Arlies Primary School

Arlies Primary and Nursery School

Dates of inspection: 18 th – 21 st October 1999

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Arlies Primary and Nursery School

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

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Arlies Primary and Nursery 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.

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Arlies Primary and Nursery School

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.

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Arlies Primary and Nursery School

Any enquiries about this legislation should be addressed to the OFSTED Compliance Helpline Tel. 0171421 6567 Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Broadhill Road Stalybridge Tameside SK15 1HQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Andrew Booth

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 22 nd to 26 th April 1996 Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Jeffrey White, Registered Inspector Science; History; Art; Equal opportunities Attainment & progress; Teaching; Leadership & Management; Efficiency Richard Barnard, Lay Inspector Attitudes, behaviour & personal development; Attendance; Support, guidance & pupils’ welfare; Partnership with the parents & the community Judith Dawson, Team Inspector English; Music; Religious education Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social & cultural welfare Frank Norris Mathematics; Information technology; Physical education Curriculum & assessment

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Jennifer Young Design and technology; Geography; Special educational needs; Areas of learning for children under five. Staffing, accommodation & learning resources

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

SES 6 Star Corner Barby Near Rugby Warwickshire CV23 8UD

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 5

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What the school does well

• . Leadership and management are effective. • . Standards in English, mathematics and science are high at age eleven. • . The teaching is mainly good overall, and in the Year 5/6 and Year 6 classes it is often very good. • . Pupils’ moral development is promoted very strongly; social development is good. • . Pupils’ behaviour, attitudes and relationships are good. • . Provision for special educational needs is good. • . Pupils are well cared for.

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What the school does well

· Where the school has weaknesses I. National Curriculum requirements are not being met in information technology and standards are below average. II. Not enough use is made of assessment to plan and improve pupils’ work.

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

· How the school has improved since the last inspection

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

The school has responded well to the issues raised in the last inspection. Subject co-ordinators fulfil their roles better and now plan, monitor and review their subjects more thoroughly. The governors and senior management team have also improved their monitoring of the school’s work and regularly review the progress of the school development plan. Assessment procedures have improved but the use of assessment results to plan pupils’ work remains a weakness. A daily act of collective worship is now provided for all pupils. Planning in most subjects is better and identifies more clearly what pupils will be taught. However, National Curriculum requirements are still not being met in information technology and standards continue to be below average. Other important improvements have been made: overall progress is better, and, by the age of eleven, standards are higher in most subjects. Provision for special educational needs was sound in the last inspection

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

and is now good. Most of the teaching is good rather than satisfactory. The school is well placed to continue to improve because of the effective leadership and management, and the good quality of education that is provided.

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

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

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similar schools

well above average A above average B English B B average C Mathematics A A below average D Science A A well below average E

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similar schools

The information shows that standards were above average in English and were well above average in Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 8 mathematics and science. At the time of the inspection pupils in Year 6 were almost half way through the autumn term, and their attainment was above average in all three subjects. The oldest pupils achieve average standards in religious education but standards in information technology are below average. Pupils in Year 2 attain average standards in English, mathematics and science. Infant and junior pupils make mainly satisfactory progress in most subjects and standards are at least satisfactory. Pupils under five make good progress in personal and social development, physical development and creative development. Their progress is satisfactory in the other areas of their learning.

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similar schools

· Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years 7 – 11 years

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similar schools

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

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similar schools

Teaching is at least satisfactory in 96 per cent of lessons, of which over a half are good or occasionally very good. The teaching in the two upper junior classes is very good. Not enough teaching was seen in information technology to make an overall evaluation.

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similar schools

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

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good: above the national average

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Aspect Comment

Ethos* Good: pupils’ attitudes and relationships are positive.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management Effective at all levels. The school has clear direction.

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Aspect Comment

Curriculum Satisfactory overall but not enough teaching in information technology.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils with special educational needs Good provision. Pupils make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Good overall but moral development is very strong.

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Aspect Comment

Staffing, resources and accommodation Satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

*Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards. Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 9 · The parents’ views of the school

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

III. They are encouraged to play an active part in the life of the school. IV. The headteacher and staff are approachable. V. Their children are helped to achieve a good standard of work. VI. The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on their children. VII.The school achieves a high standard of good behaviour. VIII. The school does not give a clear

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

The inspection’s findings generally support parents’ views but the school does provide suitable information on what is to be taught. It should be noted, however, that the parental response to the pre-inspection questionnaire was very low and very few parents came to the pre-inspection meeting.

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

IX. Raise standards in information technology by:

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

-. teaching the full range of required skills; -. improving teachers’ expertise. (Paragraphs: 4, 9, 22, 26, 51, 53, 90-93)

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

• . Make more systematic use of assessment, in the nursery and throughout the main school, to plan pupils’ work. (Paragraphs: 21, 24, 28, 33, 39, 51, 70, 78, 84, 89, 102)

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

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

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

• . Ensure, at all times, that in the mixed aged classes, high attaining pupils are given challenging work. (Paragraphs: 11, 22, 30, 78, 84, 86)

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

• . Ensure religious education and physical education have suitable schemes of work. (Paragraph: 28, 95)

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

• . Improve spiritual development in assemblies. (Paragraphs: 34, 35)

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

• . Prepare pupils more thoroughly for life in their multicultural society. (Paragraph: 37)

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

• . Make more use of data on gender performance. (Paragraphs: 4, 50, 78) Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 10 · INTRODUCTION

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

1 The school is located in Stalybridge, which is on the border of Cheshire and Greater Manchester. Pupils are drawn from a range of socio-economic backgrounds and the range is wider than at the time of the last inspection. The number of children living in high social class backgrounds is below average. The school roll has fallen slightly since the previous inspection. Currently there are 284 pupils in the main school (142 boys, 142 girls). The school provides a nursery, which is housed in a separate building. At the time of the inspection there were 35 children attending part-time. Children are admitted into the reception at the beginning of the year in which they become five and currently there are 24 children aged under five. The percentage of pupils in receipt of free school meals is broadly average but the school reports that eligibility is higher. Less than one per cent of pupils come

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

from homes where English is not the first language. Three pupils have statements of special educational needs and a further 58 are on the special needs register.

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

2 Pupils’ attainment on entry to the nursery has fallen in recent years and is now broadly below average. Almost all of the nursery pupils transfer to the main school.

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

3 The school’s key priorities in the current year are to improve academic achievement and behaviour, improve information technology, and strengthen links with parents and the community.

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1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999 28 16 44

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Results

Number of pupils Boys 25 26 25 at NC Level 2 or Girls 16 16 14 above Total 41 42 39 Percentage at NC School 93 (76) 95 (81) 89 (90) Level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Results

3 Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 25 27 24 at NC Level 2 or Girls 13 14 12 above Total 38 41 36 Percentage at NC School 84 (76) 93 (88) 82 (81) Level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86) .........................................

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Results

Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 11

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2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999 23 14 37

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Results

Number of pupils Boys 20 22 22 at NC Level 4 or Girls 11 13 12 above Total 31 32 34 Percentage at NC School 84 (74) 95 (86) 92 (81) Level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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Results

3 Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 20 23 23 at NC Level 4 or Girls 11 13 12 above Total 31 36 35 Percentage at NC School 84 (86) 97 (86) 95 (89) Level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (71)

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Results

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed % through absence for the latest complete Authorised School 4.2 reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.3 Absence National comparative data 0.5

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Results

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

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Results

Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 15 Satisfactory or better 96 Less than satisfactory 4

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Results

......................................... Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 12 3 PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

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Results

3 EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

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Results

4 Attainment of pupils on entry to the school is broadly below average. Since the last inspection pupils’ prior attainment has fallen and generally it is better in the juniors than in the infants. Overall standards have improved by the age of 11. In the 1999 National Curriculum tests for pupils aged 11, the school’s average score in English was above the average for all schools and when compared with similar schools. In mathematics and science the average scores were well above the national averages for all schools. In comparison with similar schools the scores in mathematics and science were also well above average. In English and science the percentage of pupils achieving the expected level 4 or above was well above average and in mathematics it was very high. Results in all three subjects were significantly better than in 1998. Taking the four years 1996 to 1999 together, pupils’ performance

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Results

was well above the national average in all three subjects and has improved since the last inspection, especially in science. In the 1999 tests boys performed better than girls in English and science. In the tests for pupils aged seven, the school’s average score in reading was above the average for all schools and when compared with similar schools. The score in writing was broadly in line with the average for all and similar schools. The percentage of pupils achieving the expected level 2 or above was well above average in reading and writing. These results were a considerable improvement on the 1998 scores. Girls performed better than boys. The average score in mathematics was in line with the average for all schools and just below average when compared with similar schools. These results were also an improvement on the 1998 scores. The percentage of pupils achieving level 2 or above was average. According to teachers’ assessments, attainment in science was below average. The

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Results

inspections’ findings are that the current pupils in Year 6 attain above average standards in English, mathematics and science, and in Year 2 attainment is average in all three subjects.

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Results

4 Junior pupils make good progress in listening and speaking. They participate well in whole class discussions not only in the literacy hour but also in other subjects such as mathematics and science. Listening skills are generally good and pupils are well aware of the need to listen carefully to others. By Year 6, pupils’ vocabulary has developed well. A good feature of pupils’ oral development is their use of subject specific language. For example, pupils in Year 6 used a good range of vocabulary to explain how to separate solids from liquids and in Year 5 pupils used precise mathematical terminology in work on fractions. Progress in reading is good throughout the juniors. Pupils read a good range of fiction and non-fiction books and they are enthusiastic. They talk well about their reading and high attaining pupils will often express their preferences for particular authors. Pupils in Year 6 read fluently, have good understanding of texts and deal confidently with unfamiliar words.

