Stonegate Church of England Primary School

STONEGATE

Reporting inspector: Mr P. R. Sudworth - 2700

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STONEGATE

Dates of inspection: 17 th January – 19 th January 2000

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STONEGATE

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

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STONEGATE

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Stonegate Primary - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Stonegate, Wadhurst, East Sussex Postcode: TN5 7EN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr S. Hayes-Fisher

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 29 th April- 2 nd May, 1996 Stonegate Primary - 4

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Team members

Mr Peter Sudworth Registered inspector Mrs Elizabeth Fraser Lay inspector Mrs Gay Wilkinson Team inspector

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Team members

National Educational Services Linden House, Woodland Way, Gosfield, Essex CO9 1TH

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Stonegate Primary - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6 - 9

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10 - 12

Attainment in reading, speaking and listening and in mathematics is high; The provision for pupils’ personal, social and moral development is very good; There is an excellent partnership between parents and the school and community; Good arrangements are made to support and care for pupils.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 12 - 16

Teachers could be more demanding of pupils in the quality and extent of writing and in their presentation of work; The work in foundation subjects and science could be Better matched to pupils’ differing levels of attainment; The early years curriculum could be broader and meet the government’s recommendation better; The accommodation currently restricts what can be achieved in some aspects of the curriculum and creates some organisational difficulties; The pupils are not best prepared for living in a multi-cultural Society; There are aspects of marking work and reporting on pupils’ progress which could be improved and lead pupils to make better progress.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Stonegate Primary School is a small primary school which has two Key Stage 2 classes, three Key Stage 1 classes in the morning and two in the afternoon. Year 1 and 2 pupils combine into one class after lunchtime. The school educates boys and girls aged 4-11 years and serves the immediate village of Stonegate in East Sussex and villages from much further afield.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Number of full-time pupils: 111 Pupils with English as an additional language: 0 Pupils entitled to free school meals: 1 Pupils on the register of special educational needs: 25 Average class size: 25.5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Attainment of the four year olds when they start school is above average.

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THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SCHOOL

In many respects this is a good school. The pupils achieve high standards in reading, speaking and listening and in mathematics. The school is very effective in developing a sense of maturity in the pupils and in encouraging them to widen their interests. This is achieved by teaching the pupils about responsibility and then giving them responsibility and through the good arrangements for the school’s curriculum enrichment programme, including extra-curricular activities. Key Stage 2 pupils attain well in research skills in information technology (IT) but they do not have enough direct teaching in religious education (RE) to support their research work in this subject. Pupils respect one another’s opinions and they take care of one another, particularly the older for the younger. The quality of teaching is mostly good. It is particularly strong in mathematics and in the literacy hour in Years 2 and 5/6. The strengths of the school outweigh the areas for development.

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What the school does well

• Attainment in reading, speaking and listening and in mathematics is high. • The provision for pupils’ personal, social and moral development is very good. • There is an excellent partnership between the parents and the school and communication is exemplary. • The leadership and management of the school are good. • Good arrangements are made to support and care for the pupils. Stonegate Primary - 7

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What could be improved

• Teachers could be more demanding of pupils in the quality and amounts of writing and in their presentation of work. • The work in foundation subjects and science could be better matched to pupils’ differing levels of attainment. • The early years curriculum could be broader and meet the government’s recommendations better. • The accommodation currently restricts what can be achieved in some aspects of the curriculum and creates some organisational difficulties. • The pupils are not given sufficient understanding of living in a multi-cultural society. • There are aspects of marking work and reporting on pupils’ progress which could be improved and lead pupils to make better progress.

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The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan which will

