Pilsley CofE Primary School

INSPECTION REPORT

Dates of inspection: 01/11/1999 - 03/11/1999

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INSPECTION REPORT

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996

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Pilsley CE Primary School

Unique Reference Number:112891 Inspection Number: 187996

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Pilsley CE Primary School

Headteacher: Mrs A Hall This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

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Pilsley CE Primary School

Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the appropriate authority must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. Every registered parent of a registered pupil at the school should receive a free copy of the summary of the report within ten working days of receipt of the summary by the appropriate authority. A charge not exceeding the cost of supply may be made by the appropriate authority for any other copies of the report and/or its summary provided to any person who asks for one. The appropriate authority should make a copy of the report and the summary available for inspection by members of the public at such times and at such a place as may be reasonable Any enquiries about this legislation should be addressed to the OFSTED Compliance Helpline Tel. (0171) 421-6567 Pilsley CE Primary School - 3 Pilsley CE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of control: Church of England Aided

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Pilsley Village Bakewell Derbyshire DE45 1UF

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Revd M Gowdey

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18/03/1996 - 21/03/1996 Pilsley CE Primary School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

Lynne Fardell, RgI English Information technology History Geography Art Music Attainment and progress Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Teaching Leadership and management Efficiency Tony Stanley, Lay Inspector Equal opportunities Attendance Support, guidance and pupils' welfare Partnership with parents and the community Liz Kounnou Mathematics Science Design and technology Physical education Under-fives Special educational needs Pupils' attitudes, behaviour and personal development Curriculum and assessment Staffing, accommodation and learning resources The inspection contractor was:

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Aspect responsibilities

Full Circle The Brow 35 Trewartha Park Weston Super Mare North Somerset BS23 2RT

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Aspect responsibilities

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

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House Pilsley CE Primary School - 5 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Pilsley CE Primary School - 6

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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 Whether the school has improved since the last inspection Standards Standards in subjects

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MAIN FINDINGS

Quality of teaching Other aspects of the school The parents' views of the school

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MAIN FINDINGS

Characteristics of the school Key indicators

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MAIN FINDINGS

Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school >

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MAIN FINDINGS

Attainment and progress Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance

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MAIN FINDINGS

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

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MAIN FINDINGS

The management and efficiency of the school > Pilsley CE Primary School - 7 Leadership and management Staffing, accommodation and learning resources The efficiency of the school Pilsley CE Primary School - 8 PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECT >

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MAIN FINDINGS

Areas of learning for children under five English, mathematics and science Other subjects or courses

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MAIN FINDINGS

Summary of inspection evidence Data and indicators Pilsley CE Primary School - 9

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MAIN FINDINGS

• . Standards in English at the end of Key Stage 1 are above average and pupils make good progress. • . Pupils' attitudes to learning are good, they behave well and good relationships are evident throughout the school. • . The ethos of the school is good. • . Provision for pupils' spiritual, moral and social development is good. • . The school's accommodation is very good. • . Partnership with parents and the community is good. • . The provision for extra-curricular activities is good.

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MAIN FINDINGS

· Where the school has weaknesses · • . At the end of Key Stage 2, standards of attainment in mathematics and information technology are below average. • . Pupils make unsatisfactory progress overall at Key Stage 2. • . Assessment is not used rigorously to help plan what should be taught next. • . Monitoring and evaluation of teaching and the curriculum are unsatisfactory. • . The school development plan lacks clarity in the targets set and the criteria the school intends to use to evaluate school improvement. • . A minor weakness is that in design and technology, pupils are not developing a full understanding of the design process.

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The weaknesses are outweighed by what the school does well, but will form the basis of the

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

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The weaknesses are outweighed by what the school does well, but will form the basis of the

· How the school has improved since the last inspection

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The weaknesses are outweighed by what the school does well, but will form the basis of the

The school has not addressed with sufficient rigour all of the key issues raised in the last inspection report. In order to raise the levels of attainment of the more able pupils, the school has begun to identify different ability groups of pupils within classes. However, the extent to which tasks are planned to meet the varying needs of these groups is limited. Relationships throughout the school have improved and are now good. The staff and governors work effectively together to promote the school's aims. The school has developed appropriate procedures for the assessment and recording of pupils' progress throughout the school. As yet the information gained from these is not used effectively to inform teacher's shorter- term planning. Although it is identified in the school development plan for this year, not enough progress has been made in developing a systematic approach to evaluating and monitoring teaching and

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The weaknesses are outweighed by what the school does well, but will form the basis of the

learning in order to raise standards. Nevertheless, the school is suitably placed to address the issues raised and to make the further improvements that are now required.

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The weaknesses are outweighed by what the school does well, but will form the basis of the

· Standards in subjects · Each year group in the school is very small and the results of national tests are not required to be published by the school. The small size of cohorts also means that there is considerable year-to-year variation in National Curriculum test results. Inspection evidence is that in English current pupils in Year 2 are achieving above average levels of attainment and current pupils in Year 6 are achieving average levels of attainment. These judgements show that standards have improved at Key Stage 1 and have been maintained at Key Stage 2 since the last inspection. In mathematics current pupils in Key Stage 1 achieve average standards in number work. In Key Stage 2 pupils' overall attainment in each area of mathematics is indicated to be below average; these judgements reflects the last inspection report at Key Stage 1, but standards are lower at Key Stage 2. Pupils in Key Stage 1 achieve standards in line

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The weaknesses are outweighed by what the school does well, but will form the basis of the

with national expectations in science, and in Key Stage 2 pupils' overall attainment in science is indicated to be in line with the national average by the end of the year. This reflects the findings of the Pilsley CE Primary School - 10 previous report. At Key Stage 1, attainment in information technology is in line with national expectations, but in Key Stage 2 attainment is below expectations. Attainment in history is above expectations at the end of Key Stage 1. In all other subjects attainment is similar to that normally found at the end of both key stages and pupils make satisfactory progress. · · Quality of teaching

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7 – 11 years

English Good Good Satisfactory Mathematics Satisfactory Satisfactory Satisfactory Science

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7 – 11 years

Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Information technology

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7 – 11 years

Satisfactory Insufficient evidence Other subjects Satisfactory Satisfactory Satisfactory

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7 – 11 years

At the time of the inspection one of the two full-time teachers was absent from school due to illness. An experienced temporary teacher taught her class. Teaching is satisfactory overall, and ranges from very good to unsatisfactory. In almost half of the lessons seen teaching was good or very good, in nearly all other lessons teaching was satisfactory, and in only three lessons was teaching unsatisfactory. The standard of teaching has been maintained since the last inspection.

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7 – 11 years

Teachers' subject knowledge is generally secure. Teachers, including temporary teachers, establish good relationships with their pupils, and promote effective attitudes to learning. Lessons are well organised and resources are used effectively. Planning is generally satisfactory across the school, and due attention is given to consolidating skills in literacy and numeracy. However, the extent to which lessons have clearly defined and appropriate learning objectives and relate to the National Curriculum Programmes of Study varies between teachers.

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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 Pilsley CE Primary School - 11 · Other aspects of the school

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Comment

Behaviour Behaviour is consistently good, and is a strength of the school. Pupils behave well throughout the school day. Attendance Good, slightly above national averages Ethos*

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Comment

The school's ethos is good. A caring and secure environment has been established that is conducive to learning, and pupils display good attitudes in their lessons. Relationships throughout the school are good. Leadership and management

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Comment

Satisfactory overall. The headteacher provides appropriate leadership and is supported by the governors in the implementation of the school's aims and policies. However, the school has yet to develop a systematic approach to monitoring teaching and learning. Additionally the priorities set in the school development plan lack a clear focus and the evaluation criteria for measuring the school's success in achieving these are too general. Curriculum

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Comment

The curriculum is broad and balanced and meets most of the requirements of the National Curriculum. However, the school has yet to develop a strategy for implementing the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's guidance documents it has adopted for mixed-age classes. pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory overall. Pupils make sound progress towards the targets in their individual education plans and parents are kept well informed of the provision made for their children. Pilsley CE Primary School - 12 Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Good overall. The close relationship between the school and church supports pupils' spiritual development, children are taught to recognise the difference between right and wrong. Good opportunities are provided for their social development. Provision for cultural development is satisfactory, but not enough attention is paid to the diversity of cultures in British society.

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Comment

Staffing, resources and accommodation Accommodation is very good. A good number of teachers are employed for the numbers of pupils on roll. Suitable arrangements are in place for the professional development of staff. Learning resources are satisfactory. Value for money Satisfactory. *Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards. · The parents' views of the school

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Comment

What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about • . The standard of work their children achieve. • . That they are encouraged to play an active part in life of school. • . That it is easy to approach the school with any concerns or questions. • . That their children are encouraged to take part in more than just their daily lessons. • . That the values and attitudes the school promotes have a positive effect upon their children. • . A few parents feel that they are not given a clear understanding of what their children are taught.

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Comment

The inspectors support the positive views of the parents in most respects. However, pupils make unsatisfactory progress in mathematics, information technology and design and technology in Key Stage 2, and the standard of work achieved in these subjects is below that expected. Inspectors judge that parents are provided with a suitable range of information about the curriculum that their children are given.

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Comment

a) Raise standards in mathematics and information technology in Key Stage 2 by:

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Comment

• ) agreeing clear procedures for implementing the new curriculum guidelines in mixed-age classes; • ) ensuring that pupils are taught all the National Curriculum Programmes of Study in mathematics and information technology in sufficient depth; • ) continuing with current training for teachers in the National Numeracy Strategy and providing further appropriate training for teachers to enable them to deliver the required curriculum effectively;

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Comment

a) Develop a systematic approach to monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and curriculum planning by:

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Comment

• ) providing opportunities for all staff to monitor teaching in the subjects for which they are responsible; • ) monitoring teachers' shorter-term planning to ensure that appropriately high expectations are set and that all areas of the curriculum are taught progressively in sufficient depth; • ) developing clear procedures for the regular monitoring of pupils' progress through analysing available data and scrutinising pupils' work; Pilsley CE Primary School - 13 a) Make better use of the information gained through assessment throughout the school by:

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Comment

• ) ensuring that lesson objectives clearly identify the knowledge, skills and understanding that pupils of all abilities are intended to acquire in lessons; • ) ensuring that suitable assessment opportunities are regularly identified in teacher's shorter-term planning; • ) ensuring that suitably challenging tasks are provided for all potentially higher attaining pupils and that pupils do not repeat work unnecessarily, particularly in mathematics;

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Comment

a) Improve the quality of school development planning and the evaluation of school improvement by:

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Comment

• ) refining the targets set in the school development plan to provide clearer objectives; • ) setting clear and measurable criteria for regularly reviewing the progress the school has made in achieving these.

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Comment

· Pilsley CE Primary School - 14 · INTRODUCTION · · Characteristics of the school · 1. The school is in a rural location in the village of Pilsley, which is some four miles from the town of Bakewell, Derbyshire. Most of the pupils who attend the school come from villages on the Chatsworth Estate.

