Otterbourne Church of England Primary School

OTTERBOURNE C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 14/03/00 – 16/03/00

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OTTERBOURNE C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Main Road Otterbourne Winchester Hampshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Ian Phillips

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members David Gott Reporting inspector Helen Danpure Lay inspector Christine Hall Team inspector Tony Pearce Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Education Department – OFSTED Office Clarendon House Romsey Road Winchester SO22 5PW

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 11

Pupils attain high standards in national tests and in their daily work; the school is committed to raising standards further for all pupils Overall, teaching is very good Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning; they behave very well and get on well with each other Literacy and numeracy are well supported by IT and well emphasised within a broad curriculum that extends out-of-school hours The leadership and management of the school are very effective

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 16

The sharing of best practice and particularly the use of pupil assessments to make teaching and learning even better throughout the school Parents do not get enough information about the set homework, or their child’s progress in the pupils’ annual reports

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Otterbourne Church of England (Voluntary Controlled ) Primary School is an average-sized primary school with a current role of 268 pupils aged four to eleven years. The school is located in a semi-rural setting of Otterbourne village on the outskirts of Eastleigh and Chandlers Ford. The immediate area is reasonably affluent with many pupils living in circumstances of social and economic advantage. However, 43% of pupils attend the school from outside the immediate area, which is slightly more diverse. The number of pupils eligible for a free school meal (2.6%) is well below the national average. Pupils at the school represent the full ability range. The average attainment of all four-year-olds when they start school is in line with the county average in language and literacy, mathematics and science. However, their personal and social development is well above the county average. Throughout the school, there are 70 pupils with special educational needs (SEN)

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

which is about the national average, and two of these pupils have a statement of SEN which is below average. At the time of this inspection there are no pupils in the school for whom English is not their first language.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Otterbourne Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School is a very good school. Pupils have very good attitudes to work and achieve high standards. This is because of the very good teaching and support they receive. The school is very well led and managed. There is a strong positive ethos for learning and a very caring community spirit that reflects the school’s Christian heritage and values. The school provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Pupils attain high standards. Results in national tests for pupils in their final year are well above the national average and above average in comparison to pupils from similar schools. • Overall, teaching is very good. • Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning; they behave very well and get on well with each other, all of which makes a powerful contribution to the good progress they make. • Literacy and numeracy are well supported by IT and well emphasised within a broad curriculum that extends out-of-school hours in a good range of extra-curricular activities. • The leadership and management of the school are very effective. The headteacher, with the support of the governors, teachers and the wider community, creates an ethos that strongly supports improvement in learning and reflects the school’s Christian heritage and values.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The sharing of best practice, and particularly the use of pupil assessments, to make teaching and learning even better throughout the school. • Parents do not get enough information about the set homework, or their child’s progress in the pupils’ annual reports.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

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

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The last inspection in June 1996 found the school providing a sound standard of education for its pupils. Since then there have been significant improvements in many areas. The quality of education is now very good. Pupils are making better progress and they are attaining much higher standards in their daily work in English, mathematics, science and information technology (IT). The school’s results in the national tests for seven and

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

Otterbourne C of E Primary School - 7 eleven-year-olds are well above the national average. They have improved overall and particularly in English and mathematics. This is because teaching has improved significantly and is now very good. There are substantial improvements in the school’s procedures for assessing and monitoring pupils’ performance and in the setting of pupil performance targets. Religious education (RE) meets all the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus, and there is good provision for IT. All the key issues for action previously identified have been met and the school is successful in achieving its own improvement targets. Through its leadership and management and teacher expertise the school has the capacity to continue to improve.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English C B A B well above average above average A B mathematics A A A B average below average C D science A A A B well below average E

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STANDARDS

By the age of eleven, standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average when compared to all schools, and above average when compared to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. Standards in IT are broadly in line with national expectations, with a significant number of pupils achieving more highly in aspects of communication and handling data. Standards in the national tests and assessments for seven-year-olds are well above average in writing, mathematics and science and above average in reading. The work pupils were doing during the inspection confirmed these standards, with the exception of the seven-year-old readers who were attaining more highly. Throughout the school, standards in RE are good and fully meet the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus. Pupils with SEN are very well supported and achieve well by the time they leave school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Excellent. Pupils are very eager to learn and keen to succeed. They give their best at all times and are proud of their achievements.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour in lessons and at other times is very good. Pupils are very responsible, very co-operative and collaborative in their work.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very Good. Pupils respect other people’s differences, particularly their feelings, values and beliefs. Older pupils show initiative when meeting new challenges and are willing to take on responsibility.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Good. Lessons start promptly and no time is wasted.

