Rishton St Peter and St Paul's Church of England Primary School

St. Peter and St. Paul’s C. E. Primary School

Headteacher: Mr G. J. Murray B.Ed (Hons) C.A.S.E

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St. Peter and St. Paul’s C. E. Primary School

Dates of inspection: 18 th -21 st October 1999

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St. Peter and St. Paul’s C. E. Primary School

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 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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St. Peter and St. Paul’s C. E. Primary School

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

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Information about the school

School address: Arundel Street Rishton Blackburn BB1 4DT

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Information about the school

Name of chair of governors: Reverend P. A. Smith

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Information about the school

Date of the previous inspection: April 1996

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs Tess Galvin, RgI Science Under fives Attainment and progress Teaching Leadership and management Mrs Gillian Marsland Lay Inspector Attendance Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents and the community Staffing, accommodation and resources Mr Mike Wainwright and Mrs L. Parkinson Team Inspectors Mathematics Information technology Geography History Physical education Curriculum and assessment

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr Alan Wilson Team Inspector English Art Design and technology Music Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Efficiency Equal opportunities Special educational needs

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

TWA Inspections Ltd 5 Lakeside Werrington Peterborough PE4 6QZ Tel: 01733 570753

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE

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Main findings

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

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Introduction

Characteristics of the school 1 – 5 Key indicators

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Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

Attainment and progress 6 - 19 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 20 - 24 Attendance 25

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Quality of education provided

Teaching 26 - 35 The curriculum and assessment 36 - 42 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 43 - 47 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare 48 - 52 Partnership with parents and the community 53 - 56

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The management and efficiency of the school

Leadership and management 57 - 64 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 65 - 69 The efficiency of the school 70 - 75

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

Areas of learning for children under five 76 - 84

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

English, mathematics, science and information technology 85 - 127

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What the school does well

• . The enthusiastic headteacher leads his staff successfully in promoting the good relationships within the school. This is strongly reflected in the school’s caring, friendly ethos. • . The school receives effective support from governors. • . Teaching was good in 27 per cent of lessons seen and very good in four per cent. • . The school has a wide range of procedures for assessing pupils’ achievements. • . Personal and social education, which the school calls ‘circle time’, has a positive effect on pupils’ learning. • . There is good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. • . Pupils’ attitudes to their work, behaviour and personal development are good. • . The school involves parents well in their children’s learning and promotes strong links with the community. • . Day-to-day financial control and school administration are efficient.

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Where the school has weaknesses

I. Procedures for managing and monitoring teaching and learning are not carried out with sufficient precision. II. Pupils are underachieving in information technology at the end of both key stages. III. High-attaining pupils are not always provided with sufficient work at the appropriate level. IV. Formal assessment procedures are not used to plan future work effectively. V. The school development plan is costed but it is not linked sufficiently to the school’s budget. There is outline financial planning for one or two years ahead for buildings and grounds but not in other areas. Support teachers are not always deployed efficiently. VI. Pupils’ learning is restricted by the lack of information technology resources, the poor library accommodation and unsatisfactory library and classroom book stocks in Key Stage 2.

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This is an improving school. The weaknesses will form the basis of the governor’s action plan,

which will be sent to all parents and guardians at the school.

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

The school has attended appropriately to most of the key issues from the last inspection in 1996. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has improved. There are schemes of work for all subjects. Long and medium term curriculum planning, subject expertise and teaching have improved. However, the use of assessment procedures, monitoring teaching efficiently, the deployment of support teachers and costing of the school development plan still require further improvement. There are still aspects of strategic management which require developing further but the school’s capacity for further improvement is satisfactory.

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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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Key

well above average A above average B average

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Key

below average D well below average E English A A

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Key

The school’s 1999 National Curriculum test results at Key Stage 1 in English and science were in line with the national average. Pupils’ attainment at the expected level in reading was well above the national average. At this level in writing and science attainment was above the national average and in speaking and listening it was above national expectations. Attainment at the higher level was below the national average in reading, well below average in writing and science and below national expectations in speaking and listening. In mathematics pupils’ attainment was well below the national average. Although most pupils attained the expected level few achieved the higher grades within the level 2 band and attainment at the higher level 3 was well below average. Pupils’ performance in the National Curriculum tests at Key Stage 1 has remained broadly the same since the previous inspection. At Key

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Key

Stage 2 after a decline in 1997 pupils’ performance in the tests increased significantly this year.

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Key

Inspection evidence shows that at the end of Key Stage 1 standards are in line with national expectations in English, mathematics and science. In speaking and listening, reading, writing, mathematics and science most pupils achieve the expected level but few pupils achieve the higher level in reading, mathematics and science. This judgement reflects the 1999 National Curriculum test results, except in mathematics where pupils’ achievement at the expected level is greater than in the tests. This is directly related to better quality teaching in Year 2 this year.

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Key

At the end of Key Stage 2 this year pupils’ attainment is in line with expectations. This does not reflect the 1999 National Curriculum test results. The overall level of ability of the pupils who undertook the 1999 tests was higher than the group of pupils in the current Year 6. Most pupils make satisfactory progress in Key Stage 1 and this is maintained in Key Stage 2. In reading at Key Stage 1 and in mathematics and science at both key stages high-attaining pupils are not always given sufficient work at the appropriate level and they make unsatisfactory progress.

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Key

At the end of both key stages pupils’ attainment in information technology is below expectations and they make unsatisfactory progress. The small amount of direct teaching observed was satisfactory. The level of resources is unsatisfactory and pupils do not spend sufficient time practising their skills.

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Key

Pupils achieve in line with expectations for their age in design and technology, geography and history at the end of both key stages and in music at the end of Key Stage 1. Pupils make satisfactory progress in these subjects and in singing and games. Standards in swimming are good at the end of Key Stage 2. Attainment is below expectations in art at both key stages and in music at the end of Key Stage 2 and pupils make unsatisfactory progress. In music

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Key

1 By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils are expected to attain level 2 in all National Curriculum subjects. Those who achieve level 3 are therefore attaining above nationally expected levels. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils are expected to attain level 4 in all National Curriculum subjects. Those who achieve level 5 are therefore attaining above nationally expected levels. Each year the national average for pupils achieving the expected levels in Year 2 and Year 6 is calculated from the results which are submitted to the Department for Education and Employment [DfEE]. lessons pupils have insufficient opportunities to play instruments. In art some teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils should achieve. Children under five make satisfactory progress across the range of their work and in personal and social development progress is good.

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Quality of teaching

To gain a good grade in a subject over 50 per cent of lessons have to be good.

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

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

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

The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teaching was very good in four per cent of lessons. In 27 per cent it was good. Teaching was satisfactory in 61 per cent and unsatisfactory in the remaining eight per cent of lessons. · Other aspects of the school

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour Good, in lessons and around the school. Relationships are good. Attendance Satisfactory. *Ethos Good. The school is friendly and caring. Leadership and management Satisfactory. The enthusiastic headteacher and staff successfully promote the good relationships in the school. There is effective involvement of governors. Sound structures are in place for school development planning and procedures for the monitoring of teaching and the curriculum. These do not identify precisely what needs to be developed in order to raise standards more effectively. Statutory requirements are not met for information technology.

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Aspect Comment

Curriculum The curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant for all ages. There is sound promotion of literacy, numeracy, and extra-curricular provision. However, the learning objectives in lesson planning are not sufficiently precise. Assessment procedures are not used consistently to plan future work. Pupils with special educational needs There is satisfactory provision and support. However, corporate planning by staff and the use of pupils’ individual targets is inconsistent in Key Stage 2.

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Aspect Comment

Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development There is good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Staffing, resources and accommodation Satisfactory. The exceptions are the unsatisfactory amount of computer resources, unsatisfactory Key Stage 2 library and classroom book resources, and the poor Key Stage 2 library accommodation. These restrict pupils’ learning. Efficiency Satisfactory. There is efficient administration and day-to-day control. School development planning is costed for the forthcoming year, but it is not linked sufficiently to the budget. There is no outline planning for one or two years ahead, except for buildings and grounds. Support teachers are not always used efficiently.

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Aspect Comment

Value for money Sound. Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are good, attainment is average and teaching and pupils’ progress are satisfactory. The income and expenditure per pupil are low. Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards.

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

♦ . It encourages parents to play an active part in the school. ♦ . It enables children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons.

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

♦ . Their children enjoy going to school.

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

31 parents (13 per cent) returned the questionnaire and 22 parents (nine per cent) attended the pre- inspection parents’ meeting. Inspectors’ judgements support parents’ positive views.

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Key issues for action

In order to improve the school further the governors, headteacher and staff should:

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Key issues for action

1. increase the effectiveness of the monitoring of teaching and the curriculum by:

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Key issues for action

• . ensuring that it identifies clearly the strengths and weaknesses; • . including the identified priorities in the school development plan and devising precise targets for action; (See paragraphs: 60, 99, 110, 120)

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Key issues for action

i)increasing hardware and software resources; ii)planning for and using information technology in other subjects; iii)providing sufficient experiences in controlling and modelling; iv)devising and implementing assessment procedures; v)carefully monitoring teaching and learning; vi)ensuring statutory requirements are met; (See paragraphs: 17, 37, 63, 69, 98, 109, 117, 121-127 and 142)

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Key issues for action

i)providing sufficient work at the appropriate level for them; ii)closely monitoring and evaluating the provision and pupils’ achievements; (See paragraphs: 11, 15, 63, 90, 104, 115)

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Key issues for action

• . the structure of teachers’ short term planning by providing more precise learning objectives; (See paragraphs: 27, 41 and 108)

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Key issues for action

• . the use of assessment procedures by: i) providing a unified approach to ongoing assessment in lessons; ii) using the range of formal assessments already in place and ongoing assessments to provide pupils with work at the appropriate level; (See paragraphs: 42, 99, 110 and 120)

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Key issues for action

• linking the costing of the school development plan to the school’s budget for the current year; • providing outline budget planning for one or two years ahead for all areas of the plan; • carefully monitoring the planning and deployment of support teachers; (See paragraphs: 60, 70, 71, 79 and 116)

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Key issues for action

1.upgrade the library accommodation and library and classroom book stocks at Key Stage 2. (See paragraphs: 10, 37, 67, 68 and 91) In addition to the key issues the following less important points for development should be considered for inclusion in the action plan:

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Key issues for action

•. improve attainment in art at both key stages by:

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Key issues for action

i)raising teacher expectations of what pupils should achieve; ii)providing staff training; (See paragraphs: 18, 38, and 128–131)

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Key issues for action

•) raise attainment in music at Key Stage 2 by providing:

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Key issues for action

i)additional curriculum guidance for teachers; ii)sufficient opportunities for performing and composing; iii)staff training; (See paragraphs: 18, 38, and 143-148)

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Key issues for action

•)enhance the provision for special educational needs pupils by:

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Key issues for action

i)ensuring that all staff plan together to provide work matched to pupils’ individual targets. ii)assessing and monitoring pupils’ progress towards these targets on a regular basis; (See paragraphs: 19, 34, 40, 94 and 105)

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Key issues for action

•) improve the quality of marking by ensuring that teachers point out to pupils ways in which they can improve their work; (See paragraphs: 35, 97 and 103)

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Key issues for action

•) ensure that lesson time is not reduced by reviewing the timing of the morning break at Key Stage 2, and assemblies across the school; (See paragraphs: 38 and 72)

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Key issues for action

•) enhance the quality of the classroom environment by providing good quality displays and ensuring that equipment and resources are stored tidily; (See paragraphs: 67 and 69)

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Key issues for action

•) improve communications with parents on homework by providing diaries for all classes which communicate clearly what is to be undertaken; (See paragraph: 55)

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Key issues for action

•) ensure statutory requirements are met for the governors’ annual report to parents with regard to reporting the progress made in implementing the action plan for the last inspection. (See paragraphs: 54 and 59)

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Characteristics of the school

1. St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church of England Primary School is situated in the small town of Rishton near Blackburn. It serves an area of mainly private and some council-owned properties. The school is for boys and girls from four to eleven years of age. There are seven classes with 234 pupils on roll. A significant minority of pupils enter the school from other schools in Key Stage 2.

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Characteristics of the school

2. Children are admitted to the reception class at the beginning of the academic year in which they become five. At the time of the inspection 27 of the reception children were under five and they attend school full-time. Attainment levels on entry to statutory schooling are average. Most pupils have had pre-school experience but few have attended a nursery.