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Comment

2. Many pupils have attended the school's nursery before entering compulsory schooling. Children's attainment on entry to the reception class ranges widely, but is generally similar to that which is expected. No pupils claim free school meals. This is very low compared to the 1998 national average of 19.9 per cent. All pupils are white and come from homes where English is the sole language spoken. At the time of the inspection there were eight children attending the school's nursery. Two of these children were being taught in the afternoons in the mixed-age Key Stage 1 class. Of the 43 pupils on the school roll, two are identified on the school's register for special educational needs; no pupils have Statements of Special Educational Needs. The school is smaller than most primary schools nationally and was previously inspected in March 1996. Since the last inspection the school has been extended to

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Comment

include an early years room and a resources centre.

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Comment

3. The school has identified the following areas for school improvement in the current academic year:

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Comment

• .to review resources available for information and communication technology; • .to provide opportunities for co-ordinators to monitor and evaluate the curriculum through classroom observation; • .to consolidate the implementation of the National Literacy Strategy and to review the English policy in the light of this; • .to implement the National Numeracy Strategy; • .to improve the use made of baseline assessments and to develop individual pupil profiles based on results achieved in internal tests. Pilsley CE Primary School - 15 · Key indicators

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Attainment at Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of

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Attainment at Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing MathematicsNumber of pupils Boys

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Attainment at Key Stage 1

above Total Pilsley CE Primary School - 16 Percentage at NC School

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Attainment at Key Stage 1

Teacher Assessments Reading Mathematics ScienceNumber of pupils Boys

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Attainment at Key Stage 1

Level 2 or above National Pilsley CE Primary School - 17 These results are not reported in gender groups due to the small cohort. Pilsley CE Primary School - 18

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test Results English Mathematics ScienceNumber of pupils at NC Level or above Total

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

Teacher Assessments Pilsley CE Primary School - 19 English Mathematics ScienceNumber of pupils at NC Level 4 or above Total

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Attainment at Key Stage 2

· These results are not reported in gender groups, as there was only one male pupil in the cohort. ·

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Attendance

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed

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Attendance

% through absence for the latest complete Authorised School 3.6 reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.2

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Attendance

Unauthorised School Pilsley CE Primary School - 20 0.1

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Attendance

Absence National comparative data 0.5 · ·

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Exclusions

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during

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Exclusions

Permanent Pilsley CE Primary School - 21 · Quality of teaching ·

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Exclusions

Percentage of teaching observed which is:

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Exclusions

Less than satisfactory Pilsley CE Primary School - 22 · · PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL · · EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

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Exclusions

· Attainment and progress · 1. The attainment of children on entry to nursery ranges widely, but is generally similar to that which is normally found in children of this age. During their time in the nursery class children make good progress overall. Most children are on course to reach the expected levels in the nationally recommended areas of learning by the time they reach the age of five.

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Exclusions

2. Each year group in the school is very small, and this means that there is considerable year-to- year variation in National Curriculum test results. These variations mean that care must be taken when interpreting results from one year to the next. For example, at the time of the 1999 tests, there were only four pupils in Year 6 (each pupil represents 25 per cent of the cohort at the end of Key Stage 2), and nine pupils in Key Stage 1 (each pupil represents approximately 11 per cent of the cohort).

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Exclusions

3. In the results of the 1999 Key Stage 1 national tests in English the percentage of pupils achieving level 2 or above in reading and writing was very high when compared to the national average, and the percentage of pupils achieving Level 3 or above was also above average. The results of the 1999 tests at the age of eleven showed that the percentage of pupils achieving Level 4 or above in English was close to the national average, and the percentage of pupils achieving Level 5 was above the national average. Pupils' progress is good at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory at Key Stage 2. Over the three years 1996 - 1998 the trend has been for pupils to achieve above the national average at both key stages. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. Inspection evidence is that current pupils in Year 2 are achieving above average levels of attainment and current pupils in Year 6 are achieving average levels of

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Exclusions

attainment. These judgements show that standards have improved at Key Stage 1 and have been maintained at Key Stage 2 since the last inspection.

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Exclusions

4. In mathematics the 1999 test results show that at Key Stage 2 the percentage of pupils attaining Level 4 was very high compared the national average. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 was above the national average. The percentages achieved are based on a small cohort of four pupils. At the end of Key Stage 1 nine pupils took the tests. The percentage of pupils who attained Level 2 was very high when compared with the national average; the percentage of pupils who attained the higher Level 3 was above average. Trends over the three years 1996-1998 show that pupils achieve well above average standards at Key Stage 1, whilst pupils at Key Stage 2 achieve standards that are close to the national average. Inspection evidence indicates that current pupils in Key Stage 1 achieve average standards in number work. Overall these pupils make satisfactory progress. In Key Stage 2 pupils' overall

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Exclusions

attainment in each area of mathematics is indicated to be below average and these pupils make unsatisfactory progress; these judgements reflect the last inspection report at Key Stage 1, but standards are lower at Key Stage 2.

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Exclusions

5. In science, national test results at the end of Key Stage 2 for 1999 show that the percentage of pupils who attained Level 4 or above was very high compared to the national average. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 was also very high. The percentage of seven- year-olds in 1999 who attained Level 2 in the teacher assessments was very high when compared to the national average, and the percentage of pupils who achieved the higher Level 3 was above average. However, there were four pupils in Year 6 and nine pupils in Year 2 and no reliable comparisons with national statistics can be made. Trends over the three years 1996 Pilsley CE Primary School - 23 - 1998 show that pupils' performance at the end of Year 6 was well above the national average, but well below that of pupils from similar backgrounds. Inspection evidence indicates that pupils in Key Stage 1 achieve standards in line with national expectations in science, and

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Exclusions

overall these pupils make satisfactory progress. In Key Stage 2, pupils' overall attainment in science is indicated to be in line with the national average by the end of the year. However, many pupils are underachieving and therefore progress overall is unsatisfactory. This reflects the findings of the previous report.

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Exclusions

6. Pupils with special educational needs, make sound progress towards the targets identified on their individual education plans. However, older pupils with the potential for higher attainment often make unsatisfactory progress. This is due to the lack of effective planning in the shorter- term, which makes insufficient use of assessment information, and at times a lack of teachers' secure subject knowledge, such as in mathematics. Insufficient attention has been given to addressing this, and many older and more-able pupils continue to achieve levels below their capabilities.

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Exclusions

7. At the end of Key Stage 1 pupils' attainment in writing is above average. They write for a variety of purposes, often at considerable length. Punctuation develops well; most pupils use full stops and capital letters appropriately. Spelling is generally accurate or is phonetically justifiable. Pupils make good progress. They move from copying over and below teachers' writing in the reception year to well-formed letters at the age of seven. When telling and retelling stories their vocabulary increases and they begin to demonstrate an awareness of the varying styles of writing that are appropriate for different purposes. Pupils in Key Stage 2 achieve average standards in writing and make satisfactory progress. Accurate spelling and punctuation, and the correct use of Standard English are seen in much of the pupils' work, together with good handwriting and presentation, although this varies. Most pupils structure

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Exclusions

their work carefully and write in an interesting and thoughtful way. They write for a wide range of purposes, which includes factual writing such as when describing Victorian life. Pupils' understanding and use of grammar grows through the key stage. They identify verbs and their subjects and correctly learn how to contract two words using apostrophes.

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Exclusions

8. Overall, attainment in reading is above average at the end of Key Stage 1. Most pupils in Year 2 read fluently and accurately. They use different strategies to read unknown words, including the use of letter sounds and blends as well as pictures to help them. Some pupils summarise the plot of their current book, and recall favourite stories read previously. Pupils make steady progress as they move through the school, although attainment varies between year groups, with some cohorts achieving higher standards than others do. By Year 4 pupils are better at recognising errors when reading and most correct themselves. Current pupils in Years 5 and 6 attain similar levels in reading. They are interested in books and confidently discuss different styles of books. When they reach the end of Key Stage 2 most pupils know how to use the contents and index pages in reference books, and they use their knowledge and skills when using

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Exclusions

9. At the end of Key Stage 1 pupils' attainment in mathematics is average. Most pupils count on, or back, in twos and fives from any given number, and count in twos, fives and tens from small numbers to at least 50. They double and halve numbers to ten. In fractions, all pupils have practical experience of sorting into equal parts. They identify odd and even numbers, and use all four mathematical operations up to 50. Pupils in Year 2 collect and record simple data in block graphs.

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Exclusions

10. Pupils' attainment in mathematics is below average at the end of Key Stage 2. They count in tens up to and back from 100 quickly. Pupils use mental methods to add and subtract a sequence of three numbers. However, when asked to apply mental skills to unfamiliar situations they are unable to use mental methods to solve problems. Pupils in Year 6 add a sequence of three numbers to 20. They add simple fractions correctly, and subtract numbers Pilsley CE Primary School - 24 with up to four digits correctly using decomposition methods. They multiply and divide two and three digit numbers by a single digit, calculating remainders correctly. Pupils have little experience of measurement and data handling and are not familiar with mental methods for checking their work. 11. Pupils make sound progress in mathematics throughout Key Stage 1. In mental mathematics, the youngest pupils use number cards to ten to demonstrate answers to simple questions in the

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Exclusions

numeracy hour. As they move through Year 2 most can accurately complete addition and subtraction to 50 and have begun to use multiplication and division. In other areas of mathematics, that is using and applying mathematics, measurement and data handling. They have too few opportunities to work at an appropriate level on a wide range of tasks. They make unsatisfactory progress in solving problems and they do not regularly check their own work in number by counting. Pupils make unsatisfactory progress throughout Key Stage 2. A careful scrutiny of pupils' work and teachers' planning indicates that progress is limited by the range of work that is planned, the rate of work completed and unnecessary repetition of work that is understood. Additionally, planning does not effectively identify the needs of different ability groups in the mixed-age class. By the time they enter Year 6 most pupils are unable to explain

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Exclusions

their work systematically or to use mental methods of calculation in unfamiliar situations. Progress is restricted by the use of the large quantity of worksheets and textbook exercises, many of which are not sufficiently focussed on the skills that pupils need to develop and consolidate.

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Exclusions

12. Pupils' attainment in science is average at the end of both key stages. Pupils in Year 2 know that humans use five senses for an awareness of the world, and list them all and name the major external parts of the human body. They classify smells into groups using a worksheet to record their findings. They observe the life cycle of a frog and use a simple diagram to record this. They label diagrams of plants clearly, describe the process of growing, and make close observations of seeds. They classify a selection of plants into groups of fruit and vegetables. Pupils in Year 6 label parts of the human body including some joints and muscles. They classify the features of mammals and record information in a chart. They label a printed diagram of the human digestive system, using appropriate vocabulary, and write a short description of the oesophagus. They test the tensile strength of their hair. However the written

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Exclusions

information gives no description of the test environment or conditions.