be sent to all parents and carers of pupils at the school.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made some good improvements since the last inspection report. Schemes of work are more structured. Those in English and mathematics, supported by national literacy and numeracy guidance, are now well established. They are used effectively by teachers and as a result are having a positive impact on pupils’ knowledge about English and also their mental work in mathematics. There is a better balance of work in geography, mathematics and IT, although there is still room for greater use of computers, for example in aspects of mathematics such as data handling and spread sheets.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Homework arrangements are more secure and understood by all. The provision for pupils’ social and moral development is very good but that for spiritual and cultural development is sound. The early years policy is not now appropriate for young children’s learning. It has not been updated to comply with recommendations issued three years ago. There is now a policy for marking, but standards of marking could be improved. The quality of teaching has been maintained and overall, it is good.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools Similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English C B A B well above average above average A B mathematics B B A* A average below average C D science C B A B well below average E Stonegate Primary - 8 Standards in the Reception class are above expectations for their age in reading and mathematics but the brevity of the inspection did not permit full analysis of other aspects of their learning. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils’ attainments in reading, science and mathematics are above average and continue to be above average by age 11. Standards in reading and mental arithmetic are particularly good in both key stages. In IT pupils use computers well for researching information, particularly in Key Stage 2. Satisfactory standards are attained in RE by the end of Key Stage 2, although some more directed teaching could improve standards further. Key Stage 1 pupils were not very confident in discussing their work in this subject.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school The pupils have excellent attitudes to their work and make best use of their time in lessons. They are keen and enthusiastic and want to learn. They adopt a very mature approach to their work.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils are very well behaved and work well both on their own or with others. They have very good relationships with one another and also with all the adults who work in the school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships The provision for pupils’ personal development, and their response to this, combine to make this one of the strengths of the school. Older pupils exercise a good range of responsibilities and carry these out well. The school’s well considered curriculum enrichment programme contributes significantly to the pupils’ personal development.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is good. There are fewer than average unauthorised absences.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years Aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Lessons seen overall Satisfactory Good Good

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years Aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

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

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years Aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

The teaching of reading is particularly good in both key stages. The literacy hour is taught well as is the numeracy work. The English and mathematics lessons meet the differing needs for pupils across the school and the pupils make good progress in these lessons. Temporary arrangements had just been made for the early years due to sickness and the teacher was still getting to know the children. Stonegate Primary - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 are taught a suitable range of subjects and time allocations to these are generally appropriate. The Early Years curriculum has not been revised to be in line with current requirements. The provision for extra-curricular activities is excellent. The school’s very well considered curriculum enrichment programme develops pupils’ public speaking skills and contributes to their understanding of citizenship.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs and for pupils with English as an additional language Pupils with learning or other difficulties are well supported. Small group sessions enable them to make good progress. However, individual education plans could be more detailed with more regular reviews of pupils’ progress towards meeting the set targets.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good. It is also very good for their moral and social development. It is satisfactory for the pupils’ spiritual and cultural development.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The school is well led by the headteacher and the governing body takes an active part in the life of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The headteacher and the governors undertake regular reviews of classroom practice. The observation of the work of others by subject co-ordinators is just beginning. The school involves parents in regular reviews of what it does and where improvements might be made.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good use is made of the money available to the school. It employs a good level of staffing. It does its best to compensate for the inadequate accommodation.

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Aspect Comment

Value for money The school provides at least sound value for money. Stonegate Primary - 10

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school is well led and managed. • The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. • The school is helping their children become mature and responsible. Children care for each other. • The teaching is good. • The pupils’ behaviour is good. • Their children like school. • Reading and speaking and listening standards are good. • Special needs teaching is outstanding. Members of staff are approachable. • Communication between school and home is exceptionally good. • Parents are concerned about the accommodation difficulties and the effect on PE and other activities. • Parents have some concerns about reports particularly the grading marks within them. • A few parents are concerned about the quality of RE lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors agree with all the parents’ positive comments about the school. The team of inspectors also agrees with the views expressed about the accommodation difficulties. However, the school is making best use of the very limited facilities and is off-setting the difficulties for PE by providing a good range of extra-curricular sporting activities. The individual education plans are not yet sufficiently precise to target the work with special needs pupils but some good quality activities were observed being taught. Inspectors are of the opinion that the information provided for parents in the written annual reports could be improved by the provision of more precise detail on what pupils do well and where they need to improve particularly in RE and the foundation subjects. A greater balance could be obtained between pupils’ research and direct teaching in RE lessons to improve pupils’ understanding in the subject.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Attainment in reading, speaking and listening and in mathematics is high.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. A significant number of pupils attain higher than expected standards in the above aspects of their work. The results in the end of key stage tests in English, mathematics and science have fluctuated a little over the past four years according to the particular cohorts of pupils. Nevertheless, they have usually been well above national average percentages by the end of both key stages with little significant difference between the overall performance of boys and girls.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. The quality of teaching in reading and the provision for pupils to express language orally is very good, particularly with the oldest pupils in each key stage. Lessons are well planned and proceed briskly with a good match of work to the pupils’ prior attainment. As a result the pupils make good progress in these aspects. Most pupils read well and are interested in story. They have good strategies for finding books that will interest them, for example by using the blurb and testing the level of difficulty by sampling pages. They discuss the books they have read both formally and informally and such discussions encourage them to read books by different authors. Pupils can recall the titles and the content of books they have enjoyed and express preferences. They take books home regularly to read. Many of the pupils read aloud fluently and with good intonation observing the punctuation correctly. They read a range of material including poetry. Older Key Stage