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Characteristics of the school

3. There are 39 pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs. This represents seventeen per cent of pupils on roll and is broadly average. Fourteen of these pupils are at Stages 3 to 5 of the Code of Practice and three pupils have statements of special educational need. The socio-economic circumstances of pupils are average. Ten per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals which is below average. There are few pupils from ethnic minorities and no pupils with English as an additional language.

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Characteristics of the school

2 Code of Practice - this gives practical advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities and tasks. It ensures that pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the 1993 Education Act. 1. The mission statement of the school is to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development within a caring and supportive community, helping them to grow up as Christians in the midst of an increasingly secular society. The main aims which stem from this are to:

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Characteristics of the school

• .place collective worship at the centre of daily life and to have close links with the vicar and parish church; • .foster strong relationships with the home, local community and wider church; • .provide all pupils with the opportunity to achieve their full potential within a Christian context; • .provide a grounding in the Anglican faith, whilst giving pupils an understanding of other major Christian and world faiths; • .recognise each pupil’s needs and strengths and encourage positive achievement; • .promote self-discipline and concern for the welfare of others in a well ordered, caring community.

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Characteristics of the school

1.The main priorities identified in the school’s development plan are to:

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Characteristics of the school

• . consolidate the literacy and numeracy hour and raise pupils’ achievement further in literacy and numeracy; • . further develop pupils’ independent and collaborative learning, and improve pupils’ performance in experimental and investigative science and mathematics; • . gain Investors in People status. · Key indicators

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Attainment at Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total for the latest reporting year: 1999 17 17 34

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Attainment at Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics Number of pupils Boys 16 15 16 at NC Level 2 or Girls 16 15 15 above Total 32 30 31 Percentage at NC School 94 (78) 88 (81) 91 (89) Level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Attainment at Key Stage 1

Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 15 16 15 at NC Level 2 or Girls 15 14 16 above Total 30 30 31 Percentage at NC School 88 (83) 88 (89) 91 (83) Level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total for the latest reporting year: 1999 14 21 35

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test Results English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 13 11 11 at NC Level 4 or Girls 19 16 16 above Total 32 27 27 Percentage at NC School 88 (57) 77 (57) 77 (43) Level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 12 11 12 at NC Level 4 or Girls 20 19 17 above Total 32 30 29 Percentage at NC School 75 (55) 86 (79) 83 (54) Level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72)

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Attainment at Key Stage 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

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Attendance

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed % through absence for the latest complete Authorised School 6.4 reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0 absence National comparative data 0.5

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Exclusions

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) Number during the previous year: Fixed period 1 Permanent 0

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Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 4 Satisfactory or better 92 Less than satisfactory 8

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Attainment and progress

1. At the time of the inspection 27 of the reception children were under five. On entry to the reception class children are achieving average levels across a range of their work. This is confirmed by the local education authority initial assessment of children’s achievements. Most children make satisfactory progress in all the ‘desirable areas of learning’ and in personal and social development progress is good. This progress is promoted well by the good teaching in this aspect of development. By the time they reach the age of five the attainment of most children in language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development is in line with expectations for their age according to the criteria established nationally. In personal and social development their achievements are above expectations.

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Attainment and progress

2. Most children listen well to adults and to each other and speak with developing confidence in class and group discussions. They enjoy books, recognise the sounds of letters and some familiar words. All children follow the same procedures for learning to read, including some who are not ready for a formal approach and this adversely affects their progress. They write their name and copy letters and words with increasing accuracy. Children recognise and write numbers to ten, two-dimensional shapes and use mathematical vocabulary, for instance ‘more than’, with increasing accuracy. In knowledge and understanding of the world they talk about their families and past events and they are becoming familiar with the computer keyboard and mouse. In physical development children show increasing control and co-ordination when using classroom tools and equipment and in dance lessons. In creative development they sing songs and rhymes

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Attainment and progress

tunefully and make appropriate pictures in paint. In personal and social development children are developing initiative and independence in choosing resources and activities.

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Attainment and progress

3. The school’s 1999 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 2 show that pupils’ attainment was well above the national average in English, above average in mathematics and broadly in line with the national average in science. Their performance at the higher level was well above in English and mathematics and above the national average in science. Pupils’ performance when compared with similar schools is well above average in English, above average in mathematics and average in science. There was an initial decline in pupils’ performance in the tests after the last inspection. This coincided with a disruption in provision due to long term teacher absences. The school has achieved greater stability in staffing since then and the curriculum has improved. The significant improvement in the 1999 test results is due in part to these factors and the higher ability of the pupils who undertook the tests compared to previous years.

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Attainment and progress

4. Inspection findings show that at the end of Key Stage 2 pupils’ attainment this year is in line with national expectations in English, mathematics and science at the expected level and at the higher level. There is no difference in the attainment of boys and girls. These findings do not reflect the 1999 National Curriculum test results. This is because the overall ability of last year’s group was higher than the group of pupils who are currently in Year 6. Moreover, almost half of these pupils have joined the school from other schools in Key Stage 2.

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Attainment and progress

5 QCA(Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) has produced a set of ‘Desirable Learning Outcomes for Children’s Learning on Entering Compulsory Education.’ These outcomes are a set of skills, knowledge and understanding that children might be expected to achieve by the age of five in six areas of learning: language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development, physical development and personal and social development.

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Attainment and progress

6 See footnote 1 page 2. 5. Pupils make satisfactory progress in speaking and listening. This is promoted through well planned opportunities for pupils to speak and listen to others, read aloud in front of the class and the teaching of the correct vocabulary in other subjects. Progress in reading is satisfactory and by Year 6 most pupils read with suitable expression and understanding of the plot and characters. They make satisfactory progress in finding information from books, for instance in using the index. However, their progress in the use of a library and finding information is limited by the poor library accommodation and resources. Pupils make satisfactory progress in writing and by Year 6 they use punctuation accurately and write in a range of styles, such as narrative and argument. Their writing is joined and legible and work is neatly presented.

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Attainment and progress

6. Most pupils make satisfactory progress in mathematics and science in lessons and over time. Progress is better in Years 5 and 6 than in Years 3 and 4 and is directly related to the quality of teaching. By Year 6 pupils have appropriate skills in mental mathematics and use these skills well to investigate and solve problems. Pupils draw and name different types of triangles and line graphs. In science they progress from teacher-directed investigations in Year 3 to carrying out their own experiments and repeating measurements accurately. Their knowledge of forces develops from a basic understanding of push and pull forces to a sound understanding of balanced and unbalanced forces in Year 6. Lesson observations and the scrutiny of work show that high- attaining pupils are making unsatisfactory progress in mathematics and science. They are not given work at the appropriate level for them in science and this is also a regular feature in

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Attainment and progress

7. The school’s 1999 National Curriculum test results show that at the end of Key Stage 1 attainment in English and science was in line with the national average. In mathematics although most pupils achieved the expected level few achieved the higher grades within the level 2 band and attainment at the higher level 3 was well below average. This means that pupils’ attainment in mathematics was well below the national average. The proportion of pupils attaining at the expected level in reading was well above the national average. At this level in speaking and listening, writing and science attainment was above the national average. Attainment at the higher level was below the national average in reading, well below average in writing and science and below expectations in speaking and listening. When compared with similar schools pupils’ performance was average in reading, writing and science and well below average in mathematics.

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Attainment and progress

8. Inspection evidence shows that at the end of Key Stage 1 in English overall, mathematics and science pupils are attaining in line with national expectations. These judgements reflect the 1999 test results, except in mathematics. The proportion of pupils attaining the expected level is higher than in the tests. This improvement is directly related to the quality of teaching in the numeracy hour in Year 2. However attainment at the higher level is still well below average and is related to the deficiencies in provision for high-attaining pupils. There is no difference in the achievement of boys and girls.

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Attainment and progress

9. Most pupils in Key Stage 1 make satisfactory progress over time in English. Pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening meets expectations at the expected level and at the higher level. Pupils listen with developing attention and ask and answer questions appropriately in literacy lessons. In reading most pupils attain the expected level but few achieve the higher level. Most pupils make satisfactory progress in using a range of strategies to read unfamiliar words, for instance the initial sounds of letters. A few high-attaining pupils are not making sufficient progress in reading with accuracy, fluency and expression. In writing attainment at the expected level and at the higher level is in line with expectations and all pupils make satisfactory progress. Average-attaining pupils sequence stories and use basic punctuation with increasing accuracy. High-attaining pupils use interesting words and punctuate their work accurately. Appropriate progress is made in

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Attainment and progress

spelling and this leads to pupils achieving average standards.

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Attainment and progress

10. In mathematics most pupils in Key Stage 1 make satisfactory progress in number and in shape, space and measure. They progress from recognising two-dimensional shapes to dividing them into halves and quarters. Pupils in Year 1 add and subtract numbers to ten and progress to addition and subtraction to twenty mentally in Year 2. They use this knowledge to solve simple problems. In science most pupils make satisfactory progress in lessons and over time. They carry out simple investigations in Year 1 and use equipment with greater care and accuracy in Year 2. Their knowledge of light progresses from the knowledge of its sources to a satisfactory understanding of simple circuits in Year 2. In both these subjects high-attaining pupils are not provided with sufficient work at the appropriate level and they make unsatisfactory progress.

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Attainment and progress

11. At both key stages pupils make satisfactory progress in numeracy and literacy and they use these skills suitably in other subjects, for example in writing accounts in science, geography and history. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are promoted effectively through ‘circle time’. In these lessons they listen carefully to one another, take turns to speak and are developing confidence and a wider vocabulary.

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Attainment and progress

12. In information technology at both key stages pupils’ attainment is below expectations. Progress in confidence and competence and in control technology is unsatisfactory over time. In Key Stage 1 many pupils make unsatisfactory progress in basic skills, for instance closing a program. In Key Stage 2 pupils make unsatisfactory progress in interrogating information, monitoring external events and exploring patterns and relationships in simulation program. The level of hardware and software resources is unsatisfactory and pupils are given too few opportunities to practice their computer skills. Moreover, their skills are not sufficiently promoted in other subjects, such as English, mathematics, science, geography and history.

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Attainment and progress

13. At the end of both key stages in design and technology, geography, history, games and singing and in music at Key Stage 1 pupils attainment is in line with expectations for their age. They make satisfactory progress. Good standards are achieved by pupils in swimming at the end of Key Stage 2 and by those pupils who sing in the choir. In art at the end of both key stages and in music at Key Stage 2 pupils’ attainment is below expectations and they make unsatisfactory progress. The scheme of work for art has not been implemented for a sufficient length of time and some teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils should achieve. In music Key Stage 2 pupils are given insufficient opportunities to play instruments and develop performance skills in lessons. The organisation of the curriculum meant that no gymnastics or dance lessons were observed during the inspection.

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Attainment and progress

14. Pupils with special educational needs receive satisfactory support from teachers, specialist and classroom support assistants. This ensures that they achieve in their work and promotes their satisfactory progress. Pupils mainly receive appropriate work based on their individual education plans. For instance, in Year 5 pupils with special educational needs were supported effectively in setting out and adding simple decimal fractions and they made good progress. This level of provision is not given in Year 4 and this adversely affects pupils’ progress. Pupils’ achievements and their progress towards their long-term targets are not assessed regularly, for instance on a weekly basis, so their progress towards these targets is not sufficiently clear in the short term.

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Attainment and progress

19. Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

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Attainment and progress

15. Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour, personal development and relationships are good. This is a strength of the school and has a positive effect on their learning. Since the last inspection the school has achieved good improvement in the attitudes of pupils to their work and in pupils’ personal development. Relationships are good amongst pupils and between staff and pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs. Pupils are willing to listen to what others have to say. They show respect for each other’s ideas, values, feelings and beliefs and readily applaud the efforts of others, for instance in

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Attainment and progress

7 The practice of discussing experiences, thoughts and feelings whilst sitting in a circle. group discussions in ‘circle time’. Most parents are pleased with the positive attitudes and values the school promotes. A few parents in response to the parents’ questionnaire were concerned about the unsatisfactory behaviour of some pupils but there was no evidence of this during the inspection.

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Attainment and progress

16. The personal development of children under five is good. They form good relationships with adults and with each other and their behaviour is good. Children show developing self-confidence when talking in a large group. They co-operate in sharing tools and equipment and show increasing initiative in choosing activities and resources. For instance, when children were choosing the decorations for making face biscuits they waited patiently to take their turn to use the icing. Children take increasing responsibility for dressing themselves before and after physical education lessons.