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Exclusions

13. Pupils make sound progress in scientific investigation skills in Year 1, taking part in physical activity to explore the structure of their body. In Year 2, pupils maintain this sound progress by using a variety of ways to record information from a suitable range of activities from the life and living processes aspect of the curriculum. However, a lack of clear focus on the National Curriculum Programmes of Study in teachers' planning means that pupils do make not systematic progress in developing scientific skills in all aspects of science in both key stages. In Key Stage 2, pupils make unsatisfactory progress overall. Pupils from all year groups in the key stage work too often at the same level. Insufficient attention has been paid to planning how older and more able pupils will develop science skills at an appropriate level through the topic that is planned. A scrutiny of teachers' planning indicates that pupils have too few

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Exclusions

opportunities to develop systematic enquiry skills, to relate science to daily life, to test scientific ideas and communicate their findings through a range of methods.

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Exclusions

14. Attainment in information technology is in line with national expectations at Key Stage 1 and pupils make satisfactory progress. They develop suitable confidence when using computers. They generate their own ideas through tables or pictures, and retrieve, process and display information. By the age of seven pupils can load programmes, and save and print their work. Pupils in Year 2 demonstrate satisfactory skills when programming small floor robots. They apply their estimating skills effectively when planning routes for these. In Key Stage 2 attainment is below expectations and pupils make unsatisfactory progress. Pupils learn typing skills and use their word-processing skills to change the font style or size of print. However, Pilsley CE Primary School - 25 pupils' use of control and data handling programmes is limited and pupils' abilities to use information technology to organise and present ideas are unsatisfactory.

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Exclusions

15. Attainment in history is above expectations at the end of Key Stage 1 and pupils make good progress. In design and technology pupils' attainment is below that normally expected at the end of Key Stage 1, and is well below that usually found at the end of Key Stage 2 and pupils make unsatisfactory progress throughout the school. In all other subjects attainment is similar to that normally found at the end of both key stage and pupils make satisfactory progress.

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Exclusions

18. Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 18. 16. Pupils' attitudes to work are good overall. Most pupils are keen to do well and eager to please. They respond well to the high standard of behaviour that is expected of them. In the nursery class a calm and orderly environment is promoted and the good behaviour of children is extended throughout the school. Pupils are interested in much of the work in humanities and science; in mathematics pupils independently and sensibly organise the equipment and resources they need. The majority of pupils work well on individual tasks, and most listen well to their teachers and each other. However, too few opportunities are provided for pupils to generate their own ideas and solve problems, or to work collaboratively with other pupils. When working in groups pupils share resources well.

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Exclusions

17. All parents who responded to the questionnaire felt that the school's values and attitudes have a positive effect on their children. Inspectors agree. In the most successful lessons, pupils respond well to appropriately challenging work. In lessons where teachers' expectations are lower and the work is insufficiently challenging, attitudes to work are less positive, although pupils' behaviour is still good overall.

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Exclusions

18. Pupils' behaviour is good. There were no exclusions during the previous school year, and this low rate is static. No incidents of bullying have been reported within the school, and there is no evidence of any systematic bullying. Pupils behave well throughout the school day and conduct themselves in a very orderly manner. The code of discipline encourages pupils to take responsibility for their own actions, and to think about resolving problems. The quality of relationships between pupils, and between pupils and adults, is good. During the inspection a temporary teacher taught the Key Stage 2 class, and good relationships were quickly established and supported pupils in their learning. Pupils have developed particularly good relationships with local senior citizens, who lunch with pupils regularly.

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Exclusions

19. Pupils' personal development is sound overall, and the school's positive ethos encourages a healthy respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others. Pupils are friendly, courteous and polite to visitors. They treat school property and resources with respect. The school offers a good range of extra-curricular activities, which are supported well by pupils and help to develop their social skills. Pupils are encouraged to participate in activities that benefit the local and wider community. There is no graffiti or litter around the school. Pupils have some involvement with daily routines; for example younger children take the list of menu choices they have made to the kitchen each morning. However opportunities for older pupils to be involved with daily routines are missed. Pupils are occasionally over supervised and have too few opportunities to use their initiative in lessons, or to take sufficient responsibility for organising

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Exclusions

20. Pupil attendance is good across the school and is above the national average. Most absences are due to illness or holidays. Parents will promptly provide notes to explain absences and the Pilsley CE Primary School - 26 rate of unauthorised absences is very low. The local education authority's procedures for marking registers are clearly stated, and registers are marked in accordance with legal requirements. Good attendance has positively contributed to the educational standards achieved. Pupils arrive punctually at the start of the school day, but lessons do not always begin on time. Pilsley CE Primary School - 27 23. QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED 23. 23. Teaching

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Exclusions

21. At the time of the inspection one of the two full-time teachers was absent from school due to illness. An experienced temporary teacher taught her class.

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Exclusions

22. Teaching is satisfactory overall, and ranges from very good to unsatisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory in four out of five lessons; it is good or very good in just over one out of three lessons and was unsatisfactory in only three of the lessons observed. The standard of teaching has been maintained since the last inspection.

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Exclusions

23. Teachers' subject knowledge is generally secure, with the exception of mathematics, where there are some weaknesses, and they plan appropriately for all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. Teachers, including temporary teachers, establish good relationships with their pupils, and promote effective attitudes to learning. Good use is made of the experienced support staff available to support pupils with special educational needs.

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Exclusions

24. Lessons are well organised and resources are used effectively, although at times lessons do not begin and end at the time scheduled. This can affect other classes, for instance when lessons in the hall over run and the next lesson cannot begin promptly. In the most successful lessons teachers effectively share with their pupils their enthusiasm for the subject they are teaching. Planning is generally satisfactory across the school, and due attention is given to consolidating skills in literacy and numeracy. However, the extent to which lessons have clearly-defined and appropriate learning objectives and relate to the National Curriculum Programmes of Study varies between teachers. In some lessons tasks are planned to take into account different ages and ability levels, but often the level of challenge for older more-able pupils is too low, particularly in English and mathematics and in some lessons the pace of lessons is too slow.

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Exclusions

25. Teachers employ a good range of different approaches to class organisation including the effective use of whole class teaching, and where appropriate a good emphasis is placed on collaborative work between pupils. For example, in a Key Stage 2 geography lesson when pupils were collaborating in their map work, identifying major rivers and their sources. Questioning is used effectively to assess pupils' knowledge and understanding, to develop learning and to ensure that all pupils have a chance to respond. Appropriate use is made of plenary sessions to recapitulate on the lesson and consolidate learning.

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Exclusions

26. Pupils are managed well and, as a result, in nearly all lessons, classes are quiet and well ordered, with pupils working purposefully. Behaviour is good and pupils work successfully on their own or in pairs as required. The good relationships between all members of the school have a positive impact upon the progress that pupils make. Homework is used appropriately and plays an important part in consolidating learning and extending understanding.

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Exclusions

27. Work is regularly marked and, in the best practice, teachers provide constructive written feedback for pupils, giving clear suggestions for improvement. However, there are inconsistencies in practice and sometimes marking records completion rather than indicating how pupils can further improve their work. Oral feedback is constructive and helpful.

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Exclusions

28. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is sound. Special needs support staff are well qualified to support these pupils and well-planned activities are provided that take proper account of pupils' individual education plans. Pilsley CE Primary School - 28 31. The curriculum and assessment 31. 29. The curriculum for children under five is satisfactory and is clearly based on the six recommended areas of learning for children of this age. Children are taught part time, during the mornings, in a newly built nursery classroom. Medium-term plans set out how a series of lessons will increase children's skills in each of the nationally recommended areas of learning. Shorter-term plans identify the focus for each lesson. The school makes suitable use of baseline assessment to plan work for children under five, and sound use is made of assessments to identify children with special educational needs. Opportunities for assessing children's skills are

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Exclusions

not regularly identified in shorter-term planning.

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Exclusions

30. The curriculum at Key Stages 1 and 2 is satisfactory overall. It is broad and balanced and includes all the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. Some subjects have been organised into appropriate longer-term cycles in order that pupils in the mixed-age classes have opportunities to cover a broad range of topics. The school successfully uses the National Literacy Strategy to guide longer-term planning in English, and has begun to use the National Numeracy Strategy to guide longer-term planning in mathematics. In science, information technology, history, geography, and more recently in design and technology, the school has wisely decided to use the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority planning documents. As yet the school has not developed a strategy for implementing these documents in mixed-age classes to ensure that all pupils make suitable progress. Currently there is no school

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Exclusions

policy for design and technology and little work has been planned from the new guidelines.

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Exclusions

31. The school meets statutory requirements in all subjects of the National Curriculum, except for information technology where the control, modelling and data handling aspects of the subject are not yet given sufficient emphasis. A very clear drugs education policy has been drawn up and a suitable policy sets out how sex education will be taught in both key stages, parents are kept fully informed of their rights. Pupils are suitably prepared for the next stage in their education. The previous inspection report, in March 1996, reported that the school had no equal opportunities policy. The school now uses the local education authority guidelines. However, the policy has yet to be formally adopted by the governing body. A lack of rigorous monitoring in information technology prevents some pupils from having equal access to the curriculum.

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Exclusions

32. The curriculum for pupils with special educational needs is appropriate. All pupils at Stage 2 or above on the school's register of special educational needs have suitable individual plans to address their needs. The targets in these plans are generally realistic and achievable over a reasonable period of time. Provision is made for regular review of individual education plans, and parents are regularly consulted. Good informal relationships with parents have been established, providing further support for pupils. Special educational needs are given a high priority in the school, and staff have attended a wide range of courses to develop their skills in this area.

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Exclusions

33. Planning for progression in the knowledge, understanding and skills that pupils will develop in each subject is broadly satisfactory. In many subjects clear learning objectives in medium-term plans set out what pupils are expected to learn over a given period of time. The school uses a medium-term planning sheet to guide teachers work, and these are completed with care in some subjects. However, insufficient attention is paid to identifying how pupils of differing abilities will make systematic progress in mixed age classes in mathematics, science, information technology, and design and technology. In mathematics the school has recently begun to use the Derbyshire plans for teaching mathematics in Key Stage 2 in very small schools. As yet planning for different year groups and ability groups lacks detail and is not sufficiently related to the National Curriculum Programmes of Study. As a result, many pupils in Key Stage 2

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Exclusions

Pilsley CE Primary School - 29 make unsatisfactory progress overall.

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Exclusions

34. The school provides a good range of extra activities for the pupils. A variety of sports clubs are held at lunchtime, for example, football, netball and keep fit. Pupils have opportunities to learn Crown Green bowling and scrabble, music and chess clubs are provided. Visiting teachers provide tuition on the violin, flute, clarinet and cornet. Many visits are made to support the wider curriculum, for example, pupils visited a hat factory, a mosque, and the Museum of Childhood.

