Sedley's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Sedley’s Church of England (VC) Primary School

Unique Reference Number : 118595 Inspection Number: 187621

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Sedley’s Church of England (VC) Primary School

Reporting inspector: Mike Capper OIN23239

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Sedley’s Church of England (VC) Primary School

Dates of inspection: November 15 th – 18 th 1999

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Sedley’s Church of England (VC) Primary School

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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Sedley’s Church of England (VC) Primary School

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Street, Southfleet, Kent DA13 9NR

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Canon Clifford Goble

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: February 28 th – March 1 st 1996 Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities Mike Capper English History Geography Information Technology Religious Education French

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Under fives Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development Leadership and Management Staffing, Accommodation and Learning Resources Efficiency

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alison Cartlidge Mathematics Science Art Design and technology Music Physical Education Attainment and Progress Teaching Curriculum and Assessment Special Educational Needs

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Roger Williams Lay Inspector Attitudes and Behaviour Attendance Support and Guidance Partnership with Parents Equal Opportunities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Barron Educational Company Limited Hendre, Loudwater Lane, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 4AN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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 in writing with OFSTED by writing to:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 5

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MAIN FINDINGS

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

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INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of the school 1 - 4 Key indicators

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Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

Attainment and progress 4 - 14 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 15 - 18 Attendance 19

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Quality of education provided

Teaching 20 - 29 The curriculum and assessment 30 - 35 Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 36 - 40 Support, guidance and pupils' welfare 41 - 44 Partnership with parents and the community 45 - 51

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The management and efficiency of the school

Leadership and management 52 - 59 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 60 - 67 The efficiency of the school 68 - 74

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

Areas of learning for children under five 75 - 88

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

English, mathematics and science 89 - 125

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What the school does well

• . Teaching is overall good for children under five and in Years 5 and 6 and is always at least sfactory in the rest of the school • . Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and they are given very good port from teachers and learning support assistants • . Pupils behave very well and enjoy coming to school • . Pupils are given very good opportunities to take part in extracurricular activities • . The school has a good ethos with all members of staff committed to raising attainment • . The school’s good links with the local community make a good contribution to pupils’ ning

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Where the school has weaknesses

I. Pupils do not achieve satisfactory standards in information technology and religious cation II. The curriculum lacks balance, with too little time allocated to subjects other than English, hematics and physical education III. The school is poorly resourced IV. The high number of inexperienced teachers in the school means that the headteacher and or teacher have unrealistic work loads and are unable to monitor teaching and learning effectively V. There is no clear long term financial plan for the development of the school

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the weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to

parents or guardians of pupils at the school.

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

The school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection. Many of the weaknesses identified at that time have been successfully addressed. Provision for children under five is now good with these children being taught separately in a specially adapted area of the school. Pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science remains broadly similar and there is less unsatisfactory teaching than was found in the last inspection. The high standard of teaching for older pupils has been maintained. The school has introduced schemes of work for all subjects and the headteacher is currently developing new procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress. These have not been in place long enough to have a significant impact on raising standards throughout the school. There is a strong commitment throughout the school to further raising attainment and the headteacher has a good awareness of what needs to be done to improve standards. The school is in a sound

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

position to make the necessary improvements, although the pace of change will be slower than desirable due to the high number of inexperienced teachers.

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Standards in subjects

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

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similar schools

Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 7 well above average A above B average C below D

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similar schools

well below average E English C C Mathematics C C Science C C

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similar schools

The number of pupils taking the end of key stage tests is small and results vary significantly from year- to-year.

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similar schools

Inspection findings are that children under five in the reception class make good progress overall. By the age of five their attainment meets the expectations of the nationally recognised ‘desirable outcomes for children’s learning’ in mathematics, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative and physical development and personal and social development.

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similar schools

In Key Stages 1 and 2 pupils make satisfactory progress in English, mathematics and science and by the end of both key stages their attainment is in line with national averages. Pupils’ attainment is well below national expectations in information technology and they make poor progress. Pupils make unsatisfactory progress in religious education and their attainment does not meet the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus in religious education. Pupils have a poor understanding of faiths other than Christianity.

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similar schools

Pupils’ attainment is very good in swimming. Pupils achieve satisfactory standards and make satisfactory progress in other subjects.

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

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

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

Teaching was never less than satisfactory and was very good in three per cent of lessons and good in thirty-four per cent of lessons. Teaching was satisfactory in sixty-three per cent of lessons. Teaching was good overall for children under five and in Years 5 and 6.

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

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

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour Very good. Pupils are hard working and concentrate well. They are courteous and polite to visitors and behave sensibly both in Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 8 and out of the classroom. Attendance Good. The rate of attendance is above the national average. Pupils arrive punctually at the start of each day.

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Aspect Comment

Ethos* Good. Relationships throughout the school are good. All members of staff are committed to improving the quality of education provided by the school. Leadership and management Overall, satisfactory. The headteacher has introduced many useful initiatives since her appointment and has a good awareness of where the school has weaknesses. The governing body is supportive. However, both the headteacher and senior teacher have heavy workloads. As a result, the management of subjects is unsatisfactory and insufficient time is allowed for monitoring the curriculum and supporting inexperienced teachers. Curriculum Overall satisfactory. Teachers long and medium term planning ensures that work builds on pupils’ previous learning. However, the curriculum lacks balance in Key Stages 1 and 2. Pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported and make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Overall satisfactory. Pupils’ moral and social development is good. However, pupils are given few opportunities to learn about cultures other than their own. Staffing, resources and accommodation Overall unsatisfactory. The school has a high number of inexperienced teachers and is poorly resourced. Accommodation is satisfactory. Value for money Satisfactory

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Aspect Comment

* Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards.

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happy about

VI. Children are happy at school VII. Teachers are approachable and care well he children VIII. Parents are encouraged to get involved chool life IX. Children are given very good opportunities ke part in various clubs X. The amount of homework their children

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happy about

Inspection findings support parents’ positive views. Arrangements for homework are satisfactory. The security and safety of pupils has been greatly improved by the closure of a school gate that opened out on to a busy road. The headteacher has introduced regular newsletters that include some information on topics, but this could be developed further. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 9

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

In order to improve the quality of education provided by the school the headteacher, staff and governing body should:

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

XIII. Raise attainment in information technology by Arranging suitable training to improve teachers’ confidence in teaching the subject; Using the scheme of work to plan what skills pupils are expected to learn each term; Identifying in lesson planning where information technology can be used to support learning; Making more effective use of available resources; Improving resources so that they are sufficient to cover all aspects of the National Curriculum.

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

(Paragraphs 10, 23, 31, 65, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

XIV. Raise attainment in religious education by ensuring that pupils are given appropriate opportunities to learn about religions other than Christianity.

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

(Paragraphs 10, 23, 31, 65, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

XV. Improve the balance of the curriculum by Ensuring that sufficient time is allocated to subjects other than English, mathematics and physical education Considering the effectiveness of quiet reading sessions Identifying how more time can be allowed for pupils to learn about different cultures in geography, to study the different aspects of the music curriculum, to devise their own investigations in science and to study various faiths in religious education.

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

(Paragraphs 31, 121, 139, 147, 153, 168, 191)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

XVI. Develop a long term financial strategy for the development of the school which should take due account of The impact of the high number of inexperienced teachers on the leadership of the school and the management and monitoring of curriculum areas; The need to provide unqualified and newly qualified teachers with regular and focused support in all curriculum areas; The need to improve resources in English, information technology, geography, science, mathematics and religious education; The financial impact of having a very small reception class.

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

(Paragraphs 52, 53, 54, 55, 65, 68, 69, 70, 103, 114, 125, 148, 162, 192)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

In addition to the key issues above, the following areas for improvement should be considered for inclusion in the action plan. These refer to weaknesses identified in paragraphs 24, 35, 44, 64, 94 and 103.

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

XVII. Remedy weaknesses in accommodation By rectifying outstanding health and safety issues; Considering how to make better use of the library; Looking at ways to lessen the impact of having a serving hatch in a classroom.

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

XVIII. Identify strategies to develop pupils’ ability to ‘read for meaning’ in Key Stage 1. XIX. Ensure that teachers’ lesson planning consistently identifies expectations for pupils of differing ages or prior attainment. XX. Ensure that new procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are used by all teachers in all subjects. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 10

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Characteristics of the school

1. Sedley’s Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School is situated in the village of Southfleet which is a small rural community in the county of Kent. The school is housed in buildings that date from the 17 th century. The majority of pupils attending the school live in Southfleet or one of the surrounding villages. Many parents choose to send their children to the school from outside the catchment area. There are 74 boys and girls in the school and they are taught in four classes, three of which are mixed-age. Children are admitted into the school at the beginning of the autumn or spring term according to when they reach the age of five. At the time of inspection there were two children aged under five in the reception class. Tests taken when pupils start school confirm that attainment on entry is average. Many children attend a playgroup in the village or private nurseries before starting

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Characteristics of the school

school. Ten per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is below the national average. There are 27 pupils on the school’s special needs’ register, which is above the national average. Two pupils have statements of special educational need. All pupils come from homes where English is the first language.

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Characteristics of the school

2. There have been several staff changes since the last inspection in February 1996, with three members of staff appointed in the last year. The present headteacher was appointed in September 1998. Since the last inspection, an air-raid shelter has been modernised and adapted to provide accommodation for children under five.

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Characteristics of the school

XXI. ‘To serve the community by providing an excellent education for pupils of all abilities and backgrounds in the context of Christian beliefs and practices and to educate each child to his/her potential; mentally, physically and spiritually’.

