work, the quality of teaching is satisfactory in both key stages. Most teachers have a confident approach to the subject. Planning is generally of a satisfactory standard with clear objectives. Generally, teachers present information in an interesting way and explanations are clear and logical. Higher up the school there is a high level of reliance on work sheets that tend to concentrate on developing pupils’ knowledge rather than skills. Opportunities for pupils to carry out their own research are limited and the use of the school library is underdeveloped. The marking of pupils’ work is not consistently used as an opportunity to help pupils understand what they need to do to improve. Questions posed to the class often require short answers to establish whether knowledge has been gained; too few questions

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challenge the pupils’ understanding and reasoning capabilities. Technology is under- used to support the subject. Since the last inspection, some work has been done to remove the duplication in topic areas covered, but some still remain. The school has replaced some old and outdated books. Very good use is made of artefacts and visits to museums.

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139. The standards in music are in line with those you would normally find for pupils of this age. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress.

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140. During the inspection only two lessons were observed. Judgements are based on these two lessons, scrutiny of policy and planning documents, discussion with pupils and listening to pupils singing and playing musical instruments in assemblies. The singing and the recorder players that accompany them every day in assemblies is to a good standard. The pupils sing enthusiastically, maintaining the rhythm and pitch well. In lessons, pupils are able to sing a wide range of songs to a satisfactory standard of performance. Most pupils sing confidently with a high level of involvement and enjoyment. They mostly sing tunefully, often from memory with some clear diction, satisfactorily controlling the volume and pitch of their voices. Pupils listen attentively to music, such as the music played as part of the assemblies, and some can name the composer and talk knowledgeably about his life. They explore and create sounds

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to reflect moods and situations. Some pupils can repeat and improvise musical patterns with their voices, and when playing tuned or untuned musical instruments.

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141. Pupils’ response to music is generally good. Throughout the school, pupils are mostly willing to participate in music and particularly enjoy using percussion instruments. They demonstrate enthusiasm and interest and participate well in large and small groups. Currently, eleven pupils join in a weekly, lunchtime recorder group and play to a high standard. Pupils with special educational needs have equal access to musical activities. They are supported well.

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142. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, but stronger at Key Stage 1. Lessons have clear objectives and satisfactory planning but mainly use taped material and booklets, which limits some elements of music. Pupils are appropriately encouraged to use their imagination and older pupils are sometimes asked to appraise the quality of their work.

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143. The subject is satisfactorily led by an enthusiastic co-ordinator. There is a brief, but satisfactory, policy for the subject with some school-wide planning and assessment guidance to ensure the development of knowledge and skills. Resources are satisfactory; they include an appropriate range of percussion instruments, including a few from other cultures.

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144. Pupils make satisfactory progress in Key Stage 2, and achieve satisfactory standards for their ages. In Key Stage 1, pupils make satisfactory progress in the lessons seen and they achieve standards in line with those expected at the end of this key stage. Few pupils were seen to be achieving beyond expectations as stated in the last report.

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145. In a gymnastics lesson involving pupils from the reception class, attainment was good. Children are able to move well, taking account of space and safety of themselves and others. They follow instructions carefully and can develop their own responses.

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146. In Key Stage 2, pupils practise and improve their performance. For example, in Year 3, pupils are able to use apparatus imaginatively. They learn to refine and develop their performance by sequencing movements and perfecting both the beginning and end of their work. When balancing, many realise the importance of using their arms. Pupils in Year 4 continue to refine and further develop previously learnt skills. They learn to work collaboratively. Pupils with special educational needs have full access to the physical education curriculum and make satisfactory progress.

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147. Pupils’ attitudes to learning in both key stages are good. They enjoy their physical education activities and respond with enthusiasm. They follow instructions and, when asked, are very willing to demonstrate their ideas. Pupils behave well and co-operate with one another in pairs and as group members.

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148. Teaching overall is satisfactory; however, in Key Stage 1, one reception class lesson seen was very good and one reception/Year 1 lesson was good. The very good and good teaching has clear and achievable learning identified. There are established routines in place, which start with getting changed and pupils working immediately on entering the hall. There is a good variety in methods and organisation during lessons and a brisk pace to lessons keeps pupils active and interested.

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149. Curriculum co-ordination is satisfactory. There is an enthusiastic co-ordinator with good subject knowledge. She has the opportunity to advise and check planning, but is less well informed about standards throughout the school as she has not had the opportunity to work with colleagues in their lessons. The current planned programme of work for physical education is to be modified in the light of advice from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. Curricular planning is satisfactory and enables pupils to make satisfactory progress as they move through the school, but there is no effective assessment in place. 156. PART C:

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INSPECTION DATA

150. The inspection was carried out by a team of four inspectors who spent a total of 12 inspector days in the school. Forty-one lessons or parts of lessons were observed, as were a number of registration periods, assemblies, playtimes, lunchtimes and extra- curricular activities. Time spent observing teaching, scrutinising the work of pupils and checking their attainment by working with them during the inspection: 5 hours at Pre-Key Stage 1; 14 hours 30 minutes at Key Stage 1 and 12 hours 15 minutes at Key Stage 2. In addition, a further 16 hours 25 minutes were spent on other inspection activities listed below.

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INSPECTION DATA

• discussions were held with all teaching staff and some non-teaching staff; • many pupils were heard to read and were questioned about their mathematical knowledge and understanding; • three samples of pupils' work across the full range of ability in all year groups were inspected in addition to work examined during lessons; • all available school documentation was analysed; • attendance records, pupils' records kept by the school and teachers' planning documents were examined; • the budget figures were inspected; • discussions were held with pupils, parents and governors; • a parents' meeting was held and the views of the 14 parents at this meeting and those of the 72 families who responded to a questionnaire were taken into account. 157. DATA AND INDICATORS

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INSPECTION DATA

157. 158. 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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INSPECTION DATA

157. 159. Qualified teachers (YR – Y4) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 7.2 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 26.3

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INSPECTION DATA

157. 160. Education support staff (YR – Y4) Total number of education support staff: 6 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 173

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162. Financial data

£ Total Income 291,431 Total Expenditure 297,987 Expenditure per pupil 1,560 Balance brought forward from previous year 8,960 Balance carried forward to next year 2,404 157. 163. PARENTAL

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SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out: Number of questionnaires returned:

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SURVEY

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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SURVEY

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 72.2 27.8 0 0 0

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SURVEY

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 88.9 11.1 0 0 0

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SURVEY

The school handles complaints from parents well 51.4 41.4 7.1 0 0

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SURVEY

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 56.9 43.1 0 0 0

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SURVEY

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 79.2 19.4 1.4 0 0

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SURVEY

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 90.3 9.7 0 0 0

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SURVEY

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 59.7 38.9 1.4 0 0

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SURVEY

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 61.1 37.5 0 1.4 0

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SURVEY

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 77.8 22.2 0 0 0

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SURVEY

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 69.4 30.6 0 0 0

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SURVEY

My child(ren) like(s) school 88.9 11.1 0 0 0

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SURVEY

There were no negative comments from parents at the parents’ meeting, and only one negative comment about the work pupils were expected to do at home.

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SURVEY

The questionnaires returned by parents showed very high levels of satisfaction. Those parents who returned the questionnaire either agreed or strongly agreed with seven of the eleven statements. The inspection team fully supports the parents’ positive views.

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