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Exclusions

35. A key issue from the previous inspection report recommended that the school should develop a whole-school assessment and recording practice to inform teachers' planning in order to meet the needs of pupils. The school has begun to address this issue, but has not yet sufficiently influenced teachers' day-to-day practice. In the nursery class an initial assessment is carried out so that teachers know what each child can do. At Key Stages 1 and 2 there is a sound policy to guide assessment, recording and the reporting of pupils' achievement. Regular tests take place in mathematics and English and records are kept of pupils' scores to monitor their progress. The school has begun to use national test materials throughout Key Stage 2. Individual teachers gather a range of information about pupils' progress towards a range of targets. However, information gathered from these assessments is not yet analysed to supply useful

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Exclusions

information to the school. Shorter-term plans do not set out the specific knowledge understanding and skills that pupils of all abilities are to acquire in lessons. As a result, opportunities to measure exactly what pupils have learned are missed. In too many lessons pupils from different year groups and of different abilities all work at the same task. A sound marking policy has been drawn up setting out clear guidance; this is not yet used consistently. Teachers do not regularly share the purpose of marking each piece of work with pupils, and give insufficient guidance on how pupils can improve their work in many subjects.

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Exclusions

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

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Exclusions

36. Provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. The school aims clearly express the values, beliefs and attitudes it wishes to promote, and generally achieves these through assemblies, the good role-models set by teachers and other staff, and in the lessons taught.

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Exclusions

37. Opportunities for developing spiritual awareness are good. Daily collective acts of worship, and assemblies make a valuable contribution to pupils' spiritual development. Time is given for reflection and prayer. Music is played for pupils to listen to and appreciate both in assemblies and music lessons. Additionally, opportunities are planned for developing spiritual awareness across the curriculum, in subjects such as English, art, music and religious education. Good use is made of the environment for pupils to appreciate and reflect upon the wonders of the natural world; for example, by witnessing the birth of lambs at a nearby farm.

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Exclusions

38. Provision for pupils' moral development is good. The headteacher and staff set good examples for the pupils and the school's ethos of caring, fairness and working together has a great influence on the attitudes and behaviour of the pupils. The mutual respect shown between adults and pupils at all times exemplifies this. Pupils clearly understand the difference between right and wrong.

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Exclusions

39. The school makes good provision for pupils' social development. Good relationships have been established and pupils are at ease with, and polite to, adults. Older pupils sensitively help younger ones, for example when they eat together at lunchtimes. They also develop an appreciation of older generations when taking lunch with retired villagers each week. Pupils value and share ideas with each other, co-operating and collaborating effectively when required. The programme for personal and social education supports this aspect of the school's work Pilsley CE Primary School - 30 well.

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Exclusions

40. The school provides satisfactory opportunities for pupils' cultural development. They learn about a variety of cultures through subjects such as history, geography and religious education, including visits within the local area. Pupils are given opportunities to listen to the music of established British and European composers. They also celebrate Derbyshire and English culture through such activities as well dressing and maypole dancing. In religious education pupils learn of the faiths and beliefs of other cultures. However, less emphasis is placed on appreciating the diversity within British society.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

41. Staff know the pupils well and provide a satisfactory level of support and guidance, thus maintaining the standard identified in the last inspection report. Many of the pupils live outside the village and the school has been selected because it is rightly considered as a caring and friendly school where teachers take a genuine interest in the welfare of pupils. The school generates a happy and purposeful environment with a good community spirit through which pupils are encouraged to be considerate and kind to others.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

42. A satisfactory child protection policy is in place and the head teacher is the designated person. All staff are trained in first-aid procedures and arrangements to cater for accidents around the school are very good. Class teachers monitor pupils' attendance and procedures are in place to monitor overall attendance and punctuality figures.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

43. Teachers know their pupils well, and informally monitor their personal development, but there are no formal procedures for this. Pupils with special educational needs receive satisfactory support in class and there is good liaison with outside support agencies. The provision of personal and social education is sound and is suitably integrated across the curriculum and incorporated into assemblies and collective worship. Sex education is approached in a cross- curricular fashion and any questions raised by pupils will be dealt with appropriately as they arise. The school has a good programme for healthy eating with attractive healthy-eating options available every lunchtime.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

44. Behaviour management at the school is calm and effective. As few rules as possible are applied and the school discipline policy promotes an atmosphere of responsibility and mutual respect rather than the application of sanctions. Pupils behave very well around the school. The school has adequate procedures for dealing with any incidents of bullying; pupils were confident that staff would deal effectively with any incident reported.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

45. The school's health and safety policy meets statutory requirements. The health and safety governor and the headteacher undertake regular safety checks and deal with any deficiencies identified. Fire drills take place at least once each term and electrical equipment and fire extinguishers are tested annually. The school has appropriate security measures. 48. 48. Partnership with parents and the community

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

46. The previous report identified links with parents and the community as a strong feature of the school. These high standards have been maintained.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

47. The school effectively encourages parental involvement and mutual respect exists between parents, staff and governors, which helps to generate an integrated family atmosphere. Parents help in classrooms and provide valuable support by regularly hearing pupils read. They attend sporting events and carry out important jobs around the school. The school has no formal Pilsley CE Primary School - 31 parents' organisation, but such is the spirit of community, parents, governors and staff will come together to organise fundraising events. Governors, in particular, work very hard on behalf of the school. Funds raised have been used to supply a new computer, books and mathematics equipment.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

48. The school has very good links with the local community and satisfactory links with local businesses. The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire show a keen interest and the school derives great benefit from its links with the various enterprises that make up the Chatsworth Estate. Few local events take place in which pupils at the school do not play a part. Pupils take part in a range of estate festivals and celebrations such as Beeley Day, Edensor Village Day, and the Pilsley Village Fair where they participate in the traditional well-dressing ceremony along with country dancing and maypole displays. The celebration of the school's 150 th anniversary culminated in May this year with a 'Victorian Day' presentation, which was enjoyed by parents and visitors from the local community. Retired members of the community look forward to the opportunity to have lunch with the pupils on a weekly basis, whilst the social awareness of

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

pupils is raised through this established tradition.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

49. The school enjoys very close links with the local church in Edensor where pupils regularly attend to participate in parish celebrations. Effective links with the main transfer high school are in place and pupils quickly settle when they arrive. The school provides a popular, weekly 'After School Club' and also supports a valued Parent/Toddler group on Thursday afternoons.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

50. In addition a wealth of visitors are invited to the school, the local vicar is well known to the pupils and a Sheffield artist has worked with pupils to paint a mural in the Chatsworth estate education room and an impressive period mural that dominates the junior cloakroom area. Other visitors have included authors, theatre groups and the BBC. The school raises money for a wide range of charities ranging from Children in Need to Action Aid. Pupils participate in a range of educational visits linked to topic work and they have benefited from long weekend residential visits to the Kingswood centre.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

51. The quality of information provided for parents is good, although a few parents feel it could be improved. Parents are kept well informed about school events through regular newsletters. Two parent-consultation evenings are provided each year, with opportunities for informal discussion with teachers in between. Annual reports are of a consistently high quality. They are detailed and evaluative and provide an opportunity for pupil comment. The prospectus is very informative and is attractively presented making imaginative use of school photographs and pupil artwork. The response to the Parents' Questionnaire suggests that parents are generally satisfied with the school's approach to homework.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

54. THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL 54. Leadership and management

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

52. The headteacher and governors share their vision for the direction of the school, with the pupils as the main focus. The school has an appropriate set of aims and works hard to achieve them. These aims clearly state high expectations of pupils in terms of both their attainment and behaviour. Pupils obviously feel safe and well cared for and it is apparent that the children are known well to all staff. The school provides a caring and effective learning environment in which everyone is valued individually. Relationships have improved substantially since the last inspection.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

53. The school development plan is formulated by the teaching staff and presented to the governors for their approval. This plan identifies priorities for the further development, but these are expressed in very broad terms. Long-term objectives are not broken down into a series of Pilsley CE Primary School - 32 manageable or measurable steps. Action necessary to achieve targets is carefully budgeted for, but the means by which the school intends to evaluate its success in achieving its targets is less well defined and the progress made towards achieving targets is not monitored regularly.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

54. The governors have clearly-defined roles and responsibilities, based on their individual strengths and skills. They review all school policies, but do not usually record their approval and adoption of these formally. The governing body is continuing to develop a strategic view of the school's development, but no formal system for monitoring the quality of education provided has been developed. Although monitoring was identified as an area for improvement in the last inspection report, and is identified on this year's school development plan, little formal monitoring has taken place. The need for teachers to develop their monitoring and evaluating roles remains. The headteacher has a full-time teaching commitment; this prevents her from giving adequate time to regular monitoring of teaching and the curriculum. Currently no time is provided for other staff to monitor the work of the school in the subjects for which they are

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

55. The National Literacy Strategy has been successfully planned for and implemented. Planning for the implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy is less well developed as the school has not yet received full training in this, and is wisely waiting for this to be completed before developing its strategy for numeracy. Equal access to the curriculum is provided for most pupils, although on rare occasions the removal of pupils from some mathematics lessons to read results in some inequalities.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

58. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

56. The school is staffed by a good number of appropriately qualified teachers, with a good mix of staff who are experienced and those who have qualified more recently. A part time educational care officer provides good support in the Key Stage 1 class three times a week. The local education authority provides a peripatetic music teacher for instrumental tuition on the violin and an additional teacher provides weekly music lessons. There is a general lack of expertise in teaching mathematics among the staff.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

57. Arrangements for staff development are sound. The governors and headteacher are strongly committed to providing staff with appropriate opportunities for professional development. However, the policies for appraisal and induction of staff have yet to be formally adopted by the governing body. As yet no time has been made available to the headteacher to monitor teaching as part of the appraisal process. Although regular appraisal meetings take place, and staff have opportunities to attend training to meet their personal needs, staff development is not yet sharply focussed on the needs of the school. For example, the school has begun to address this through training for the numeracy hour, but as yet insufficient staff training has taken place to ensure that a member of staff is suitably qualified to lead curriculum development in mathematics. Job descriptions have been drawn up. However, they do not provide sufficient

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

guidance to staff for leading and monitoring the areas of the curriculum for which they are responsible.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

58. The accommodation available to the school is very good. It is spacious for teaching the small number of pupils on roll, and for storing resources and equipment. The newly built nursery unit provides an attractive environment and ample space for children under five. In the Key Stage 1 classroom the extensive carpeted areas help to keep noise levels at an acceptable level. In the Key Stage 2 classroom there are no carpeted areas and the design of the wooden furniture and chairs adds to the noise level. Occasionally this has an impact on teaching when the whole class is working together. The outside facilities are good for the needs of the pupils and there is a suitably sized school hall. The playground area is clearly marked with courts and games and the school field is regularly used to provide additional space. A good quality wooden pirate Pilsley CE Primary School - 33 ship has been erected on the playground for imaginative play at break times. Classrooms, the

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

hall and corridor spaces are enhanced by colourful and appropriate displays of pupils' work. Small flights of steps leading to the front door, pupils' toilets and the staff room prevent full access to the school for disabled pupils and staff. However, the building is a Grade II listed building and this status imposes some planning restraints.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

59. The quality and quantity of resources for learning available throughout the school are satisfactory, and the school is developing them appropriately. Resources are generally stored appropriately and are accessible to staff and pupils. However, some games resources for physical education are not stored suitably. Some resources for information technology are outdated, and generally these are not yet keeping pace with the demands of the curriculum. The school expects to receive further resources for information technology from the National Grid for Learning scheme in the year 2002. The newly built library and resources area is a bright and airy space and contains an appropriate range of books, marked with a colour-coded system. A suitable range of books is available for pupils to read at home. However, some of these are in poor condition. The school makes good use of local services to supplement resources across