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Attainment and progress

17. At both key stages pupils’ attitudes to learning are good and this has a positive effect on their progress. They are interested and keen to work, particularly when lessons are structured well. For example, discussions with some pupils show that they clearly look forward to the daily literacy hour. The vast majority of pupils sustain effort and concentration for long periods of time. This was evident in a Year 6 art lesson where pupils made clay sculptures and persevered until they were satisfied with the results. Pupils are willing to share resources and ideas and work together well in pairs or in groups in many lessons, for instance on science investigations. Pupils who have special educational needs are well integrated within the school. They show a good sense of responsibility for their work and their behaviour.

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Attainment and progress

18. Behaviour in class, in assemblies and around the school is good. Pupils walk calmly and quietly along corridors and routinely hold doors open for adults. They are polite and courteous to visitors and take initiative for directing them around the school or offering to help. Pupils talk sociably while they are having lunch and wait patiently for their turn to collect their meals or leave the hall. They play together in friendship and co-operation in the playground. There was one permanent exclusion last year. Pupils behave well in most lessons. In a few lessons pupils become noisy when the instructions for the work are not sufficiently clear or the groups are not organised appropriately.

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Attainment and progress

19. Personal development is good and this is an improvement since the last inspection. Pupils take increasing responsibility for their own learning and show initiative in thinking for themselves and finding their own solutions to problems. In literacy lessons, for example, pupils seek information in dictionaries, thesauri or class reference books, moving freely about the classroom when it is appropriate without disrupting the lesson. Pupils take on increasing responsibilities as they progress through the school. They act as register monitors and carry out a variety of duties in the classrooms. Year 6 pupils set up the hall for assemblies, read to reception children at lunchtimes and supervise younger pupils safely in and out of the school at break times. Across the school pupils handle property and equipment with care and respect. They show concern for the wider community; for instance, they help to raise money for charitable concerns such as the victims of

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Attainment and progress

20. Attendance is satisfactory and is broadly in line with the national average for the last reporting year. Unauthorised absence is well below the national average at 0 per cent but authorised absence is above the national average. Most pupils are punctual in arriving at school and registration is promptly and efficiently undertaken. The last inspection deemed attendance to be excellent. The attendance rate has declined because family holidays are being taken during term time. The registers are now marked in accordance with statutory requirements.

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Attainment and progress

21. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. It is very good in four per cent, good in 27 per cent and satisfactory in 61 per cent of lessons seen. The remaining eight per cent of lessons are unsatisfactory. This is an improvement since the last inspection when 22 per cent of teaching was unsatisfactory.

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Attainment and progress

22. Teachers work hard as a team, sharing knowledge and expertise across the school. They have a sound and sometimes good knowledge of the subjects they teach and appropriate awareness of matching the work to the needs of the age group. The quality of lesson planning is satisfactory and in all the lessons relationships amongst pupils and between pupils and teachers are good. These relationships underpin the good management of pupils in lessons and promote pupils’ co- operation with one another, good behaviour and learning. Teachers use a range of teaching strategies appropriately, for instance whole class, individual and group work. In whole class sessions teachers often share the broad lesson objectives with the pupils. However, the group work which follows on from this does not have precise objectives and this adversely affects the progress of high-attaining pupils in particular, for instance in numeracy and science.

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Attainment and progress

23. Teaching for the under fives is satisfactory in 72 per cent of lessons seen. In one lesson it was good and in one lesson it was unsatisfactory. Relationships are good and staff work together effectively to create a caring atmosphere which fosters children’s self-esteem and confidence. There are high expectations of children’s independence and behaviour and this promotes children’s good and occasionally very good behaviour. Staff listen with genuine interest to what children have to say and place a strong emphasis on speaking and listening skills. For instance, in the good lesson observed children’s personal development and speaking and listening skills were promoted well. Children in one group were expected to stick decorations independently onto the biscuits they were making and the support assistant promoted the vocabulary of colour and texture effectively.

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Attainment and progress

24. Occasionally, staff do not intervene sufficiently to extend the learning of children who are not working with them and are in other groups in the classroom. In the unsatisfactory lesson the support teacher was inefficiently deployed hearing individual children read without providing work for the other children in the group. This led to these children making unsatisfactory progress. Staff do not plan the curriculum together formally.

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Attainment and progress

25. In Key Stage 1 the quality of teaching is satisfactory. It is good in 25 per cent of lessons and satisfactory in the remaining 75 per cent. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. Attractive and interesting resources are used to gain pupils’ interest and encourage learning, for instance in science. In the most effective lessons the work is challenging yet well matched to pupils’ differing capabilities. Good use is made of review sessions to assess pupils’ understanding and extend their learning, for instance in English. Teachers encourage pupils to explain their thinking clearly and this promotes their progress well, for instance in English and ‘circle time’.

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Attainment and progress

26. In Key Stage 2 teaching is very good in eight per cent of lessons, good in 32 per cent and satisfactory in 48 per cent. In 12 per cent of lessons teaching is unsatisfactory. In the most effective lessons teachers have good subject knowledge and there are high expectations of what pupils should achieve. This is shown in the way they challenge pupils’ thinking, for instance in mathematics in Years 5 and 6. In the unsatisfactory lessons in English, art and physical education the weaknesses were in the planning and organisation. Additionally in English, insufficient time was allocated for pupils to complete the work and in art pupils’ behaviour was not managed appropriately.

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Attainment and progress

27. At both key stages where teaching is satisfactory lessons are planned appropriately and pupils are managed well. Most pupils make satisfactory progress. Although whole class introductions are taught well in science there are too many groups and pupils are given insufficient time to complete their work. On these occasions the teacher is dealing with resources and supervising behaviour and insufficient time is available for extending pupils’ learning and this adversely affects pupils’ progress. In science and mathematics high-attaining pupils are not always given sufficient work at the appropriate level for them and on these occasions they make unsatisfactory progress.

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Attainment and progress

28. Literacy lessons are structured appropriately according to the National Literacy Strategy guidelines. This is having a positive impact on teaching and learning. Although the broad objectives in numeracy lessons are based on the National Numeracy Strategy the group work is not always matched to the needs of high-attaining pupils and this adversely affects their progress.

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Attainment and progress

29. The quality of support and teaching for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. Most class teachers plan closely with specialist support assistants and teachers. All the staff involved with the pupils are aware of the targets in their individual educational plans and this promotes pupils’ progress. However, in Key Stage 2 practice varies from class to class. For instance, in the Year 5 mathematics lessons observed the specialist support assistant from the local education authority and the school’s support teacher supported pupils with special educational needs effectively. There was good collaboration in planning between the class teacher and the support staff and pupils made good progress. However, in a Year 4 lesson the school’s support teacher and the class teacher were not sufficiently aware of the pupils’ targets and pupils’ progress was adversely affected.

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Attainment and progress

30. In the one lesson observed in information technology in Key Stage 2 teaching was satisfactory. When pupils are using the computer in other subjects teachers support their learning appropriately. However, these occasions are few and information technology is not used sufficiently to support pupils’ learning in other subjects, for instance English, mathematics and science. Across the school pupils’ work is marked regularly with supportive comments. Marking is not sufficiently helpful in pointing out to pupils ways in which they can improve their work. Teachers assess individual pupils’ work well as a day-to-day informal process but there is no formal unified approach which is used to plan the next stage in pupils’ learning. Homework is set in the form of reading books, spellings and multiplication facts to learn and in work in other subjects in Years 5 and 6. It is used appropriately by teachers to enhance learning in the classroom. There is no

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Attainment and progress

home-to-school diary to communicate clearly what and how the work is to be done, except in Year 6.

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Attainment and progress

31. The curriculum for children under five is broad, balanced and relevant to children’s needs and this ensures that they make satisfactory progress. Provision for their personal and social development is good. Medium term planning is satisfactory. Daily lesson planning has broad objectives based on the desirable learning outcomes for children of this age. However, the objectives are not always precise enough to ensure sufficient progress within lessons. Additionally, objectives are not always provided for groups of children who are not working directly with an adult. Assessment is used appropriately to plan the next step in pupils’ learning. Children are prepared suitably to begin the National Curriculum by the age of five.

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Attainment and progress

32. At both key stages the school provides a broad and balanced curriculum and all subjects are taught in accordance with the requirements of the National Curriculum, except for information technology. The school has not reduced the content of any of the subjects and is still providing full National Curriculum courses for all of them. 8 This is an improvement since the last inspection when the National Curriculum was not being covered sufficiently in most subjects. In information technology insufficient time is provided for pupils to practise their skills because of the shortage of computers and programmable toys available to pupils. Control and monitoring aspects are not yet covered sufficiently. This is contributing to the unsatisfactory progress in this subject. The poor library accommodation and book resources in Key Stage 2 do not provide sufficiently for pupils to develop library and research skills and this limits pupils’ progress.

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Attainment and progress

Key Stage 2 pupils are prepared appropriately for the next stage in their education. This is aided by the regular provision of homework.

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Attainment and progress

33. Good progress has been made in attending to the key issue from the last inspection regarding schemes of work and these are now provided for all subjects. The schemes for art and information technology have not been implemented long enough for them to have had a sufficient impact on standards. The music scheme provides insufficient guidance for supporting teaching and learning. Therefore, progress in implementing all the schemes is satisfactory. The strategies for both literacy and numeracy have been implemented soundly and literacy and numeracy skills are promoted appropriately through other subjects across the curriculum. Appropriate time is allocated to subjects but the position of assembly in the daily timetables and the morning break at Key Stage 2 affects lessons. Whole school assemblies over-run and this reduces the time for the following lesson. The timing of the Key Stage 2 break means that the period following it

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Attainment and progress

is over-long. Some teachers find it difficult to make effective use of the short period towards the end of this morning session.

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Attainment and progress

34. The policy of the governing body is not to teach sex education, although the community care nurse works with Year 6 pupils. Health education is provided for within the science curriculum and there is suitable provision for education in drugs awareness. The curriculum prepares pupils appropriately for all aspects of their development. The programme of personal and social education in all classes, which the school calls ‘circle time’, effectively promotes pupils’ personal and social development.

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Attainment and progress

35. Equality of access to the curriculum is satisfactory overall. However, all pupils in information technology and high-attaining pupils in most subjects are not receiving their full curriculum entitlement. Sufficient opportunities are provided for all pupils to make progress, except for information technology and for high-attaining pupils. The curriculum meets the requirements of the Code of Practice for pupils with special educational needs and their needs are met satisfactorily. Pupils are provided with individual education plans but the targets are not always sharply focused to enable them to make sufficient progress. Additionally, these targets are not monitored and evaluated systematically on a regular short-term basis. This means that it is not clear how much progress is being made by individuals from week to week towards their longer-term targets.

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Attainment and progress

36. At both key stages planning in subjects is satisfactory overall. There is a useful curriculum map which outlines the curriculum in the long term. Teachers use the schemes of work to plan work at the average level for each year group. Broad objectives are provided in lessons and these are matched to the needs of average-attaining pupils. These are not always sufficiently precise or matched to the different abilities within the class and this adversely affects the progress of the high-attaining pupils. In some classes lesson planning is too brief, for instance in art and physical education. A range

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Attainment and progress

8 From September 1998 to July 2000 schools may choose to reduce the National Curriculum content of subjects, except for English, mathematics, science and information technology. of extra-curricular activities provides additional sound learning experiences for boys and girls. These include sporting activities, a gardening, dance and worship group and they are attended well. The curriculum is enhanced by a suitable range of visits to places of interest linked to work in the classroom, for instance to the local library, farms and a safari park. Visitors provide an extra dimension to pupils’ education, for instance the parish priest, musicians and people dressed as Roman soldiers.