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Results

They sometimes lack expression when reading aloud. In the junior years, pupils make good progress in writing. They write regularly in the literacy hour and in other subjects. Their use of punctuation is usually accurate and handwriting neat and legible. However, pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 do not always take enough care in the presentation of their work. By Year 6 pupils write in a good range of forms and use a comprehensive range of vocabulary. They have developed good understanding of the features of effective writing. Pupils in Year 6 compared introductions and characterisation in different texts and them applied them to their own work.

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Results

5 Infant pupils make good progress in speaking and listening. They listen carefully in the literacy hours and to instructions in other subjects. They respond well to questions and their vocabulary is developing well. Most pupils in Year 2 are confident and articulate speakers but few give their opinions spontaneously. Pupils make good progress in reading. They are developing a good range of reading strategies including the use of phonics, and pupils in Year 2 make good use of these techniques to read unfamiliar words. Reading has a high profile throughout the school and is well supported by regular homework. Infant pupils make good progress in writing. Most pupils write in sentences and by Year 2 they mainly use full stops accurately. They are less confident in using capital letters. Handwriting is satisfactory. In both the infants and juniors pupils make good progress in spelling and it is helped considerably by regular homework.

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Results

Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 13 6 Progress in numeracy is satisfactory overall in the juniors but it is rapid in the Year 5/6 and Year 6 classes largely because of the very effective teaching. The increased amount of mental work because of the numeracy hour is helping pupils to calculate more quickly. By the end of the juniors pupils have developed good computation skills, calculate quickly and explain their methods clearly. They apply their mathematical knowledge and skills well when they solve problems and handle data. They also have good knowledge and understanding of shapes and their properties. In the Year 3, Year 3/4 and Year 4/5 classes, although overall progress is satisfactory, the work is sometimes too easy for high attaining pupils. Infant pupils make good progress and are developing competent numeracy skills. Progress in addition and subtraction is good and pupils calculate more quickly as a result of the

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Results

numeracy hour. They make good attempts to explain the methods they use. Pupils in Year 2 are developing their skills in counting in twos, fives and tens. They have made good progress in identifying the properties of shapes.

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Results

7 Progress in science is satisfactory in the infants. A limited amount of work was available for scrutiny. Pupils are developing sound knowledge of life processes and living things, and materials and their properties. Teachers’ assessments indicate that in the current Year 2 pupils’ attainment is better in these aspects than in investigative science and physical processes. Junior pupils make good progress in scientific knowledge and investigation. Pupils in Year 6 have made rapid progress, especially in their understanding of physical processes and their application of investigative skills. They give very good scientific explanations for their findings. Their very good progress is mainly as a result of very effective teaching.

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Results

8 Progress in information technology is unsatisfactory throughout the school and the oldest pupils’ attainment is below average. Pupils are not being taught the full range of skills required by the National Curriculum. Progress in religious education is satisfactory and the oldest pupils achieve average standards. Standards in these two subjects are similar to those found in the previous inspection.

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Results

9 In the infants, progress and the quality of work are good in art, design and technology, history and geography, and satisfactory in music and physical education. In the juniors, progress and the quality of work are good in all these subjects. In general, standards have improved since the last inspection.

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Results

10 Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in most subjects but especially in literacy. The support teacher’s systematic teaching of phonics contributes well to their progress in reading. High attaining pupils make similar progress to their peers most of the time. They make most rapid progress in the Year 5/6 and Year 6 classes. Occasionally, in the mixed aged classes they are given work that is too easy and consequently they do not make the progress of which they are capable.

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Results

11 Children under five in the nursery and reception year make good progress in personal and social development and in physical and creative development. Progress in language and literature, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory. By the time the children are of compulsory school age about half of them should attain most of the desirable learning outcomes. Standards have not improved since the last inspection but the attainment of pupils on entry to the nursery has fallen in recent years.

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Results

12 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

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Results

12 Pupils’ good attitudes to their work and their good behaviour have a positive impact on their attainment, progress and personal development. These good standards have been maintained since the previous inspection.

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Results

13 Children under five make good progress in their personal and social development. Most have settled Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 14 well in the nursery and reception classes and are developing sound work habits. They behave well, listen attentively and keep to routines well. They play well together and are developing good relationships with other pupils and adults.

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Results

14 Pupils in the infants and juniors have good attitudes to learning. Attitudes are particularly good in the upper junior classes where in about half the lessons pupils’ overall response was very good. The level of response clearly influences pupils’ progress. Where response is very good pupils are enthusiastically engaged in tasks, answer teachers’ questions very keenly and enjoy what they are doing. In Year 5 and Year 6 pupils’ very responsive attitudes to the teachers’ enthusiasm were particularly productive in science and literacy lessons and contributed to the good progress made. In Year 3 and Year 4 on a few occasions pupils’ attitudes are not positive and they do not progress as well as they should. Pupils with special educational needs have positive attitudes to work and respond well to the support they receive. They make good progress.

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Results

15 Standards of behaviour are usually good in classrooms, at playtimes and during the lunch break. Pupils move around the school in an orderly and sensible manner. No bullying was observed and incidences of aggressive behaviour are rare. Pupils know the school rules well and follow them closely. No pupils were excluded in the year prior to the inspection.

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Results

16 Relationships are good throughout the school and pupils work and play together well. Lunchtime arrangements are particularly good and pupils respond well to the opportunity to eat and talk in a relaxed but orderly atmosphere. They relate well to the teaching and non-teaching staff. This is especially noticeable on those occasions when pupils respond well to teachers’ use of humour. Pupils are polite, courteous and extremely friendly towards visitors.

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Results

17 Pupils’ personal development is good. They are keen to help with jobs around the school, for example older pupils sell snacks at break times, collect dinner numbers, and read stories to younger pupils. Many respond well to the opportunities provided for them to develop their sporting and musical skills in the extra-curricular clubs. Pupils in Year 6 have demonstrated a mature attitude in planning assemblies for the next half term. Pupils’ opportunities to use the library for personal study are limited.

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Attendance

18 The school has sustained a good level of attendance since the previous inspection. Current attendance rates are above the national average and the level of unauthorised absences is below the national average. There is no significant difference in absence levels between classes. A slight improvement in attendance has resulted from the reduction over the last year in the number of pupils taking holidays in term time. The great majority of pupils arrive at school promptly and lessons start on time. Pupils’ good attendance has a positive effect on their attainment and progress.

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Attendance

19 The overall quality of teaching is good and unsatisfactory teaching is uncommon. There are many examples of good teaching in both the infants and juniors but it is particularly very effective in the Year 5/6 and Year 6 classes and pupils make rapid progress as a result. In general, teaching has improved since the last inspection when it was described as mostly sound or better.

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Attendance

20 The teaching of children under five in the nursery and reception year is satisfactory overall but good Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 15 teaching is more prevalent in the reception. Work is planned suitably to take account of the desirable learning outcomes and good emphasis is given to personal and social development. Attention to literacy and numeracy has increased in the reception because of the national strategies. Planning in the reception also prepares children for the National Curriculum. In the nursery and reception, staff work well as a team. Discipline is good and the environments for learning are well organised. Although children’s attainment is assessed, the results are under-used to plan their individual work.

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Attendance

21 The quality of teaching in English and mathematics is good in the infants; it is satisfactory in science. In the juniors, the teaching is good in English and science and satisfactory overall in mathematics. Effective teaching in the Year 5/6 and Year 6 class is helping pupils to make very good progress in English and mathematics. For example, in a literacy lesson the teacher’s very high exceptions and good subject knowledge helped pupils to make very good progress in their understanding of what constitutes good science fiction. In a very good lesson in numeracy in Year 5/6 the teacher’s precise use of language and careful questioning ensured that pupils of all abilities made very good progress in their understanding of fractions. Key features of the effective teaching in science in the juniors are use of investigative work and the promotion of scientific terminology. In the infants, the good teaching is

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Attendance

characterised by high expectations and work which is matched to pupils’ prior attainment. For example, in a literacy lesson in Year 1 pupils of low attainment improved their understanding of sentence order by arranging illustrations in sequence. The teacher catered for pupils of high attainment by asking them to order written sentences in a logical sequence. Occasionally, in the mixed aged classes, although the lessons are satisfactory overall, the high attaining pupils are given work that is too easy. There was not enough evidence of direct teaching in information technology for an overall judgement to be made. The teachers’ planning indicates that the full range of skills required by the National Curriculum is not being taught. The quality of teaching in religious education is good and sometimes very good. Teachers’ subject knowledge is good and concepts are dealt with sensitively. In a good lesson in the infants the teacher used careful questioning to drew out

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Attendance

pupils’ feelings in relation to the story of Jonah.

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Attendance

22 The teaching in music is good throughout the school. The teachers’ subject knowledge is good and used to good effect. For example, in a Year 3/4 class the teacher’s secure command of the subject helped pupils to make good progress in distinguishing between pitch, duration and dynamics. The teaching in physical education is satisfactory in the infants and good in the juniors. The teaching is supported well by the use of external instructors. In the very few lessons observed in art, design and technology, geography and history the overall teaching was mainly good.

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Attendance

23 In all subjects lessons are usually planned satisfactorily and teachers’ use a suitable range of methods including teaching to the whole class and to groups. Pupils are well managed and good behaviour is promoted well. Time and resources are used productively and the regular setting of homework contributes well to pupils’ progress. There are good examples of assessment being used in lessons and marking is conscientious in the main. However, the use of assessment to plan pupils’ work is not consistent practice. In the very small amount of unsatisfactory teaching most pupils made unsatisfactory progress because the work was too easy. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well in small groups. The support teacher has good knowledge of their needs and work is planned to help pupils reach the targets in their individual educational plans. Phonics are taught thoroughly and their systematic acquisition is helping pupils to make good progress in literacy.

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The curriculum and assessment

24 The curriculum throughout the school is generally satisfactory. It promotes pupils’ intellectual, physical and personal development broadly effectively and prepares them for the next stage of education.