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

62. The efficiency of the school 62. 60. The efficiency of the school is sound. The school's budget is managed well by the headteacher and the governors. Sound financial planning supports educational developments appropriately. The school makes appropriate plans for future expenditure based on the available information, past expenditure and the needs of the school as identified in the school development plan.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

61. Satisfactory use is made of accommodation and learning resources, which are stored systematically and are generally accessible to both teachers and pupils. All areas of the building are used effectively throughout the day. For example, the Key Stage 1 class frequently makes use of the more open space of the hall for activities such as geography and information technology. Day-to-day administration is smooth and efficient.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

62. Funds delegated for specific purposes are spent efficiently. Funds allocated to the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy have been used appropriately to increase the number of big books and group reading books, and these are used well in literacy sessions. Funding for pupils with special educational needs is spent well, and budgets are appropriately monitored, although the governors do not yet have effective formal procedures for ensuring this. All of the recommendations of the last auditors' report have been met.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

63. Pupils' attainment on entry to the school ranges widely. It is average overall. Pupils make sound progress overall and when they leave the school their attainment is satisfactory. The quality of teaching is satisfactory and the overall quality of education is sound. Provision for pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Relationships are good and pupils have good attitudes to their learning and behave well. The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. Taking all factors into consideration the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

66. Pilsley CE Primary School - 34 66. PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

66. AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE 66. 64. The attainment of children on entry to school is in line with that which is normally found in children of this age. During their time in the Nursery class children make good progress overall. Most are on course to reach levels in line with the expected standard by the time they reach the age of five in the nationally recommended areas of learning 67.

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Personal and social development

65. Children's attainment is on target to reach expectations by the end of the school year. Children have made a good start in school. The welcoming atmosphere and the small number of children in the unit, ensure that most children settle in very quickly. The positive and encouraging atmosphere has increased many children's confidence. They are learning to concentrate on a task, and to take turns fairly. Children have had good planned opportunities to initiate ideas and to solve simple practical problems. 68.

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Language and literacy

66. By the end of the school year, children's attainment is on target to be in line with expectations. Most children are familiar with books and enjoy reading and talking about stories. They are beginning to handle books with care. A few children recognise some words, some recognise letters of the alphabet and know the name and sound of the letter, most recognise their own name. Children are beginning to listen in small and large groups, and during small group work they enjoy listening to stories. A few children's skills in speaking are limited, and they find it difficult to explain their ideas. In writing, a few children write words independently, other copy letters, and some copy under the teacher's writing. A few make marks or pictures independently to convey meaning. They have good opportunities to make up their own stories and to use their imagination in role-play.

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Language and literacy

67. Children's attainment is on target to be in line with expectations by the end of the school year. Many children have some experience of numbers. Most children are able to count and recognise numbers to six, and match numbers and pictures well. A few children work with numbers to ten and have begun to use mental methods to add two numbers together. Children are learning number rhymes and are able to use their fingers to count appropriately. They are beginning to record numbers and match pictures and play with a range of containers in the water. They have good opportunities to explore number patterns in practical situations and some can name two-dimensional shapes.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

68. Children's attainment is on target to be in line with expectations by the end of the school year. Most children have had an introduction to computers and use the keyboard to select shapes on the screen. In small groups children talk about their families and where they have been for their holiday. They talk about the journeys they made and describe the different places they visited; for example the beach. They talk about the approach of Bonfire Night with great excitement. Pilsley CE Primary School - 35

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Physical development

69. By the end of the school year, children's attainment is on target to be in line with expectations. Children play with jigsaw puzzles, draw and write with pencils and crayons, and use brushes to paint; most children are beginning to develop some hand control in these activities. When making fireworks from thin card they manipulate the card well to make a cylinder, and use scissors with care to cut out a spiral for the rocket's tail. Most children use felt pens to draw zigzag lines and stars to decorate their fireworks with care and control. A range of large toys and games are available for children to use to develop skills outside. There were no opportunities to observe this activity during the inspection. Children take part in physical education lessons in the school hall. They practise throwing, catching and kicking a ball, developing skills appropriately.

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Creative development

70. By the end of the school year, children's attainment is on target to be in line with expectations. Children use paint and pens to create their own pictures. They use the role-play area imaginatively making up stories and acting out parts. They paint patterns using a sequence of stripes with good control of the colours and finish their pictures by selecting black shapes for silhouettes.

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Creative development

71. Children make good progress overall. In personal and social development children are making good progress due to the strong commitment in the school to ensuring appropriate behaviour. Good organisation of the nursery unit enables children to work independently at many activities. Good use is made of children's own ideas keeping them interested in most of the activities. Good planning provides activities that develop a wide combination of skills and enables children to make good progress. For example, the firework activity encouraged children to develop vocabulary and confidence in speaking and listening, fine motor skills, and the recognition of mathematical shapes and gave them the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of traditional events.

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Creative development

72. Teaching of children under five is good overall, and never less than satisfactory. The teacher has created a positive and encouraging atmosphere that helps many children to develop confidence from the start. Sensitive support, and the provision of good well-planned activities ensure that children make good progress. Good strategies are used to encourage children to develop speaking and listening skills, for example, a magic egg is passed around the small circle and children may only speak to the group when they hold the egg. The teacher's emphasis on the need to listen to others when they are not holding the egg further improves this activity. Resources are prepared well and good routines have been established, providing further good support for the children.

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Creative development

73. Overall the resources are satisfactory and the accommodation is very good. The unit has a purpose built room with extensive carpet and wet areas, a secure outdoor area adjacent to the unit is used appropriately. Good relationships have been established with parents, and children begin each day with a shared reading session before registration which parents are welcome to join. This very successful session enables children to settle in quickly and gives them good opportunities to share books. 76.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

76. English Pilsley CE Primary School - 36 74. Due to the small numbers of pupils in each year group it is difficult to accurately compare the attainment of pupils between one year and the next. In the results of the 1999 Key Stage 1 national tests in English the percentage of pupils achieving level 2 or above in reading and writing was very high when compared to the national average, and the percentage of pupils achieving Level 3 or above was above average. The results of the 1999 tests at the age of eleven showed that the percentage of pupils achieving Level 4 or above in English was close to the national average, and the percentage of pupils achieving Level 5 was above the national average. Pupils' progress is good at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory at Key Stage 2. Over the three years 1996 -1998 the trend has been for pupils to achieve above the national average at both key stages. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

75. Pupils gain confidence in speaking and listening from an early age. Many pupils express themselves clearly and listen attentively in lessons. Good progress is made in this aspect of English in each key stage. At the end of Key Stage 1 pupils talk confidently and most concentrate well as they listen to instructions, information and to stories. At Key Stage 2 nearly all pupils speak clearly and read aloud with good expression. In conversations with adults and peers they talk confidently about the their work. Most pupils listen with close attention in class, grasping key points. They offer considered opinions about style, language and content when discussing the work of poets such as P. Corbett.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

76. At the end of Key Stage 1 pupils' attainment in writing is above average. They write for a variety of purposes, for example, personal diaries and some reflection on world news, such as the Colombian earthquake, as well as stories and poems, much of which is written at considerable length. Punctuation has developed well, most pupils use full stops and capital letters appropriately, and higher-attaining pupils are beginning to use apostrophes accurately. Pupils learn about nouns and adjectives, syllables within words and compound words. Spelling is generally accurate, or is phonetically justifiable. Pupils make good progress. In the presentation of their work, they move from copying over and below teachers' writing in the reception year to well formed letters at the age of seven, by which time many have developed a neat, joined handwriting style. When telling and retelling stories their vocabulary increases and

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

they begin to demonstrate an awareness of the varying styles of writing that are appropriate for different purposes.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

77. Pupils in Key Stage 2 are on target to achieve standards in writing that are similar to the national average by the end of the year, and they make satisfactory progress. Accurate spelling and punctuation, and the correct use of Standard English are seen in much of the pupils' work, together with good handwriting and presentation, although this varies. Most pupils plan their work methodically; they structure their work carefully and write in an interesting and thoughtful way. However, there is little evidence of pupils reviewing their work to improve it. Some careless errors in the mechanics of writing, such as punctuation and paragraphing, reduces the impact of the very interesting ideas pupils have in their work. They write for a wide range of purposes, which includes factual writing, such as when describing Victorian life. Pupils' understanding and use of grammar grows through the key stage. They identify verbs and their

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

subjects, and correctly learn how to contract two words using apostrophes.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

78. Overall, attainment in reading is above average at the end of Key Stage 1. Many pupils read regularly both at home and school. Most pupils in Year 2 read fluently and accurately. They use different strategies to read unknown words, including the use of phonics and pictures to help them. They know that sounds are associated with letters, and many can blend letter combinations accurately to assist them when reading and spelling. Some pupils can summarise the plot of their current book, and recall favourite stories read previously. Some pupils do not always recognise their mistakes, but higher-attaining pupils frequently correct their own errors. Pupils make steady progress as they move through the school, although attainment varies between year groups, with some cohorts achieving higher standards than others do. At Key Stage 2 most pupils express their preferences for different types of books. By Year 4, pupils

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

Pilsley CE Primary School - 37 are better at recognising errors when reading and most can correct them. Current pupils in Years 5 and 6 attain similar levels in reading. They are interested in books and discuss different styles of books, many expressing a preference for humorous or adventurous stories. They discuss the work of their favourite authors and explain the reasons for their preferences. When they reach the end of Key Stage 2 most pupils know how to use the contents and index pages in reference books, and they use their knowledge and skills when using the library to locate information.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

79. Pupils enjoy their English lessons. They are interested in their work and generally strive to do their best. Most pupils listen attentively to their teachers and each other, although a few are distracted easily. They answer questions sensibly. Nearly all pupils co-operate and collaborate well with each other.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

80. At both key stages, the teaching of English is satisfactory, and sometimes good. Work is generally matched to pupils' abilities. However, in shorter-term planning, teachers do not clearly identify what they intend pupils to learn by the end of each lesson or series of lessons in small, measurable steps to assist assessment. Teachers' have appropriately high expectations of most pupils, particularly at Key Stage 1. In literacy sessions teachers use the National Literacy Strategy guidelines well to plan their lessons, although the pace of lessons is sometimes too slow. They share their secure subject knowledge effectively with their pupils, giving clear instructions and explanations and offering good individual support. Questions are used effectively to check that pupils understand and to draw out and extend their thinking. In most lessons teachers capture their pupils' interest and use a good range of vocabulary, developing

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their pupils' comprehension of new words. They teach the basic skills of handwriting, spelling and grammar systematically and insist that pupils produce finished work of an acceptable standard.

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81. Throughout the school, pupils' literacy skills are applied to other subjects effectively, particularly in religious education, history and information technology. Pupils regularly use their word-processing skills to produce display copies of their work.