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Characteristics of the school

4. The school’s main priorities in the current year are to:

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Characteristics of the school

• . Successfully implement the National Numeracy Strategy; • . Develop a whole school approach to school improvement • . Develop the identity of the school as a Church School. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 11

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999 7(8) 6(7) 13(15)

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics Number of pupils Boys 6(4) 6(6) 6(7) at NC Level 2 or Girls 6(7) 5(7) 6(7) above Total 12(11) 11(13) 12(14) Percentage at NC School 92(73) 84(87) 92 (93) Level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 6(4) 6(7) 6(8) at NC Level 2 or Girls 6(7) 6(7) 6(7) above Total 12(11) 12(14) 12(15) Percentage at NC School 92(73) 92(93) 92(100) Level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (84)

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Attainment at Key Stage 2 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999 8(7) 7(4) 15(11)

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Attainment at Key Stage 2 2

National Curriculum Test Results English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 4(3) 6(3) 6(5) at NC Level 4 or Girls 7(3) 5(2) 5(2) above Total 11(6) 11(5) 11(7) Percentage at NC School 74(55) 73(45) 74(64) Level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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Attainment at Key Stage 2 2

Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 6(4) 4(3) 7(6) at NC Level 4 or Girls 7(2) 5(2) 6(2) above Total 13(6) 9(5) 13(8) Percentage at NC School 86(55) 60(45) 87(73) Level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72)

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Attainment at Key Stage 2 2

Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 12

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Attendance

missed through absence for the Authorised School 4.3 latest complete reporting year Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.02 Absence National comparative data 0.5

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Exclusions

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

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Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is : % Very good or better 3 Satisfactory or better 100 Less than satisfactory 0 Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 13

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Attainment and progress

5. Standards of attainment vary considerably from year to year according to the number of pupils with special educational needs in each year group.

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Attainment and progress

6. Children enter the school with attainment that is average and results from tests used when the children first start school confirm this. The attainment of children by the age of five meets the expectations of the nationally recognised ‘desirable outcomes’ in all areas of learning and children make good progress. This is an improvement since the time of the last inspection, when there was evidence of some underachievement.

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Attainment and progress

7. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment is in line with the national averages in English, mathematics and science. In the end of Key Stage 1 tests in 1999, pupils’ attainment was below average in English and average in mathematics and science when compared with all schools and with similar schools. However, the number of pupils achieving the higher Level 3 in reading was well above average.

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Attainment and progress

8. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ attainment is in line with national averages in English, mathematics and science. In the National Curriculum end of key stage tests in 1999, pupils’ attainment was average in all three subjects when compared with all schools and with similar schools. An above average number of pupils achieved the higher Level 5 in English but a well below average number achieved Level 5 in mathematics.

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Attainment and progress

9. A small number of pupils take the tests each year and results are not a reliable indicator of trends in attainment and progress over time. However, when looking at test scores for the last three years, results have remained broadly the same since the last inspection in 1996. The school has set realistic targets for improving literacy and numeracy standards throughout the school.

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Attainment and progress

10. Throughout the school, achieve satisfactory standards in art, design and technology, history, geography, the singing aspect of music and physical education. Pupils’ attainment is well below national expectations in information technology and below the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. Attainment has gone down in information technology and religious education since the last inspection. Pupils have insufficient opportunities in both these subjects to develop skills, knowledge and understanding.

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Attainment and progress

11. At both key stages in tests there is a significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls, particularly in reading, with boys consistently gaining lower results. The school has identified this as an issue that needs addressing, with a particular need to consider how reading resources could be made more interesting to boys. National test results indicate a wide spread of attainment with both higher and lower attaining pupils achieving appropriately. There are no differences in the attainment of pupils from differing backgrounds.

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Attainment and progress

12. At both key stages, pupils make satisfactory progress in English, mathematics, science, art, design and technology, geography, history, the singing aspect of music and physical education. Pupils make good progress in learning to swim. They make unsatisfactory progress in learning about different faiths in religious education and poor progress in developing skills in information technology. Overall, higher attaining pupils make satisfactory progress.

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Attainment and progress

13. Pupils who have been identified as having special educational needs receive very good support from learning support assistants and teachers and make good progress in both key stages. Pupils are consistently provided with carefully planned work that meets their individual needs. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 14 14. Standards of literacy and numeracy are satisfactory at both key stages, with some underachievement in Year 5 due to a high turnover of teachers for these pupils in1998. A scrutiny of work of these pupils for the year prior to the inspection indicates that in English and mathematics, in particular, many pupils had made unsatisfactory progress. Nevertheless, all pupils are able to use their literacy and numeracy skills to support their work in other subjects.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

15. Pupils have good attitudes to learning. They are interested in their work and show sustained concentration. They participate fully in lessons, take an active part in discussions and carry out their work with care.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

16. Pupils’ behaviour is very good. They show consideration for others in the playground and in the classroom. They enjoy their meals in a pleasant atmosphere in the dining room. Their exemplary behaviour makes a significant contribution to their progress and to the ethos of the school. They show care and respect for the building, equipment and resources. During the inspection, no incidents of bullying were seen or reported, and the school deals fairly with any breaches of the discipline code. Children under five settle well in to school and make good progress in developing personal and social skills. They are happy, confident and well behaved. They are enthusiastic about their schoolwork and try hard in all activities.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

17. The good relationships between pupils and teachers contribute to a happy and relaxed atmosphere in class, which add to the strength of pupils’ learning. Pupils are considerate to one another and are friendly and courteous to adults. They work well together in lessons and support each other with help and advice when necessary. In a dance lesson, for instance, Year 1 and 2 pupils work well together playing percussion instruments and practising dance movements and this helps to produce good results. Children under five co-operate well and form good relationships with each other and their teachers.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

18. Pupils’ personal development at the school is satisfactory overall. They are expected to carry out some tasks to give experience in taking greater responsibility, but they are not particularly wide- ranging or developmental. For instance, there was no evidence of significant use of the library or of use of individual research within curriculum areas by pupils.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

19. Levels of attendance at the school are good and are above the national average. This good attendance has been maintained since the time of the last inspection. During the inspection, pupils arrived on time, and there was a prompt start to lessons.

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Teaching

20. The quality of teaching is never less than satisfactory, with thirty-four per cent of lessons being good and three percent very good. Most of the good teaching is with the children under five and in the Years 5 and 6 class. The quality of teaching in these two age groups is a strength of the school. There have been many recent changes of staff, with only one teacher remaining from the time of the last inspection. The other four teachers have been appointed in the last two years. Teaching was found to be good overall at the time of the last inspection, with some unsatisfactory aspects of teaching for children under five.

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Teaching

21. The teaching of children under five is now good overall. This is an improvement since the last inspection when work for children under five was unstructured and lacked challenge. In addition children were often unsupervised. This is no longer the case. The teachers have a good understanding of the needs of children under five and manage them well. They make good use of day Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 15 to day assessment to help them plan future work.

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Teaching

22. As at the time of the last inspection, pupils with special educational needs are given valuable, focused support in class by well trained and experienced learning support assistants. This enables pupils to make good progress particularly in English and mathematics. Most parents are pleased with the support given to pupils with special educational needs and this provision is also a strength of the school.

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Teaching

23. Teachers have a sound knowledge of the subjects they teach with a good knowledge being demonstrated at the end of Key Stage 2. However, several teachers lack confidence in teaching music, religious education and information technology.

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Teaching

24. Teachers have appropriate expectations of what pupils should achieve in most lessons although occasionally higher attaining pupils are provided with insufficiently challenging work. Teachers have a clear understanding of the expectations of the literacy and numeracy hours. Lesson planning is satisfactory overall, with good quality planning for Years 5 and 6. However, some of the lesson plans written by the less experienced teachers are insufficiently specific about what higher attaining pupils are expected to achieve in subjects other than English and mathematics.

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Teaching

25. Teachers use questioning effectively in discussions. This is particularly evident at the end of Key Stage 2, where questioning is often rigorous and the teacher has high expectations of pupils’ answers.

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Teaching

26. Throughout the school, there is a satisfactory balance between teacher-led, group and individual work and time is used effectively in most lessons. All teachers make it clear how long pupils have to complete a piece of work and give time warnings to encourage them to finish on time. However, occasionally teachers spend too long talking to pupils at the start of the lesson and this means that pupils become restless and do not fully concentrate. Short discussions at the end of most lessons are used effectively to reinforce what has been learnt.

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Teaching

27. Relationships between teachers and pupils are good. Teachers are friendly and enthusiastic and manage pupils’ behaviour effectively.

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Teaching

28. Day-to-day assessment is satisfactory, overall. There is a new marking policy setting out clear information about how to use marking effectively. Teachers regularly mark pupils’ work and give good verbal feedback to pupils during lessons. Some written comments in pupils’ books are effective in showing what pupils need to do next. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are involved in setting their own targets for improvement. However, not all teachers record in their lesson plans how well pupils have achieved so that they know what needs to be taught next.

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Teaching

29. Some parents are unhappy with the amount of homework their children receive. However, inspection findings are that the provision for homework is satisfactory. Key Stage 1 pupils take spellings and reading books home and Key Stage 2 pupils receive other pieces of work once or twice a week. All parents are given information on the topics to be studied so that they can help their children at home. These activities help parents to become involved in their children’s education and help pupils to consolidate skills and learn new facts.

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Teaching

30. The curriculum provided for children under five is satisfactory and provides a sound foundation for children entering the statutory years of education. Children are provided with appropriate experiences. Where there are limitations it is due largely to the restrictions imposed by the accommodation, rather than any weakness in planning or provision. For example, there is insufficient space in the classroom to set out a more than a few activities at once, so children get few opportunities to make choices about what they want to do. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 16 31. Overall, the curriculum is satisfactory and it prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education. However, there is a lack of breadth and balance in current provision. Although all the subjects of the National Curriculum as well as religious education and drugs and sex education are taught, too little time is allocated to the teaching of subjects other than English, mathematics and

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Teaching

physical education. Whilst standards in most subjects are satisfactory overall, standards are affected, particularly in religious education and information technology. At Key Stage 2, too little time is allocated to science and this means that pupils have insufficient time to develop their investigative skills fully. Throughout the school, information technology is not timetabled and there are few opportunities for pupils to develop skills using the computers in other lessons. In religious education, insufficient time is allowed for pupils to learn about faiths other than Christianity. In some other subjects such as music pupils follow a restricted curriculum.

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Teaching

32. There are satisfactory systems for planning the curriculum with new overviews showing when different topics are to be taught. The school has appropriate schemes of work for all subjects and the quality of teachers’ medium-term planning is at least satisfactory with good detail included in the plans for Years 5 and 6. This is an improvement from the time of the last inspection when there were few schemes of work. Subject policy documents have been reviewed recently, but are not yet fully implemented.

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Teaching

33. The school provides a very good range of extracurricular activities including football, netball, guitar, recorders, art and flower arranging. These are well attended and enjoyed by pupils. There are suitable opportunities for pupils to take part in competitive sport. The school organises football and netball matches against other schools and takes part in swimming galas. Several pupils have represented the county in swimming. Pupils take part in an annual sports day as well as in team games during physical education lessons. Parents are pleased with the opportunities the school provides outside lesson time.