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The curriculum and assessment

25The last inspection identified a number of significant weaknesses in curriculum planning and organisation and not all National Curriculum requirements were met. The headteacher and teachers have worked hard to address these issues and have achieved considerable progress. With the exception of information technology, Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 16 sufficient time is allocated to subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. The full range of required skills in information technology is not taught and consequently the oldest pupils’ attainment is below average and overall progress is unsatisfactory. In general, the school’s curriculum plan makes clear what should be taught to each year group and this has helped to ensure continuity and progression in pupils’ learning in the vast majority of subjects.

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The curriculum and assessment

26 The overall curriculum for children under five is sufficiently broad and takes account of the required areas for learning and the nationally agreed desirable learning outcomes. Suitable emphasis is given to the key areas of personal and social development, language and literacy and mathematics. Children’s physical development in the nursery is not fully developed because of the insufficient climbing activities that are provided. On the whole, the curriculum ensures that children make a sound start to school life. In addition, planning in the reception class takes good account of the needs of those children who are ready for the National Curriculum.

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The curriculum and assessment

27 In the infants and juniors all subjects have been reviewed since the last inspection and have clear policies that are adhered to and reflect current practice. Most have a clear scheme of work that helps to guide teachers when they are preparing programmes of work and reduces the chances of work being duplicated. Currently the schemes of work for information technology, physical education and religious education are unsuitable. They do not provide enough detail on what is to be taught and consequently planning for continuity and progression is difficult in these subjects. This especially affects the rate of pupils’ progress in information technology.

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The curriculum and assessment

28 Teachers plan together in year groups and phases. This joint planning ensures that all available expertise is used for the benefit of the pupils. Teachers complete detailed half-termly plans and their quality is sound. The national literacy and numeracy strategies are being implemented satisfactorily. The literacy hour is now well established and teachers are incorporating the new numeracy curriculum well into the school’s mathematics curriculum.

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The curriculum and assessment

29 Satisfactory provision is made for equal opportunities and all pupils have equal access to the curriculum. Teachers generally give due attention to ensuring that work is appropriately matched to the range of pupils’ abilities. However, there are occasions in the mixed aged classes when the high attaining pupils are not given work that is sufficiently challenging and this affects their rate of progress. In the last inspection pupils withdrawn from classes to receive help in meeting their special needs did not have time to catch up on work missed in their mainstream classes. Careful timetabling now ensures that such pupils do not miss out on their curricular entitlement. The school meets the curricular requirements for all pupils with special educational needs including those with statements. Provision is good and based securely on the national code of practice. All pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs have precise learning targets that are appropriately addressed by

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The curriculum and assessment

class teachers, classroom assistants and the special educational needs support teacher. Pupils make good overall progress.

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The curriculum and assessment

30 The governing body has agreed not to provide formal sex education. Sex education, where appropriate, is taught as part of health education. An appropriate programme of personal and social education promotes pupils’ personal development well and includes suitable reference to health education and dangers of drug misuse.

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The curriculum and assessment

31 The curriculum is enriched by a wide range of educational visits and by a good extra-curricular programme. Many of the educational visits make good use of the local environment and opportunities are also provided for visits to places of interest further away including science museums in Yorkshire and Cheshire. The range of extra-curricular activities has increased considerably since the last inspection. Large numbers of pupils now participate in sporting and musical activities during lunchtimes and after school.

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The curriculum and assessment

32Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment are satisfactory and are better than at the time of the last inspection. Children are assessed on entry to the nursery and reception. Opportunities for assessment are now Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 17 included in the format for planning in the infants and juniors. The headteacher and teachers analyse pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science in order to set targets for each year group. Pupils’ reading progress is monitored regularly. However, despite this sound practice, assessment results are not used sufficiently to plan pupils’ work in lessons.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

33 The overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Moral development is promoted very effectively and social development is good. Pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is fostered satisfactorily. Provision matches that found in the last inspection.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

34 Pupils throughout the school are given opportunities to reflect upon their own beliefs and the beliefs of others through the religious education curriculum and within the personal and social development programme. They are encouraged to listen to and reflect upon each other’s points of view and the stories that they hear in lessons and in assemblies. Pupils’ ideas are valued. Pupils are helped to consider life’s questions when they are encouraged to interpret the work of artists and apply the moods of their paintings to their own work. In a literacy lesson in Year 6 pupils explored their feelings for others when they empathised with the characters in “The War of the Worlds”. The same teacher encouraged allowed time for pupils to reflect on issues of war and poverty. In the infants, a religious education lesson about Jonah led pupils very effectively towards understanding of the concept of trust

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and the feelings of Jonah. In assemblies, although music is played as pupils enter the hall, there is little atmosphere of “spirituality” or a sense that assemblies are a special time. There is no visual focus such as a picture, symbol, or candle to mark the act of worship. In the classrooms, acts of worship are treated as any other lesson and have limited spiritual focus.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

35 A strong moral code pervades the whole school community. The headteacher, teaching and non- teaching staff set high standards in the respect and courtesy shown to each other and the pupils. Pupils are encouraged to develop self-esteem and to value each other’s views. The school rules relate to moral principals, including the need to be kind and friendly. Pupils are expected to be responsible for their own learning, self-discipline and behaviour. From the time they start school, pupils are expected to take turns, to listen to each other, and to behave well. Personal responsibility is encouraged. Pupils are encouraged to work independently and to apply their knowledge to solve problems. The house system encourages pupils to share in others’ successes and to strive to earn points for their team. Pupils are made aware of others who are less fortunate by contributing to charities. Some of these contributions involve pupils in a great deal of effort. For example, the school

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

productions and concerts regularly raise money for charity. Proceeds from “Annie” went to the Tear Fund. The choir sings for senior citizens at Christmas. The after-school clubs and visits further afield help pupils to socialise with different age groups and make a valuable contribution to their social development.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

36 The curriculum provides a satisfactory range of cultural experiences. The school walls are decorated with art in a variety of styles and art from other cultures, for example ancient Egypt. Pupils are able to learn about their own and other cultures through art, music, literature and dance. There is good provision for pupils to perform musically. In recent years pupils have performed in “Annie” and “Oliver”. The recorder groups have played in the shopping precinct. Pupils from Arlies are combining with another local school for a millennium concert. Pupils have plenty of opportunities to reflect on their own cultural experiences by writing stories and poems. In one lesson during the inspection pupils were writing jokes. The local area is used for visits to support the curriculum and there have been visits to the science and industry museum. Not enough is done to prepare pupils for life in a multicultural society or to develop their knowledge and understanding of ethnic and cultural

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

diversity. For example, there is no evidence that recordings of music from a range of cultures are used. Although pupils learn about the major world religions and visit the local church, they have little opportunity to visit other places of worship within travelling distance of the school. Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 18 37 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

37 Good provision is made for pupils’ support, guidance and welfare. Good steps have been taken to improve procedures not developed at the time of the previous inspection.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

38 Teachers and non-teaching staff know pupils and their backgrounds well, and this enables them to provide good personal care and support. The youngest pupils are made to feel secure and they are helped to settle well into the nursery and reception classes. Arrangements for supporting pupils’ academic progress are satisfactory. Procedures for assessing attainment and progress are sound but assessment results are not used consistently to help plan pupils’ work. Good relationships between staff and pupils give pupils confidence to approach members of staff if they have worries or problems. Parents feel that the school takes good care of their children. Teachers are particularly careful in ensuring that a responsible adult collects pupils at the end of the day.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

39 Support for pupils with special educational needs is good and has a positive effect on their progress. The support teacher and class teachers liaise well to ensure that support is planned to help pupils meet targets in their individual education plans. Liaison with the local authority’s support service is good.

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40 Procedures for promoting discipline and good behaviour are effective and have a good impact upon pupils’ attitudes, relationships and standards of behaviour. A clear policy for discipline and behaviour guides practice and rewards and sanctions are applied fairly. Teachers and other staff have consistently high expectations of how pupils should behave and respond. The strong emphasis on praise and rewards is effective. The good relationships between staff and pupils help pupils’ behaviour during play and lunchtimes.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

41 Arrangements to promote regular attendance and punctuality are good. Registers are well maintained and clear statements to parents on the importance of regular attendance, including effective discouragement of holidays in term time, have resulted in a small increase in overall attendance rates over the last year.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

42 The school’s procedures for child protection are very good. The headteacher ensures all staff are well aware of issues and liaises closely with local agencies. First aid arrangements are good. Health and safety policies and procedures are effective in identifying and dealing with any potential hazards. The school is clean, tidy and secure. Pupils’ health and well-being are promoted very effectively. The recently developed programme for drugs education is particularly thorough in identifying and dealing with issues pertinent to pupils’ ages and experiences.

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43 Partnership with parents and the community

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

43 Partnership with parents and the community is satisfactory. The school has taken good steps to improve the standard of communication with parents, including pupils’ annual reports, since the previous inspection.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

44 Parents are informed well about the life of the school in regular newsletters, the school brochure and the governors’ annual reports. Class newsletters about the curriculum are particularly informative. Parents are generally happy with the information they receive. Annual reports provide good information on their children’s attainment and progress and give some useful advice on how children could improve their performance. However, such advice is not consistently given in all reports. The reports are well supported by termly consultation evenings. Home/school reading records are generally used well as a two- way communication between teachers and parents and particularly good advice is given to parents on how to help with their children’s reading. Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 19 45 Parents’ involvement with the work of the school is satisfactory. Many support homework and hear their children read at home. Homework makes a good contribution to pupils’ learning. Parents give

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

good support to school performances, social events, and consultation evenings. The parents’ association has given valuable support in the past but is currently less active due to lack of parental support. A few parents give useful help in listening to pupils’ read. Very few parents attended the pre-inspection meeting and the response to the pre-inspection questionnaire was low. Most of those parents who expressed a view support the school’s aims and values. Parents help in the nursery at the end of the current term but are discouraged from helping until their children have settled into daily routines. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are appreciative of the support given to their children and where appropriate are involved in reviews of their progress.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

46 Good efforts are made to foster links with the local community. The range of links is satisfactory. The school has taken the lead in trying to address the issue of vandalism in the area and is forging links with the other local primary school in order to improve community harmony. Visits are used effectively to support pupils’ learning especially in relation to science. Police and health personnel are used well to support pupils’ health education and personal development. Pupils are suitably encouraged to take part in local community activities such as singing to elderly residents. Governors give good support in actively raising the profile of the school within the local community.