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Attainment and progress

37. Procedures for monitoring pupils' progress are good in English, mathematics and science but they are not in place in other subjects. A wide range of assessments takes place in English, mathematics and science both annually and as ongoing practice. These are analysed and pupils' progress is tracked. This provides the school with a full picture of the progress of each year group and is used in target setting, for instance, for Year 6 pupils. The school works hard to identify levels of attainment for all pupils. For instance, there are individual and school portfolios of pupils’ work in English, mathematics and science. The information gained from these good procedures is not used effectively to plan the next step in pupils’ learning and this affects pupils’ progress. For example, in science most teachers take little account of the wide range of prior attainment when a new year's work is planned from the scheme of work. In mathematics although pupils

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Attainment and progress

are grouped by ability the work provided is not always matched to the prior attainment of high-attaining pupils. Marking celebrates pupils’ achievements and is carried out conscientiously by most teachers but it does not point out to pupils ways in which they can improve their work.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

38. The school’s provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils at both key stages, and for children under five, is good. This is a strength of the school and is an improvement since the last inspection. The school has a good ethos and is a supportive community where the personal development of all pupils is given considerable attention.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

39. Provision for the spiritual development of pupils has improved since the last inspection and is good. Pupils are helped and encouraged to develop a spiritual awareness through religious education and assemblies. For instance, in one assembly the theme of God as protector was illustrated well through the story of ‘Daniel and the lion’. Time is provided for stillness and reflection, and a lit candle, singing and music contribute to the feeling of spirituality. Music is used from a variety of cultures and this promotes pupils’ cultural awareness well. Assembly themes are planned each term and the visits from the parish priest enrich the pupils’ spiritual development.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

40. The school’s provision for moral development is good. Staff working with children under five use praise and rewards to encourage children’s efforts and achievements and discuss incidents as they arise and in ‘circle time’. This enables children to develop an awareness that their actions affect others and that some actions are right and some are wrong. There is a comprehensive discipline policy and it is followed consistently throughout the school by adults and pupils. At both key stages pupils are made aware of the need to take responsibility for their own actions. Adults provide good models of sensitive and caring behaviour which are readily followed by the pupils. They give pupils of all ages clear explanations of acceptable behaviour. Good behaviour and achievement are actively promoted through effort charts, badges, stickers and certificates which are awarded at achievement assemblies. ‘Circle time’ includes personal and social education and is timetabled

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

for all pupils including the reception class. This provides effective opportunities for pupils to reflect in depth on moral issues such as bullying and for social development.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

41. Provision for the social development of pupils is good. The quality of relationships amongst pupils and between pupils and staff is good, leading to good social behaviour and pupils’ self-discipline. The school has worked hard to promote good behaviour at playtime and pupils play together well. The headteacher frequently monitors behaviour at playtimes and lunchtimes. Many opportunities are provided for pupils to work in pairs and in groups, for instance when they work on science investigations. There are plans to involve Year 6 pupils in school development planning this year. The school also fosters a sense of citizenship by promoting wider social responsibility through raising funds each year for charity. The residential experience in Shropshire for Year 6 pupils and inter-school sports competitions also provide good opportunities for social development.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

42. Provision for cultural development is good and this is an improvement since the last inspection. Pupils’ appreciation of western culture is promoted through art, music, history and literature. They develop a good understanding of the wider community through subjects such as geography and history. In religious education in Key Stage 2 pupils study a range of cultural traditions. The main religious festivals of Christianity and other faiths are celebrated, for instance Christmas, Eid and Diwali, and pupils hear and appreciate music from a variety of cultures in assemblies. Displays around the school contribute to pupils’ development, for instance on Anne Frank, the Egyptians and paintings in the style of Seurat. Pupils’ cultural development is enriched by visitors to the school, such as people acting the role of Vikings and Romans and a euphonium player. There are educational visits, for instance to a safari park, farm, mosque and synagogue. Recent links have

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

been formed with a local multi-cultural school and these enhance the provision.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

43. The school provides satisfactory support, welfare and guidance for pupils and this has a beneficial effect on their attitudes and progress. Teachers know their pupils well, have good relationships with them and respond positively to their needs. Most parents feel that their children like school and that they are supported effectively by staff.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

44. Procedures for monitoring the academic progress and personal development of pupils are satisfactory. This is an improvement since the last inspection. There is a school profile and individual pupil profiles of assessed work, and a range of formal assessments. However, these are not used sufficiently to plan work matched to pupils’ differing needs, for instance for high attainers. Procedures for monitoring personal development are informal but effective. The personal and social education programme is taught well through ‘circle time’. Pupils with special educational needs have appropriate individual education plans and these are monitored and evaluated regularly. These pupils are supported soundly by teachers and support staff and this promotes their satisfactory progress towards their individual targets. The good liaison between outside agencies and the school supports pupils’ leaning well. Good procedures are in place to support

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

children when they first enter the reception class, ensuring that they settle quickly. Children visit the school, receive home boxes with appropriate work to prepare them for school, home visits and visits to a feeder nursery school by staff. Pupils are prepared soundly for secondary school, for instance through appropriate homework.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

45. There are good procedures in place for monitoring and promoting discipline and good behaviour. The school’s discipline policy is implemented consistently by all staff. These procedures are underpinned by the good relationships between staff and pupils. Praise and rewards are used effectively to promote good behaviour and achievements and effort are celebrated, for instance in the ‘Good News’ assembly. Inappropriate behaviour and bullying are monitored and recorded by the headteacher and parents consulted as necessary. There is an appropriate scheme for sanctions. Bullying is not a problem and clear procedures are in place to deal with any incidents which may arise.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

46. The school has satisfactory procedures in place for monitoring attendance. Registers are completed correctly at the beginning of the morning and afternoon sessions. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Class teachers and the headteacher monitor attendance with the support of the educational welfare officer. However, the rate of attendance has declined since the last inspection and the school does not actively promote good attendance. 47. There are satisfactory procedures in place for child protection and promoting the health, safety and well-being of pupils. There is a designated person responsible for child protection and staff are aware of procedures. A suitable health and safety policy is in place and pupils are supervised well by the headteacher, staff and ancillary assistants at break and lunchtimes. There are several trained first aiders in school and arrangements for dealing with accidents and illness are

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

satisfactory. Fire precautions and electrical checks have been carried out but whole-school risk assessment has not. The health and safety issues regarding the surface of the playground and the perimeter fence which were raised in the last inspection have now been attended to appropriately.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

52. Partnership with parents and the community

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

48. The school’s partnership with parents and the local community is good and makes a positive contribution to pupils’ learning and personal development. This was deemed to be a strength in the last report and this good standard has been maintained. Parents appreciate the encouragement they are given to play an active part in the school.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

49. The information provided for parents about their children’s work and progress is satisfactory. The school issues regular letters to keep parents informed, holds curriculum evenings, for instance on numeracy, and provides an appropriate prospectus. However, the governors’ annual report to parents does not provide sufficient information about the progress made towards the action plan from the last inspection report. The two parents’ evenings each year are well attended and enable parents to consult teachers about their children’s progress. Annual reports on pupils’ progress are informative and set appropriate targets for improvement. A few parents who returned the pre- inspection questionnaire do not feel that the school handles complaints well. However, discussions with parents during the inspection week did not support this view.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

50. Good opportunities are provided for parents to become involved in their children’s learning. Many parents make effective use of the home-to-school reading diaries which are a good way of sharing information. Homework is set regularly and parents support their children well with this work. There is no homework diary, except in Year 6 and information about the work is not always communicated clearly to parents. Parents give good support through the ‘Friends Association’ which continues to raise considerable funds for resources through social events, such as the annual bonfire. This association has provided funds for mathematics and computer resources recently. The school encourages parents and members of the community to act as volunteer helpers. Ten parents have been involved in the ‘Parents as Educators’ programme and one of these parents was seen assisting in a Year 4 art lesson during the inspection. Parents and

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

grandparents are regular helpers in the classroom. This is appreciated by staff and supports pupils’ learning well. Parents regularly attend the ‘Good News’ assemblies to celebrate pupils’ achievements.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

51. Strong links with the community support and enhance pupils’ learning. There are educational visits linked to work in the classroom which extend the curriculum effectively, for example to the church and local library. Visitors to the school enrich the curriculum; for instance, the parish priest is a regular visitor and frequently leads assemblies. Elderly members of the community give talks about the way of life when they were children. A local newspaper representative visits Year 6 annually to work with pupils and this contributes to the literacy curriculum. The physical education curriculum is enhanced by links with the local football club which provides coaching. The local high school allows Years 5 and 6 pupils to use the computer rooms regularly. The school participates in inter-school sports competitions, including football and netball, and the choir performs at local venues, for instance the cathedral. The ‘Mums and Tots Club’ uses the school

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

hall each week. This provides a good supportive link with the community and prospective pupils and their families. The school has received sponsorship from a local garage to purchase football strips and vests for athletics. 56. The management and efficiency of the school

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

1 The enthusiastic headteacher leads his staff successfully in promoting the good relationships which underpin the caring, friendly ethos of the school. This is a strength of the school and promotes pupils’ learning well. Staff work together well as a team, guiding the school appropriately towards higher achievement. The headteacher co-ordinates the whole curriculum and is the subject co-ordinator for science and physical education this year. In the past two years he has taught for seventy per cent of the time and this has limited the time for him to reflect upon his management role. This year he does not have a class teaching commitment. The deputy headteacher contributes effectively to the leadership and management. A recent staff appointment to the senior management team has strengthened its capacity to contribute to strategic management. The subject co-ordinator role is developing well: this is an improvement

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

since the last inspection. They give useful support and guidance to staff.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

2 Communication between staff at all levels is satisfactory. Support staff have recently been included in the regular staff meetings and there are curriculum meetings for teachers. Support staff are involved in planning informally with class teachers but formal planning meetings are not established, for instance in reception.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

3 The school receives effective support from the governing body and they play an active part in the oversight of the curriculum. Governors are assigned to particular subjects, there is a programme for monitoring the curriculum at monthly intervals and these visits are evaluated formally. There are regular presentations by curriculum co-ordinators to the curriculum committee, for example, from the numeracy and history co-ordinators. Governors are kept well informed about developments through regular committee meetings and the headteacher’s reports to governors. National Curriculum results are discussed and analysed with governors. Conservative targets for the improvement of test results have been set in consultation with the local education authority. They are based on formal assessments of pupils’ achievements. Governors attend a variety of functions and the chair of governors visits the school frequently. Statutory requirements are well

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

met, except with regard to providing for the coverage of the National Curriculum in information technology and informing parents sufficiently about the progress made in implementing the action plan from the last inspection report.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

4 There are good structures in place for monitoring teaching and learning but their impact is unsatisfactory. There is a regular programme of formal lesson observations by co-ordinators and the headteacher and pupils work in subjects is monitored twice yearly in English, mathematics and science. Although there are guidelines for implementing these procedures they are not carried out with sufficient rigour. They fail to identify precisely what is working well and what needs to be improved. This imprecise information is used in the curriculum audits for subjects and by the senior management team to produce the curriculum section of the school development plan. The headteacher does not monitor these procedures or teachers’ daily lesson planning and teaching effectively. Teachers’ half-termly planning is monitored appropriately by the headteacher and subject co-ordinators. Overall, these monitoring procedures have failed to identify the weaknesses

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

in provision. For instance, provision for high-attaining pupils, the unsatisfactory quality of recorded work in Key Stage1 science and in Year 4 mathematics and deficiencies in the mathematics curriculum in Year 5. Additionally problems with the morning timetable in Key Stage 2 and the inefficient deployment of support teachers have not been identified.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

5 The school’s development plan has a satisfactory structure and is linked to staff development and training suitably. Staff are involved appropriately in the planning process and Year 6 pupils are to be involved in the coming year. Priorities are monitored and evaluated regularly and initiatives which require further development are carried forward appropriately into the following year’s plans. There is brief outline planning for developments over the next two or three years but not for budget expenditure, except for buildings and grounds. Expenditure plans are not linked sufficiently to the school’s budget. The sound development plans for the last two years which attended to the issues from the last inspection report specified the action to be taken and were clearly focused on improving provision. The structure of the plan has been changed this year and its impact on pupils’ learning and as a management tool is less effective. Some of the curriculum initiatives in

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

the plan do not identify the correct issues to pursue or the precise action to be taken in order to raise standards. They are based on imprecise information, for instance from subject monitoring.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

6 The school has made satisfactory progress in tackling the key issues from the last inspection in April 1996. The action plan based on these issues was incorporated into the school development plan and its structure was changed so that in the following two years it covered the required areas. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has improved. There are schemes of work for all subjects. Long and medium term planning, subject expertise and the quality of teaching have improved. The use of assessment procedures, monitoring pupils’ progress, the school development plan and its appropriate costing and the more systematic deployment of support teachers require further development. The last report stated that there were serious weaknesses in leadership and management and it is now deemed to be satisfactory overall. Although this is an improving school, there are still aspects of management which are

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

unsatisfactory. However, the school’s capacity for further improvement is satisfactory.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

7 There is an equal opportunities policy which is implemented soundly in classroom practice and in most areas of the curriculum. However, equal access to the curriculum is not achieved for high- attaining pupils, except for English, and for all pupils in information technology. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is managed satisfactorily and the requirements of the Code of Practice are met.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