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2 pupils know how to find information from books by using the index and scanning pages to find specific knowledge. They can find the books they require from the simple classification of the school’s reference library and also use CD Roms and the Internet to find further evidence for their studies. Older Key Stage 1 and lower Key Stage 2 pupils have more difficulty in finding information from books and comparatively for their age their study skills are not as good as pupils in Years 5 and 6. They are not familiar with the Dewey classification or non-fiction books and they are not able to discuss books as well as might be expected. Their technical skills in reading aloud are nevertheless very good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Throughout the school pupils’ speaking and listening skills are of a very high standard. Pupils have very good opportunities to develop these skills through debates, presentations to assemblies and to new parents meetings. For example, during the course of the inspection two Year 6 pupils made a well researched presentation to an assembly about a famous children’s author and then sought the other pupils’ views about their favourite books. All pupils listen well in class to their teachers and to the views being expressed by others. They show good levels of courtesy by not interrupting while others speak. Pupils represent their views to School Council members in class discussions and these are discussed further at the committee meetings. Pupils are confident to express their views and know that what they say will be respected by other pupils. They answer well in class and are encouraged to be precise in their answers and to express meaning

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

clearly. For example, a Key Stage 1 teacher asked the pupils how they knew that this is what Preston, (a character in a book being discussed), thought. In Year 5/6 mathematics lesson pupils were encouraged to explain their mental calculations to other pupils so that others could understand their thinking. The level of pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening is one of the strengths of the school. Stonegate Primary - 12 4. Standards in mathematics are high in both key stages. Pupils have very good skills in mental calculation which are developed by very good teaching methods, particularly in Years 5/6 and Year 2. In Year 6 the attainment of pupils is high because the pupils are taught to work methodically and to present their work neatly. They are given strategies to help them to work accurately and given opportunities to devise their own. They are given challenging and interesting work, which helps them to sustain their interest and develop

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

good skills both in tackling mental work and in solving problems. In Year 2 the pupils are taught effectively with work well matched to pupil needs. The pupils develop good number concepts because the teaching makes very good use of visual presentation and a clear structure, which helps pupils to make good progress. Weekly planning in mathematics is thorough and the work is planned to meet individual needs.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. The quality of teaching is strong in Years 5/6 and Year 2, particularly in the literacy and numeracy hours and this is a significant factor in enabling the pupils to make good progress in their learning. Several factors contribute to this very good teaching in both mathematics and literacy: the good relationships which enable the pupils to work with a sense of confidence and trust; good quality questioning which encourages the pupils to think about their answers and explain their reasoning; the clear and precise instructions which are given before the pupils undertake activities; the clear learning intentions and tasks well matched to pupils’ prior attainment; the good use of vocabulary related to the subject which the pupils then use in their own contributions to discussion.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The provision for pupils’ personal, social and moral development is very good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. This aspect of the school’s work is particularly strong. Pupils are very well behaved and have excellent attitudes to their work. They are mature, conform and have very good relationships with one another. Their concentration levels are very good. Pupils’ personal, social and oral development is enriched by visitors and parents who share their particular specialisms with the pupils, residential visits, the excellent provision for extra-curricular activities, including competitive sport, and the responsibilities placed on the pupils. These include leading assemblies, older pupils caring for the younger, membership of the School Council and older pupils who act as mediators to resolve minor disputes. The pupils are taught about democracy through practical involvement including mock parliaments and the School Council itself. The pupils respond very well to these opportunities and maturely undertake the responsibilities placed on them.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. The school is very forward looking in the way teachers respect pupils, provide good role models and provide them with an active part in every aspect of the school’s routine and daily life. Younger children respect the older pupils who in their turn have due regard for the younger members of the school community.