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47 THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

47 Leadership and management are effective at all levels. The governors give good support to the headteacher and are well informed about the school’s work. The school has clear direction and a good corporate approach. Governors and the headteacher review the school development plan regularly and when necessary governors receive up-to-date reports on subject developments from the subject co- ordinators. The development plan sets appropriate targets to meet the four overriding priorities in the school’s aims. Subject co-ordinators draw up action plans, and timescales, resource implications, evaluation criteria and costs are all identified clearly. The school is largely successful in meeting its aims for pupils’ academic and personal development.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

48 Minutes of governors’ meetings indicate that they have been well involved in deciding on the school’s targets for pupils’ attainment. In the recent tests targets at age 11 were exceeded. Governors have also attended training days on the numeracy strategy. The governors and headteacher have a clear idea of the school’s future direction and a commitment to high standards. The senior management team and subject co-ordinators have clearly defined roles including monitoring the school’s work. The headteacher has good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses in the teaching and observes teaching both formally and informally. She is ably supported by the deputy headteacher who fulfils her responsibilities well. The co-ordinators’ roles have developed well since the last inspection, when they were the subject of a key issue, and they are now generally effective. They observe teaching and sample pupils’ work in line with priorities in the development plan.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

49 A good ethos has been established and all pupils have access to the curriculum. There is some monitoring of pupils’ performance in relation to gender and the headteacher recognises that this now needs to result in some action. Provision for special educational needs is managed well and better than in the last inspection. The special educational needs co-ordinator is effective and with the support of governors ensures that the code of practice’s requirements are met.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

50 The response to the last inspection’s issues has been good. Curriculum planning and advice for teachers have improved; acts of worship comply with requirements; the governors and senior management team monitor the school’s work more thoroughly; assessment procedures are more coherent. Other key improvements are in the quality of teaching, in attainment at age eleven and better all round progress. Weaknesses still to be addressed are standards in information technology Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 20 and the use of assessment in planning pupils’ work. The school’s capacity to continue to improve is good because of the effective leadership and management, and the good quality of education provided.

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51 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

51 There have been improvements since the previous inspection. Half of the teaching staff is new. The staffing structure has changed and has become more secure. Resources, including information technology software, have been updated and improved. Marked areas on the hard outside playground of the nursery give added potential for imaginative play.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

52 The school has sufficient appropriately qualified and experienced teachers to meet the overall demands of the curriculum satisfactorily. All the teachers have clear job descriptions and are encouraged to use their expertise effectively in the subjects they co-ordinate. Expertise in information technology has recently been improved but many teachers still lack confidence. However, the continued need to develop the teaching of information technology has been recognised in the school development plan. Support staff make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. They are appropriately trained, and this enables them to have a positive impact on the standards achieved, particularly with children who are under five and pupils with special educational needs. Secretarial, caretaking, canteen staff and lunchtime supervisors work well as part of the staff team and their contributions are valued by the

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

53 Procedures for identifying and addressing the corporate needs of the school, in addition to individual teachers’ professional needs, are effective. Suitable training has been organised to help teachers implement the national literacy and numeracy strategies. Subject co-ordinators provide good support to colleagues by leading workshops after they have attended courses. There is a secure system for the appraisal of teachers, which is enhanced by annual professional interviews with the headteacher. Arrangements for the induction of new teachers are particularly effective because of the school’s ‘support interaction’ system. This enables two members of staff, usually from different key stages or with different responsibilities, to share their teaching and provide each other with feedback on their observations. The system helps to meet the needs of newly qualified and more experienced staff in

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

addition to providing opportunity for subject co-ordinators to observe pupils’ learning.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

54 The overall accommodation is adequate for the numbers of pupils and the demands of the curriculum. The main building is in good condition and is kept clean and tidy. Classrooms, corridors and open areas provide useful space for large displays of artifacts and pupils’ work. The infant and junior libraries are also housed in corridors and are currently in the process of re-organisation. The junior library is small and under-used for pupils’ independent study. Rooms and corridors have interesting displays of pupils’ work. These provide an attractive, welcoming climate for pupils and visitors. The hall, which also doubles as a dining room, provides a pleasant facility for a range of activities. The school has plans to develop an environmental quadrangle into a room for an information technology suite. Fifty-eight pupils are housed in two mobile classrooms. The two teachers working in this area

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

use good strategies to overcome the cramped conditions, lack of running water and absence of toilet facilities. The décor and maintenance of the mobile rooms are monitored frequently but the school is no nearer to acquiring alternative accommodation. The attractive outdoor environment supports the curriculum well in science, geography, history and physical education. The school grounds are spacious and enable pupils to play harmoniously. The grassed areas are used for sports activities, scientific research and playtimes, whenever the weather is sufficiently fine to make it safe. The nursery is located in a separate building and the accommodation is adequate. However, it is not adjacent to the main school building and inevitably this presents difficulty for the nursery’s use of the main school’s facilities.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

55 Resources are adequate for most subjects and they are accessible to pupils and staff. There is an excellent range of software and sufficient computers to support learning in information technology, as well as plans to develop this further. Resources for physical education are good. The school has built Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 21 up an extensive range of resources to support pupils with special educational needs. However, there is no bank of recorded music and an insufficient variety of musical instruments. There are also not enough non-fiction books in the libraries.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

56The headteacher and governors control the budget well and responded quickly to the recommendations made in the most recent auditor’s report. The school administration runs smoothly. The governors’ finance committee receives regular budgetary statements and checks that expenditure is on course to meet the development plan’s objectives. The plan contains realistic costs.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

57The governors have been committed to maintaining the level of support staff. This has been an efficient decision because the quality of support staff is good and they make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. Funding for special educational needs is managed efficiently. Teachers awarded points above the basic scale are generally effective in their leadership and co-ordinator roles. The deputy head teacher has considerable responsibilities and is effective. Funding for staff development is used appropriately for corporate and individual teacher’s needs. Co-ordinators manage budgets for their subject responsibilities but have to justify suggested expenditure to the headteacher and governors.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

58The school has responded well to issues raised in the last inspection. Expenditure is monitored more thoroughly and book provision has improved.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

59Staff, accommodation and resources are mainly used productively. The governors, headteacher and staff are aware of the deficiencies in the mobile classrooms and seek to minimise them by providing attractive environments for learning.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

60Taking into account the below average attainment on entry to the school, the below average income, pupils’ overall good progress, the good attainment at age 11, pupils’ good behaviour, the good quality of education and effective leadership, the school provides good value for money. Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 22 61 PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

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61 AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

61Education for children under five is provided in the nursery, a reception class and a mixed reception and Year 1 class. Children attend the nursery part-time, either in the morning or afternoon session. At the time of the inspection, which took place early in the autumn term, there were 35 children in the nursery (17.5 full time equivalent) and 24 children aged under five in the reception year. The overall attainment of the children on entry to the nursery is broadly below average. Good overall progress is made in personal and social development, and in physical and creative development. Progress over time is satisfactory in language and literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world. Within lessons progress is sometimes good particularly in the reception year. About half of the children are on course to achieve most of the desirable learning outcomes expected of pupils entering compulsory education.

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Personal and social development

62 Personal and social skills are developed well in the nursery and in the reception year. Good induction systems slowly introduce the established routines to the new children. The nursery children soon demonstrate very positive attitudes to school and appear eager to come into class. They relate well to each other and to adults. Great emphasis is placed on snack time when the children sit in small groups with adults. They are encouraged to discuss their likes and dislikes, share and take turns as they are offered their chosen snack. The reception children work and play co-operatively, within a range of activities, showing they understand taking turns and sharing. Personal independence is developing well; most children in the nursery and reception classes make good attempts at taking care of themselves. The oldest children are developing a good understanding of the difference between right and wrong. In all three classes, children work well together either as part of a group or

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Personal and social development

independently, and persevere with activities for appropriate lengths of time without direct supervision. They are becoming increasingly sensitive to others’ feelings as they get older. They co-operate well when sharing resources. Behaviour is always good.

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Personal and social development

63 Progress is satisfactory and about half of the oldest pupils attain broadly average standards. Children in the nursery listen to and learn stories, songs and rhymes and become more confident to talk about pictures or related experiences as they mature. A minority has good levels of fluency. Others express themselves with simple phrases or sentences. Many use their developing vocabulary well. They enjoy books and handle them carefully. Very early writing skills are practised in a variety of activities, such as drawing crayoning and painting. Most children recognise their names as they search for their place at snack time. The oldest children in the reception year have learned to listen attentively to their teacher. Most wait without interrupting until it is their turn to speak and are eager to contribute to discussions and conversations. Many express ideas and opinions independently, choosing words

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Personal and social development

carefully and thoughtfully when asking questions. They understand that print carries meaning and progress in early reading is evident as they share books, predict likely outcomes and show signs of reading simple texts independently. They enjoy books and often choose to read a book in the class book corner. The children are encouraged to make marks independently when in the writing corner. Most reception children are developing good pencil control skills and hold a pencil correctly. They have made a good start with letter formation. A few of the high attaining children are close to writing independently. They know what they want to write and their copy-writing skills are developing well. The literary strategy has been introduced appropriately to the reception children.