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

Otterbourne C of E Primary School - 8 Pupils are valued and they value each other. Their behaviour, relationships and attitudes to learning are very good or excellent in almost three out of four lessons and good in the rest. High standards in these aspects have been maintained since the previous inspection. They are strengths of the school.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Overall, the quality of teaching in the school is very good. In 93% of lessons seen, the teaching was at least good, and in five out of ten lessons it was very good or excellent. The teaching of children under five was consistently good. The rest was satisfactory. Very good and excellent teaching was most often seen in English and mathematics lessons. However, good and very good teaching was also seen in science, IT and RE lessons.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The best teaching captures and holds the interests of pupils from the beginning of the lessons. For example, in literacy and numeracy lessons, the very good teachers’ natural enthusiasm and love of the subject are infectious. The questions these teachers ask are challenging and extend pupils’ learning. The level of work that is set is well-matched and develops pupils’ knowledge and understanding. The setting of pupils in literacy and numeracy lessons in Key Stage 2 is having a positive impact on the quality of teaching and in raising pupils’ standards. Learning objectives are more clearly defined and they are well supported with stimulating extension activities. Pupils are keen to rise to the challenges, think creatively, work well for extended periods of time and make very good progress. However, in the minority of lessons where teaching is only satisfactory, the work that is set for pupils is not always challenging enough. Pupils with SEN make good progress. They

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

are very well supported by special needs assistants.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. All subjects of the National Curriculum are given due weight with appropriate emphasis on the national literacy and numeracy strategies. Religious education fully meets the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus. Extra-curricular provision is very good. It is varied and very well supported by pupils, teachers, governors and some parents. Homework diaries are not consistently used.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Pupils with SEN are very well supported in the classroom and when they are withdrawn from lessons for extra help. Individual Education Plans are well focused and pupils make good progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good overall. A strength of the school. All aspects of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development contribute very well to the personal development of the individual pupil.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares Good overall. Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are well established and clearly understood. Good procedures

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

Otterbourne C of E Primary School - 9 for its pupils for monitoring and supporting pupils’ academic progress and personal development. Teachers’ use of on-going assessments to guide day-to-day lesson planning ranges from satisfactory to very good. Annual reports to parents are not sufficiently analytical.

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

The curriculum is broad, balanced and meets statutory requirements. It is enriched by a good range of extra-curricular activities. The school makes good provision for the welfare and guidance of all pupils.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher and senior teachers give a clear lead to the work of the school. The daily organisation and management of the school are very good. There is a very effective team of teachers.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The school is very well supported by the governing body. The governors are very well informed on school matters and many are regularly involved in the daily life of the school. They are particularly active in securing improvements to the school’s accommodation and ensuring the quality of the curriculum and standards are maintained.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school is very good at analysing its overall strengths and weaknesses and in using data to decide what needs to be done next. There is an effective strategic improvement plan. The headteacher and deputy monitor the quality of education in each classroom. The school has successfully overcome the weaknesses pointed out in the last inspection and pupils achieve high standards.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Very good. Use of the school’s resources and finances is prioritised and linked to the school’s strategic improvement plan. Since the last inspection the school has used its resources very well to improve the quality of provision for pupils and attain high standards.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school receives a budget that is above the national average. Taking account of the average attainment on entry, the high academic results by the time pupils are 11 years old, the very good attitudes to learning and the quality of education provided, the school gives good value for money. The leadership and management of the school are very effective and mindful of the principle of best value in the use of resources.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The school is easily approachable with questions or problems. • The school is well led and managed. • Children like their school. • The amount of homework. • The range of lunch-time play activities.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspectors’ judgements support parents’ positive views and the aspects that parents would like to see improved. There has been restricted access to the school’s normal range of lunch-time playground activities in recent months due to resurfacing of the hard play areas and the new building programme which put some areas out of use.

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committed to raising standards further for all pupils

1. The attainment of pupils in the 1999 national tests for eleven-year-olds in English mathematics and science is well above the national average and above average in comparison to pupils from similar schools. The school is successful in maintaining high results in national tests over the previous three years. Over the same three year period, pupils have continued to improve on their high results, year-on-year, at a rate that is in line with the national improvement trend. There are no significant differences in the results of boys and girls; both are above the national average in all three subjects. Standards in the national tests and assessments for seven-year-olds are well above average in writing, mathematics and science, and above average in reading. Overall, it is a very good record of school improvement since the previous inspection, particularly in mathematics when the standards of eleven-year-olds were

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committed to raising standards further for all pupils

broadly average. This is a credit to the pupils and all adults who work in the school.