8 The ethos for learning is good. Most lessons are purposeful, pupils have positive attitudes to learning and behaviour is good. Relationships amongst pupils and between pupils and adults are good. The school meets most of its aims successfully, particularly with regard to providing for the Christian development of pupils. The aims for recognising pupils’ needs and providing all pupils with the opportunity to achieve their full potential are not met with regard to high-attaining pupils. Parents appreciate the encouragement they are given to play an active part in the school and they are supportive of its aims and values.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

64 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

9 There are sufficient suitably qualified and experienced teachers to meet the demands of the curriculum at both key stages and for the under fives. All staff have curriculum responsibilities which are mainly well matched to their qualifications and experience. There is a sufficient number of classroom support staff and they are appropriately qualified and experienced. They do not plan formally with teachers and this affects pupils’ learning, for instance in reception. The lunchtime supervisors maintain good discipline in a friendly and effective way. The site supervisor and cleaning staff work conscientiously to keep the building clean. The secretary plays an effective part in the smooth day-to-day running of the school.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

10 There are suitable arrangements for the professional development of staff and these have a beneficial effect on teaching and learning. Staff attend a variety of training courses which are matched well to whole-school and individual needs. For instance, there has been a considerable amount of training for subject co-ordinators since the last inspection and this has raised staff confidence and expertise. Subject co-ordinators are now given time to monitor teaching and learning and this is an improvement since the last inspection. However, these procedures are not sufficiently effective because they do not identify precisely what needs to be developed in the subject. Teachers have an annual professional development interview with the headteacher and satisfactory appraisal arrangements are in place. The headteacher has been accepted on the national training scheme for headteachers this year. These procedures promote teachers’

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

professional development. Professional development is not provided for classroom assistants. A comprehensive staff handbook provides useful information, for instance on policies and procedures. There is an induction policy for newly qualified staff or staff who are new to the school.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

11 The accommodation at both key stages and for the under fives is satisfactory, clean and maintained appropriately. However, the Key Stage 2 library accommodation is poor. It is not suitable for Key Stage 2 pupils and it restricts pupils’ skills in using a library and in finding information. The space in the school hall is limited by the storage of dining furniture and this affects physical education lessons. Although there are a few attractive displays which have interesting artefacts, for instance on Anne Frank and the Second World War, many displays are uninspiring and show a lack of attention to detail. There is an attractive Key Stage 1 shared area and foyer. However, the stark and unattractive Key Stage 2 corridor and the shared cloakroom do not create a warm and welcoming environment within the building.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

12 Learning resources are adequate in quantity and quality for the under fives and the curriculum at both key stages, except for information technology hardware and software resources and the Key Stage 2 library and classroom book stocks. Many of these books are out of date or in poor condition and the material does not reflect the multi-cultural nature of society sufficiently. There is an adequate supply of books for the teaching of literacy. The stock of fiction and non-fiction books in the Key Stage 1 library area and in classrooms has been improved since the last inspection. The outdated reading scheme provides a limited range of strategies for teaching reading and this restricts some pupils’ interest and learning.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

13 The number of computers, at one per class, is inadequate and there are insufficient software programs to teach skills in the subject or to support other subjects. This has an adverse effect on pupils’ attainment and progress. The school is aware of this and this term Years 5 and 6 pupils regularly use the computer resources at a local secondary school. Although storage facilities have improved since the last inspection, resources and equipment in the hall and some classrooms are not stored tidily. Suitable use is made of the attractive school grounds, spacious field, the locality and visits further afield to enhance the curriculum. Since the last inspection there has been an improvement in resources from unsatisfactory to adequate in most subjects.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

14 Overall, satisfactory use is made of the available resources to support the curriculum policies and ethos of the school. Since the last inspection the headteacher and governors have tried to improve the procedures for strategic financial planning. However, these are still unsatisfactory and this hinders the school’s efforts to raise standards further. The finance committee meets regularly and strategies for spending are considered in detail during the formation of spending plans for the coming year. The school development plan is costed briefly but it is not linked precisely to the school’s budget. There is no outline planning for one or two years ahead, except for buildings and grounds. Governors have recently appointed two teachers for classes where there have been long-term staff absences. By doing so they have successfully eradicated a significant budget deficit to make more funds available for resources. There is no

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additional funding for pupils with special educational needs. Grants for educational support and training are used appropriately to support staff development.

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15 Curriculum co-ordinators have been given greater authority for planning a budget but because of budgetary constraints the amount they are given to manage is minimal. The curriculum was unsatisfactory in the last inspection and time made available for co- ordinators to rectify this has been used efficiently in most subjects. However, the time made available now for monitoring teaching and learning is not being used effectively to raise standards further. Support teachers supplied by the local education authority work effectively with pupils with special educational needs. Effective use is made of classroom assistants who work purposefully when helping in the classroom or support pupils with special educational needs. Support teachers often carry out similar work and are not always deployed efficiently. Occasionally they are engaged in simple tasks such as supporting individual pupils on the computer or with reading. On other occasions the

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level of planning and teaching for a group is below that expected of a teacher.

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16 Since the last inspection the school has taken steps to improve both the appearance and the use of the shared area in Key Stage 1. The shared area in Key Stage 2 has not been improved and it is not used effectively. The library accommodation and resources are inadequate and this means that it cannot be used appropriately to extend pupils’ library and research. Effective use is made of available resources, except in information technology at both key stages and music in Key Stage 2. There is some inefficient use of time when assemblies go on for too long and there is insufficient time remaining for the following lesson to be completed.

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17 The financial control and day-to-day administration of the school are good. There are clear procedures and transactions are managed efficiently. The school purchases additional support and monitoring of the budget from the local education authority and this is effective. The numerous recommendations of the previous audit have been implemented and secure procedures are in place. Regular monitoring of spending takes place and is reported through the finance committee of the governing body.

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18 Since the last inspection there has been satisfactory improvement in most areas of efficiency but financial planning and the efficient deployment of support teachers require further development.

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19 Children’s attainment on entry is average. There is average attainment at the end of both key stages and satisfactory progress and teaching. The income and expenditure per pupil are low. Taking all these factors into account, and pupils’ good attitudes, behaviour and relationships, the school provides sound value for money.

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75 Areas of learning for children under five

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20 Children enter the school with an average range of early learning skills. This is confirmed by the local education authority initial assessment of children’s achievements. At the time of the inspection 27 of the reception children were under the age of five. Inspection evidence shows that children, including those who have special educational needs, make satisfactory progress in all the areas of learning. In personal development they make good progress. By the age of five most children’s achievements are in line with national expectations for this age group. This judgement is made according to the criteria established by the desirable learning outcomes. In language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development children’s attainment is in line with national expectations. Achievement in personal development is above expectations.

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9 See footnote on page 10. 76 Personal and social development

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21 Through good teaching children make good progress and their achievement is above expectations. Relationships are good and all adults are very effective in creating a caring atmosphere of mutual respect which fosters children’s self-esteem and confidence. This is promoted well through ‘circle time’. For instance, in one of these lessons the teacher encouraged the children to discuss what made them happy or sad at school. Children took turns to speak, listened well to the contribution of others and showed developing confidence in speaking in a group. All staff have high expectations of children’s behaviour and independence and children respond well. This promotes their good progress, good and occasionally very good behaviour. Children settle quickly into the routines of school life. They play together happily and develop initiative and independence in choosing resources and in tidying equipment away. They learn to care about the world around

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them and develop an awareness that some actions are right and some are wrong.

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22 Through satisfactory teaching most children make appropriate progress and their achievements are in line with expectations. Staff listen with genuine interest to children’s contributions and place a strong emphasis on speaking and listening skills and this has a positive effect on children’s learning. For instance, children were encouraged to describe what the ingredients for making dough felt like and this developed their observational skills and vocabulary well. Some children lack confidence in speaking to adults and to a large group.

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23 Many children make satisfactory progress in the enjoyment of books and in acquiring pre-reading skills. These skills are promoted suitably through the provision of appropriate written signs and messages around the classroom. Children are beginning to learn the letters of the alphabet and their sounds. Many children recognise familiar words from a published reading scheme and take these books and the related words home to read with their parents. Some children who are not ready to read from the scheme follow the same procedures and this adversely affects their progress. In the one lesson which was unsatisfactory the support teacher was inefficiently deployed hearing individual children read and did not provide work for the other children in the group. This led to these children making unsatisfactory progress.

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24 The structured approach to teaching writing promotes children’s progress well. Staff encourage children to write their names independently, for instance on paintings and drawings, and there is formal teaching of letter formation. Scrutiny of reception work shows that high and average-attaining children make good progress across the year from copywriting to writing some words independently. Low-attaining children make good progress from making marks on paper to copying many letters and words correctly. Children’s achievements are assessed regularly by staff to track progress and plan future work. If there are any concerns about the progress of individual children the special educational needs co-ordinator is consulted and they are placed on the special educational needs register. Currently there are no reception children who are on this register.

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25 Satisfactory teaching encourages sound progress and most children achieve standards which are in line with expectations for this age. Staff provide many counting, sorting, matching and sequencing activities to promote children’s learning. For example, at the end of one lesson the concept of ‘more than’ was taught effectively through the action song ‘One Little Elephant’ . Lesson observations show that children are developing a sound understanding of numbers to ten. Scrutiny of work shows that most children make satisfactory progress from recognising numbers to ten to the addition and subtraction of these numbers using structured apparatus. Children recognise two- dimensional shapes, such as circle and triangle. They explore capacity and volume through sand and water play. Staff place an appropriate emphasis on the correct subject vocabulary and children respond well.

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81 Knowledge and understanding of the world

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26 Through sound teaching most children make satisfactory progress and are achieving standards which are in line with expectations for this age. Staff have a satisfactory understanding of how young children learn and organise activities appropriately but teacher knowledge of this area of learning is less secure. Staff do not plan the curriculum together formally. In one lesson observed the support teacher was inefficiently deployed working with individual children on the computer. Scrutiny of work shows that children learn about the seasons, the sources of light and living and non-living things. Children make dough models of letters, for instance of the letter ‘d’. They use icing sugar and sweets to make delicious ‘face’ biscuits. Children talk about where they live and their families and explore the local environment. For instance, they visit a local farm in the summer term. They learn about the past and how things change through the sequencing of

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events. For instance, children talk about the differences between the staff now and the photographs of them when they were babies. They are becoming familiar with the computer keyboard and use the mouse with developing control to make choices when working software programs.

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27 It was possible to see only a limited range of activities during the inspection. Satisfactory opportunities are provided for children to use different media and tools in order to develop their creative skills. This promotes children’s satisfactory progress and most children achieve standards which are in line with expectations for this age. Children draw pictures with crayons and felt tips and paint pictures, for instance, of things they have seen, such as a tractor. However, the learning objectives for each group in the classroom are not always precise enough to promote progress effectively. Children learn songs and rhymes and sing tunefully and with enthusiasm. Insufficient time and emphasis are given to extending children’s learning when they are not working directly with an adult and on these occasions children’s progress is limited. For instance, in the imaginative play area, designed as a home, children take on the roles of different members of a

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family, organising meal times. Adult participation in this activity is mainly confined to managing behaviour.

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28 Children make satisfactory progress and most children achieve standards which are in line with expectations for this age. Children show increasing control and co-ordination when using a range of tools, such as pencils, crayons, paint-brushes and scissors. For example, when they paint or draw pictures of themselves and cut around pictures of objects which begin with ‘d’. They handle construction apparatus competently. In a dance lesson children moved like autumn leaves and showed developing control of their movements and appropriate awareness of space and of each other. The teacher used praise to manage children’s behaviour well and assessed their achievements appropriately. However, explanations were too long, children were not sufficiently active during the lesson and this led to a few children becoming restless.

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84 English, mathematics, science and information technology

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29 At the end of Key Stage 2 pupils’ performance in the 1999 National Curriculum tests was well above the national average at the expected level (level 4 or above) and at the higher level 5. Their performance was well above average when compared with similar schools. At this key stage there was an initial decline in pupils’ performance after the last inspection. Th e school has achieved greater stability in staffing since then and the curriculum has improved. The significant improvement in the 1999 National Curriculum test results is due in part to these factors and the higher ability of the pupils who undertook the tests compared to previous years.