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Personal and social development

64 Progress is satisfactory and about half of the oldest pupils attain the standards expected for their age. In the nursery mathematical learning is promoted through practical activities. During games, the children count, match and sort as they build a train track and road. They tally numbers based on Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 23 situations from every day life as they share snack and milk. They solve problems by matching colours, sizes and shapes when using three-dimensional equipment to build boats and bridges. Mathematical understanding is further developed by ordering patterns, jigsaws or when using construction toys. Whilst completing tasks in the sand and water, they learn to estimate and consider why during an experiment the expected outcome is sometimes different from what actually happens. In the reception many children count to ten and beyond and work confidently with numbers to five. High attaining

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Personal and social development

children count and order numbers and with support are developing a secure understanding of simple addition facts up to ten. Most of the oldest children gain a good understanding of mathematical concepts and have adapted well to the numeracy strategy. The teachers seize every opportunity to build on what children know in order to develop understanding further and this improves attainment in all aspects of mathematics.

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Personal and social development

65 Knowledge and understanding of the world

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Personal and social development

65 Several aspects of learning are used to promote nursery and reception children’s knowledge and understanding of the world. Progress is satisfactory and about half of the oldest pupils attain average standards. Scientific understanding is promoted as children learn about themselves and how they have changed over time. History and geography are promoted through learning experiences based on their families, the local environment and their earliest memories. Reception children remember past events at home and school when looking at photographs and books from the library. They discuss their favourite time of the day and explain why they enjoy assembly and dinnertime. They talk freely about events important to them, such as a party, Halloween, or an autumn walk. The children in reception begin to find their way around school more confidently and describe how to get to the dining hall or field. Technological development is aided by activities that require careful cutting, sticking and

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Personal and social development

joining. The reception children show increasing confidence as they play computer games and learn how to control the mouse in order to dress teddy.

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Physical development

66 There is a range of opportunities for physical development. Progress is good and attainment of the oldest pupils is what might be expected for children of this age. Most children make good progress in developing body control. They use space sensibly and move confidently. They handle pencils, crayons, paints and other tools and materials well. In the nursery playground, when playing with a range of outdoor equipment, children confidently ride the bikes and other types of “transport” paying attention to the ‘road marking’. They demonstrate a good level of control and are developing awareness of road safety. However, the nursery children’s physical development is impeded because they do not have access to large climbing apparatus continually throughout the year. Children in the reception classes use the school hall and apparatus for gymnastics, games and dance. In these lessons they move in a variety of ways and demonstrate a good awareness of space and their own and others’

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Creative development

67 The oldest children’s attainment is the same as in most schools. Progress is often good.

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Creative development

68 The large majority of children in the nursery and reception are developing good creative skills. They listen carefully to music and enjoy singing a range of previously learned songs demonstrating a good level of tunefulness. Children explore pitch, singing loudly or quietly, and accompany simple songs using percussion instruments. During an autumn walk, reception children identified familiar sounds around them. Opportunities are provided for the children to explore colour and texture. They use a range of media competently as they draw, paint, design and make in a variety of different ways. When choosing colours and materials they show skill as they blend materials in order to achieve the desired colour and texture to make mobiles. Imaginative play activities are promoted well and linked to the current topic; for example, in the nursery class, the home corner is attractively transformed into

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Creative development

Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 24 ‘Under the Sea’. The children were observed playing the roles of divers with great delight and enthusiasm. They search for different sea creatures which are ‘hidden’ on the walls. The teachers use many opportunities to increase the children’s involvement and raise their creative awareness by offering them a wide range of imaginative tasks. Sometimes, however, children’s progress is impeded because the tasks are not structured well.

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Creative development

69 The quality of teaching is never less than satisfactory. Good teaching is more prevalent in the reception classes but examples were also seen in the nursery. The teaching in the nursery is satisfactory overall. Literacy and numeracy are consistently well taught in the reception classes. The teaching of personal and social development is seen as an important priority and is good for all children under five. Although the provision for physical development in the nursery has improved since the previous inspection, the children still have limited access to large climbing apparatus and this is a weakness in the otherwise good provision overall. Children are assessed on entry to the nursery and reception and regular informal assessments are used as a guide to what the children have learnt. However, although assessment procedures have improved since the previous inspection, assessment results are not systematically used to plan individual children’s work. The learning

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Creative development

environment is well organised and relationships are good in the nursery and reception year. Support staff are effectively involved in all aspects of the children’s learning. There are no children in nursery on the school’s register of special educational needs.

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Creative development

70 In the 1999 national tests for pupils aged eleven the school’s average score was above the average for all schools and in comparison with similar schools. The percentage of pupils achieving the expected level 4 or higher was well above average. Boys performed better than girls. At the age of seven, the school’s average score in reading was above the average for all schools and in comparison with similar schools. The average score in writing was broadly in line with the average for all and similar schools. The percentage of pupils reaching the expected level 2 or higher was well above average in reading and writing. Girls performed better than boys. The results of the 1999 tests indicated considerable improvement over the results in 1998. At age eleven the number of pupils reaching level 4 or above rose by over 13 per cent. At age seven pupils’ reading improved by 12 per cent and in writing the

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Creative development

percentage of pupils achieving level 2 rose from 81 per cent to 95 per cent. The school’s test results over a four-year period, and since the last inspection, show that overall there has been a steady improvement in standards. The inspection findings are that the current pupils in Year 6 achieve above average standards in all aspects of English. Standards in the current Year 2 are average overall. The prior attainment of different cohorts of pupils throughout the school varies and is influenced by the number of pupils with special educational needs in each year group.

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Creative development

71 Progress in listening and speaking is good in the infants. By Year 2 many of the pupils have developed good listening skills. In Year 1 and Year 2 pupils respond to questions about the text they are studying, indicating that they have listened carefully. They listen carefully to instructions that often involve them following a sequence of actions. They listen to technical vocabulary related to all subjects of the curriculum and use it with confidence. For example, pupils discussing text use the words “author”, “illustrator” and “index”. They have sound speaking skills and use sentences with increasing confidence. They apply the new words they have learnt and use them in their answers to teachers’ questions. The majority of the oldest infant pupils is confident and articulate, but few express opinions spontaneously.

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Creative development

72 Progress in the juniors is good in speaking and listening and by Year 6 pupils express opinions readily using appropriate vocabulary and including technical words appropriately. Boys and girls in Year 5 and Year 6 have developed a technical vocabulary for football that enables them to decode a complex match report. Pupils understand the use of the homonym “heads” in the headline “Local Team Heads Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 25 for Victory” and appreciate its impact. Pupils express themselves in ways that will engage the listener by using tone and persuasive expressions. For example, when discussing their feelings about the aliens appearing in “The War of the Worlds” pupils created a malevolent, menacing atmosphere by the way they spoke the words. In a very effective science lesson pupils in Year 6 used a very good range of subject specific vocabulary when they described how to separate insoluble solids from liquids.

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Creative development

Pupils have many opportunities to discuss issues and to empathise with others. However, the use of drama is not sufficiently developed throughout the school.

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Creative development

73 Pupils make good progress in reading in the infants and juniors. The youngest pupils are beginning to recognise familiar texts. They “read” the pictures in the books they choose and know that books tell stories. They turn pages accurately. The school places great emphasis on the teaching of reading. Pupils read at home regularly and teachers suggest ways in which parents can assist their children in improving their reading skills. Pupils are taught to decode words by learning the combinations of letters that make different sounds. For example, pupils in Year 2 know that a phoneme can be represented in different ways such as “ee” in feet and “ea” in treat. The literacy lessons support reading by the identification of rhyming words and homographs within the shared text. The majority of pupils in Year 2 use this knowledge to decode the words they do not know. The high attaining pupils read fluently with expression and know many words. Pupils who do not find reading easy have

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Creative development

good support within the classroom and in small groups with the support teacher. Most pupils identify the author, title and contents and use pictures for clues to the meaning of the story.

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Creative development

74 Junior pupils show considerable enjoyment in their reading and the many belong to the local library. They have read a good range of books including classics, non-fiction and poetry books. They make comparisons between the books they read and high attaining pupils express their preferences for certain authors. The oldest pupils read unfamiliar texts with fluency and confidence. Pupils with special needs make good progress as they are taught the strategies they need to enable them to read accurately. The shared text within the classrooms enables these pupils to join in with the support of the rest of the class. All pupils are encouraged to read books that interest them by selecting their own home-readers. There is an expectation within the homework policy that pupils should read at home regularly. However, some of the oldest pupils sometimes lack expression when reading aloud and do not capture the interest of the listener. They respond well to the shared reading tasks but do not have

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Creative development

enough experience of reading out loud to different audiences. Although in general pupils know how to use a library their research skills are under-used. This is partly due to the fact that the library is being reorganised and it is small.

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Creative development

75 Pupils make good progress in writing in the infants and juniors. Infant pupils order events in sequence. Most organise their writing into sentences and many pupils in Year 2 are using full stops accurately. Their use of capital letters is less secure. The pupils’ letter formation is satisfactory and most of the work is well presented. Many spell high frequency words accurately, and less confident pupils use their knowledge of phonics to make a logical attempt at an unfamiliar word. Junior pupils use an increased vocabulary to describe events and use a range of technical terminology accurately. Opportunities are provided for them to write during the literacy hour and within other subjects. For example, in religious education, pupils write good descriptions of the events of the battle between the Jews and the Philistines seen through the eyes of Goliath and David. When studying Victorian

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Creative development

England pupils debate the social implications of the factories. They study the techniques of authors and apply them appropriately to their own writing. In a lesson in Year 6 pupils compared introductions to stories and analysed the characterisation, dialogue, scene-setting and action. They discussed why some introductions are more effective than others and applied this knowledge to their own work. Pupils use correct punctuation and by the time they are in Year 6 the majority use paragraphs correctly. Most use a joined script and even the first drafts are legible and neat. The youngest junior pupils do not always take the same care over their work. Occasionally, the oldest pupils in the mixed aged classes do not produce the quality or the quantity of writing of which they are they are capable.