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committed to raising standards further for all pupils

2. The standards that are achieved by pupils in their daily work confirm the school’s high results in the end-of-key stage national tests. Throughout the school, the majority of pupils are achieving above the national expectation for their age in English, literacy, mathematics, science, information technology (IT) and religious education (RE). Pupils enter school at the age of four with about average skills for their age in language, literacy and number. By the time they leave school, aged 11, they are attaining well above the national average. Therefore, the learning and progress that pupils are making across the school are very good. For example, in mathematics most reception year pupils are engaged in National Curriculum Programmes of Study and are achieving above the expectation for their age. They are able to count on and count back using numbers one to ten and use mathematical vocabulary accurately in

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committed to raising standards further for all pupils

subtraction sentences. Higher-attaining pupils make up their own number stories. In English, reception year pupils demonstrate good knowledge and understanding of specific vocabulary when answering questions about a non-fiction book.

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committed to raising standards further for all pupils

3. Pupils make very good progress throughout Key Stage1 and the majority of pupils in Year 2 are working above, and some at well above, the national expectation for their age. For example, they have a good understanding of number and can identify the properties of different shapes, such as cuboid, pyramid, cylinder, sphere, cube and cone. Higher-attaining pupils are able to break up the shapes to explore patterns and the beginning of tessellation. In English literacy lessons, the reading and comprehension of Year 2 pupils are above the expectation for their age and they can use dictionaries independently to find the meanings of new words. At the time of the last inspection, the progress and achievement of Year 4 pupils were unsatisfactory. This is no longer the case. Their understanding of simple and equivalent fractions is very well developed and, in English, their writing, reading and comprehension are well

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committed to raising standards further for all pupils

above average for their age. This is because pupils enter Year 3 at a high standard and the quality of teaching and their learning in Years 3 and 4 are very good. Year 6 higher-attaining pupils are achieving well above the national expectation for their age. They have a very good understanding of different types of graphs and know which best to use when analysing and interpreting different types of data. They use decimal place values confidently to measure intermediate values accurately on a line graph. The work sampling in Year 6 confirms that average attaining and the majority of the

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

Otterbourne C of E Primary School - 11 lower-attaining sets in mathematics are achieving at least in line with the national expectation for their age and many are achieving higher. In English, most pupils in Year 6 are working above the national expectation for their age. Their extended writing is of very high quality and is well presented. They readily use complex sentences which they organise appropriately into paragraphs. Their evaluations of the outdoor adventure week at Osmington Bay are very well written. They make good use of vocabulary and write clearly in the genre of a specific report. In science, all pupils make good progress in their use of scientific language, understanding and investigation skills. They learn how to carry out a fair test and the scientific process to predict, test, analyse and evaluate in more complex systems of enquiry as they move through the key stages. By the age of 11, most pupils are achieving very highly and

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

their attainment is well above the national average for their age.

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

4. Improvements in pupils’ attainment in national tests and their daily work are direct outcomes of the school’s carefully planned strategies for improving the quality of education and raising pupils’ standards throughout the school. The school is very successful in achieving the objectives and targets outlined in its strategic improvement plan. For example, there are significant improvements in the quality of teaching, and particularly within literacy and numeracy lessons. The school is making very good use of assessment data from end of year tests to predict and set improvement targets for pupils over the next academic year. The setting of pupils into ability groups for literacy and numeracy is enabling teachers to target more accurately the challenge and pace of work for different cohorts of pupils. The headteacher and deputy headteacher are monitoring the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning,

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progress and standards in each classroom. Teachers are regularly sampling pupils’ work to agree standards and levels of attainment. Individual Education Plans for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) are sharply focused and provide appropriate targets. All these measures are having a positive impact on raising pupils’ standards in their daily work, and in the quality of their learning and progress throughout the school. Collectively, they account for the improvements in pupils’ attainment, and the maintenance of high results in national tests. The school is committed to raising standards further for all pupils.

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Overall, teaching is very good

5. Throughout the school, teachers’ relationships with pupils are very good. There is a striking buzz of enthusiasm about the school. All teachers have very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and are very successful in promoting a positive ethos for learning. Classrooms are well organised and all teachers make very good use of praise and encouragement to build pupils’ confidence in their learning and to develop their self-esteem. Teachers are generally secure in the knowledge of the subjects they teach and lessons are nearly always well structured. In English and mathematics the introduction of the national literacy and numeracy strategies has had a strong and positive impact on practice. The strategies have provided a good framework within which teachers work effectively. Good teaching in the school is marked by high expectations of pupils’ attainment, good quality questioning, effective pupil management and in setting pupil tasks that are challenging and well-matched to

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Overall, teaching is very good

6. Very good or excellent teaching was observed in lessons where teachers developed pupils’ knowledge and understanding of a subject through carefully structured investigations and well-prepared opportunities for pupils to follow lines of personal