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30 The school’s 1999 National Curriculum tests results show that at the end of Key Stage 1 pupils’ attainment in English overall was in line with the national average. Pupils’ performance has remained broadly the same since the last inspection. The proportion of pupils attaining the expected level (level 2 or above) in reading was well above average, above average in writing and above expectations in speaking and listening. At the higher level 3 pupils’ attainment was below average in reading, below expectations in speaking and listening and well below average in writing.

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1. Inspection evidence shows that at the end of both key stages pupils’ attainment in English overall is in line with national expectations. This judgement reflects the 1999 National Curriculum test results at Key Stage 1, except that more pupils are achieving at the higher level in speaking and listening and writing this year. This is because of the impact of the literacy hour and better quality teaching in Year 2. At Key Stage 2 the judgement does not reflect the 1999 test results. This is because the overall ability of last year’s group was higher than the group of pupils who are currently in Year 6. Moreover, almost half of these pupils have joined the school from other schools in Key Stage 2. There is no difference in the achievement of boys and girls.

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1 Pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening is in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. The literacy hour and ‘circle time’ are having a positive effect on pupils’ learning. In ‘circle time’ Year 1 pupils listen respectfully to each other, take turns to speak and develop confidence and a wider vocabulary. In literacy lessons they answer questions thoughtfully and speak clearly. Many pupils answer in full sentences and a small number provide extended explanations and responses. A few low-attaining pupils lack confidence and confine their answers to single words. Effective teaching encourages them to provide further information and this helps them to make progress. In Year 2 pupils build soundly on these skills. They answer questions with sufficient detail, showing understanding of the topic under discussion. For instance, in a literacy lesson Year 2 pupils listened carefully to the poem ‘Dad and Cat’ and explained their

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understanding of narrative poetry clearly. A few high-attaining pupils provided additional lines of their own which rhymed correctly.

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2 Pupils continue to make satisfactory progress in Key Stage 2. Year 6 pupils are provided with a number of well planned opportunities to speak and listen to others and to read aloud in front of the whole class. In one lesson they were involved in purposeful conversation in their groups about the complex issues surrounding the effects which the building of new motorways have on the environment. They waited respectfully for their turn to speak, listened carefully to the opinions expressed by others and showed an appreciation of opposing points of view. Most pupils express their opinions and feelings clearly and confidently and a few high-attaining pupils listen critically to others and construct searching questions to seek further information. Some low-attaining pupils find it difficult to read aloud expressively or to speak confidently in a large group.

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3 At the end of Key Stage 1 pupils’ attainment in reading is broadly in line with national expectations. Most pupils attain the expected level (level 2 or above) but few achieve the higher level. Most pupils make satisfactory progress, except for a few high-attaining pupils. Pupils in Year 1 are beginning to grow in confidence and read simple texts with increasing understanding and enjoyment. Pupils in Year 2 widen their interest and some read non-fiction books for pleasure. Most Year 2 pupils have an adequate range of strategies for tackling unfamiliar words. They use word recognition, letter sounds and the sense of what they are reading to help them to interpret the text. However, few high-attaining pupils read with accuracy, fluency and expression or use an index to find information quickly. Pupils regularly take books home to read and this supports their learning well. The reliance on an outdated reading scheme, which has a limited range of

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strategies for teaching reading, restricts some pupils’ interest and learning.

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4 At the end of Key Stage 2 pupils’ attainment meets national expectations in reading at the expected level 4 and at the higher level 5. They continue to make satisfactory progress. Pupils make regular use of dictionaries and thesauri to support their work. Most Year 6 pupils show appropriate understanding of events and characters in a variety of literature and have adequate skills for finding information. However, the poor library accommodation and unsatisfactory resources restrict pupils’ progress in using a library and finding information in reference books.

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5 At the end of Key Stage 1 in writing pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations. Most pupils attain the expected level (level 2 or above) and the number of pupils achieving the higher level 3 is in line with expectations. This is an improvement on the 1999 National Curriculum tests at the higher level 3. It is being brought about by the impact of the literacy hour and improvements in teaching in Year 2. Pupils make satisfactory progress in writing. In Year 1 many pupils progress from relying on their teacher’s help to form letters and words correctly to writing simple sentences independently. In Year 2 pupils’ work increases in length and accuracy. Average-attaining pupils sequence sentences in a logical order and are beginning to use capital letters and full stops correctly. High-attaining pupils use an interesting vocabulary in their writing, conjunctions to link their ideas together and punctuate sentences accurately. Standards in spelling

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6 The satisfactory progress continues in Key Stage 2 and at the end of this key stage pupils’ attainment is in line with expectations at the expected level 4 and at the higher level 5. Year 6 pupils develop their use of narrative writing competently and use speech marks correctly. Low- attaining pupils still use simple sentences in their work whilst high-attaining pupils produce mature and imaginative prose. Throughout Key Stage 2 pupils are given opportunities to write for a wider range of purposes and audiences and develop an awareness of the need to redraft and improve their work. At both key stages handwriting is often neat and pride is taken in the presentation of work. On some occasions teachers pay too little attention to this aspect of writing and the standard is unsatisfactory.

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7 Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. They sometimes make good progress when all the staff supporting them plan together effectively and use their individual targets to set work for them, for example in writing. In Year 4 this good practice does not take place and pupils’ progress is limited.

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8 Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour in lessons are good and this has a positive effect on their progress. They are enthusiastic about the literacy hour and collaborate well when planning work in groups to show to the rest of the class and they listen politely and appreciatively to others. On a few occasions they become noisy when teacher explanations about the work are not sufficiently clear or they become restless when the lesson introduction is too long.

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9 The quality of teaching is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. One lesson in Key Stage 2 was unsatisfactory. In the most effective lessons teachers share the learning objectives with the class at the beginning of the session. They intervene at appropriate moments to assess progress and set new targets for improvement. This enables pupils to consider the quality of their work and extend their learning. In the shared reading section of the literacy hour some teachers read the text with great enthusiasm and expression. This produces a similar response from pupils and has the effect of both improving their performance and promoting their enjoyment of literature.

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10 In the good lessons there is clear explanation of what pupils are expected to do and good organisation of pupils, time and resources. In the unsatisfactory lesson planning was weak, lesson objectives were not explained clearly and insufficient time was allocated for completing the work and this adversely affected pupils’ progress. Most teachers mark work regularly and praise good efforts. The better marking shows pupils how to improve their work but this practice is not widespread. Homework is set regularly throughout the school and this has a positive impact on pupils’ progress.

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11 The National Literacy Strategy is being implemented soundly and is having a positive effect on pupils’ learning. Literacy skills are promoted suitably through other subjects, such as written accounts in geography, history and science. Information technology is not planned into the curriculum or used to support pupils’ learning sufficiently.

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12 Subject leadership is satisfactory. The co-ordinator is relatively new to the school and is developing the role soundly. Previous monitoring of teaching and learning in the subject has not been effective in identifying precisely the areas to be developed, for instance the provision for high-attaining pupils in Key Stage 1. A range of assessment procedures is in place which measure progress against nationally agreed levels and these are used to place pupils into ability groups in lessons. Assessment takes place in lessons but it is not used consistently across the school to plan the next step in pupils’ learning. The last inspection identified a number of weaknesses in provision and there has been sound improvement in these areas, for example providing a suitable scheme of work and resources.

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13 The School’s National Curriculum test results for 1999 show that at the end of Key Stage 2 pupils’ attainment was above the national average. The proportion of pupils attaining the expected level (level 4 or above) was above the national average and the proportion achieving the higher level 5 was well above. When compared with similar schools pupils’ performance in 1999 was above average. Pupils’ performance has been above the national average in two out of the last four years. At the end of Key Stage 1 the school’s 1999 test results show that pupils’ attainment was well below the national average. Although most pupils achieved the expected level (level 2 or above) few achieved the higher grades within the level 2 band. Additionally the proportion of pupils achieving the higher level 3 was well below the national average. When compared with similar schools pupils’ performance was well below average. Standards have remained broadly the

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14 The inspection evidence shows that at the end of both key stages pupils’ attainment is broadly in line with national expectations. This judgement does not reflect the 1999 National Curriculum test results. At Key Stage 1 pupils’ attainment at the expected level (level 2 or above) is higher this year. This is directly related to improvements in the quality of teaching in the numeracy hour in Year 2. At Key Stage 2 the difference is because the overall ability of the pupils who undertook the 1999 tests was higher than the current Year 6 group. Almost half of these pupils have joined the school from other schools in Key Stage 2. There is no difference in the achievement of boys and girls.

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15 At the end of Key Stage 1 most pupils’ attain the expected level (level 2 or above) but few achieve the higher level. Most pupils make satisfactory progress. Pupils use their knowledge and understanding of number to calculate with increasingly higher numbers and to solve problems. Year 1 pupils develop different strategies for the addition of numbers to twenty. Year 2 pupils add and subtract numbers to twenty mentally and many of them write numbers to fifty in the correct order. Pupils develop a suitable vocabulary, for instance for the alternative words for addition. Low-attaining pupils make slow progress, but from a low base, and show increasing confidence in their writing of numbers and in simple calculations. Pupils name two-dimensional shapes and divide them into halves and quarters. They draw tally charts and use the information to construct bar graphs.

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16 Pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations at the end of Key Stage 2. Most pupils make satisfactory progress overall but it is inconsistent through the key stage. Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that in Year 4 some pupils are required to do insufficient recorded work and standards of presentation are low. Occasionally, the work is unmarked and comments do not advise pupils of their progress and how to continue it. Good progress is made in Year 6 where marking is helpful and pupils are expected to do far more work than in other years including revisiting previous topics. The deficiencies from Year 5 are rectified, such as the lack of in-depth coverage of some elements of number and of shape, space and measure. Year 6 pupils demonstrate appropriate mental skills in number and many of them correctly order a series of fractions and decimals. They draw and interpret line graphs, for instance, relating to temperature.

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Pupils draw and name different types of triangles and know the relationships for measuring circles. They use their competency in number to carry out investigations.

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17 High-attaining pupils are making unsatisfactory progress in both key stages. Pupils are grouped by ability in lessons but they are not always provided with work at the appropriate level. In Key Stage 1 high-attaining pupils make satisfactory progress in number in the numeracy lessons seen but scrutiny of last year’s Key Stage 1 work shows that this was not the case in all aspects of mathematics. Scrutiny of work and lesson observations show similar deficiencies in provision from Years 3 to 5 in Key Stage 2.

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18 At both key stages the progress of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory overall. However, in Key Stage 2 the provision and progress is inconsistent from class to class. It is dependent upon effective planning between all the staff supporting these pupils and the use of pupils’ individual targets in planning work for them. For instance, in the Year 5 lessons observed pupils were supported effectively in setting out decimal fractions and doing simple calculations and they made good progress. This good practice was not the case in a Year 4 lesson and pupils’ progress was limited.

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19 Pupils' responses in lessons are good. Most of them are enthusiastic about their work, particularly in oral and mental activities. They listen attentively and show respect when others are speaking. Behaviour is good, sometimes very good, although in some classes there is too much unnecessary noise when working on group tasks.

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20 Teaching is satisfactory at both key stages. There is good and occasionally very good teaching in Years 5 and 6. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen. Teachers use appropriate methods to reinforce and develop mental mathematics strategies and a suitable pace is maintained. Whole-class teaching and explanation of tasks are usually clear and good use is made of specific vocabulary. In the very good lesson good subject knowledge and enthusiastic teaching was combined with high expectations of what pupils should achieve. The teacher challenged pupils’ thinking through skilful questioning and provided good opportunities for them to discuss their ideas. This promoted pupils’ good progress. In some lessons the introduction is too long and this reduces the time for pupils to practise new skills or to discuss their work together towards the end of the lesson.

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21 Planning of lessons is matched to the learning objectives of the National Numeracy Strategy. However, tasks set for different ability groups do not have specific objectives and this affects the progress of high-attaining pupils. Key Stage 2 teachers set homework regularly to support work in the classroom.

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22 The school’s implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy is satisfactory. Subject leadership is good and the co-ordinator has a clear view of how to develop numeracy across the school. Numeracy skills are reinforced suitably through other subjects, for instance through work on co-ordinates in geography, timelines in history and through the use of measuring and graphs in science. Mathematics lessons make a satisfactory contribution to literacy in the introduction and use of specific mathematical vocabulary. Insufficient use is made of information technology to support pupils’ learning.