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Teaching

34. All pupils have equal access to the curriculum and the provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Well written individual education plans and effective support in class enables pupils with special educational needs to make good progress, particularly in English and mathematics. The school is complying fully with the requirements of the special needs’ Code of Practice. The special needs’ register is kept up to date and there are thorough systems for tracking pupils’ progress and monitoring their work.

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Teaching

35. Overall, procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory. The assessment of younger children’s attainment and progress is good. An assessment is used when children first start school to identify needs and detailed records of children’s progress are kept. The school has developed appropriate procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress in English, mathematics and science in Key Stages 1 and 2. This is an improvement since the last inspection when record keeping was found to be unmanageable. Assessment on other subjects consists of informal notes and these are insufficiently specific to help teachers when planning work. There is a good assessment policy providing teachers with clear guidance on what is expected. However, not all the procedures are being fully implemented. For example, a simple colour coded system for showing what pupils have learnt in lessons is only being used by two teachers. All teachers carry out half-termly

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Teaching

reviews on pupils’ progress in English and mathematics and these are effective in helping teachers to plan future work. An assessment week at the start of the school year helps teachers to set targets for pupils in English and mathematics. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 set their own targets in consultation with the teacher. Samples of pupils’ work are kept in English, mathematics and science and these help to show progress over time. The school carries out the National Curriculum tests and teachers’ assessments are usually accurate.

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Teaching

· Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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Teaching

36. Overall, provision for the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is satisfactory overall. The school has maintained the good quality of provision identified at the time of the last inspection in social and moral development. However, the quality of pupils’ spiritual and Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 17 cultural development is less effective than at the time of the last inspection, with pupils’ cultural development now unsatisfactory.

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Teaching

37. Pupils are given appropriate opportunities to develop spiritual awareness and to think about ideas and issues that affect them personally. This is achieved through assemblies, lessons and informal discussion. Assemblies are thoughtful and pupils are encouraged to think about their own lives and to reflect on the example of others. In religious education, pupils develop a sound understanding of the Christian faith and often write their own prayers. Pupils regularly visit the parish church to take part in services. Visits from the Vicar to take assemblies contribute well to pupils’ spiritual development. However, topics from the agreed syllabus are not effectively covered. Opportunities to explore religions other than Christianity are very limited and pupils have a poor understanding of what it means to be a member of a different religion.

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Teaching

38. Pupils’ moral development is good. The school takes good care to teach worthwhile values and parents indicate that they approve of the qualities that the school promotes. Pupils are aware of what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and, by the age of five, most appreciate the difference between right and wrong. Pupils are taught to care for each other and to honest and fair at all times.

p.17

Teaching

39. The school makes good provision for pupils’ social development. Teachers work hard to foster good relationships between pupils who are very courteous and helpful to visitors. Pupils regularly raise money for local charities and take part in an appropriate range of visits, for example, to museums, historic houses and parks. Pupils in Key Stage 2 have opportunities to go on residential visits. These activities enhance the curriculum and broaden pupils’ social awareness. Pupils are given good opportunities to develop an understanding of their own role as part of the school community and they happily take on responsibility for aspects of school. Older pupils act as ‘helpers’ in class and all pupils are expected to take responsibility for tidying up the classroom at the end of a lesson. Pupils are encouraged to celebrate each other’s achievements, sometimes spontaneously applauding good work.

p.17

Teaching

40. Pupils’ cultural development is unsatisfactory. Pupils are provided with appropriate experiences to enable them to appreciate the culture of their own community. In particular, they develop a good understanding of the historical significance of their school buildings and its place in the local community. Pupils learn Maypole dances and traditional country skills such as flower arranging. However, pupils have few opportunities to learn about other cultures or to develop an appreciation of the cultural diversity of modern society. Insufficient emphasis is given in geography to studying different countries and opportunities to study different cultures in music and art are missed due to the low time allocated to the subjects. The school has insufficient resources to promote cultural awareness.

p.17

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

41. The school provides a satisfactory level of support, guidance and welfare for its pupils. Teachers and support assistants are caring, and they interact sensitively with pupils and respond to their personal needs. This is particularly evident in the good provision for pupils with special educational needs. Since the last inspection, the school has introduced new systems for monitoring progress and personal development for all pupils. These are in the early stages and are not yet being used effectively by all teachers.

p.17

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

42. There are good procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour, and all pupils are expected to take responsibility for their actions. There is an effective system for rewarding good behaviour, which is consistently applied by all staff. Incidents involving bad behaviour are rare, and are dealt with quickly and appropriately by the school. Parents are pleased with pupils’ behaviour, and the standards taught by the school.

p.17

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

43. The school has very good procedures for monitoring attendance. Class teachers keep comprehensive and efficient records and the headteacher monitors absence and lateness continually. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 18 The school endeavours to dissuade parents from removing children for holidays during term time, and keeps them informed of pupils’ absence and lateness records. There is good liaison with the educational welfare service.

p.17

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

44. Child protection arrangements at the school are well catered for by the headteacher, who has ensured that all members of staff are trained appropriately; but the overall provision for pupils’ wellbeing and safety is unsatisfactory. The inspection found a number of examples of lack of maintenance of fixtures and fittings that have not been afforded sufficient priority by the school. The erection of a new fence at the roadside of the playground is a sensible safety measure, but it has increased the risk of accidents at the main gate, where there is a steep drop to the roadway. The school is also aware of the dangers presented by the fixed wooden play equipment in the playground but has not yet remedied this risk.

p.18

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

· Partnership with parents and the local community

p.18

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

45. The school has good working relationships with most parents and has good links with the community. Information provided for parents is satisfactory. Regular newsletters have been introduced. These give appropriate information to parents of forthcoming curriculum topics and the commitments of the headteacher, as well as other events and activities. The provision of interim reports on pupils’ progress, to which pupils also contribute targets, is a good initiative which parents appreciate. Some parents expressed a desire for more information and the school has identified the need to further develop communication so that parents receive more information on what is being taught. The lack of consultation over the erection of the safety fence and closure of the entrance, although a sound safety measure, has concerned a small group of parents, who feel rebuffed and who do not find it easy to approach the school with their problems as a result.

p.18

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

46. There is good parental involvement in their children’s learning. There is a regular group of parent volunteers, and other friends of the school, who help in classrooms. Other parents help with outside visits and a father made a Maypole for the school. There is useful communication with parents, through the use of reading diaries, and most parents hear their children read at home.

p.18

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

47. Provision for parents before their children start school are good. All parents are invited to a meeting and children spend time in school in the term before they are admitted full time.

p.18

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

48. A significant minority of parents who responded to the pre-inspection survey expressed dissatisfaction with homework set by the school. The inspection found that, since the staffing situation has stabilised, most parents are now satisfied with the level of homework.

p.18

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

49. The school has good links with the community, and the association of parents and friends performs a valuable role, organising events and functions for the school and village, as well as raising substantial sums of money. Links with the Church are strong, further cementing relationships with the village, through services and other Church events. Pupils visit a local nursing home and senior citizens’ group, and actively participate in industry sponsored events. A highlight involved pupils, in costume, dancing around a Maypole at Glaxo Wellcome’s centenary event. Visits are made to places of educational interest, and sound use is made of a variety of visitors to the school.

p.18

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

50. The school has reacted positively to the comment made at the time of the last inspection, that curriculum links with secondary schools required improvement, despite the large number of secondary schools available to pupils on transfer. The headteacher is a member of the liaison steering committee for local schools, and pupils use Swan Valley school gymnasium. There is also regular liaison and contact between pupils and staff of other schools through the Education Business Partnership sponsored events.

p.18

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

51. These strong, well-planned links add significant enrichment to pupils’ work and help to raise attainment. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 19 · THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

p.18

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

52. Overall, the headteacher and governing body provide satisfactory leadership and set a clear direction for the educational work of the school. As at the time of the last inspection, the day-to-day management and organisation of the school are good and the headteacher has an appropriate vision for the school’s development based on a good understanding of the needs of all its pupils. However, the high number of inexperienced teachers on the staff has a negative impact on the leadership of the school as it means responsibilities cannot be properly delegated. As a result, the workload of experienced members of staff is unrealistic.

p.19

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

53. The school made an effective response to the last inspection and has made satisfactory progress overall since then. Issues identified in the last inspection report have been addressed. The school has introduced a new curriculum framework and schemes of work to help teachers with planning. New assessment arrangements have also been developed but are very recent and have not yet had a significant impact on improving attainment. Provision for children under five is now good. Pupils’ levels of attainment remain broadly similar in English, mathematics and science. There is a strong commitment throughout the school to further raising attainment and the headteacher has a good awareness of what needs to be done to improve standards. The school is in a sound position to make the necessary improvements, although the pace of change will be slower than desirable due to the high number of inexperienced teachers.

p.19

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

54. The headteacher and governing body have established clear priorities for improvement, which are identified in the school development plan. This contains appropriate targets but does not clearly identify how achievements are to be measured and evaluated. However, a significant weakness of the plan for improvement is that it does not indicate how much individual initiatives will cost or how improvement it is to be funded.

p.19

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

55. Since her appointment in September 1998, the headteacher has developed a sound working knowledge of the school. However, the headteacher has a nearly full time teaching commitment and has few experienced teachers who can give her support. As a result, the management of subjects that was identified as unsatisfactory in the last inspection report remains a significant weakness of the school’s management. The management of subjects is largely shared between the headteacher and senior teacher. They have too many responsibilities and, as a result, the support and monitoring of curriculum development is unsatisfactory. The headteacher monitors all teachers’ planning and together with her senior teacher has begun to monitor the quality of teaching and learning through classroom observation. This has been effective in identifying some strengths and weaknesses, but has been too infrequent to have a significant impact on the work of the school.

p.19

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

56. The implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategies has been soundly managed and the school is beginning to monitor the effectiveness of teaching, particularly in literacy. Members of staff are given suitable training and funds to purchase resources are being used appropriately.

p.19

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

57. The governing body continues to be supportive of the work of the school. Governors know the school well and have a good relationship with the headteacher. There are several committees that meet regularly and perform useful roles. These include monitoring finances and identifying areas for development on the school site. Governors are committed to monitoring the work of the school. They are given good information by the headteacher on the results of the end of key stage tests and visit classrooms so that they can see teachers and pupils at work. However, this is insufficiently frequent or focused to enable the whole governing body to develop a clear understanding of what is being taught to the pupils. The annual governors’ report to parents and the school prospectus are attractively presented and give a clear picture of the school’s work.