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Creative development

76 Pupils’ progress is aided by the school’s commitment to the national literacy strategy. Pupils enjoy these lessons and are eager to learn. Their behaviour is almost always good and they concentrate well when working independently. When there is additional adult support in the lessons, pupils respond Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 26 well and make full use of this effective support. They listen and respond to the suggestions put forward by their peers and are eager to participate in discussions. Pupils respond well to the plenary sessions, especially when key skills are being reinforced or progress is being evaluated. They concentrate less well when the plenary consists only of a group reading their work to the others.

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Creative development

77 The teaching is at least good in two-thirds of lessons and has improved since the last inspection. All the teachers have a good understanding of the structure of the literacy hour and place appropriate emphasis on both class teaching and individual or group work. They extend the work of the literacy lessons through other subjects, thus ensuring that the pupils have opportunities to apply their skills. Teachers’ expectations are generally high but there are some occasions in the infants when the high attaining pupils who finish their work are not given further work of sufficient challenge. In the very good lessons pupils are well aware of what is expected of them and teachers use good questioning techniques to challenge all pupils irrespective of their prior attainment. Pupils with special needs are given good support and are set work that enables them to make good progress towards their individual

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targets. They are taught phonics thoroughly. Classes are well organised and particular care is taken to make sure that all pupils can see the text the class is studying. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and relationships between pupils and teachers are usually very good. A polite “Are you bothering?” directed at one pupil, for example, prompted him to spring into action! Most lessons proceed at a brisk pace and pupils have an appropriate amount of time to complete their written work. In a minority of lessons the pupils are not given enough work or it is too easy. In one lesson, for example, pupils copied pictures from history books when they had completed their English work. In another they chose from a selection of activities not directly related to the lesson. Resources are used well. Pupils are encouraged to use dictionaries rather than ask the teacher for words. Teachers make

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use of examples from pupils’ work as a teaching aid and give verbal comments on pupils’ performance throughout the lessons to help them improve their work. Written marking praises effort and understanding. Some teachers write helpful comments in pupils’ books to enable them to improve their work. This means that pupils have a permanent record of how they have improved. However, this is not consistent practice throughout the school and in general assessment is under-used in planning pupils’ work. The school analyses the results of assessments and identifies differences in attainment between boys and girls but has not yet established any systems to use these results more systematically. Homework is used well to support pupils’ progress especially in spelling and reading. It is carefully planned and set by all teachers throughout the school.

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78 In the 1999 National Curriculum tests for pupils aged 11 the school’s average score was well above the average for all schools and in comparison with similar schools. The percentage of pupils achieving the expected level 4 or above was very high. There was no significant difference between girls’ and boys’ performance. The test results reflect the overall trend of above average performance achieved during the last four years. The inspection findings are that the attainment of the current pupils in Year 6 is above average. In the 1999 tests for pupils aged seven the school’s average score was in line with the average for all schools and was just below average in comparison with similar schools. The percentage of pupils achieving the expected level 2 or above was average. There was no significant difference between girls’ and boys’ results. The test results broadly reflect the overall rate of

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performance over the last four years. The inspection’s findings are that attainment in the current Year 2 is average. The school’s overall standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

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79 Pupils enter the school with below average skills in mathematics. During the infants pupils make good progress. Progress is satisfactory in the mixed aged classes in Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5 but improves considerably in the Year 5/6 and Year 6 classes. The progress of high attaining pupils in the latter classes is particularly rapid. They have increased competence in numeracy and apply their previous knowledge well to solving new problems. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is good throughout the school.

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Creative development

80 Pupils in the infants are developing sound numeracy skills. They have a competent grasp of addition Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 27 and subtraction using numbers less than 100. They are beginning to use mathematical language correctly and use it well when explaining their mental calculations to the teacher and other pupils. Pupils predict with a fair degree of accuracy the next number in a sequence and the oldest pupils are developing their skills in counting in twos, fives and tens. A minority of pupils in Year 1 uses a computer program well to help develop numeracy skills. Their progress in using money is good. Most pupils in Year 2 calculate accurately the amount of change they will receive when buying goods that cost less than 20p. They are also able to provide the change using a variety of coins with different values. Their knowledge of two-dimensional shapes is sound with clear evidence of good progress in

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identifying the properties of such shapes.

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81 The oldest junior pupils have acquired good numeracy skills and make good progress in other areas of mathematics, particularly data handling and probability. They are particularly confident in using mental strategies to solve problems. Computation skills are well developed. Most Year 6 pupils know multiplication tables very well and use these with enthusiasm and confidence when they are calculating mentally. In a very good lesson they calculated accurately using percentages and gave good explanations of their methods. Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 have good understanding of fractions. Year 6 pupils’ knowledge of shapes and their properties is good. Many high attaining pupils identify quickly regular three-dimensional shapes and identify the number of vertices and planes. Pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 have a satisfactory understanding of number and can complete a tally chart correctly when conducting a class survey. However, a minority does not make sufficient

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progress because work is sometimes too easy.

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82Pupils’ attitudes to mathematics are good in the infants and satisfactory in the lower juniors. In the upper junior classes pupils have consistently very good attitudes and these have a marked impact on their progress. Infant pupils generally listen attentively and concentrate well in their work. Friendly relationships between pupils ensure that they work well together and share materials and ideas. Most pupils learn very quickly that they should wait to be invited to make a contribution to class discussions. The vast majority of pupils behave well. Occasionally, pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 do not work as diligently as they should and a few boys do not behave maturely.

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Creative development

83Teaching is generally good in the infants and satisfactory overall in the juniors. However, it is very good in the two classes containing the oldest pupils. There is very little unsatisfactory teaching. Good emphasis is given to developing pupils’ mental skills, usually at the beginning of lessons. These activities are often varied and stimulating and help to get the lessons off to a rapid start. Teachers use questions skilfully to encourage pupils to think. In classes that have mixed aged pupils teachers do not always give sufficient attention to extending the high attainers during these mental sessions and this adversely affects the progress they make. Discipline is generally good particularly in the infants and in the upper junior classes. The consistent structure of most lessons ensures that pupils know what is expected of them and allows them to pace their efforts appropriately. A particularly strong feature of the very good lessons in the juniors is the teachers’ regular use

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of appropriate mathematical language. This continually supports the pupils’ learning and encourages them to use similar language when talking to the teacher and other pupils. For example, in a very good lesson the teacher’s confident use of language and clear communication skills helped pupils to use precise terminology when working with fractions. A further key feature of these lessons is the expectation that pupils will be responsible for their own materials and resources. The national numeracy strategy is being implemented satisfactorily and teachers are making more use of mental work. Good attention has been given to ensuring that pupils have an opportunity to use and apply mathematics in other subjects. For example, in physical education when infant pupils count in twos to arrange their working groups and in design and technology when pupils used their knowledge of angles and shapes to create model card houses. Significant improvements have

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been made since the last inspection in lesson planning. Detailed notes are now made that clearly identify the learning target for the class. However, a weakness in many classes is the lack of day-to-day assessment. This leads to occasions when work is not appropriately challenging and pupils’ rate of progress is therefore slower than it should be.

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84 Science Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 28 84In the 1999 National Curriculum tests for pupils aged 11 the school’s average score was well above the average for all schools and in comparison with similar schools. The percentage of pupils achieving the expected level 4 or above was well above average. Boys performed better than girls. Results were significantly better than in 1998 and over the last four years there has been a steady rise in attainment. Standards in the current Year 6 are above average and better than at the time of the last inspection when they were average. Teachers’ assessments for pupils aged seven judged attainment to be broadly below average. Attainment in the current Year 2 is average and is similar to that found in the last inspection.

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85The amount of infant pupils’ work available for scrutiny was small. Other evidence of attainment and progress was gained from lesson observations, pupils’ records and discussion with pupils. In the lessons observed, pupils were working from the same stage of the scheme of work and were using their senses to explore materials and their properties. Infant pupils make satisfactory progress over time and in lessons. Teachers’ assessments of the current Year 2 pupils at the end of their time in Year 1, indicates that progress was not consistent in all the National Curriculum attainment targets. For example, pupils attained higher levels in life processes and living things than in experimental and investigative work. Infant pupils know that their five senses enable them to be aware of the world around them and pupils in Year 2 use appropriate vocabulary to describe the feel and smell of a range of natural and made objects. In a good lesson, pupils made

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good progress in describing the differences between the objects. As part of work in life processes and living things Year 2 pupils accurately name the external parts of the human body. Records of pupils’ work also indicate accurate naming of the parts of a plant, such as petals, leaves and stem. Infant pupils talk about their work satisfactorily and record it soundly in simple writing or drawings. In one lesson the high attaining pupils found the work too easy and did not therefore make the progress of which they were capable. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress.

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Creative development

86Junior pupils make good progress over time, and in two of the three lessons observed progress was at least good. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. Pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 have undertaken a good range of investigative work and show good knowledge and understanding of materials and their properties and physical processes. Year 3 pupils are especially making quick progress. For example, in an experiment on keeping warm they discovered that wool is a good insulator of heat and that tin foil is an effective conductor. In a good lesson on light and shadows pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 gave good explanations of the sources of light and knew that light travels. Some of the Year 3 pupils achieved well above average standards when they described how shadows are formed and could talk about why the sun appears to change its position. Pupils in Year 5 in their work on humans as organisms show competent understanding of nutrition

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Creative development

and healthy eating. Year 6 pupils have undertaken a broad range of investigations and often achieve high levels of attainment. They have tested different materials, including zinc, aluminium, copper and steel, for magnetism, and made good predictions of their results. They show developing understanding of balanced and unbalanced forces and have measured forces using a Newton metre. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of physical processes are good and rapidly improving. In a very effective lesson they used scientific terminology very well when they explained how to separate mixtures such as sand, gravel, iron filings and water. Investigative skills are at least good in Year 6. Pupils have good understanding of the need for fair testing, make predictions based on their previous knowledge and draw sensible scientific conclusions.