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There is an excellent partnership between the parent and the school and

7. The links with parents are excellent. Parents are very supportive of the school. Some help in school with extra-curricular activities such as in music, art or accompanying the children to the village hall for PE lessons. They show good levels of attendance for class assemblies. For its part, the school keeps parents well informed about the term’s studies for each class so that parents can share their children’s interests and support them. Written communication on other matters is regular, including a monthly newsletter. Some of the school’s draft policies are shared with parents for their comments such as the now Stonegate Primary - 13 agreed homework policy. Parents are issued with a written questionnaire annually so that they can express their opinions about various aspects of the school’s life. The curriculum notice board in school is updated regularly for parents. Teachers are always willing to

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There is an excellent partnership between the parent and the school and

discuss individual pupils’ progress with parents between the more formally arranged occasions. The school gives open access to parents and responds quickly to any worries they may have about their children.

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There is an excellent partnership between the parent and the school and

The leadership and management of the school are good.

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There is an excellent partnership between the parent and the school and

8. The headteacher’s philosophy of everyone having a voice is clearly expressed through consultation with parents, the arrangements for the pupils to have responsibilities and the sharing of pupils’ views through formal debate. He leads the school well and makes a major contribution to the work with children who have special needs which parents feel is excellent. Brief observations made of such activities during the inspection concur with the parents’ views. He monitors the work in classrooms regularly. The governors take an active interest in this respect and make frequent visits to see the work in their specific subject responsibility as well as looking at more general issues. They liaise effectively with subject co-ordinators. Subject co-ordinators are beginning to become more effective in looking at work and classroom practice across the school. The school has an effective appraisal system, although the headteacher is still awaiting his own appraisal from an

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There is an excellent partnership between the parent and the school and

Good arrangements are made to support and care for the pupils.

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There is an excellent partnership between the parent and the school and

9. The procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are very good. Midday staff care for the children very well and at most playtimes a quiet play area is provided. More boisterous play is limited to specific times and days. Pupils are well aware of these arrangements and accept them as being in everyone’s interest. Good arrangements are made for those children who require medication or who have special dietary needs. Good procedures are in place for those who have allergies.

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There is an excellent partnership between the parent and the school and

10. The school works well in partnership with other responsible agencies. The staff and governors ensure that the pupils work in as safe an environment as possible and pupils learn about safe living in their studies. There is a good, recently introduced programme on personal, social and health education (PSHE) and pupils are taught about being aware of both the harmful and beneficial effects of different drugs through the school’s drugs awareness programme. The PSHE programme helps the pupils to be knowledgeable about themselves and how to relate to others.

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There is an excellent partnership between the parent and the school and

11. The pupils are well cared for and good arrangements are made for a statemented pupil and others on the special needs register. Stonegate Primary - 14

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Teachers could be more demanding of pupils in the quality and extent of writing and

12. Whilst pupils’ writing has generally been above average standards in both key stages in the national tests, in recent years it has not been at the same standard as other aspects of English. Handwriting and general presentation standards could also be better and pupils could make better efforts in these respects.

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Teachers could be more demanding of pupils in the quality and extent of writing and

13. Some good writing is achieved, for example when they write book reviews and in history some examples of very good presentation and handwriting were seen as when pupils wrote a job application to be a member of the crew on Drake’s ship to face the Armada. However, few examples of extensive writing were noted and insufficient opportunities are provided for pupils to write stories at length with planned attention to plot, character and sequence.

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Teachers could be more demanding of pupils in the quality and extent of writing and

14. Handwriting standards are inconsistent. There is not a policy that would help teachers to ensure consistent practice, for example with regard to the choice of handwriting tool for particular purposes and when best handwriting should be expected.

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Teachers could be more demanding of pupils in the quality and extent of writing and

15. Too often insufficient demands are made of pupils in writing because of the over use of worksheets which merely demand one word answers or completion of sentences, particularly in science but also in some other subjects, such as geography. The pupils are not being encouraged sufficiently to write in their own words in styles that would include explanation, argument and use of their imagination.

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The work in foundation subjects and science could be better matched to pupils’

16. The work in science, particularly at Key Stage 2, whilst meeting the National Curriculum programmes of study for the subject, is not sufficiently well matched to the different levels of ability in the mixed-age classes. As a result not all pupils are achieving at a level which is suitable for their prior attainment. Scrutiny of work done previously indicated that often all pupils were doing the same work, including use of the same worksheets. During the inspection some extension work was given to the higher achievers in a science lesson, when they had finished the work which was common to all pupils, but this pattern of working was not reflected in previous work.