p.19

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

58. Management of provision for pupils with special education needs is good. The school is fully Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 20 complying with the Code of Practice for pupils with special educational needs.

p.19

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

59. The school has appropriate aims, values and policies that are clearly understood and supported by most parents and all members of staff. The school has a good ethos that is reflected in all aspects of school life.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

· Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

60. The school has a good number of teachers for its size. However, a high number of these teachers are very inexperienced, with one newly qualified teacher and one unqualified teacher on the staff. This has meant that it has been impossible for the headteacher to delegate responsibilities as effectively as is desirable. The school has a higher than average number of leaning support assistants. They are well trained and give very good support to teachers, particularly in their work with pupils who have special educational needs. Members of staff have clear job descriptions that identify their specific roles.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

61. Arrangements for the induction of new members of staff are satisfactory and the most recently appointed members of staff have been given a thorough introduction to the school. New members of staff are given a ‘mentor’ for support. However, the support offered to newly qualified teachers does not comply with current guidelines. In particular, the newly qualified teacher currently has a full teaching timetable. Although the school has made arrangements for recommended release time from next term, the current arrangement is unsatisfactory. Newly qualified teachers are also being asked to take responsibility for curriculum areas without being given the necessary training. This has a negative impact on the management of subjects. As at the time of the last inspection, arrangements for the appraisal of staff are satisfactory.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

62. The headteacher is strongly committed to involving all members of staff in professional development. Teachers and learning support assistants have appropriate opportunities to strengthen their skills and are encouraged to attend suitable in-service training courses. These have had a positive impact on the quality of education provided by the school, for example by increasing teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the expectations of the ‘literacy hour’.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

63. A conscientious cleaner in charge ensures that the building and site are cleaned to a good standard. The lunchtime supervisors make a positive contribution to the life of the school.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

64. The school is housed in a very old ‘listed’ building which overall provides satisfactory accommodation. The quality of the accommodation has been improved since the last inspection, with the development of a reception classroom in a modernised air-raid shelter. However, this classroom is very small and there is little storage space. Throughout the school, good use is made of available accommodation and there is sufficient space for the number of children. Teachers use displays to make the corridors and classrooms look attractive. Nevertheless, the school building has some significant weaknesses. In particular, the location of the library means that it cannot be used effectively and the noise from a serving hatch in the Year 5 and 6 class can be a significant distraction when pupils are working. There is also a lack a storage space which means it is difficult for pupils to make choices about resources in subjects such as science and design and technology. These were

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

identified as weaknesses in the last inspection and have not been improved since then. The hall is used effectively for physical education lessons and music lessons. The small playground provides sufficient play space for the number of pupils. The school makes appropriate use of a nearby playing field for physical education and also visits a local leisure centre and a neighbouring secondary school for swimming and physical education lessons.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

65. The provision of learning resources is unsatisfactory, with significant weaknesses in many subjects. Similar shortfalls were found in some subjects at the time of the last inspection. This has a significant impact on pupils’ learning in subjects like information technology, where computers are old and there is insufficient software. In religious education, there are few resources to support teaching about religions other than Christianity. In other subjects, teachers improvise well to cover up shortfalls, Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 21 for example by photocopying books or borrowing items. However, there is a significant shortage of reading books for older pupils and many books in the reading scheme are old and tatty. The school has few resources to support investigative work in mathematics or science and has very few maps or atlases for geographical work.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

66. Resources for children under five are satisfactory and have improved considerably since the last inspection. There are now sufficient resources to support the small number of children in the reception class. Resources are used effectively and are made accessible to pupils during lessons.

p.21

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

67. The use of resources outside the school is satisfactory. The local area is used effectively for studies in history and geography. Regular visits are made to stimulate pupils’ interest in their work.

p.21

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

68. Overall, the efficiency of the school is unsatisfactory. Although the day-to-day control of finances is good, as at the time of the last inspection, the school has no clear long-term financial strategy for the school’s development. The school maintains a small contingency fund, but this will not be sufficient to maintain current staffing levels if the number on roll stays the same. The small reception class is not cost effective given its present size and the governing body has no clear plan for addressing this issue. Educational priorities identified by the school are not effectively supported through careful financial planning. The headteacher has established appropriate targets for the development of the school. However, the school development plan gives no indication of how improvement is to be funded and the cost of individual targets is not itemised.

p.21

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

69. The governing body has a sound understanding of the part it plays in the financial management of the school. As at the time of the last inspection, governors are aware of the implications of low pupil numbers but have not made budget forecasts to identify its impact. The finance committee meets regularly to look at spending. However, insufficient time is given to evaluating the effectiveness of spending on raising standards of attainment. In particular, it is clear that a major consideration in the appointment of unqualified teachers over the past year has been the money this would save. There is little evidence that the impact of such appointments on the overall quality of education provided by the school was considered.

p.21

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

70. Members of staff are not deployed efficiently. The school has a high number of teachers and support staff for the number of pupils on roll, with the reception class in particular having a very high teacher to pupil ratio. This is particularly so when extra support is given to the reception class in the form of a learning support assistant. Accommodation is used effectively to support learning. Available learning resources are used appropriately in the different curriculum areas. Extra funding provided for the implementation of the ‘National Literacy Strategy’ has been used to purchase appropriate extra resources and to enable members of staff to receive suitable training.

p.21

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

71. Funds raised by parents and members of staff, through a range of events, are used effectively to improve the facilities and resources in the school. For example, parents helped to pay for the decoration of classrooms. Additional funding from the ‘Sir John Sedley Foundation’ is used appropriately to support specific projects, such as the development of the reception classroom.

p.21

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

72. The school secretary is very hard working and ensures that daily routines are well managed. She gives good support to the headteacher. There has been no recent audit by the local authority.

p.21

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

73. Funding for pupils with special educational needs is used appropriately to provide additional support in lessons. This makes a positive contribution to improving pupils’ attainment in both key stages.

p.21

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

74. Pupils enter the school with average levels of attainment. The school has a good ethos and the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Pupils make satisfactory progress and they develop positive attitudes to work. The cost per pupil is above average because of the small size of the school. At the Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 22 time of the last inspection, the school was judged to provide good value for money. However, taking all of these factors into account, the school currently provides satisfactory value for money. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 23

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

75. On entry to school the attainment of the children is average. Scores in the tests used when they first start school confirm this. By the age of five, children’s attainment is in line with the nationally recognised desirable outcomes of learning for their age in all areas of learning.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

76. Provision for children under five has improved considerably since the last inspection. Pupils are now taught in a separate reception class that is housed in a modernised and adapted air-raid shelter. This provides adequate, if somewhat cramped accommodation. Standards of attainment have improved since the time of the last inspection, when there was evidence of some underachievement.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

77. Children settle well in to school and make good progress in developing personal and social skills. They are happy, confident and well behaved. They are enthusiastic about their schoolwork and try hard in all activities. Children co-operate well with each other and play sensibly when, for example given opportunities to use small construction kits. They show respect for property, as well as care and concern for each other and develop a sound understanding of the difference between right and wrong. Children have good relationships with adults in the class and work well independently when required to do so by a particular task.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

78. In language and literacy, children make good progress in their development of skills and understanding. They enjoy books, handle them with care and accurately retell a simple story. Children recognise a few simple words and some initial letter sounds to help them ‘guess’ an unknown word. The highest attaining children are beginning to read simple texts and use dictionaries to look for words that they cannot spell. Most children recognise and some can copy-write their names, with more able children writing simple sentences, for example describing what they did at the weekend. Children enjoy listening to stories and respond appropriately, joining in with the teacher when they recognise a story. They talk confidently to each other in group sessions or individually when working together. When ‘showing and telling’ children ask sensible questions.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

79. In mathematics, children make sound progress in developing skills and understanding. Most children can count to ten and the more able recognise and order numbers to twenty. They enjoy number games and use appropriate mathematical language such as ‘add’, ‘bigger than’ and ‘smaller than’. Children sing number songs and know left from right.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

80. Children make good progress in developing knowledge and understanding of the world. They are able to talk about past and present events in their lives and can describe where they live. They know that some animals hibernate and can explain what this means. They talk confidently about the different animal habitats they found on a walk around the local churchyard. Children talk about recent past events in their life and understand that Jesus lived a long time ago. Children confidently use the computer to play simple mathematical games.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

81. In physical development, children show appropriate confidence and make satisfactory progress. They dress themselves quietly and sensibly and have a good awareness of space when playing. The children handle scissors, glue brushes and pencils sensibly in art and design and technology activities and use them successfully to make simple models.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

82. Children make sound progress in creative development. They draw and paint confidently and show increasing control of a range of tools, for example when using clay to make models of small animals. They make interesting models using paper and card and draw pictures to illustrate books. Children enjoy singing and join in with enthusiasm when singing in the classroom or in assembly. Some are able to keep a simple rhythm using instruments or by clapping to the music.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

83. Overall, the quality of teaching of the under-fives is good. This represents an improvement since the last inspection when there were significant weaknesses in the quality of teaching. Teachers Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 24 are calm, caring and patient and are well supported by classroom assistants for some activities. Members of staff know the children well and provide them with good support. Together they are successful in helping the children to become happy and confident at school. Children’s behaviour is well managed. Teachers have high expectations of behaviour and successfully achieve these standards from the children. Lesson planning is sound and includes a variety of practical activities to provide different experiences. Children of differing prior attainment are encouraged to work at an appropriate level, and in some cases, such as work in mathematics, are given work specifically planned

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

to match their individual needs. This is effective in promoting good progress for these children in these lessons. Teachers’ discussions with the children are effective and good use is made of questions to extend learning. Children are encouraged to choose activities carefully.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

84. The curriculum provided for children under five is satisfactory and provides a sound foundation for children entering the statutory years of education. Where there are limitations it is due largely to the restrictions imposed by the accommodation, rather than any weakness in planning or provision. There is insufficient space in the classroom to set out a more than a few activities at once, so children get few opportunities to make choices about what they want to do. The outdoor area is used efficiently, although teachers have identified the need to plan outdoor activities more rigorously. Work is largely planned around the ‘desirable outcomes of learning for children under five’ but appropriate account is taken of Key Stage 1 National Curriculum in teachers’ planning. Work is carefully planned in the medium- and short-term to ensure that all children are provided with a broad and balanced curriculum