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Creative development

87The pupils’ responses are good in most lessons. In one lesson they were very good and in another they were unsatisfactory. Generally, attitudes to the subject are positive and pupils work diligently. Pupils in Year 6 respond enthusiastically in investigative work and collaborate with one another very well. They select the materials they need for experimental work. Behaviour is usually good and relationships are harmonious. Only in one lesson did pupils take too long to settle to work and show a lack of concentration.

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Creative development

88The teaching is mainly satisfactory in the infants and sometimes good. It is mainly good in the juniors and it is very good in the Year 6 class where pupils make rapid progress. Usually, lessons are planned adequately but the planning in the mixed aged infant classes does not give enough attention to how the high attaining pupils will be sufficiently challenged. Teachers’ subject knowledge is satisfactory in the infants but good in the juniors. In a very effective lesson in Year 6 the teacher’s very good subject knowledge and very high expectations helped all pupils to make very good progress in investigative skills and in scientific knowledge and understanding. Introductions to lessons are generally clear and pupils know what is expected of them. In a good lesson in a Year 1/2 class the teacher’s introduction included careful questions to help pupils recall what they had previously learnt about their senses. In another effective lesson in a Year 3/4 class the

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Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 29 teacher concluded the lesson by making sure pupils had understood key scientific terms such as “opaque”, “translucent” and “transparent”. Pupils are nearly always managed well and time is used productively. In the only unsatisfactory lesson, pupils in Year 2 found the work too easy and consequently made slow progress. A few good examples were observed of teachers assessing pupils’ attainment during lessons but this is not consistent practice, and assessment results are under-used to plan pupils’ work.

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Creative development

89 Very little teaching of information technology was observed and evidence of pupils’ work was limited. The need to raise pupils’ achievement in information technology was a key issue in the last inspection report. Although progress is improving the oldest pupils still achieve standards that are below average. The range and quality of learning resources for the subject have been improved and a co- ordinator with very good subject knowledge has recently been appointed. These factors are beginning to raise pupils’ levels of attainment but National Curriculum requirements are not being met. The oldest pupils have generally sound word processing skills. Many know how to move text around the screen although only a few know how to save their work to disk. They have recently undertaken work that has enabled them to add pictures to their work and have chosen an appropriate font. Pupils’ skills in communicating, controlling and interrogating information are unsatisfactory. A minority of class

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Creative development

teachers provides time for pupils to develop a limited range of skills in these areas but the skills are not being taught systematically. Pupils are uncertain how to make decisions, retrieve information from a database and control actions organised by the computer.

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Creative development

90 Progress is beginning to improve but overall it is unsatisfactory, including for pupils with special educational needs. The hardware available for pupils has been improved in recent years but the combination of limited subject expertise and the lack of a good scheme of work have adversely affected pupils’ progress. The rate of progress in recent months and the progress made in the only lesson seen during the inspection are very good. Pupils are being given more time to use the computer and teachers are keen to incorporate information and communication technology into other the study of other subjects. Pupils in Year 1 select correct answers by using the mouse and Year 2 pupils show an improved understanding of how to select programs from the menu screen. Pupils in junior classes have extended their understanding of rivers and Ancient Greece by using computer programs.

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Creative development

91 Pupils’ attitudes in the only lesson seen and during observations of them working independently are good. They are keen to work in pairs and share their knowledge of computers to help solve problems. They are very attentive while the teacher is explaining a particular point on the class computer. They wait patiently for their turn and treat the hardware with respect and care. The pupils show a keen desire for their peers to do well and on one occasion a class clapped when a pupil achieved a difficult task.

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Creative development

92 Teaching during the only lesson observed was very good. The teacher planned the lesson very well and was clear what the pupils needed to learn. All instructions were free of jargon and this contributed to pupils’ understanding of the task. Discipline was good.

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Creative development

93 The school follows the Tameside Agreed Syllabus for religious education. The oldest pupils achieve average standards. Progress in the majority of lessons is good, including for pupils with special educational needs. These deal almost exclusively with the knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other world religions. Other aspects of the Agreed Syllabus are less well developed and progress in the subject overall is sound. Overall standards are similar to those found in the last Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 30 inspection.

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Creative development

94 Pupils throughout the school have a good understanding of the Christian faith and values. They know how the Bible is constructed and have a good knowledge of the major Old and New Testament stories. Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 study the story of David and discuss times when they too need to be brave. Pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 have studied the story of Moses and the Ten Commandments alongside their study of the gods of ancient Egypt. Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 are studying Christian aims, attitudes and values alongside stories from the Bible. The school has an outline curriculum plan for religious education based on a two-year cycle. This means that pupils get a sound curriculum based on knowledge of different faiths with the emphasis on Christianity. Moral and social development is incorporated into the curriculum. Aspects of spirituality, reflection, worship and personal awareness are satisfactorily fostered but there is scope for improvement. The outline

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curriculum plan does not identify the depth to which each subject is to be taught. This makes it difficult for teachers to plan their lessons and festivals such as Easter are repeated several times. A new scheme of work is planned when the new Agreed Syllabus is published later in the year. The school has few artefacts to support religious education and does not make enough use of leaders of non-Christian religions or places of worship.

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Creative development

95 Pupils’ response to their lessons is almost always good. They listen carefully to teachers and each other. They contribute well to class discussions. They respect the views and actions of others. In one lesson pupils were studying the story of the ten lepers. They discussed leprosy and there was a hush as pupils reflected on the implications of Princess Diana shaking the hands of lepers. Pupils take their discussions very seriously and have a mature attitude towards the moral issues identified in the lessons.

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Creative development

96 The teaching observed during the inspection was almost always good and in one lesson it was very good. Teachers have a good knowledge of the aspects they teach and a very good knowledge of their pupils. They take care to relate the lessons to the pupils’ experiences. Pupils’ views are respected and relationships are very good. In one very good lesson the teacher involved the pupils in their own learning by using role-play to explore issues of trust. She questioned pupils sensitively and effectively to draw out their feelings in relation to the story of Jonah. Teachers have high expectations about the quality of their pupils’ written work. Discipline is good. Pupils with special educational needs are given appropriate support. 97 Art and design and technology

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97 Four lessons in design and technology were observed. There were not enough observations of teaching in art for a judgement on teaching to be made. Other evidence of attainment and progress included scrutiny of pupils’ work, discussion with pupils and photographic evidence of previous work. Overall standards are good in art and design and technology and have improved since the previous inspection when some variation was found in the overall satisfactory quality of work.

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Creative development

98 Pupils in the infants make good progress in the skills of designing and making. The youngest pupils use a variety of media to construct a piece of equipment to improve their playground. They use a variety of paper, card and various junk materials to make animals, flowers and houses. In Year 2 pupils have acquired sufficient skills to plan a design and collect the materials needed to make it. After a first attempt, the high attaining pupils are sufficiently confident to evaluate their efforts and revise their original design, as, for example, when they make different regular three dimensional mathematical shapes out of small construction kits and cardboard materials. In art, pupils use a satisfactory range of media to draw, paint, print and create collage. Pictures of “our class” show expressive use of paint and printing shows good attention to design. Pupils in Year 2 have produced good mixed media pictures of flowers. Drawings of animals have been done carefully and pastels used

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99 In the juniors, pupils continue to make good progress in design and technology. Most of the work observed in art was in Year 5 and Year 6. Much of the work in designing and making is carefully Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 31 linked to other areas of the curriculum. Year 3 pupils make pyramids and sphinx out of Lego. They design Egyptian jewellery and a model shaduf with the wooden tripod constructed carefully from sticks. They use salt dough to form a sarcophagus, using a small sharp tool to design the pattern. Pupils in Year 5 construct rhythmic instruments. Their detailed plans and measurements enable them to complete their task accurately. The oldest pupils show flare and imagination as they design, make, evaluate and refine their working model using levers. High standards are achieved as the final working models are completed. Each year, junior pupils succeed in making an Easter creation using

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an egg as the starting point for their design. Pupils in Year 5 have painted good pictures in the pointillism style of George Seurat. In Year 6 pupils show good technique in using pencil to create different tones. Year 6 pupils’ sketchbooks include good preparation for work based on the styles of Matisse and Turner. Pupils have also written informatively about Morris and Warhol. Other good work in the juniors includes expressive pictures in the style of Picasso and bright abstract designs based on letters in pupils’ names. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in both subjects in the infants and juniors.

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Creative development

100 Pupils show positive attitudes to design and technology throughout the school. They are interested and enthusiastic in their work and listen carefully to their teachers. They contribute relevant ideas and explanations during class discussions and often ask pertinent questions whilst demonstrating an understanding of the purpose of their task. The oldest pupils explain their activities clearly and talk about their use of construction kits, modelling and how they use a variety of small tools and materials to enhance their designing and making skills. Pupils spoken to about art showed good attitudes and enthusiasm.

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Creative development

101 Apart from one unsatisfactory lesson, the teaching in design and technology was good and occasionally very good. Lessons are usually well planned and sufficient elements of both designing and making activities are incorporated into the good lessons. A satisfactory range of tools and construction kits is used in both key stages to develop pupils’ ideas and provide experiences of producing stable structures as well as assembly and disassembly. Instructions are clear and good attention is given to safety. In a very effective lesson the teacher’s high expectations and productive use of time helped pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 to make good progress in constructing percussion instruments based on their own designs. In the one unsatisfactory lesson the task for pupils was too easy and consequently they made slow progress. Assessment is carried out informally. No samples of work in art are collected to demonstrate achievement over time. Teachers’ planning in art is

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satisfactory and indicates that over a period of a term pupils have a worthwhile experience. Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 32 102 Geography and history

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102 Only one lesson was observed in each subject. The amount of work in history, which was available for scrutiny, was very limited. Standards in the work seen were generally above average. In geography, scrutiny of the teachers’ planning, pupils’ work and discussions with pupils indicates that standards are higher than typical for most schools.