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82. The school has a sound policy for English with good supporting guidance for teachers when planning. This scheme of work is used alongside the National Literacy Strategy guidance to provide a suitably broad and balanced range of work for pupils. Classrooms and the library have a satisfactory range of books for pupils to borrow, although some of these are becoming worn. Parents support their children's learning through reading at home and by supervising homework. The school has implemented the National Literacy Strategy well, meeting the challenge of delivering this to mixed-age and mixed-key-stage classes effectively. 85. 85. Mathematics

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83. Pupils enter Key Stage 1 with levels of attainment in line with national expectations. Due to the small numbers of pupils in each year group it is difficult to compare accurately the attainment of pupils between one year and the next. Test results for 1999 show that at Key Stage 2, the percentage of pupils attaining Level 4 was very high compared the national average. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 was above the national average. The percentages achieved are based on a small cohort of four pupils. At the end of Key Stage 1 nine pupils took the tests. The percentage of pupils who attained Level 2 was very high when compared with the national average. The percentage of pupils who attained the higher Level 3 was above average. Trends over the three years 1996 - 1998 show that pupils achieve well above average standards at Key Stage 1, whilst pupils at Key Stage 2 achieve standards that

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84. Inspection evidence indicates that pupils currently in Key Stage 1 achieve average standards in number work. Overall these pupils make satisfactory progress. In Key Stage 2, pupils' overall Pilsley CE Primary School - 38 attainment in each area of mathematics is indicated to be below average and these pupils make unsatisfactory progress.

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85. At the end of Key Stage 1 in mental mathematics most pupils count on or back in twos and fives from any given number, and count in twos, fives and tens from small numbers to at least 50. They double and halve numbers to ten. In fractions, all pupils have practical experience of sorting into equal parts. They tell the time in hours with analogue and digital clocks, and measure objects in the classroom using centimetres and metres. They identify odd and even numbers, and use all four mathematical operations up to 50. Pupils in Year 2 collect and record simple data, in block graphs.

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86. At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils count quickly in tens up to and back from 100. They use mental methods to add and subtract a sequence of three numbers. However, when asked to apply mental skills to unfamiliar situations they are unable to use mental methods to solve problems. Pupils in Year 6 add a sequence of three numbers to 20. They add simple fractions correctly, and subtract numbers with up to four digits correctly using decomposition methods. They multiply and divide two and three digit numbers by a single digit, calculating remainders correctly. Pupils recognise and name angles such as “acute”, “obtuse” and “right”. They explain how to multiply and divide decimals, and calculate 8 x 17p mentally with support. Pupils have little experience of measurement and data handling and are not familiar with mental methods for checking their work.

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87. Pupils make sound progress throughout Key Stage 1. In mental mathematics, the youngest pupils can use number cards to ten to demonstrate answers to simple questions in the numeracy hour. They have frequent opportunities to practise formal methods of addition and subtraction. As they move through Year 2 most can accurately complete addition and subtraction to 50 and have begun to use multiplication and division. In other areas of mathematics; that is using and applying mathematics, measurement, and data handling, pupils have too few opportunities to work at an appropriate level on a wide range of tasks. Pupils make unsatisfactory progress in solving problems; for example, a scrutiny of pupils' books indicates that few are able to organise and check their own work. They do not regularly check their own work in number by counting.

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88. Pupils make unsatisfactory progress throughout Key Stage 2. A careful scrutiny of pupils' work and teachers' planning indicates that progress is limited by the range of work that is planned, the rate of work completed; unnecessary repetition of work that is understood. Additionally, planning does not effectively identify the needs of different ability groups in the mixed age class. Insufficient attention is given to planning work from the full range expected in each area of mathematics at Key Stage 2. As pupils progress through the key stage they develop appropriate mathematical language. However, by the time they enter Year 6 most pupils are unable to explain their work systematically or to use mental methods of calculation in unfamiliar situations. The large quantity of worksheets and textbook exercises used lacks a suitable challenge for many pupils. The range of work is further restricted by the use of these,

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many of which are not sufficiently focussed on the skills that pupils need to develop and consolidate in order to make progress at an appropriate rate. The large number of exercise books used by each pupil prevents the teacher from accurately tracking each pupil's rate of progress through the National Curriculum Programmes of Study.

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89. Pupils with special educational needs, make sound progress towards the targets identified on their individual education plans, however, those pupils with the potential for higher attainment make unsatisfactory progress. This is due to the lack of effective planning in the shorter term, which makes insufficient use of assessment information, and a lack of secure subject knowledge on the part of teachers.

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90. Pupils' recording, labelling and presentation of work make a limited contribution to the Pilsley CE Primary School - 39 development of their literacy skills. Speaking and listening skills are developed appropriately through class discussion at the start and end of lessons. There is an appropriate emphasis on the development of mathematical language. In planning, insufficient links are made with other subjects, and information technology is not used sufficiently to support mathematics. Occasionally pupils work at word processing in mathematics lessons.

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91. Pupils' respond appropriately to mathematics. Their attitudes are generally sound, however a significant minority says they do not enjoy mathematics. Pupils in both key stages are keen to take part in mental mathematics sessions, and are familiar with the routines, but work with little sense of urgency. In Key Stage 1 they are very keen to please the teacher and are delighted when she praises them. In both key stages most pupils listen attentively to their teachers, and relationships between pupils and teachers are good. In Key Stage 2, pupils responded very well to the temporary teacher who they had not worked with before. In group activities which lack challenge pupils lose interest in the wok and noise levels rise. However, most pupils behave well and organise and use resources sensibly and with care.

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92. Evidence from lesson observations and the scrutiny of pupils' work and teachers planning indicates that teaching is satisfactory overall, with some unsatisfactory features especially at Key Stage 2. In Key Stage 1 the teacher has very good relationships with the pupils, good use is made of praise and sensitive support was given to a new pupil who had joined the class. In mental mathematics the teacher sometimes targets questions towards different year groups and plans different tasks for each year group. Less effective teaching in Key Stage 1 takes place when the teacher does not demonstrate sufficiently or expect pupils to explain their methods of calculation. Time is not always used well; for example, in a twenty-minute mathematics lesson the activity was changed after ten minutes and valuable time was lost in organising and giving out pieces of paper. In Key Stage 2 the temporary teacher established good relationships,

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organised resources well, gave clear explanations to the pupils and made good use of the available medium-term planning to plan work for each group of pupils. Teachers' planning indicates that insufficient attention is given to the requirements of the National Curriculum at both key stages, too much time is spent on number work and too little attention is given to planning appropriate activities for different groups from the other areas of mathematics. Lesson objectives in shorter-term plans are too broad and do not set out what pupils of all abilities are intended to learn in lessons. Assessment opportunities are not regularly planned to pinpoint the small steps that pupils make in lessons and identify what should be covered next. The scrutiny of pupils' work and teachers planning indicates that there are further unsatisfactory features in teaching at Key Stage 2. When planning work for the four year

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groups insufficient attention has been given to ensuring that pupils have opportunities build on their prior attainment. Too often pupils work at similar exercises or repeat work unnecessarily, and the work does not always provide challenge for pupils, for example pupils in Year 6 continue to complete addition and subtraction exercises that were fully understood in the previous year. The marking of pupils' work indicates low expectations of pupils in terms of the rate and presentation of their work. During the current year the school has begun to use the Derbyshire framework for planning mathematics in mixed age classes with four year groups in Key Stage 2. As yet this is not used rigorously to provide suitable work for all pupils.

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93. Resources are satisfactory in quantity and quality. In some lessons in Key Stage 2, pupils lost valuable mathematics curriculum time when they were withdrawn from a numeracy hour in rotation to read to a parent in the school hall. Another factor contributing to lower than expected levels of achievement is the lack of effective leadership for mathematics. A numeracy action plan to guide the school in implementing the numeracy strategy has yet to be drawn up, and a numeracy audit has yet to be completed. The monitoring role of the co-ordinator is not well developed because there are insufficient strategies in place to enable her to ensure that the quality of education is continually improving. For example no time is made available for monitoring teaching, and pupils' work and teachers' planning are not monitored systematically. However, the school has begun to take part in training for the numeracy hour, and has yet to

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Pilsley CE Primary School - 40 complete all the courses that are available. The school plans to complete training and to draw up a school policy for planning in mixed-age classes the school to make further improvements in standards of attainment.

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94. National Key Stage 2 test results for 1999 show that the percentage of pupils who attained Level 4 or above was very high compared to the national average. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 was also very high. The percentage of seven year olds in 1999 who attained Level 2 in the teacher assessments was very high when compared to the national average, and the percentage of pupils who achieved the higher Level 3 was above average. However, there were four pupils in Year 6 and nine pupils in Year 2 and no reliable comparisons with national statistics can be made. Trends over the three years 1996 - 1998 show that pupils' performance at the end of Year 6 was well above the national average.

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95. Inspection evidence indicates that pupils in Key Stage 1 achieve standards in line with national expectations in science, and overall these pupils make satisfactory progress. In Key Stage 2 pupils overall attainment in science is indicated to be in line with the national average by the end of the year. However, many pupils are underachieving and therefore progress overall is unsatisfactory. This reflects the findings of the previous report.

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96. Pupils in Year 2 name the major external parts of the human body, and correctly label a worksheet sketch. They know that humans use five senses for an awareness of the world, and list them all. They classify smells into groups using a worksheet to record their findings. They observe and discuss the sense of touch, and write their findings in a descriptive paragraph. They observe the life cycle of a frog and record with a simple diagram. They label diagrams of plants clearly, describe the process of growing, and make close observations of seeds. They classify a selection of plants into groups of fruit and vegetables.

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97. Pupils in Year 6 label parts of the human body including some joints and muscles. They classify the features of mammals and record information in a chart. They draw pictures of physical activity in humans. However, these are not accompanied by any written explanation. They label a printed diagram of the human digestive system using appropriate vocabulary, and write a short description of the oesophagus. They print their own fingerprints and make close observations. They test the tensile strength of their hair. However, the written information gives no description of the test environment or conditions.

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98. Pupils make sound progress in investigation skills in Year 1, taking part in physical activity to explore the structure of their body. In Year 2, pupils maintain this sound progress by using a variety of ways to record information from a suitable range of activities from the life and living processes aspect of the curriculum. However, a lack of clear focus on the National Curriculum Programmes of Study in teachers' planning means that pupils do not make systematic progress in developing scientific skills in all aspects of science in both key stages. In Key Stage 2, pupils make unsatisfactory progress overall. Pupils from all four year groups too often work at the same level. Insufficient attention has been paid to planning how older and more able pupils will develop science skills at an appropriate level through the topic that is planned. The work available for scrutiny was limited, covering half a terms work on life and living processes. A

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scrutiny of teachers' planning indicates that pupils have too few opportunities to develop systematic enquiry skills, to relate science to daily life, to test scientific ideas and to communicate their findings through a range of methods.