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

which is appropriate for their age and ability.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

85. Assessment of children’s attainment and progress is good and has improved since the last inspection. Appropriate use is made of an assessment when children start school to identify their needs. Teachers keep suitable records of children’s progress and use these to help plan future work. A strength of assessment is the very detailed notes that are made in children’s workbooks. These give good information about what has been achieved and are used effectively to identify future areas of learning. Appropriate records of children’s progress are kept.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

86. There is good liaison between the school and home for children under five. Parents are welcomed into school at any time to discuss concerns, and new children spend time in the class before they are due to start. These activities help them to settle into school quickly. For homework, children are encouraged to share books with their parents and this helps to maintain the home-school link that has been established before they start school.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

87. Resources for children under five are satisfactory. Indoor resources are readily accessible and are of sound quality. There is a good range of small toys, as well as suitable resources such as construction kits for developing co-ordination skills. Good opportunities are provided for the children to use the local environment to extend their knowledge and understanding of the world.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

88. The classroom is satisfactory for the number of children on roll during the inspection. Nevertheless, it is very small and is cramped when all the children, the teacher and learning support assistant are working in the classroom together. There is very little storage space and there are no toilets. Attractive displays make it a stimulating environment. Children have access to the playground for outdoor activities.

p.24

English

89. Pupils enter school with average levels of attainment in English. Pupils’ attainment by the end of both key stages is in line with national averages. Standards of attainment remain broadly similar to those found at the time of the last inspection. At the time of the last inspection, weaknesses in pupils’ handwriting, spelling and presentation were identified. This is no longer the case. Throughout the school, pupils are generally on target to meet national expectations in all aspects of the subject by the end of each key stage, with the exception of pupils in Year 5, where attainment is below average. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 25 90. The results of the end of key stages tests vary significantly from year to year, due to the small number of pupils in each year group. The number of pupils with special educational needs also changes significantly from year to year. In the 1999 end of Key Stage 1 National Curriculum tests,

p.24

English

pupils’ attainment was below average in reading when compared with all schools and similar schools. The number of pupils achieving the higher Level 3 in reading was well above average. In writing, pupils’ attainment was below average when compared with all schools and well below average when compared with similar schools. In contrast, in 1998, pupils’ attainment in the end of key stage tests was very high in writing and above average in reading when compared to all schools. In the 1999 end of Key Stage 2 tests pupils attainment was average when compared to all and similar schools. An above average number of pupils achieved the higher Level 5. In the previous year, when there was a high number of pupils identified as having special educational needs in the year group, pupils’ attainment was well below average when compared to all and similar schools.

p.25

English

91. An analysis of test results for the last three years indicate that over that time boys achieve lower standards than girls in reading at both key stages. The school has identified this as an issue that needs addressing, with a particular need to consider how reading resources could be made more interesting to boys.

p.25

English

92. Most pupils with special educational needs are achieving at a level appropriate to their prior attainment, and they make good progress in all aspects of the English curriculum. Higher attaining pupils work at suitably challenging levels and make satisfactory progress.

p.25

English

93. Standards of speaking and listening are satisfactory throughout the school. Pupils make satisfactory progress. As they get older, they become more confident about speaking aloud and presenting their views to an audience. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils speak confidently in different situations. Year 1 and 2 pupils accurately describe things that have happened in their lives. They participate well in group discussions and listen carefully to the views of others. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils speak confidently in a range of situations. For example, they talk confidently in class assemblies and explain their reasoning clearly in English lessons. When invited to read their work out, many older pupils project their voices well. Higher attaining pupils are able to present arguments clearly. Pupils listen carefully to the views of others and respond sensitively to each other’s spoken contributions.

p.25

English

94. Pupils make satisfactory progress in reading, although boys make generally slower progress than girls do. They read increasingly difficult texts as they get older, developing increased concentration and levels of understanding. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils know the relationship between groups of letters and the sounds they make. They enjoy reading books and most can do so independently during quiet reading sessions. They use a number of reading strategies to help improve fluency. However, a weakness in their reading is their inability to ‘read for meaning’. Many pupils read very mechanically and have only a limited understanding of what they have read. By the end of Key Stage 2, all pupils have a positive attitude to reading and most read longer texts silently and with good concentration. Most pupils know how to find information from non-fiction books by using the index. Higher attaining pupils read challenging texts with fluency, accuracy, expression and

p.25

English

confidence. Throughout the school, pupils who have been identified as having special educational needs are enthusiastic about reading and read appropriate texts confidently, although their level of understanding is often limited to recalling what has happened in the story.

p.25

English

95. Pupils make satisfactory progress in developing writing skills. Their use of punctuation improves and as they get older, they begin to write longer and more interesting pieces of work. However a scrutiny of the work of pupils in Year 5 indicates that over the past year their progress has been unsatisfactory. The number of staff changes has adversely affected progress over that time for this year group. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils write with good pencil control and express themselves in a suitable range of forms, including factual accounts, poems and stories. They use spelling aids such as dictionaries and word lists to help them spell unfamiliar words and accurately use simple punctuation in their writing. By the end of Key Stage 2, most pupils write neatly using a joined Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 26 cursive style. They identify parts of speech and begin to use interesting vocabulary in their written

p.25

English

work. Pupils successfully write for a range of purposes. Higher attaining pupils accurately use paragraphs and more complex punctuation including speech marks and apostrophes and produce longer pieces of writing. Pupils with special educational needs produce short pieces of written work, using a limited vocabulary and simple punctuation.

p.26

English

96. Pupils work hard in English lessons and concentrate well. Little time is wasted in classes and most pupils show good concentration and perseverance when faced with difficult tasks. Pupils are enthusiastic about books and enjoy sharing their work with each other. In most lessons, they work well co-operatively and try hard to improve their work in the light of the teacher’s comments.

p.26

English

97. Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory in both key stages, with the teaching of pupils in Years 5 and 6 being consistently good. All teachers plan carefully and produce detailed plans showing what pupils are expected to learn from a particular activity. However, lesson planning does not consistently show expectations for pupils of differing prior attainment and on occasions this leads to higher attaining or older pupils being insufficiently challenged. Teachers provide work that builds on pupils’ previous experiences and have appropriate expectations of what pupils should achieve. Teachers have a sound subject knowledge and manage pupils well. Lessons are well paced and resources well prepared. In Years 5 and 6, where teaching is best, lesson planning is very detailed and gives good information about what pupils of differing ability are expected to achieve. The teacher in this class has good subject knowledge and very high expectations of the pupils. Throughout the

p.26

English

school, teachers’ questioning is of very high quality. They use language carefully in order to encourage pupils to think for themselves and challenge them to extend their learning. There is an appropriate balance in all lessons between teacher-led and independent work. However, teachers give pupils few opportunities to use information technology to support learning.

p.26

English

98. Support for pupils with special educational need focuses particularly on the development of language skills and their individual education plans are very detailed, identifying the language skills that are to be developed. Learning support assistants and teachers offer very effective support in the classroom to help these targets to be achieved.

p.26

English

99. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment are satisfactory. Appropriate use is made of testing to monitor progress and teachers keep their own records of what has been achieved. The school is currently trialling a new way of recording progress, but this is not being used by all teachers and so is not yet effective. Work is regularly marked and teachers often add written comments that identify what pupils need to do to improve their work. Marking pupils’ work forms the basis of all teacher assessment and is effective in helping teachers keep track of the progress of individual pupils from lesson to lesson. Teachers keep appropriate records of pupils’ progress in reading, although these occasionally lack detail, being no more than a record of what has been read.

p.26

English

100. All aspects of literacy are given equal emphasis in the curriculum and pupils are effectively encouraged to develop literacy skills when learning about other subjects. Speaking and listening skills are successfully developed through paired, group and class discussions in various subjects. Pupils are given some opportunities to use their reading skills to carry out research in other subjects. However, opportunities are limited by the poor library accommodation. Writing skills are used across the curriculum to record the pupils’ thoughts and findings.

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English

101. The curriculum provided for pupils is broad and balanced, with teachers actively teaching all aspects of the curriculum. The school has allocated a very high amount of time to teaching the subject. However, this time is not always used effectively. Some literacy lessons are too long, and too much time is allocated to quiet reading each day. In most classes, pupils read quietly for 10 minutes at the start of the morning and afternoon session. This lacks structure and although it is useful for allowing teachers to hear pupils read it is not a purposeful use of time. Teachers’ medium-term planning is satisfactory, although inexperienced teachers are not using the recommended literacy hour planning format for their weekly planning. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 27 102. The subject manager has been able to observe all teachers at work in the classroom and has given useful feedback to help improve work. Nevertheless, given the high number of inexperienced

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English

teachers in the school, the level of monitoring is insufficient to give effective support. As a result, the management of the subject is unsatisfactory.

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English

103. Resources for the teaching of English are unsatisfactory. There are insufficient group readers and few books to stimulate boys into enjoying reading. This has a negative impact on boys’’ attainment in reading. The library is poorly located and is not used effectively by pupils and teachers. There are few with a multicultural focus which means that pupils get few opportunities to read about societies that differ from their own.

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English

104. By the end of both key stages, pupils’ attainment is in line with the national average. In the end of key stage tests in 1999, pupils’ attainment was average when compared with all schools and with similar schools. Throughout the school, pupils are generally on target to meet national expectations in all aspects of the subject by the end of each key stage, with the exception of pupils in Year 5, where attainment is below average.

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English

105. However, at the end of Key Stage 2 the number of pupils achieving the higher Level was well below average. An analysis of test results since the last inspection indicates that pupils’ attainment varies from year to year depending on the number of pupils with special educational needs in each year group. Test results are average overall and similar to those found at the time of the last inspection.

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English

106. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils count forwards and back in twos and tens and add and subtract using numbers up to at least twenty. They recognise and understand the meaning of mathematical vocabulary such as ‘minus’, ‘subtract’ and ‘take away’ and know some of the properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes. Higher attaining pupils know that subtraction is the reverse operation of addition and have a better understanding of place value. Lower attaining pupils carry out similar number problems with the support of resources such as counters and number lines. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have a good knowledge of the multiplication tables and use strategies such as rounding up and down to help when adding numbers mentally. They carry out pencil and paper calculations using numbers beyond a thousand. Pupils calculate volume and understand the difference between various angles. They are able to use the 24-hour clock to help them to interpret

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English

timetables. Higher attaining pupils correctly follow a series of mathematical instructions to draw a range of two-dimensional shapes and correctly order a mix of whole numbers, fractions and decimals. Lower attaining pupils work with smaller numbers.