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23 A range of assessment procedures are in place which measure progress against nationally agreed levels and these are used to place pupils into ability groups in lessons. Pupils’ achievements are assessed in lessons. However, information from the range of assessment procedures is not used consistently across the school to plan the next step in pupils’ learning, for instance for high-attaining pupils. Since the last inspection a scheme of work has been produced and the co-ordinator receives time regularly to monitor teaching and learning. However, the procedures for monitoring are not effective in identifying the precise areas to be developed. For instance, the lack of provision for high-attaining pupils and deficiencies in the depth of work in number and shape, space and measure in Year 5 and in marking in Year 4.

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24 The school’s 1999 National Curriculum tests show that at the end of Key Stage 2 pupils’ attainment was above the national average. The proportion of pupils achieving the expected level (level 4 or above) was broadly in line with the national average and at the higher level 5 it was above average. At the end of Key Stage 1 the 1999 National Curriculum teacher assessments show that pupils’ attainment overall was in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils achieving the expected level (level 2 or above) was above the national average and at the higher level (level 3) it was well below. The 1999 results were below average at Key Stage 1 and average at Key Stage 2 when compared with similar schools. Since the last inspection the standards achieved at Key Stage 1 have remained the same for two out of the last three years. At Key Stage 2 standards were below average for two years but they improved significantly this year. This is

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because of improvements to the curriculum and teaching and partially because of greater staff stability.

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25 Inspection evidence shows that pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. At Key Stage 1 this judgement reflects the school’s 1999 teacher assessments. This is not the case at Key Stage 2 where the number of high-attaining pupils in the Year 6 group which undertook the 1999 tests was greater than in the current Year 6. Attainment is consistent across all aspects of science and there is no difference in the attainment of boys and girls.

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26 At the end of Key Stage 1 most pupils achieve the expected level (level 2 or above) but few achieve the higher level. Most pupils make satisfactory progress. Pupils carry out simple investigations in Year 1 and begin to use equipment with greater care and accuracy in Year 2. For instance, Year 1 pupils investigate a range of materials in work on senses and Year 2 pupils use magnifying glasses correctly to investigate a variety of interesting plants. They make detailed labelled drawings of their observations. The scrutiny of work shows that pupils make simple circuits and know that sound gets fainter in relation to the distance travelled. The quality of recorded work was unsatisfactory last year. However, there is an improvement in the quality, depth and standard of presentation of pupils’ work in Year 2 this year. 27 At the end of Key Stage 2 the proportion of pupils achieving the expected level (level 4 or above)

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and the higher level 5 is in line with national expectations and progress is satisfactory. Teachers provide satisfactory opportunities for pupils to develop their investigative skills. In Year 3 pupils begin by carrying out teacher directed investigations and recording their results accurately with teacher support. They progress to a satisfactory understanding of fair tests. For example, in Year 4 pupils use filters to separate soil and water. However, these pupils do not have the systematic skills to ask questions, examine hypotheses and form conclusions. This is remedied in Years 5 and 6 where there is good provision and teacher expectations of what pupils can achieve are higher. Year 6 pupils show a sound awareness of the need to repeat accurate measurements when carrying out their experiments.

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28 Across Key Stage 2 work on forces develops from a basic understanding of push and pull forces to a sound understanding of balanced and unbalanced forces. Interviews with Year 6 pupils show that they have a sound understanding across the different aspects of science but that they have difficulty drawing general conclusions about the topics they have studied, for instance chemical reactions. Average pupils are less secure in their use of technical terms than the high-attaining pupils.

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29 At both key stages high-attaining pupils make unsatisfactory progress. Scrutiny of work and lesson observations show that teachers do not provide sufficient work at the appropriate levels for them. Teachers share the broad learning objectives for lessons with pupils but they do not provide precise objectives for group work which are matched to the needs of high-attaining pupils. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well in their work by class teachers and this promotes their satisfactory progress. However, at both key stages support teachers are not always deployed effectively. On these occasions they are supporting a group or individuals at the same level as a support assistant. The quality of planning and teaching is below that expected of a teacher, for example in science lessons in Years 2 and 6.

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30 Pupils’ literacy skills are promoted suitably at both key stages. For instance, Year 2 pupils use reference books to find the labels for parts of a plant and Key Stage 2 pupils write up their investigations independently. At both key stages teachers place an appropriate emphasis on the correct use of subject vocabulary and this extends pupils’ learning soundly. Numeracy skills are not promoted sufficiently through other subjects in Key Stage 1 but provision is better in Key Stage 2. For instance, teachers encourage pupils to measure accurately and to record their work in bar charts or line graphs. In Year 6 pupils sometimes produce these graphs on the computer. However, at both key stages information technology is not used to support pupils’ learning sufficiently.

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31 Pupils’ attitudes are good and they show respect for equipment. Most pupils listen carefully to instructions, are keen to answer questions, show interest in the work and collaborate well in group investigations. Key Stage 2 pupils take a pride in their work and set it out clearly and neatly. Across both key stages there is good management of pupils which is achieved through high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, good relationships between adults and pupils and the provision of interesting work. This promotes pupils’ good behaviour and learning.

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

32 At both key stages the quality of teaching is satisfactory and no unsatisfactory teaching was seen. In one lesson at Key Stage 2 teaching was good. In the most effective lessons teachers give clear explanations and instructions. In the good lesson skilful questioning enabled pupils to express and clarify their thoughts about microbes and this promoted their good progress. The teacher monitored the group work and supported and extended pupils’ learning effectively. Pupils’ achievements are assessed regularly but this information is not used consistently to plan the next stage in pupils’ learning. In some lessons which were satisfactory overall, although the whole class introduction and review work were satisfactory, aspects of the group work were not. There were too many groups and pupils were given insufficient time to complete each activity. The teacher spent too much time maintaining resources, behaviour and order to intervene sufficiently to extend

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

pupils learning appropriately. 33 The subject leadership is satisfactory. There have been three co-ordinators in three years which has affected the management of the subject. Considerable effort has been made to produce a suitable scheme of work. This is in the early stages of implementation and is being monitored for its effectiveness. Teachers take the work from the scheme and use it to teach at the average level for the year group. This is done without reference to the good range of assessment information about the pupils’ prior attainment, for instance in individual portfolios of assessed work. This adversely affects pupils’ progress, particularly high-attaining pupils. There are good procedures in place for monitoring teaching and the curriculum but these are not effective in identifying precisely the strengths and areas which need to be developed in order to raise standards further. For

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

instance, the lack of provision for high-attaining pupils and the unsatisfactory quality of recorded work in Key Stage 1 last year were not identified. Since the last inspection the curriculum at both key stages and the quality of teaching at Key Stage 2 have improved from unsatisfactory to satisfactory.

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Information technology

1 Pupils’ attainment is below expectations at the end of both key stages and they make unsatisfactory progress, including those pupils with special educational needs. Although there is now a scheme of work in place which is being followed in part the use of information technology is inconsistent. Pupils’ experience of the range and depth of opportunities expected within the National Curriculum is unsatisfactory. Pupils’ confidence and skills vary widely and more competent pupils have access to computers at home. Evidence was gained from one whole class lesson, observations in lessons in other subjects, interviews with pupils from Years 2 and 6, discussions with teachers and curriculum planning.

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Information technology

1 At the end of both key stages most pupils’ level of competence and confidence is below expectations for this age. Pupils’ experiences are narrow and involve mainly word processing and drawing programs. They do not use programmable toys. Year 2 pupils still require support and they have basic but limited skills. For instance, some high- attaining pupils use only one finger and are uncertain of some processes, such as closing the program. Year 2 pupils used a simulation program in the last academic year. At the end of Key Stage 2 pupils have developed reasonable accuracy of control of the mouse. High-attaining pupils work independently at word-processing activities and they load, save and close their work. Pupils use programs for producing graphs in mathematics and science but do not use computers for research sufficiently, for instance in geography and history. They control and direct objects on the screen but they have

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Information technology

insufficient experience of using computers to monitor external events, interrogating information and exploring patterns and relationships in simulation programs.

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Information technology

2 Progress is unsatisfactory at both key stages. The school has recently introduced whole- class lessons where new skills are taught and pupils have some opportunities to acquire and practise them. However, the unsatisfactory level of resources and the limited use of computers across the curriculum is not helping pupils to reinforce their skills. Year 6 pupils develop basic skills in handling and communicating information but their experience in other aspects is not at a suitable level. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is also unsatisfactory.

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Information technology

3 When pupils work at the computers they try hard and concentrate on the task. They co- operate well with each other, behave sensibly and treat equipment with respect.

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Information technology

4 It is not possible to judge the quality of teaching from the one lesson seen in Year 4. Teaching in this lesson was satisfactory. The teacher ensured that the large class was positioned to observe the computer and involved pupils appropriately, for instance, in demonstrating their skills to the class. Good links were made with previous learning, for example editing and redrafting. Insufficient time was allowed for some pupils to be immediately involved on the computer. On the few occasions when pupils are using the computer in other subjects teachers support their learning appropriately. All teachers have had training recently and more is planned and efforts are being made to rectify the low level of attainment. This term pupils in Years 5 and 6 have lessons in the computer suite at the local high school.

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Information technology

5 The recently introduced scheme of work plans for progression in skills but it has not been in place long enough to raise standards to a satisfactory level. Teachers do not plan sufficiently for the use of information technology in other subjects. There is no structured system for the assessment of individual skills or portfolio of pupils’ work providing a clear picture of the work undertaken and progress made. Leadership of the subject is satisfactory overall but the monitoring of teaching and the curriculum has failed to identify what needs to be developed to improve standards.

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Information technology

6 Resources are unsatisfactory and this has an impact on standards. There are insufficient resources for control technology and the number of computers, only one per class, is unsatisfactory. This restricts the opportunities pupils have to practise their skills. Although the range of software resources is sufficient for current usage it is unsatisfactory to provide for the wide experiences pupils require. The school is aware of the deficiencies and supplements its own resources in Years 5 and 6 by using those of the local high school. Statutory requirements are not met and this means that pupils are not receiving their full entitlement to the curriculum. Action has been taken to improve teachers' skills, resources and the curriculum since the last inspection. However, standards have not improved and the level of resources is still unsatisfactory.

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Art

7 Pupils’ attainment is below expectations for their age at the end of both key stages and they make unsatisfactory progress, including those pupils with special educational needs. Since the last inspection the curriculum has been improved. Scrutiny of teachers’ planning shows that in the past year the different aspects of art have been planned and taught systematically in accordance with the new scheme of work. However, this is in the early stages of implementation and pupils’ skills in the lessons observed are still below expectations. This judgement is similar to the last inspection which identified some underachievement in art across the school.

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Art

8 In Year 1 pupils develop their skill with pencil and crayons and learn to assemble a simple paper collage. Towards the end of Year 2 they use paint and broad brushes to create pictures on paper. A few high-attaining pupils produce strong and effective images but a significant number lack confidence and technique. In Key Stage 2 teachers plan lessons with a widening range of media. For instance, in a Year 3 lesson pupils created an autumnal landscape using dried food and wool. Some pupils were careful and accurate and produced successful results whilst others found great difficulty working in small detail. Year 6 pupils work with clay and some of the sculptures produced during the week of the inspection were of sound or good quality. However, pupils’ skills across the different aspects of art, for instance painting, are not systematically built upon, progress across both key stages is uneven and is unsatisfactory overall.

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Art

9 The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. In one lesson it was very good and in one lesson it was unsatisfactory. The most effective lessons are planned well and good use is made of time and resources. Teachers intervene at appropriate moments to show the class examples of the good work which some pupils are achieving. This provides a fresh challenge to others and has a positive impact on progress. In the unsatisfactory lesson planning, organisation of resources and the management of pupils’ behaviour were unsatisfactory. Pupils’ progress was adversely affected and the standard of work achieved was below the expected level for their age.

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Art

10 Most teachers plan a suitable range of activities in line with the scheme of work. However, some lack confidence and there is insufficient guidance with regard to the standard of work which pupils can achieve. There is no system for assessing the quality of pupils’ work. As a result expectations of pupils’ performance are often not high enough. This is also reflected in the unsatisfactory standard of some work on display in classrooms and around the school. Teachers occasionally use information technology to support pupils’ learning, for instance to simulate painting and line drawing techniques. Art makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development, for example through studying Islamic and African art and the work of European artists, such as Van Gogh and Monet. Subject leadership is satisfactory overall. The co-ordinator, who has recently been given responsibility for the subject, recognises the need to develop teachers’ confidence and to raise

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Art

standards. Art is included in the co-ordinator monitoring programme for this term.