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The work in foundation subjects and science could be better matched to pupils’

17. In other subjects too, except in mathematics and language work, pupils across a two-year age-spread often do the same work. For example, work on water in upper Key Stage 2. This means that similar demands are often made of the least able and youngest children as of the most able and oldest pupils in the two-year age-spread. Stonegate Primary - 15

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The early years curriculum could be broader and meet the government’s

18. Temporary arrangements were in place for the early years children in the Reception class due to recent staff illness. It was not possible to ascertain whether suitable records were being kept for the children’s development as they were not available for scrutiny. The temporary teacher, only recently engaged to fulfil this specific role, was, therefore, working under some difficulties. However, observations indicated that the early years children are not receiving a sufficiently rounded education and not meeting fully the government’s recommendations for young children’s learning. Too much emphasis is being given to literacy and numeracy and the pupils are being expected to sit for too long. Most of the children were observed to be sitting for most of the morning engaged on these subjects. The part-time pupils who attend only for the morning are, therefore, receiving a very narrow curriculum and not experiencing aspects of work, such as the creative aspect, which is part

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The early years curriculum could be broader and meet the government’s

of their entitlement. As a result, equal opportunities in respect of the curriculum were not being afforded to part-time children.

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The accommodation currently restricts what can be achieved in some aspects of the

curriculum and creates some organisational difficulties.

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The accommodation currently restricts what can be achieved in some aspects of the

19. The school makes best use of its very limited accommodation. Nevertheless, the school faces particular difficulties in respect of these limitations. The small Reception classroom affects the space the early years children have to work practically, whilst the outdoor curriculum is adversely affected by lack of appropriate secure outdoor space. The lack of a hall poses specific difficulties. Classrooms have to be used for both dining purposes and assemblies and their arrangement for these purposes cuts into curriculum time. Pupils have to be escorted along a dangerous route to the village hall for PE lessons, albeit with great care, and once there have to retrieve large apparatus from an outside shed and then put it into position. Inclement weather means that lessons have to be missed and this upsets the continuity and balance of the PE programme. The school makes best use of the outside playground and nearby field to try and offset some of these

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The accommodation currently restricts what can be achieved in some aspects of the

difficulties and there is a good programme of extra-curricular activities, including involvement in different sporting competitions.

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The accommodation currently restricts what can be achieved in some aspects of the

20. The library provision is cramped and it is difficult to reach the fiction books. Access to classrooms around the school is difficult because of the narrow central corridor and interruptions are sometimes inevitable to the work of Year 1 pupils to gain access to the Year 2 classroom. Despite these difficulties the staff and pupils are resolved to do their best in the circumstances.

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The accommodation currently restricts what can be achieved in some aspects of the

The pupils are not best prepared for living in a multi-cultural society.

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The accommodation currently restricts what can be achieved in some aspects of the

21. None of the pupils currently in the school is from a minority ethnic community or has English as an additional language. The pupils’ experiences of understanding other cultures is largely limited to researching some different religious beliefs. Few positive images are presented to the pupils of a multi-cultural society and there are very few fiction books in the school which represent images of a multi-cultural society, although some recent group reading purchases have included this element. Stonegate Primary - 16

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There are aspects of marking work and reporting on pupils’ progress which could be

improved and lead pupils to make better progress.

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There are aspects of marking work and reporting on pupils’ progress which could be

22. Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is up to date but, despite a brief marking policy, it is often inconsistent between teachers. Rarely do teachers’ comments give pupils helpful indicators about improving their work and set targets for pupils to aim for. Very occasionally the context of a piece of work is noted, for example ‘unaided work’. In discussion with the inspectors some pupils felt that they obtained a ‘good’ comment on their work when they could have done much better. Some inconsistencies were noted within individual teacher’s brief comments. For example, one pupil reported to be a higher attaining pupil had received a ‘good’ comment at the bottom of a piece of work. A better piece of work on the same subject by an average ability pupil had no comment despite the considerable effort that had been put in.