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English

107. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and achieve higher results than expected in relation to their prior attainment. Most years, girls perform better than boys do, although during the inspection there was no evidence of boys being disadvantaged, with boys and girls being equally keen to answer questions during mental mathematics sessions.

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English

108. All pupils make are now making satisfactory progress. However, evidence from the scrutiny of previous work indicates that many pupils in Year 5 made unsatisfactory progress in the past year, when they had a number of different teachers. However, these pupils are now making satisfactory progress. As pupils get older they learn new strategies for making calculations and increase their speed at mental mathematics. They improve their ability to carry out open-ended investigations.

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English

109. As at the time of the last inspection, pupils have a good attitude towards their work and behave well. They listen attentively to the teachers and are keen to answer questions. Occasionally when teachers talk for too long at the start of the lesson pupils become restless and lose concentration. Pupils help to give out resources and share them sensibly.

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English

110. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall with one good lesson and one very good lesson Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 28 observed. This is similar to the quality of teaching found at the time of the last inspection. Teachers have satisfactory knowledge of the subject and are careful to use the correct mathematical terminology during whole class discussions. They write clear lesson plans showing what pupils are expected to learn and expect pupils to explain the strategies they use to help solve mathematical problems. However, on occasions, where teachers are inexperienced, work lacks challenge for higher attaining or older pupils. Throughout the school, teachers provide clear explanations and demonstrations of the work pupils are expected to do. For example, in the very good lesson for pupils in Years 5 and 6, the teacher used an overhead projector and shapes to show how area is measured in squares and how

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English

different shapes can have the same area. In the best lessons there is a good balance between whole class and group activities, time is used effectively, teachers have high expectations of what pupils should achieve in a lesson and use the discussion time at the end of the lesson to reinforce and assess learning. All teachers have good relationships with the pupils and manage them well. Learning support assistants are used effectively to support lower attaining pupils. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are given appropriate homework to reinforce what they have learnt at school. Some parents would like their children to receive more regular mathematics homework in Years 3 and 4.

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English

111. Numeracy skills are given suitable priority and good opportunities are provided for these to be further developed when carrying out work in other subjects. For example, older pupils measure accurately in design and technology.

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English

112. A generous amount of time is allocated to the subject. The school provides a broad and balanced mathematics curriculum. There is a good written policy drawn up by the subject manager and senior teacher, stating the aims for the coming year. The subject is given an appropriately high profile in the school development plan. All teachers have received training in the use of the National Numeracy Strategy and make satisfactory use of the framework and commercial schemes of work. This ensures that pupils’ learning builds on their previous knowledge. Learning support assistants have been provided with good training to enable them to support pupils in class effectively.

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English

113. Provision for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress is satisfactory. Pupils’ work is regularly marked and teachers sometimes identify how a pupil can improve his/her work. The school uses a range of standardised tests and the results from these are beginning to be used to provide useful information on pupils’ attainment and progress over time. Worthwhile notes are made on the work of each pupil every term. These are kept as records along with a sample of work.

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English

114. The subject manager has recently carried out an audit of resources and has found provision in the subject to be unsatisfactory with many resources being old and teachers needing to make their own resources to support lessons. There is insufficient information technology equipment to enable pupils to use it effectively to support their work in the subject. As at the time of the last inspection there is insufficient monitoring of teaching and learning. However, the new members of staff are enthusiastic and ask their more experienced colleagues for advice and the subject manager has started to monitor teachers’ planning and use test results to help identify weaknesses in provision. There is a strong commitment to raising standards further in the subject.

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English

115. By the end of both key stages, pupils’ attainment is in line with the national averages. In the end of key stage assessments in 1999, pupils’ attainment was average when compared with all schools and with similar schools. Attainment has remained broadly the same since the last inspection.

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English

116. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils know that animals need food and water to stay alive and that food provides energy. They understand that too much sugar and fat is bad for the body. They know that some materials change when heated and carry out simple investigations. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils know that soil particles of different sizes, can be separated by sieving. They understand that we see colours because of the way light is reflected and that convex and concave mirrors reflect light differently. Pupils know that seeds are dispersed in various ways. They carry out investigations and understand the need for fair testing. Higher attaining pupils are beginning to use their findings to put Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 29 forward hypotheses.

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English

117. Overall, pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the school. They increase their knowledge of scientific facts and the way science affects our daily lives. However, there is insufficient time for Key Stage 2 pupils to develop their investigative skills fully by devising their own tests and choosing their own equipment.

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English

118. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress and achieve levels appropriate to their prior attainment. Most years, girls achieve higher results than boys do, although during the inspection there was no evidence of boys being disadvantaged and both boys and girls were keen to carry out investigations.

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English

119. As at the time of the last inspection, pupils work well in science lessons. They listen carefully to the teachers and are keen to answer questions. Most pupils concentrate well with or without adult support and enjoy practical activities. However, in one lesson in Years 3 and 4, a few pupils wasted time talking, when they were asked to write their findings of an investigation carried out the previous day. Older pupils co-operate well during investigations and present work neatly in their books.

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English

120. Pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are used effectively in science lessons. All pupils learn to read and spell new scientific vocabulary and use this when writing up their knowledge and findings. Older pupils use protractors to measure the angle of mirrors when investigating the way light travels.

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English

121. The quality of teaching is satisfactory throughout the school with one example of good teaching being observed in Years 5 and 6. Teachers have a satisfactory knowledge of the subject and their lesson plans are clear. However, they do not always show what pupils of differing prior attainment are expected to achieve, particularly in the use of investigative skills. As a result, older or more able pupils are not always challenged by the work they are given. Questioning is used effectively to assess pupils prior knowledge and to encourage them to extend their thinking. All teachers have good relationships with the pupils and manage them in a firm but friendly way. In the best lesson, the teacher made effective links with pupils’ study of Greek legends in history to show how Perseus used his knowledge of the properties of mirrors to view Medusa safely. Teachers sometimes miss opportunities to

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English

encourage pupils to make predictions before carrying out tests. There is no formal homework set, although pupils are encouraged to carry out research and bring in artifacts from home. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 brought periscopes to school as part of a project about light.

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English

122. The science curriculum is broad and balanced and there is a good written policy drawn up in consultation with an advisory teacher. A curriculum framework shows what is to be taught each year and a nationally recommended scheme of work supports teachers’ in their planning. However, the time allocated to the subject at Key Stage 2 is low, particularly for Years 5 and 6. This means that whilst pupils cover the knowledge they are expected to learn, they have insufficient time to develop their investigative skills fully.

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English

123. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment in science are satisfactory. Standardised tests, regular notes and samples of work are kept for each pupil to show attainment and progress over time. However, the subject manager acknowledges that there is a need for a structured checklist for investigative science to help teachers know what skills need to be taught next. The monitoring of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory.

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English

124. Overall, resources for the subject are unsatisfactory with shortages of equipment to support practical work. As at the time of the last inspection there is insufficient space in the classrooms to store resources to enable pupils to make choices about the materials they are going to use. Collections of books and videos are regularly borrowed from the local education authority. However, due to a lack of storage space existing resources are not freely available to pupils to enable them to develop skills in choosing their own equipment when carrying out investigations. Pupils are beginning to use information technology to help them record data using graphs and charts. However, they require adult support when using data handling programmes. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 30 125. Pupils had a valuable opportunity to take part in the centenary celebrations of a local pharmaceuticals company by designing models using a commercial construction kit.

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English

126. The standards of work achieved by the oldest pupils in the school are satisfactory for their age with high standards achieved in observational drawing. This is similar to the attainment found at the time of the last inspection. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 learn some of the differences in art from other cultures and use this knowledge to make their own pictures. Pupils in Years 5 and 6, make very good observational drawings and paintings of fruit and vegetables, showing a good awareness of shading, line and perspective. Pupils at Key Stage 1 make careful clay models of animals and colourful dough baskets of harvest fruit. They use leaves and berries to make interesting collages of faces and make colourful prints using two-dimensional shapes.

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English

127. The progress of pupils is satisfactory. As they get older they increase the range of techniques they can use and improve their ability to observe and make detailed pictures.

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English

128. As at the time of the last inspection, pupils show a positive attitude to their work. They concentrate on the tasks they are given and behave well. They co-operate with each other and share resources sensibly.

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English

129. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers have a satisfactory knowledge of the subject and teach pupils appropriate techniques. They have imaginative ideas but some lesson plans do not show sufficiently clearly what skills pupils are expected to learn in lessons. Teachers have good relationships with the pupils and manage their behaviour well.

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English

130. There is a useful written policy and scheme of work on the teaching of art. This was not the case at the time of the last inspection. The time allocated to the subject is very low at Key Stage 1, limiting opportunities for pupils to experience a breadth of activities. Teachers are responsible for writing their own medium term plans and these are satisfactory overall.

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English

131. Assessment arrangements are unsatisfactory. Informal notes are kept but these do not help teachers in their future planning. No examples of pupils’ work or photographs are kept to show progress over time.

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English

132. Pupils at an after school club used dried flowers to make collage pictures of fashions through the ages. Some of these pictures were of sufficient quality to be displayed at a national flower show.

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English

133. The subject manager is new to the role and whilst there is a clear vision for the future, has had insufficient opportunity to develop the subject. The monitoring of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory. 134. Resources for the subject are unsatisfactory. There are few posters to support work in art appreciation and some art materials are of poor quality.

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English

135. The standards of work achieved by the oldest pupils in the school are satisfactory for their age. This is an improvement since the last inspection when designing and making skills were unsatisfactory. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 31 Pupils in Year 6, design shelters for the youngest pupils to use for play. Their designs include information about the measurements of the structures and the materials to be used. They design and make wearable slippers using a range of materials. At Key Stage 1, pupils design and make Diwa lamps from modelling dough. They use a selection of reclaimed materials to build models of houses.

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English

136. Pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the school. They learn a range of techniques for joining materials and refine their designs. There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to formally evaluate their work.

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English

137. All pupils enjoy design and technology lessons. They share resources sensibly and are patient when waiting for their turn. Older pupils work together well and persevere when they encounter difficulties in their designs.