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Art

11 Pupils’ attainment is in line with expectations for their age at the end of both key stages and they make satisfactory progress, including those pupils with special educational needs. The last inspection reported substantial under-achievement and progress in design and evaluation skills. The school has made good progress in rectifying these weaknesses.

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Art

12 Pupils in Year 1 choose the ingredients and then make a fruit salad. Year 2 pupils develop their understanding of how products are made by disassembling them. For instance, in a Year 2 lesson pupils were given a range of pop-up books and cards to examine closely before going on to design and make their own greetings card. Pupils use scissors and glue safely and with reasonable accuracy, although some low-attaining pupils need adult support when cutting out smaller shapes. Teachers in Key Stage 2 plan further work which enables pupils to develop their skills in the use of simple tools. Pupils increase their understanding of how products are designed to suit the consumer. Year 6 pupils have a sound grasp of the importance of design and evaluation. For example, they produced thoughtful diagrams of electric torches which they later constructed. They evaluated their first attempts and used this information to improve

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Art

13 Pupils enjoy lessons, handle equipment safely and sensibly and their behaviour is good. Year 6 pupils collaborate well when discussing and planning their designs in groups and demonstrate a very responsible attitude to their work.

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Art

14 The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. In the Key Stage 2 lesson observed it was good. Teachers give good support and advice to pupils and this promotes further effort and achievement. The most effective lessons have clear learning objectives and the work builds upon previous work well. This was not the case in one lesson, which was deemed to be satisfactory, because the lesson planning was brief some pupils found the work too difficult and they made little progress.

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Art

15 Leadership of the subject is satisfactory. Since the last inspection the co-ordinator has provided a useful scheme of work. This helps teachers to plan suitable work for their classes and ensures adequate progression throughout the school. The co-ordinator’s monitoring role is still not developed sufficiently. Pupils’ work is not assessed and good examples are not retained as a guide to the standards which can be achieved.

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Geography and history

16 Pupils’ attainment in geography and history is in line with expectations for their age at the end of both key stages. The organisation of the timetable meant that it was not possible to observe the history lessons being taught during the inspection. Evidence was based on a scrutiny of pupils' work and displays of work in classrooms and around the school. There has been a sound improvement since the last inspection. Work is based on well- planned schemes and appropriate attention is paid to the development of skills.

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Geography and history

17 Progress in both subjects is satisfactory in both key stages, including those pupils with special educational needs. In geography pupils in Key Stage 1 learn basic map-making skills and understand the use of symbols. Mapwork progresses through Key Stage 2 so that by Year 6 pupils use and interpret six figure co-ordinates. Pupils in both key stages use aerial photographs appropriately when studying the local area. Year 5 pupils use skills and evidence when answering geographical questions. They consider evidence from a video and link this to what they find in the atlas in their study of rivers. Pupils make sound progress in appreciating issues which affect human life, such as land use and the effect of change. Key vocabulary is used effectively and this is exemplified in their studies of rivers.

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Geography and history

18 In history Y1 pupils compare farming in the past with the present. Year 2 pupils build upon this work soundly when they use everyday items such as toys, compare them over time and give reasons for the differences. In Key Stage 2 pupils demonstrate factual knowledge of the main events and their characteristic features. Pupils consider different sources of evidence to interpret what they find out. They reflect on what they have learned and consider what further information they would like to know. At this key stage good use is made of timelines but there is insufficient comparison of times past with pupils' own lives. Links are made with geography; for instance, Year 4 study modern and ancient Egypt. In some classes pupils' learning is supported by lively displays which have photographs, artefacts and writing, for instance in Years 2 and 6.

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Geography and history

19 No history lessons were seen. Pupils' responses in geography lessons are good. They are keen to participate in debate. Pupils listen attentively and are quick to find features on maps. They co-operate well in pairs and groups when required. Behaviour is good.

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Geography and history

20 The quality of teaching in geography is good. Lessons are planned well and are lively and interesting with opportunities provided for pupils to discuss and share ideas. Good use is made of review sessions to assess and extend pupils’ learning. In the Key Stage 1 lesson the work was challenging for all abilities. In Key Stage 2 the work is not always sufficiently challenging for high-attaining pupils and this affects their progress. Homework is used well to reinforce learning.

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Geography and history

21 Literacy and numeracy are promoted suitably in both subjects. Pupils’ writing skills are extended appropriately through written accounts. Numeracy skills are used appropriately in work on co-ordinates in geography and pupils develop a sense of chronology in their work on time-lines in history. In both subjects information technology is not used to support pupils’ learning sufficiently.

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Geography and history

22 Pupils’ attainment is in line with expectations for their age at the end of Key Stage 1 and below expectations in composing and performing at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils make satisfactory progress in singing at both key stages. They are encouraged to appreciate music from other cultures during assemblies and in lessons. This makes a good contribution to their cultural development.

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Geography and history

23 Pupils make satisfactory progress in all aspects of music in Key Stage 1, including those pupils with special educational needs. Pupils sing a number of songs and hymns tunefully with a good sense of rhythm. Year 1 pupils develop a sound understanding of beat and rhythm and begin to learn simple notation. In Year 2 many pupils play or sing individually and most can accompany a tune confidently with movements, gestures or a steady beat. A few pupils still lack confidence and have difficulty in repeating phrases or copying a beat accurately. Pupils listen carefully and recognise and clap rhythm patterns or play them on percussion instruments. In a Year 2 lesson pupils enjoyed taking part in the ‘hot potato game’ and clearly developed their own skills by echoing the sounds and patterns made by the teacher. The school has improved standards at this stage since the last inspection.

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Geography and history

24 Pupils make unsatisfactory progress in Key Stage 2, including those pupils with special educational needs. Some teachers are not confident in teaching the subject and pupils are not provided with sufficient opportunities to play instruments and this affects pupils’ attainment and progress. This reflects the findings of the last inspection. Most pupils are competent singers and those who perform regularly in the school choir often achieve good standards. Most pupils join in enthusiastically in assemblies and in lessons, although some lack confidence and are reluctant to take part. From Year 3 onwards opportunities are provided for pupils to listen to and appraise music. Pupils recognise recurring patterns, tone and pitch and the mood and meaning of lyrics or pieces of music. High-attaining pupils in Year 6 sing songs in two parts harmoniously. Some pupils play recorders or flutes and a few have extra tuition from a visiting teacher.

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Geography and history

25 Most pupils have good attitudes and treat instruments and equipment with respect. Their behaviour is good in lessons, assemblies and practice sessions. Most pupils sing enthusiastically and enjoy opportunities to play instruments. A few less confident pupils are reluctant to join in musical activities.

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Geography and history

26 A small number of lessons were seen during the inspection and teaching was also observed in assemblies and rehearsals. In the lessons observed the quality of teaching was satisfactory and in one Key Stage 1 lesson it was good. Teachers set good examples to pupils by the quality of their own performance in singing and this has a positive impact on progress. Lessons are planned well and enhanced by enthusiastic teaching and imaginative activities. Teaching is occasionally less successful where the teacher’s expectations exceed pupils’ abilities and they have difficulty performing the tasks which have been set for them. Teachers in Key Stage 1 have a clear understanding of what is required to meet the demands of the curriculum. This is reflected in the improvement in standards at this key stage since the last inspection.

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Geography and history

27 Since the last inspection more tuned instruments have been acquired and there are now adequate resources to meet the demands of the curriculum. A scheme of work is in place which provides an overview of what is to be taught each year. There is insufficient clear guidance in the scheme to support teachers in planning and teaching the curriculum. Leadership of the subject is satisfactory overall. The co-ordinator has been allocated some time for monitoring teaching in Key Stage 2 and is aware of the need to provide more training in order to raise teacher confidence. The school provides opportunities for boys and girls of all abilities to sing in the school choir. The choir performs regularly in concerts and is due to perform in Blackburn Cathedral later this year.

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Geography and history

28 Pupils make satisfactory progress in games in both key stages. Standards in swimming at the end of Key Stage 2 are above what is usually seen in pupils of this age. Pupils leave the school able to swim to the basic level required by the National Curriculum and many pupils achieve well beyond this level of proficiency. The school makes good provision for this activity and pupils in Years 5 and 6 have regular swimming lessons. The organisation of the curriculum meant that it was not possible to see dance and gymnastics lessons and no games lessons were observed in Year 6. There is a suitable scheme of work and a satisfactory curriculum is in place for all aspects of physical development. Since the last inspection standards in games and swimming have been maintained and the curriculum has improved for all aspects of physical education.

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Geography and history

29 In games pupils' skills at both key stages are similar to what is expected of pupils of this age and their progress is satisfactory, including pupils with special educational needs. Ball control develops from basic skills in Key Stage 1 to skills for specific games in Key Stage 2. Pupils sustain energetic activity well and show an appropriate awareness of space and each other. They practise and refine their skills and work well in pairs. Year 2 pupils know why it is important to warm up. They show appropriate levels of co- ordination and ability in throwing and catching skills. Year 5 pupils show skill in specific types of passing, such as the bounce pass for use in netball. However, lessons take place indoors, in a restricted space, and skills learned are not being applied in outdoor games situations.

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Geography and history

30 Most pupils are developing an appropriate attitude to the subject, in their application to practising to improve their skills, sharing with others and in playing fairly. They work well independently and in small groups. Occasionally some classes are noisy and time is lost controlling this behaviour.

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Geography and history

31 The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. In one lesson it was unsatisfactory. Teachers place an appropriate emphasis on safety and the value of warm-up and cool- down periods. They praise pupils’ efforts and achievements and make good use of pupils to demonstrate good practice. Most teachers manage pupils satisfactorily, although some tend to rely on methods of control which hamper the flow and pace of the lesson. Lesson planning does not identify the precise skills to be developed. This sometimes leads to pupils not being shown the specific points to develop in order to improve their movements. In the unsatisfactory lesson there were weaknesses in the organisation. The groups were too large for pupils to practise the skills sufficiently and this affected their progress. In some classes pupils are incorrectly dressed and not all teachers lead by example in this.

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Geography and history

32 The subject curriculum provides for pupils to experience all aspects, including outdoor and adventurous activities on a residential visit. Further opportunities are available in after-school clubs and the school is involved in competing against neighbouring schools, for example in the local football league. The resources and facilities for the subject are satisfactory. However, the hall space is restricted by the storage of dining furniture and this restricts its full and efficient use.

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PART C: INSPECTION DATA

1 The inspection was carried out by a team of five inspectors, one of whom was a lay inspector. It took place over four days in the week beginning 18 th October 1999.

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PART C: INSPECTION DATA

• Forty eight lessons or parts of lessons were inspected amounting to 31 hours of observation. • A further 55 hours were spent on other activities including observations of assemblies and registration sessions, hearing pupils read and scrutinising pupils' work. • The work of three pupils in each year group, deemed by the school to be representative of the range of ability, was examined. This included work by pupils whom the school has identified as having special educational needs. There was additional scrutiny of samples of work in science and English. • Pupils in each year group were heard reading. Discussions were held with pupils regarding their work. Groups of Year 6 pupils were interviewed about their work in science and Year 2 and Year 6 pupils in information technology. • Discussions took place with teachers, non-teaching staff, governors and parents. • Twenty two parents attended the parents' meeting to discuss the work of the school and 31

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PART C: INSPECTION DATA

responses were received and collated from the questionnaire sent to all parents. • A full range of detailed documentation provided by the school was scrutinised.

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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 234 3 39 24

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Qualified teachers (YR – Y6)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent) 9.2 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

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Education support staff (YR – Y6)

Total number of education support staff 5 Total aggregate hours worked each week 76

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FINANCIAL DATA

£ Total income 328 454 Total expenditure 317 287 Expenditure per pupils 1 355.93 Balance brought forward from previous year -15 915 Balance carried forward to next year -4 748

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out: 189 Number of questionnaires returned: 31

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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 26 65 6 3 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my 13 58 19 7 3

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school handles complaints from parents well 3 52 23 19 3

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 13 55 19 13 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 19 52 13 13 3

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 16 55 26 3 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 29 48 16 7 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 16 72 0 6 6

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 26 55 13 3 3

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 26 42 19 13 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

My child(ren) like(s) school 39 48 7 6 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

There were 22 parents at the parents’ meeting and a further seven written comments for the inspection team to consider. In these comments a few parents expressed the view that the work their children were given was not sufficiently challenging. A few parents were concerned about the unacceptable behaviour of some pupils and about bullying. During the inspection inspectors did not finding any evidence to support the concerns about behaviour and bullying.

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