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99. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. The previous report found that more-able pupils were underachieving due to unchallenging work. Insufficient attention has been given to addressing this aspect and older and more-able pupils continue to achieve levels below their capabilities. Pilsley CE Primary School - 41 100. Science supports literacy well in Key Stage 1, through the good use of descriptive language and a good focus on scientific vocabulary. In Key Stage 2, information technology is not yet used well to support science; for example, opportunities to use data handling to record information are missed. Numeracy links are limited since most recording of information is descriptive language or labelling.

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101. Pupils' attitudes are sound. They are well behaved and work responsibly, as for example, when they are working in the hall to explore the movement of their bodies. Pupils concentrate well and try hard to locate the muscles. Pupils in Key Stage 1 take a pride in their work, which is generally presented well. However, many pupils find it difficult to work independently and constantly seek support and direction from the teacher. In Key Stage 2 many pupils are keen to describe their own experiences to the class. However too many take a long time to settle after the lunch break, they do not listen well to the teacher or to each other and a few persistently fiddle with inkwells and pens on their desks.

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102. Only two lessons were observed, one in each key stage. The judgements on teaching have been made from a close scrutiny of pupils' work and teachers' planning in addition to lesson observations. The overall quality of teaching is sound in Key Stage 1. The teacher has secure subject knowledge and plans suitable activities. Clear explanations are given to pupils and their scientific vocabulary is extended well. Teachers' questions challenge pupils to think about scientific ideas and pupils clearly gain scientific knowledge as a result. However, planning for lessons is too brief and does not set out clearly what skills pupils will develop in lessons. Resources are not well prepared and the pace of the lesson is too slow. Pupils work at written tasks with little sense of urgency. A temporary teacher taught the Key Stage 2 class during the inspection due to the absence through illness of the permanent teacher. The long- and medium-

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term planning available for the teacher was inadequate in guiding her to make suitable provision for the four year groups. The lack of available assessment information gave her no clear picture of pupils' prior attainment. As a result the activity was not planned at the right level for the pupils, the pace of the lesson was too slow and pupils did not respond well. The limited range of pupils' work and the quality of planning available for scrutiny indicates that science teaching is unsatisfactory overall at Key Stage 2.

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103. The co-ordinator for science was absent during the inspection. No time is made available for her to monitor teaching in the subject, and insufficient attention has been given to monitoring standards of attainment in the subject. Although science has not been identified in the school development plan, the headteacher reports that it is the subject of review in the current school year. In response to this review, the school has wisely decided to use the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority document to guide planning in the subject. As yet no clear guidance has been drawn up to guide teachers in using the document for planning in the mixed age classes. Currently planning does not ensure that pupils of all abilities make systematic progress in the development of scientific skills, and cover an appropriate range of work from each of the Programmes of Study. Resources for science are adequate and developing. They are of sound

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104. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is in line with national expectations and pupils make satisfactory progress. At the end of Key Stage 2 attainment is below national expectations and pupils make unsatisfactory progress. Pilsley CE Primary School - 42 105. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils have developed suitable confidence when using computers. They generate their own ideas through tables or pictures, and retrieve, process and display information. For example, by creating pictograms to display data they have collected on the weather. Other activities, such as working simple control and word-processing programs, help to increase the speed of pupils' responses and develop keyboard skills. By the age of seven pupils can load programmes, and save and print their work. They acquire a good range of vocabulary associated with computers, such as 'icon', 'cursor', 'mouse' and 'keyboard'. Older

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pupils demonstrate satisfactory skills when programming small floor-robots. They apply their estimating skills effectively when planning routes for these.

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106. In Key Stage 2 pupils learn typing skills and use their word-processing skills to change the font style or size of print. However, pupils' use of control and data handling programmes is limited and their ability to use information technology to organise and present ideas is unsatisfactory. Scrutiny of pupils' work revealed that little of their work in information technology is recorded.

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107. On the few occasions when it was possible to observe pupils working with computers, their attitudes to information technology were positive. They co-operate well when working in pairs or small groups and handle machines carefully.

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108. Insufficient evidence is available to make a secure judgement on the quality of teaching. However from a scrutiny of pupils' work and teachers' planning this is indicated to be satisfactory at Key Stage 1 but unsatisfactory at Key Stage 2, where the range of work planned is too limited and does not cover the required National Curriculum Programmes of Study.

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109. The school recognises the need for improvement in the subject. However, a clear plan for this has not been developed. Some resources for information technology, particularly at Key Stage 1, are outdated, and generally these are not keeping pace with the demands of the curriculum. The school expects to receive further resources for information technology from the National Grid for Learning scheme in the year 2002 and future plans include connection to the Internet. The school has already adopted some aspects of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's guidance for information technology. Assessment and recording for this subject lacks sufficient rigour to ensure that all pupils make steady progress. Additionally, the school has no secure means of ensuring that all pupils have equal access to the information technology curriculum. Commitment from the school to improve resources and to ensure equal opportunities for all

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pupils to use the available equipment provides a foundation for the school to raise standards.

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110. No lessons were observed in art during the inspection. A scrutiny of pupils' work and displays around the school indicate that attainment in art in line is similar to that found in most schools. Pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the school.

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111. Much of the work supports learning in other subjects such as English and is also closely linked with class topics. Key Stage 1 pupils learn different painting techniques; for example, using rollers and sponges as well as brushes. Pupils produce collages to represent fireworks and mini-beasts using various media such as leaves, straw, paint, glitter and various papers. They observe their environment and draw shapes found around them using pastels. To support their work in literacy pupils have produced some attractive illustrations of 'The Wind in the Willows'.

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112. At Key Stage 2 pupils use a range of materials including pencil and pastel to build upon their drawing skills. Pupils experiment with mixing colours and making marks. They use pastels to make sensitive observational drawings of plants and flowers, such as snowdrops. Their growing understanding of perspective is demonstrated in their crayon drawings of the school Pilsley CE Primary School - 43 building. When painting, pupils use textural effects well. They work with a range of collage materials including fabric and food, as in their painted pasta collage representations of the moon. Throughout the school, pupils study the work of established artists to support their work, but this is predominantly that of European artists from this and the previous century. Some fine collaborative work produced with the support of an artist in residence is displayed both in the estate farm shop and in the school.

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113. Pupils enjoy their lessons in art, and most take a pride in the results they achieve. Generally they discuss their work sensibly and at times offer suggestions for improvement to each other. Many pupils co-operate effectively with each other, sharing resources and equipment well.

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114. No lessons in art were seen during the inspection and it is not possible to make a secure judgement on the quality of teaching. A scrutiny of pupils' work and teachers' planning documents indicates that it is satisfactory overall. However, expectations are similar for all pupils in each key stage, and the skills of older or more-able pupils are not always extended sufficiently. For example, pupils in Year 6 carried out the same colour mixing activity as their younger classmates, for whom the task was more appropriate. The value teachers' place upon pupils' work is apparent in the attractive displays around the school. Good use is made of other expertise, such as visiting artists. Pupils apply the design skills they acquire to community events such as well dressing, which also makes a good contribution to their social and cultural development. The school has an appropriate policy for art and intends to adopt the

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Qualifications and Curriculum Authority guidance on art when this becomes available. A satisfactory range of resources is available.

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117. Design and technology 117. 115. Pupils begin work on design and technology at age of five years with levels of attainment that are in line with national expectations. By the end of Key Stage 1 attainment is on course to be below that normally expected of pupils of this age, and by the end of Key Stage 2 attainment is on course to be well below that expected. Pupils make unsatisfactory progress in Key Stage 1 and poor progress in Key Stage 2. The last inspection reported that standards of attainment were in line with expectations. These standards have not been maintained.

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116. Part of only one lesson observation was made during the inspection; judgements have been made from this lesson, a scrutiny of pupils' work from the previous four school years at Key Stage 2, the current school year at both key stages, and from teachers' planning. At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils in Year 6 bake cookies and make origami flowers. There are no recorded plans for their designs, consideration of the resources they will require, or evaluation of the appearance and taste of the food in addition to nutritional elements, or the fitness for purpose of the flowers. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils in Year 2 bake cookies and make a bookmark. They write a very simple description of the activity, which does not include: information about the materials or ingredients used, the recipe for baking, a plan of how the bookmark will be made, or an evaluation of the finished products. Work at the end of both key stages is not

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sufficiently related to the end of key stage requirements.

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117. Pupils in both key stages are not making sufficient progress. Pupils in Key Stage 2 list a range of activities in their folders. However, there are few examples of pupils planning, designing and evaluating their own work. Most activities are craft activities and are not suitable for promoting design skills. Insufficient attention has been given to planning work that matches the revised guidelines of the National Curriculum. In Key Stage 1 there is a limited range of activities. However, pupils have covered some skills from the Programmes of Study. A lack of focus on the key skills of planning, designing, making and evaluating prevents pupils from making satisfactory progress. Pilsley CE Primary School - 44 118. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is unsatisfactory in Key Stage 1 and poor at Key Stage 2. This is due to the lack of clear objectives for lessons in teachers' shorter-term

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plans; most pupils complete the same design and make activities as their classmates. Additionally the level at which they record work prevents appropriate progress, and there is a general lack of challenge in the work planned for potentially higher attaining pupils.

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119. Currently the subject makes very little contribution to literacy and numeracy; some specific vocabulary is used. However, opportunities to compose lists label objects and write reports are missed. Numeracy skills are not used in planning and recording information. As yet information technology is not used as an integral part of lessons.

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120. Part of only one lesson was observed during the inspection, and little finished work was available for scrutiny. Therefore no judgement about the quality of teaching or pupils' response can be made. However, a scrutiny of teachers' planning indicates that medium and shorter-term plans do not closely match the development of skills required in the programmes of study. Medium-term plans do not indicate how pupils will systematically make progress, and shorter- term planning identifies activities rather than specific learning objectives. There is no school policy for the subject. However, the school has wisely decided to use the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority document for planning in future. As yet no clear guidance has been drawn up to ensure appropriate use of the document in mixed age classes. 123.

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121. Only one geography lesson was seen in each key stage during the inspection. Judgements are made after talking with pupils and teachers, and from a scrutiny of pupils' work and displays around the school. From these it is indicated that attainment in art in line is similar to that found in most schools and that pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the school.

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122. Pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 are beginning to understand the purpose of map work. They talk well about where they live in relation to the school and represent this by placing their photograph on a simple map. They are developing a sound knowledge of features in the local environment. They can record the weather and describe characteristics of the seasons. They are becoming familiar with the different types of work undertaken by people in the school community and in their village. They visit a farm as part of their understanding of how people live, work and use the land.

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123. At Key Stage 2, pupils are gaining a sound knowledge of different countries through their topics. Pupils talk with knowledge and understanding about a village in India that they study and contrast with their own village. They use atlases to find out about river systems, tracking these to their source. They are familiar with the physical geography of their county and talk with a sensitive understanding about the conservation of their local countryside and the need to prevent pollution in order to maintain natural resources.

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124. Pupils enjoy geography and collaborate effectively with each other in lessons. At Key Stage 1, pupils sensibly discuss where their homes are and enjoy talking about their journeys to school. When programming a floor robot to follow a route around a simple plan of the village they good-naturedly take turns to do this with. Pupils at Key Stage 2 are enthusiastic and curious when working with atlases and are clearly delighted when they make new discoveries.