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English

138. The quality of teaching is satisfactory with an example of good teaching in the reception class. Teachers have a satisfactory knowledge of the subject and are effective in teaching pupils new skills. For example, in one lesson in Years 5 and 6 the teacher taught pupils how to use a hand sewing machine so that they could join two pieces of fabric together quickly. Teachers have good relationships with the pupils and manage them effectively. Good attention is given to making pupils aware of the importance of hygiene and safety during food technology lessons. In the lesson where teaching was good, time was used effectively. However, in other lessons, pupils are not always encouraged to work sufficiently quickly. On occasions, too long is allowed for a particular activity.

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English

139. There is a satisfactory written policy and the school is making effective use of a nationally recommended scheme of work to help with planning. This is an improvement from the time of the last inspection when there was no scheme of work to support teachers in their planning. However, the time allocated to the subject is very low at Key Stage 1, giving pupils insufficient opportunity to work with a range of materials. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to improve their numeracy skills. Younger pupils help to weigh out cooking ingredients and older pupils use their knowledge of shape when measuring triangular panels for a tent. The subject manager has carried out some valuable observations of teaching and shared the findings with colleagues.

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English

140. There are no formal assessments made of pupils’ attainment and progress in design and technology. Although, teachers keep some informal notes, these are not used effectively to help plan future work.

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French

141. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 study French as part of a local authority initiative. Pupils’ standards of attainment are satisfactory and they make satisfactory progress. They answer to their name in French when the register is taken and can recognise and respond to greetings. For example, Year 6 pupils say when their birthday is and explain how many people there are in their family. Pupils count to ten in French and know some simple French songs. Older and more able pupils know the French names for the months of the year and can recite them in order.

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French

142. The pupils observed working in French were very enthusiastic with all joining in happily when answering simple questions. Pupils enjoyed the activity and are developing a good attitude to learning a foreign language.

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French

143. In the one lesson observed, teaching was satisfactory. The teacher spoke confidently in French, adjusting what was asked of the pupils according to their prior attainment. The teacher showed a good understanding of the conventions of French grammar and there was a good focus on developing pupils’ confidence in speaking French. All pupils were successfully encouraged to participate, including those pupils who have been identified as having special educational needs.

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Geography

Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 32 144. The standards of work achieved by the oldest pupils in the school are satisfactory for their age and remain similar to those found at the time of the last inspection. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 learn about different geographical features through work linked to the story of ‘Katie Morag’. For example, they can describe islands and beaches and use terms such as ‘north’ and ‘south’ to describe locations. Older pupils know the names of major capital cities and use atlases and maps to find features and different places. They know what a plan is and successfully draw simple plans of their classroom and the school. They describe the ‘water cycle’ and can name different parts of a river. Higher attaining pupils can explain how lakes are formed and what a ‘drainage pattern’ is. Pupils have a limited knowledge of countries outside the United Kingdom, although they can describe the key features of some European

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Geography

145. All pupils make satisfactory progress at both key stages. They show an increasing ability to express their ideas clearly, drawing upon geographical knowledge and understanding. Throughout the school, pupils show a developing confidence in using appropriate geographical vocabulary. They are interested in the subject and are keen to answer questions about topics they have studied.

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Geography

146. The quality of teaching is satisfactory at both key stages. Teachers plan interesting activities and pupils are told at the start of the lesson what they are expected to learn. Pupils are given good reminders about how long they have to complete a piece of work. However, on occasions, teachers’ lesson planning does not clearly identify expectations for pupils of differing prior attainment or age. Good links are made with literacy work in Key Stage 1, where geography topics are often based on storybooks. There are no formal assessments in geography, but teachers keep their own records of work covered. These are satisfactory.

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Geography

147. The school has an appropriate written policy and uses a nationally recommended scheme of work to support the teachers in their planning. These provide useful guidance to teachers about coverage of the curriculum. A scrutiny of planning indicates that the curriculum lacks balance, and insufficient time is allocated to the teaching of the subject. In particular, geography makes little contribution to pupils’ cultural development. Although older pupils have done some work on European countries there was no evidence of pupils learning about countries or cultures that contrasted with their own. As a result, pupils have a limited understanding of what life is like in other countries

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Geography

148. Resources for the teaching of geography are unsatisfactory. There are few geography books or other resources including large and small-scale maps. Appropriate use is made of the local area as a teaching resource. In Key Stage 2, visits to places further away offer pupils good opportunities to undertake fieldwork. These activities enhance pupils’ learning.

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History

149. The standards of work achieved by the oldest pupils in the school are satisfactory for their age. Attainment remains broadly similar to that found in the last inspection. Pupils in Key Stage 1 learn how life has changed through the ages and about important historic figures. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils understand that there are different sources of evidence to help them find out about the past. For example, they contrast the evidence in Pepys’ Diary with modern sources and decide which is the most accurate. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 show a sound knowledge of life during the Second World War and can compare then with life in the present day. Older pupils develop a good understanding of the history of their local village. They learn the story of the school’s founder, Sir John Sedley and can explain how the English Civil War affected their village.

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History

150. All pupils make satisfactory progress. They successfully use their knowledge to make comparisons between their own lives and those of people from the past. For example, older pupils discuss the harsh conditions the effect of ‘The Great Plague’ and use research skills to find further information.

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History

151. Pupils behave well in history lessons. They listen intently, answer questions and take part in discussions sensibly. They show a genuine interest and pleasure in their learning and co-operate well Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 33 with teachers and with each other. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 carried out research tasks sensibly, using a variety of resources carefully.

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History

152. The quality of teaching is satisfactory, with an example of a good lesson in Key Stage 2. Teachers plan work carefully, but do not always identify in their planning, expectations for pupils of differing ages or prior attainment. Lessons are well paced and teachers have good questioning skills. They use praise well to boost pupils’ self-esteem. Good use is made of first-hand evidence such as artefacts. Teachers provide pupils with appropriate opportunities to use and develop their literacy skills in history lessons both through the use of discussion, research and written work. There are no formal assessment for pupils’ attainment and progress in history, although teachers keep their own records. Work is regularly marked, and useful verbal comments are often made which help pupils to extend their learning.

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History

153. The curriculum is balanced. However, insufficient time is allocated to the subject. The school has a satisfactory subject policy and has adapted a nationally recommended scheme of work to help teachers with their planning. A useful curriculum framework ensures that topics are not repeated in mixed age classes. However, teaching and pupils’ learning is not currently being monitored and management of the subject is unsatisfactory.

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History

154. Resources are satisfactory and appropriate use is made of visits to support learning. Pupils visit a local castle and study the local area. These activities add interest to the subject and help to bring topics to life.

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History

155. During the time of inspection, little teaching or use of information technology was timetabled. Judgements on pupils’ attainment and progress have been based on observations of pupils when working, discussions with pupils and members of staff, and a scrutiny of work, documents and the subject policy.

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History

156. Pupils’ standards of attainment are well below national expectations by the end of both key stages. This represents a fall in attainment since the last inspection, when standards were found to be satisfactory. Since then, there has been insufficient spending on improving resources and monitoring work to take account of the increased expectations of the information technology curriculum. In addition, teachers continue to lack confidence in teaching the subject and the school has only recently introduced a scheme of work to support teachers in their planning of lessons.

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History

157. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils are able to type text on to a computer using a word- processing package, use the keys to make selections on the screen and play simple language games. By the end of Key Stage 2, higher attaining pupils are able to load programmes, access information from files, and use simple desktop publishing to produce short pieces of writing. Many pupils can access information from a CD-ROM when researching individual topics. For example, Year 6 pupils accessed an encyclopaedia to find information about ‘The Great Plague’. However, most pupils lack skill in using databases and spreadsheets, and have poor skills in using the computer to create and store sequences of instructions. Their understanding of the wider uses of information technology is limited.

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History

158. The progress of all pupils is unsatisfactory at both key stages. Younger pupils have insufficient opportunities to develop skills at an appropriate rate, although they become more confident about using the computer and more adept at manipulating the ‘mouse’ and keys. Older pupils gain confidence in a limited range of basic computer skills, but are unable to apply these to more than a small number of applications.

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History

159. Pupils enjoy working on the computers. They are interested and motivated, and work sensibly. Older pupils work well collaboratively, but lack the skills to work independently. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 34 160. There is insufficient evidence to form a judgement on the quality of teaching. During the time of inspection, computers were rarely in use. Time allocated to the subject is inadequate, and insufficient emphasis is given to the teaching and practice of specific skills. Teachers do not plan information technology activities in sufficient detail. Their subject knowledge is weak and they have a poor understanding of what pupils of different ages should be achieving. Where computers are used, teachers’ planning does not consistently identify the purpose of a particular task. Teachers do not give enough consideration to how the computer can be used to develop learning in different subjects.

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History

There are no consistent procedures in place to assess pupils’ attainment or to record their progress.

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History

161. The headteacher has identified the need to improve provision in information technology in order to raise pupils’ attainment and has an appropriate development plan for the subject. The school has recently adopted a nationally recommended scheme of work but this is not being used effectively by teachers in their planning. Many teachers do not plan in the medium-term what they expect pupils to learn. This lack of structure results in poor planning and as a result pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding are not being developed systematically. Management of the subject is unsatisfactory. Teaching and learning is not being monitored and teachers are given insufficient support in planning work for the pupils.

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History

162. Resources are unsatisfactory. Although the school has enough modern computers to allow each class sufficient access, they are not being used efficiently. Many of the school’s computers are old and there is insufficient software to support the full range of skills identified in the National Curriculum. · · Music

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History

163. The standards of achievement of the oldest pupils are satisfactory in singing. This is the same as at the time of the last inspection. There is insufficient evidence to form a judgement on other aspects of the subject. Pupils in Key Stage 2 sing tunefully in two-part harmony. Younger pupils sing well known songs enthusiastically and keep a steady beat when playing untuned percussion instruments.

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History

164. Pupils make satisfactory progress in improving singing. They increase their repertoire of songs and improve their ability to sing tunefully and in time.

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History

165. Pupils enjoy music lessons and join in enthusiastically when singing. They listen carefully to the teacher and behave well.

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History

166. The quality of teaching of singing is satisfactory throughout the school. The subject manager teaches this aspect of the curriculum to each key stage for half an hour a week. Lesson plans provide satisfactory information on the work to be covered. Praise is used effectively to encourage pupils and behaviour is managed well. Pupils are successfully taught to add variety to their singing by altering dynamics. However, insufficient attention is given to improving the quality of singing by improving posture and the use of phrasing.