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Creative development

103 Infant and junior pupils make good progress in geography, including those with special educational needs. They study the immediate locality of the school, with increasing depth as they get older. The youngest infant pupils describe their surroundings using simple geographical terms such as ‘near to’ or ‘far away’. Pupils in Year 2 describe some basic similarities between their own locality and other places near Stalybridge. They use their mapping skills to draw simple maps, routes to school and basic classroom and school plans. The oldest junior pupils use these skills to find localities, carry out surveys and identify why people steal to buy drugs, or why vandals throw litter. In history, infant pupils develop their understanding of chronology when they talk about changes in their own lives. In Year 2 they successfully identify “old” and “new” objects. Work on famous historical figures includes

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talking about William the Conqueror. Good displays of historical artefacts, for example from the early years of this century, also contribute to pupils’ knowledge and understanding of chronology. Good use is made of time lines.

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Creative development

104 Junior pupils develop good geographical knowledge especially of locations. This is enhanced by visits to museums, Stamford Park, and the local shopping centre. Many pupils have a good recall of facts about these field trips. For example, a comparison is made between Stalybridge and the seaside resort of Blackpool. Pupils know about the life styles of long ago, and contrast ancient customs and lifestyles with modern traditions during a study of ancient Egypt and Greece. Year 6 pupils are currently researching differences in the environment of Staybridge over time. Good links are made with history, mathematics, science and English. The oldest pupils have good understanding of the ozone layer, acid rain, pollution and the effect of drugs. They use secondary sources well, describing how aerial photographs, maps, grids, diagrams and charts are used. They have good knowledge about endangered species, and describe the plight of pandas and the likely extinction of other zoo animals.

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Creative development

They compare how the Arabian Oryx was introduced back into the wild in Oman.

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Creative development

105 The pupils at both key stages understand the importance of caring for their environment. Younger pupils know how to look after their school grounds and suggest ways to improve the playground by planting pots of pansies, whilst keeping the school tidy. Older junior pupils explain how litter, which causes pollution, can damage the environment. They produce a map of their school to show where different types of litter were found, compiling a graph of how much litter was dropped each day of the week. Pupils communicate their ideas concisely and accurately using a wide choice of vocabulary. Work in history includes studies of invaders and settlers, life in Tudor times, ancient Egypt and ancient Greece. Pupils in Year 3 have drawn maps of the routes taken by Saxons and Vikings and have made good drawings of Saxon clothes and weapons. Good work in Year 5 includes pupils’ accurate reference to archaeologists, artefacts, pottery and sculpture as important historical sources in

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Creative development

“how do we know”. In the only lesson observed, pupils in Year 6 scrutinised past and current pictures of Stalybridge and successfully gave historical reasons for any differences. Good displays of work, artefacts and time lines support pupils’ historical knowledge and understanding.

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Creative development

106 Insufficient teaching was observed to comment on the overall quality of teaching. In the two lessons seen, the teaching was satisfactory and pupils made sound progress. However, discussion with pupils and scrutiny of their work in geography indicates the teachers’ knowledge of the subject is very secure. This enables the pupils to gain in confidence as they share ideas, research for certain evidence and ask and answer questions. They receive a very good range of geographical experiences as they move through school. The pupils’ written work indicates that they are given many opportunities to think about how things happen and why places are like they are. Teachers’ planning in history is satisfactory and the displays of work and artefacts indicate that the subject has a sufficiently high profile. Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 33

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Music

107 Standards are average in the infants and above average in the juniors. In the last inspection standards were below average. The quality of singing is good. The thriving choir, consisting of pupils from all age groups, sings confidently and rhythmically. Junior pupils sing in three or four part rounds of some complexity. Infant pupils make satisfactory progress in the use of rhythm when they chant rhymes. Junior pupils use symbols to write down sounds and are developing good understanding of notation. For example, in a good lesson, pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 used graphic notation to improve their understanding of rests. They also made good progress in their awareness of pitch, dynamics and duration of notes. There are three recorder groups of different abilities. Pupils have opportunities to perform in public and have taken part in some challenging musicals including “Annie” and “Oliver”.

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Music

Music makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, the proceeds from school performances go to charities. Pupils with special educational needs make the same progress as their peers.

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Music

108 Pupils enjoy their music lessons. They behave well and perform enthusiastically. Those who belong to music clubs attend regularly. Pupils are committed to high quality performance and try hard to achieve the quality of performance their teachers expect.

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Music

109 The music teaching is at least sound and the majority is good. The teachers are enthusiastic and have a secure knowledge of the subject. No instruments were used in the lessons but in a good lesson recorded music was used to demonstrate pitch and dynamics. Pupils are well managed and expectations are high. The best work was seen in the extra- curricular activities that are open to all pupils. A useful scheme of work helps teachers plan appropriate lessons. Curriculum planning has improved since the last inspection. Additional support is given by the music co-ordinator who has expertise in the subject. The school has few tuned percussion instruments, no recorded music and teachers use their own resources.

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Physical education

110 Standards in the infants have been sustained since the last inspection and pupils make satisfactory progress. Standards have improved in the juniors and pupils make good progress. The contribution of many extra-curricular sporting activities, an area of weakness in the last inspection, significantly enhances the progress of junior pupils. Pupils with special educational needs make similar progress to their peers.

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Physical education

111 Infant pupils control their movements well and use much imagination to perform particular tasks. They work collaboratively to demonstrate balance and to create a sequence of movements. Their interpretation of music whilst performing dances is sound. They move around the hall with a good awareness of others. They handle apparatus well and give good attention to safety.

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Physical education

112 Junior pupils’ progress is particularly good in lessons taught either by those teachers who have very good subject expertise or by specialist external support staff. Pupils undertake extensive aerobic exercise and show limited signs of fatigue. They fully extend their limbs to ensure good line and form when completing movements in gymnastics. They support each other well and sustain a balance position skilfully. Their competence in rolling and jumping is very good. Most pupils are able to swim to the National Curriculum standard of 25 metres by the time they leave the school. Many of the oldest pupils achieve high standards in competitive games. Their ability to dribble and pass the ball in basketball is very good. Although no football was observed during lessons the skill shown by pupils in the extra-curricular session was good.

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Physical education

113 Pupils’ attitudes are good in the infants and very good in the juniors. All pupils enjoy their lessons and work hard. Behaviour and levels of co-operation are generally good but particularly mature in the Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 34 upper juniors. These older pupils enter their lessons with a keen desire to do well and succeed. They show a high level of respect and a strong work ethic. They try to use their time constructively and create active games to fill time while they are waiting to participate. They co-operate exceedingly well when they are moving equipment. Infant pupils generally listen well and show a reasonable desire to achieve high standards. A few pupils do not always work hard and disrupt others. These pupils are always encouraged to do better by and respond positively. In all lessons teamwork between the pupils was good with boys and girls willing to participate together on tasks.

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Physical education

114 The quality of teaching is satisfactory in the infants and good in the juniors. Occasionally it is very good. In the majority of lessons, teachers present challenging tasks and maintain good pace throughout. Teachers generally dress appropriately for the lessons and show enthusiasm and commitment. Dance lessons in the infants are generally well planned, although there is an over- reliance on commercially produced taped lessons. This reduces the opportunity to extend pupils’ skills because the tasks are too prescribed. Teaching in the juniors benefits from good subject expertise, which is used well to set high expectations and to ensure that pupils make at least good progress. The pace of these lessons is rapid and pupils are made to work hard. Teachers generally manage pupils well.

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Physical education

115 The inspection was undertaken by a team of five inspectors who, over a period of four days, spent the equivalent of 19 days inspecting the work of the school. The inspectors visited classes, talked with individuals and groups of pupils and evaluated the work they had done. A total of 64.15 hours was spent on these activities. In addition, discussions were held with the headteacher, staff and governors.

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Physical education

• Inspection of a sample of pupils’ work in each year group, representing below average, average and above average pupils; • Listening to the reading of the above pupils; • Evaluating the progress of pupils with special educational needs; • Monitoring of pupils’ behaviour in and around the school; • Analysis of pupils’ records and annual reports; • Attendance at assemblies; • Scrutiny of the school’s development plan and other school documentation; • Analysis of 18 responses (6.3 per cent) made by parents to the pre-inspection questionnaire and these, together with the views expressed by four parents at the pre-inspection meeting, were taken into account. Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 35

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118 Pupil data

Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school’s register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals YR – Y6 284 3 61 52 Nursery Unit/School 17.5 0 0 0

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118 Qualified teachers (YR – Y6)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 12 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 24

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118 Education support staff (YR – Y6)

Total number of education support staff: 2 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 41

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118 Qualified teachers (Nursery school, classes or unit)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 1 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 17.5

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118 Education support staff (Nursery school, classes or unit)

Total number of education support staff: 1 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 30

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118 Financial data

£ Total Income 450,840 Total Expenditure 438,959 Expenditure per pupil 1,279 Balance brought forward from previous year 12,181 Balance carried forward to next year 48,020 Arlies Primary and Nursery School - 36

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118 PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out: 284 Number of questionnaires returned: 18

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118 PARENTAL SURVEY

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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118 PARENTAL SURVEY

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 33 61 0 6 0

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118 PARENTAL SURVEY

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 56 39 6 0 0

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118 PARENTAL SURVEY

The school handles complaints from parents well 24 59 12 0 6

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118 PARENTAL SURVEY

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 39 33 11 17 0

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118 PARENTAL SURVEY

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 39 50 0 11 0

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118 PARENTAL SURVEY

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 50 44 0 6 0

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118 PARENTAL SURVEY

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 28 56 17 0 0

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118 PARENTAL SURVEY

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 33 56 6 6 0

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118 PARENTAL SURVEY

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 53 41 0 6 0

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118 PARENTAL SURVEY

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 61 33 0 0 0

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118 PARENTAL SURVEY

My child(ren) like(s) school 39 50 11 0 0

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