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125. Teachers' topic plans are satisfactory and cross-curricular links are constructively used. The school has a sound policy for geography and full use is made of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's documents for planning. There are sufficient resources to support the curriculum. Pilsley CE Primary School - 45 128. History

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Geography

126. No lessons were seen during the inspection. Therefore judgements are made from a scrutiny of pupils' work, teachers' planning and discussions with pupils. From these, standards are indicated to be above average at Key Stage 1, and similar to those normally found nationally at Key Stage 2. Pupils make good progress at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory progress at Key Stage 2. Much of the work available was based on the Victorian era, as the school has recently celebrated its 150 th anniversary.

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127. Pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 understand about the past and about change. They apply their literacy skills effectively as they record how transport developed in the Victorian era, the development of steam, early flight and how cycles evolved into the types that we use now. They compare the cost of travelling by steam train in Victorian times with modern rail fares. Some excellent writing has been produced in their work comparing Victorian Sundays with the leisure activities usually undertaken on modern Sundays. They are able to write a short factual report about medical discoveries such as anaesthetics, x-rays and the use of hypodermic needles to administer medication. They show sensitivity in the comparisons they make between the childhood of rich and poor children in Victorian times.

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128. At the end of Key Stage 2 pupils are developing a good understanding of the purpose of a time line and are able to put some famous people from, and events during, Victoria's reign into the correct order. They use conventional formats to construct the family tree of Queen Victorian. They research the lives of famous Victorians such as George Stephenson, Florence Nightingale and Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Pupils trace the development of postage, and learn of the significance of the Great Exhibition. However, much of this work is recorded in no greater detail than the work of Key Stage 1 pupils.

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129. Due to the focus on the school's 150 th anniversary celebrations only a limited range of work was available. From this it is evident that pupils at Key Stage 1 are making good progress in acquiring a solid base of knowledge about life in the past and have developed good skills in comparing life in the past with their own lives. Pupils at Key Stage 2 make satisfactory progress in the acquisition of key historical research skills, but the breadth of knowledge they acquire over time is less satisfactory.

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Geography

130. Insufficient evidence is available to make a secure judgement on pupils' attitude to history. Older pupils discuss the research they have undertaken with interest and they recall much of what they have learned.

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131. A sound policy for history is in place, which is supported by the guidance available from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The school plans topics on a three year cycle; this appropriately covers a range of historical skills and content. However, pupils' attainment in the subject is not monitored sufficiently to ensure the progressive acquisition of skills.

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132. There are sufficient school resources to support the topics; additionally the school makes good use of the Chatsworth Estate, local records offices and the library service.

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133. As only one lesson in each key stage was observed during the inspection, it is not possible to make secure judgements on pupils' overall attainment and progress in this subject. However, from these lessons, pupils' singing in assemblies and whole school singing practice it can be seen that they are similar to those normally found in most schools overall, and are above this at times.

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Geography

134. In assemblies, pupils sing with reasonable enthusiasm. They learn hymns by heart, most pupils Pilsley CE Primary School - 46 sing with clear diction, although some of the younger pupils are less confident when singing new tunes. At Key Stage 1, pupils learn the names of various percussion instruments and play these well under close conducting. They select instruments carefully and handle them well when producing sound effects for the story of 'The Three Little Pigs'. At Key Stage 2, pupils learn how to create a range of sounds using various parts of the body, such as hands, feet and mouths. They collaborate well to produce their own compositions for performance to each other. Throughout the school pupils are given good opportunities to listen to and appraise work of famous composers such as Bach, Elgar and Lloyd Webber and learn of their lives. They also listen to music from various parts of the world, such as the United States, Africa and India.

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Pupils in Key Stage 2 record their responses to these experiences in a variety of ways, both written and pictorially.

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135. In the few lessons observed teaching was good. The school wisely employs a specialist peripatetic teacher for music. Her subject knowledge is good and she effectively shares her enthusiasm for music with the pupils. Skills are taught purposefully and close attention is paid to the development of technique, such as holding and playing instruments correctly. Lessons are planned well, and identify clearly what pupils are intended to learn during each session. Rare incidents of inappropriate behaviour are managed well.

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136. Pupils demonstrate good attitudes to music. Most respond enthusiastically and are very eager to take part in lessons. The youngest pupils are developing the required listening skills, waiting for their turn to perform and responding well to the conductor. Most pupils have developed the self-discipline required to participate successfully in practical lessons. Even when the task is exciting, such as making music using the body, most pupils in Key Stage 2 show good levels of self-control.

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137. The policy is satisfactory and the curriculum is planned appropriately to provide a broad, balanced and progressive Programme of Study. The school intends to improve this further when the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's guidance on music becomes available. Twelve pupils currently benefit from instrumental tuition, and pupils at Key Stage 2 also learn the recorder. Pupils regularly perform to wider audiences, for special events such as their recent 'Olde Tyme Music Hall' as part of the 150 th anniversary celebrations, as well as in various services throughout the Christian calendar. The quality and quantity of resources are satisfactory.

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138. At the time of the inspection, gymnastics were the focus of lessons, so other areas were not inspected. Pupils make sound progress throughout the school. By the end of both key stages standards are on course to achieve levels normally expected of pupils of these ages. By the age of eleven, almost all pupils attain the national expectation in swimming.

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139. Pupils in Year 2 follow instructions and identify different parts of their bodies. They achieve the tasks set on the apparatus. They efficiently get out the large climbing apparatus that they require for the lesson. By the age of 11, pupils practise, improve and refine their own performance. They evaluate their own and others' performances, and apply this evaluation to improving their own variety, quality and accuracy. They set out apparatus quickly and safely, following instructions and floor plans well. They sustain energetic activity over suitable periods of time, and appreciate the need for careful warming up and cooling down.

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140. Pupils make generally good progress in refining their skills in gymnastics. Higher-attaining pupils make similarly good progress in Key Stage 2, due to the good organisation of the lesson and clearly stated higher expectations. Pupils with special educational needs make progress in line with their peers. Pilsley CE Primary School - 47 141. Pupils respond well in lessons and show good attitudes. They behave sensibly and safely. They all change quickly into appropriate kit and enjoy physical activity. They take part enthusiastically in physical activities and co-operate well in pairs, groups and teams. Many show keen interest by participating in the extra-curricular activities; for example, keep fit. Pupils involved in school teams in show good attitudes, though they rarely win.

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142. Teaching overall is good, with examples of very good teaching. In one lesson where the whole school was taught together for country dancing teaching was unsatisfactory. This was mainly due to the difficulties of providing an appropriate activity to meet the needs of all pupils from the reception year to Year 6. As a result the lesson lacked a clear focus upon the requirements of the National Curriculum. The use of a taped programme gave few opportunities for the teacher to guide progress. In the very good lessons, at Key Stage 2, very clear instructions are given, and there is very good firm and fair control of pupils who are not well known to the teacher. Pupils are very well organised into two distinct groups so that the older pupils can work energetically and safely and act as a model for younger pupils in Years 3 and 4. The pace of the lesson was very good, good attention was paid to health and safety and good use was

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made of floor plans to enable pupils to set out apparatus efficiently. Pupils thoroughly enjoy this lesson and respond very well to the challenges set. In other good lessons, at Key Stage 1, the teacher makes the objectives of the lesson clear to all pupils and they are able to make good progress as a result. Her confident and effortless approach ensures that all pupils respond well, and help each other to succeed.

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143. The school enjoys appropriate resources for physical education. The school's field is of a good size, the playground is appropriate for games, and the hall suitable for indoor activities. Resources are satisfactory, maintained well, and accessible to pupils.

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144. The inspection of this school included a focussed view of swimming, which is reported below.

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145. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils attain standards above those expected in swimming at the end of the key stage. Most pupils swim at least fifty metres using two recognised strokes, one swimming on their front and the other on their back. They tread water for one-minute wearing clothes and swim in clothes for twenty-five metres.

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146. Although no observations of swimming were made, pupils clearly have access to good quality and highly effective teaching and instruction. They take part in a programme organised by the local authority and are taught under the supervision of qualified swimming instructors. One teacher from the school teaches one group of pupils under close supervision.

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147. Non-swimmers are taught together in a beginner group at the shallow end of the pool, usually by the class teacher who follows a carefully designed programme to increase confidence and learn early skills.

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148. The planned programme of skills has been designed by the swimming instructors and ensures that all pupils make steady and consistent progress. A good record of skills accomplished by individual pupils is kept and close liaison with the school provides a clear picture of individual pupils' progress. Pupils swim for thirty weeks each year, omitting the weeks before and after half term. Good arrangements for transport have been made and pupils are out of school for only one hour for a full half an hour in the pool. Swimming is offered to all pupils in Key Stage 2 and to pupils in Year 2. Pilsley CE Primary School - 48 151. PART C: INSPECTION DATA

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151. SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE 151. 149. The inspection team of three inspectors, one of whom was a lay inspector, was in school for a total of seven inspector days. During the inspection 77 observations were made, including observations of 26 lessons or parts of lessons, some registrations, assemblies, lunchtimes and break-times.

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150. Time spent on lessons, work scrutiny and interviews with pupils, teachers, governors and others who work at the school was a total of 41.3 hours.

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151. Inspectors heard many pupils read, examined their mathematical knowledge and understanding, and talked to them about their work. Samples of pupils' work were inspected in all classes. The policy documents, teachers' planning files, pupils' records, reports, attendance registers and the school development plan and budget figures were examined.

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152. Discussions were held with the headteacher, members of staff, the Chair of Governors and other governors. Sixteen parents attended a meeting with the reporting inspector and discussed their views of the school, and 17 parents returned a questionnaire expressing their views on the education provided by the school .

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155. DATA AND INDICATORS 155. 155. Pupil data 155.

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

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Nursery Unit Pilsley CE Primary School - 49 155. 155. 155. Teachers and classes

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Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent):

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Total number of education support staff:

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Total aggregate hours worked each week: Pilsley CE Primary School - 50 155. Qualified teachers (Nursery unit)

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Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 0.5

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155. Education support staff (Nursery unit)

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Total number of education support staff:

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Primary and nursery schools

Total Income 85,901 Pilsley CE Primary School - 51 Total Expenditure 84,655

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Primary and nursery schools

Balance brought forward from previous year 5,369

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Balance carried forward to next year 1,246 Pilsley CE Primary School - 52 155. PARENTAL SURVEY 155.

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Primary and nursery schools

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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Primary and nursery schools

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

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Primary and nursery schools

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

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Primary and nursery schools

The school handles complaints from parents well

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Primary and nursery schools

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught Pilsley CE Primary School - 53 The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)'s progress

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Primary and nursery schools

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

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Primary and nursery schools

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

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Primary and nursery schools

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

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Primary and nursery schools

The school's values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren)

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Primary and nursery schools

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour

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Primary and nursery schools

My child(ren) like(s) their school Pilsley CE Primary School - 54

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