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There are aspects of marking work and reporting on pupils’ progress which could be

23. Written reports to parents are completed twice yearly. Good comments are made about pupils’ personal development and a general comment section is often completed well. Parents are not happy with the numbered grades which are given for different subjects and to enable comparison between one report and another. Inspectors agree with the parents that these grades are subjective. There is insufficient detail about pupils’ strengths in particular aspects of different subjects and where they could improve. No targets are set for the pupils to aim for to improve their work. Stonegate Primary - 17

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ISSUES FOR ACTION

In building upon the significant strengths of the school and the good progress it has made since the last inspection the governors, headteacher and staff should:

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ISSUES FOR ACTION

• raise standards in writing by: a) providing pupils with more opportunities to write at length and for different purposes; (paras 12,13) b) improve the quality of pupils’ handwriting and the general presentation of written work; (para14) c) reduce the frequency with which written worksheets are used across the curriculum and challenge pupils to write about what they have understood in their own words and in their own presentation style; (para15)

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ISSUES FOR ACTION

• ensure that all children in the early years department enjoy a suitable range of activities (para 18) by: a) making preparations for the new regulations for early years education; b) ensuring part-time pupils engage in a broad range of activities; c) ensuring that the early years policy is updated in line with current requirements; d) developing assessment techniques so that pupils are challenged appropriately; e) ensuring that all early years children develop self-esteem and self-motivation through a balance of directed and self-chosen activities, including play opportunities of good quality;

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ISSUES FOR ACTION

• match the curriculum more appropriately to pupils’ ages and stages of intellectual development in subjects other than English and mathematics by: a) increasing the challenge in written activity; (paras 12, 15) b) matching the work to perceived needs for pupils’ stages of skill development and level of understanding; (paras 16, 17) c) using the results of day-to-day assessment more purposefully;

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ISSUES FOR ACTION

• improving the quality of comment about pupils’ work to help pupils and parents appreciate the next steps in the children’s’ learning by: a) increasing the consistency and rigour when staff mark pupils’ work so that pupils appreciate what it is that they need to do to improve and can appreciate when they have really earned positive comments; (para 22) b) improving the quality of written reports to parents so that they are clear about what their children do well and where they need to improve; (para 23)

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ISSUES FOR ACTION

• develop pupils’ awareness of living in a multi-cultural society (para 21) by: a) providing positive images in materials, including books represented to pupils; b) encouraging members of ethnic minority communities in to the school to share aspects of their life, their work and their skills. Stonegate Primary - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 12 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 0 41.7 25 33.3 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Y[R] – Y[6] Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 115 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 1 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Special educational needs

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 25

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Special educational needs

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Special educational needs

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3 Stonegate Primary - 19

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 5 School data <1 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Stonegate Primary - 20

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 99 (98) 11 (4) 5 (13) 16 (17)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 11 (3) 11 (3) 11 (4) Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 5 (13) 5 (13) 5 (13)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School (100) (94) (100) (94) (100) (100) at NC level 2 or above National (82) (80) (83) (81) (87) (84)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 11 (4) 11 (4) 9 (4) Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 5 (13) 4 (13) 4 (13)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School [100] (100) [100] (100) [100] (100) at NC level 2 or above National [82] (81) [86] (85) [87] (86) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year (98) 6 (8) 9 (7) 15 (15)

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Boys 4 (7) 4 (8) 6 (8) Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 9 (7) 9 (6) 9 (6)

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 93 (87) 93 (87) 93 (100) at NC level 4 or above National [70] (65) [69] (59) [78] (69)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Stonegate Primary - 21 Boys (7) (7) (8) Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls (4) (6) (6)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School [73] (87) [87] (87) [93] (93) at NC level 4 or above National [68] (65) [69] (65) [75] (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Stonegate Primary - 22

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

No of pupils Fixed period Perman ent Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 0 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exc0lusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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– Y[6]

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 7 Financial year 98-99

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– Y[6]

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25.2

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– Y[6]

Average class size 25.3 £ Total income 230438 Education support staff: Y[R] – Y[6] Total expenditure 223192 Total number of education support staff 7 Expenditure per pupil 1941

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– Y[6]

Total aggregate hours worked per week 55 Balance brought forward from previous year Stonegate Primary - 23 Balance carried forward to next year

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Nursery

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.4

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Nursery

Total number of education support staff Total aggregate hours worked per week

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Nursery

Number of pupils per FTE adult FTE means full-time equivalent. Stonegate Primary - 24

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 45 42 6 3 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 58 39 3 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 29 58 13 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 48 32 19 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 68 29 3 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 65 35 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 58 35 3 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 87 6 0 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 77 10 6 3 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 77 10 6 0 6

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