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History

167. There is a satisfactory written policy that provides useful support to members of staff. However, not all teachers are following the guidance it provides. In addition, the time allocated to the subject is too low and pupils have insufficient time to develop skills other than in singing.

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History

168. In two of the classes the teachers do not include music in their medium-term planning and this means pupils do not receive a broad and balanced education in the subject. The school is aware that some teachers lack confidence in teaching the subject.

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History

169. Arrangements for the assessment of pupils’ attainment and progress are unsatisfactory. Teachers sometimes make informal notes on pupils during singing sessions and learning support assistants keep a record of pupils who have had an opportunity to play percussion instruments. The subject manager informs teachers of any significant achievements made by pupils. However, the Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 35 monitoring of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory, with insufficient time allowed for this to be done efficiently.

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History

170. There are worthwhile clubs for recorders and guitar and pupils are given the opportunity to perform to others in school. Pupils give regular concerts to parents in school and to senior citizens in the local community. These activities help to enrich the musical life of the school and give pupils opportunities to perform in front of an audience.

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History

171. Overall, resources are satisfactory. There is a satisfactory range of tuned and untuned percussion instruments and sheet music. However, there is a limited selection of pre-recorded music and no music from other cultures.

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Physical Education

172. As at the time of the last inspection the standards achieved by the time pupils leave the school are satisfactory. Older pupils show appropriate control of a ball when using their feet or hands and pass the ball to members of their team. However, their awareness of the importance of finding spaces when playing team games is underdeveloped. Key Stage 1 pupils run short distances and play simple team games. They aim a ball with reasonable accuracy and show appropriate control when jumping. They carry out a complex sequence of movements in dance lessons.

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Physical Education

173. Pupils make satisfactory progress in physical education. They increase their ability to sustain exercise and improve their control over their bodies and games equipment.

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Physical Education

174. As at the time of the last inspection, pupils enjoy physical education. They are willing and enthusiastic even when the weather is very cold. Older girls and boys co-operate well with each other during ball games. All pupils listen carefully to the teachers and follow their instructions sensibly. Not all pupils wear suitably warm clothing for outdoor games and footwear is inappropriate for use on a muddy field.

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Physical Education

175. The quality of teaching is satisfactory with an example of good teaching in a Key Stage 1 dance lesson. Teachers have a satisfactory knowledge of the subject and appropriate expectations of what pupils should achieve. Overall, teachers’ lesson plans are satisfactory. However, sometimes they do not clearly show what skills pupils are expected to develop during a lesson. All lessons start with an appropriate warm up session and pupils are made aware of the effect of exercise on the body. There is a good pace to most lessons and pupils are managed well. All teachers give clear instructions about what pupils are expected to do. In the best lesson, a good variety of methods were used to maintain pupils’ interest and the teacher had high expectations of what the pupils should achieve.

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Physical Education

176. The curriculum is broad and balanced and a curriculum map shows work to be covered each year. There is a good scheme of work to support teachers in their lesson planning. The time allocated to the subject is high.

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Physical Education

177. Teachers effectively assess pupils’ work during lessons and help this information to decide what support an individual pupil needs. However, as at the time of the last inspection, procedures for assessing attainment and progress over time are unsatisfactory. The subject manager is new and has had insufficient opportunity to develop the subject. The monitoring of teaching and learning is given insufficient priority and is therefore unsatisfactory.

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Physical Education

178. There are after school clubs for netball and football and older pupils receive appropriate opportunities to play matches against other schools. Pupils take part in maypole dancing at the village May fair. Resources for the subject are satisfactory. There is a limited range of gymnastics equipment for the older pupils, but sufficient games equipment to enable pupils to develop skills individually or in small groups. The school overcomes the difficulty of the gymnastics equipment by taking older pupils to another school for part of the year. The school hires a local playing field for games lessons. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 36

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Swimming

179. The inspection of this school included a focused view of swimming, which is reported below.

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Swimming

180. Pupils’ attainment is well above average by the end of Key Stage 2. The school’s records show that in the last few years all pupils have been able to swim at least 25 metres and float on their backs by the time they leave the school. Most pupils swim 400 metres using stylish strokes and many surface-dive to retrieve objects from the floor of the pool and tread water for three minutes.

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Swimming

181. Pupils make good progress in swimming. Lower attaining pupils soon learn to swim and higher attaining pupils improve their stamina, style and life saving skills.

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Swimming

182. Pupils’ attitudes to swimming are good. They enjoy swimming and behave very well during lessons. Parents are very pleased with the way pupils behave during visits to the swimming pool. They listen carefully to members of staff, the instructor at the pool and voluntary helpers and are keen to attempt all activities.

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Swimming

183. The quality of teaching is good. A teacher from the school and a qualified instructor from the swimming pool are used effectively. Lesson plans are clear and precise instructions are given to the pupils. Effective methods are used for teaching particular skills. For example, the instructor used a cardboard model to demonstrate to pupils the leg movements they were expected to make. There is a good pace to lessons and pupils are managed firmly and effectively. Good use of praise is made with the lower attaining pupils to help them gain confidence. These pupils are given more intensive support by working in smaller groups. A learning support assistant and voluntary helper make a good contribution to lessons.

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Swimming

184. Pupils follow a good curriculum with equal opportunities provided for girls and boys. Helpful instruction sheets and booklets are made available at the pool appropriately outlining the expectations for each stage of learning. The time allocated to the subject is good. Most Key Stage 2 pupils receive 30 minutes instruction a week. An additional 30 minutes is allowed for changing and transportation from the pool back to school. Parents are expected to make a voluntary contribution towards costs but no pupils are excluded for non-payment. Appropriate arrangements are made for the safety of pupils at the swimming pool with a lifeguard in attendance at all times. Pupils are regularly assessed during lessons and are awarded a range of local and nationally recognised certificates.

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Swimming

185. The facilities at the local swimming pool are good and appropriate resources are available to help non-swimmers. Time is used effectively with pupils arriving at the pool at the start of the school day to minimise the waste of time.

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Swimming

186. Some pupils have been very successful in swimming galas and have represented the county.

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Religious Education

187. The attainment of pupils by the end of both key stages is below the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Standards have fallen since the last inspection. Pupils have a sound understanding of Christianity, but their knowledge of other faiths is very weak. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils are aware of the beliefs and festivals of Christianity and they know various stories from the Bible. They learn about the local church and consider the importance of members of the family. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils know the significance of various Christian symbols and festivals. They write their own prayers and understand the significance of Christianity to the community. However, they have a limited awareness of other faiths. For example, pupils in Year 6 do not know the name of the Jewish place of worship or Holy Book.

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Religious Education

188. Pupils make unsatisfactory progress. They develop an appropriate knowledge and understanding of the Christian faith and acquire an understanding of right and wrong and the need for a moral code. They develop increased understanding of celebrations and enjoy investigating different Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 37 festivals. They increase their knowledge about Christianity, places of worship, special books and special people. However, progress in learning about faiths other than Christianity is weak, with older pupils displaying little knowledge in this area.

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Religious Education

189. The pupils’ response to the teaching of religious education is always appropriate in lessons. They are attentive, make thoughtful comments and show respect for the views of others. They work well collaboratively and take pride in their work. However, discussions with pupils and a scrutiny of their work indicate that not all pupils have a positive attitude to the subject. Several talked about disliking religious education lessons and some had written in their books about why they did not believe in God.

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Religious Education

190. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Lesson plans are clear but do not give sufficient detail of what pupils are expected to learn from an activity. Many teachers lack confidence in teaching the subject and too little time is allocated to teaching the meaning and significance of faith rather than merely learning facts about different religions. Teaching is most successful when the activity is linked to the pupils’ own experiences. For example, pupils in Years 1 and 2 looked at work around school when learning about the American festival of ‘Thanksgiving’. Teachers manage pupils well and ask suitable questions to encourage discussion. There are no formal assessment procedures. The school has identified the need to address this issue in order to ensure that pupils’ knowledge is developed systematically.

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Religious Education

191. The curriculum lacks balance and insufficient time is allocated to the teaching of the subject. The school has a satisfactory written subject policy and a curriculum framework that highlights, which elements of the agreed syllabus are to be covered each term. However, an analysis of pupils’ previous work and teachers’ medium term planning shows that teaching about different faiths has been given too low a priority in the past. However, planning for the current term indicates that this issue is now being addressed and the curriculum provided meets statutory requirements. Nevertheless, there has been insufficient monitoring of teaching or learning and, as a result, the management of the subject is unsatisfactory.

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Religious Education

192. Resources for the subject are unsatisfactory. There is an appropriate selection of Bibles, but very few books and artefacts from different faiths. The school has established good links with the local Church of England. The rector regularly visits school and takes assemblies, and pupils take part in services in Church. Although these activities successfully promote learning, taken as a whole, religious education makes only a limited contribution to pupils’ spiritual development. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 38

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

193. The school was inspected for a total of ten days by three inspectors, one of whom was a lay inspector

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

• . 38 lessons or part lessons were observed, totaling 28 hours 55 minutes • . Discussions were held with the children, staff, governors and parents. • . A selection of children read to an inspector. • . Samples of children’s work were inspected. • . Teachers’ records and plans were scrutinised. • . A range of documentation and information supplied by the school was studied. • . Budgetary information was scrutinised. • . Attendance records and pupils’ records were scrutinised. • . A pre-inspection meeting for parents was held, with ten parents attending. • . Questionnaires completed by parents were analysed. • . Lunchtimes were observed. Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 39

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Pupil data

Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school's register of SEN Number of full- time pupils eligible for free school meals YR – Y6 74 2 27 6

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Qualified teachers (YR – Y6)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent) 3.40 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.76

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Education support staff (YR – Y6)

Total number of education support staff 5 Total aggregate hours worked each week 52.7

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Financial data

£ Total Income 167271 Total Expenditure 163756 Expenditure per pupil 1860.86 Balance brought forward from previous year 8120 Balance carried forward to next year 11635 Sedley’s CE (VC) Primary School 40

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out: 50 Number of questionnaires returned: 20

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Responses (percentage of answers in each category) :

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 55 45 0 0 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 55 35 0 10 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school handles complaints from parents well 21 58 15 6 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 10 55 20 15 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)'s progress 35 20 35 10 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 30 40 25 5 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 45 55 0 0 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 15 40 25 15 5

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school's values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 45 40 10 5 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 45 30 20 5 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

My child(ren) like(s) school 57 33 5 5 0

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