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

Otterbourne C of E Primary School - 12 enquiry and research. In science, very good teachers skilfully organise and structure investigations for pupils. Through experiment and investigation, pupils learn the scientific process of prediction, fair testing, analysis, evaluation and the recording of results. For example, Year 6 pupils were challenged to use and apply their scientific knowledge and conduct their own investigation to separate rice, sand and salt. The teacher’s open-style questions were well directed and targeted at pupils to extend their thinking and understanding. In the best lessons in mathematics, the teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and have a good command of the subject. There is very good use of questioning to check pupils’ understanding and to provide further information to clarify their ideas. Investigations and challenging problems are structured to consolidate and extend pupils’ knowledge, use and

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

application of mathematics. Very good teachers in English are confident in their subject knowledge and use a range of imaginative strategies to challenge and extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding. They ensure pupils know what is expected and use a wide range of questions to evaluate their progress. For example, in a Year 6 class the lesson ‘sparkled’ as pupils were engaged in writing a report of the previous week’s visit for the school governors. This was because of the teacher’s excellent use of probing questions that enabled all learning opportunities to be fully exploited. Pupils learned to select, with increasing skill and confidence, those phrases and statements judged to be most appropriate for the style of a report and reject others. In all of these lessons, the very high quality of the teachers’ questions makes pupils think and encourages greater understanding. Pupils are given very good

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opportunities to reflect and evaluate their own work and that of others. Pupils learn how success is judged and what they need to do next to improve. It is all these elements of teaching which have made such a significant contribution to improvements in the quality of pupils’ learning, progress and standards since the last inspection.

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

7. In the very small proportion of lessons where teaching is satisfactory, the strengths outweigh the areas for improvement which are in relation to the challenge and pace of lessons. The work that is set does not always sustain sufficient challenge for some individuals or a group of pupils. This is because the on-going assessment of what pupils know, understand and can do within a lesson is not always used to adjust the pace and challenge of previously planned activities. This results in some pupils not sustaining their concentration, and their progress is not as good as it should be. However, overall, there have been significant improvements in the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning since the last inspection, particularly in the quality of provision and teaching in IT. Pupils with SEN are very well supported. The school is committed to improvement. An issue for the school to address is to develop further the

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

proportions of good and very good teaching throughout the school.

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each other

8. Attitudes to learning for almost all the pupils are excellent and are a notable strength of the school. Their attendance is good. Pupils look forward to coming to school and to participating fully in their lessons and in a wide range of activities provided within and outside the curriculum. The teachers plan experiences to make learning challenging and exciting. The pupils respond to this with enthusiasm and their determination to work hard is evident in all lessons in all classes. Throughout the school, almost all pupils sustain their concentration in lessons and complete their work to a high standard for their age. They are not easily distracted and almost all pupils have a good work ethic. For example, they work well collaboratively and co-

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Otterbourne C of E Primary School - 13 operatively on research topics and investigations. They are willing to ‘have a go’ to predict, investigate and form hypotheses. They often show initiative and use specialist equipment in science and IT lessons with care and consideration.

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

9. Personal development is enhanced by the increasing responsibility that pupils take as they progress through the school. Even the youngest return registers to the office. Older pupils have the opportunity to assist younger ones with paired reading and when the school visits the local church. There is a strong house system within the school and pupils earn house points as rewards for their achievements, efforts, attitudes and behaviour. Pupils’ responses in school assemblies, which celebrate each other’s successes and achievements, are very supportive, very controlled and very impressive.

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10. Relationships are very good between pupils and staff and between pupils themselves. Pupils are polite and confident with adults and are happy to talk about themselves, their work and their feelings about the school. For example, Year 6 pupils were confident to talk about their feelings and emotions of the previous week, and the support they gave each other, when faced with the very challenging activities at an outdoor pursuit centre. Behaviour in class, at lunch-time and in the playground is very good overall. There has been restricted access to the school’s normal range of lunch-time playground activities in recent months due to resurfacing of the hard play areas and the new building programme which put large areas out of use. The builders left the site the week before the inspection and the school recognises the need to re-launch a lunch-time programme of pupils’ play opportunities.

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

11. Overall, the pupils’ excellent attitudes to their learning, their very good behaviour and their ability to act with initiative and responsibility are a strength of the school and make a significant contribution to the standards pupils achieve in their daily work and the end-of-key stage national tests.

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curriculum that extends out-of-school hours

12. The school regards high levels of skill in literacy and numeracy as fundamental to the pupils’ academic success. As such, these subjects receive substantial time each day and a great deal of attention is given to ensuring that all pupils make the best progress they can. Other subjects of the curriculum receive an appropriate amount of time. Religious education fully meets the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus. All aspects of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development contribute very well to the personal development of the individual pupil.

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curriculum that extends out-of-school hours

13. The national strategies in literacy and numeracy have been introduced with skill, ensuring that all teachers are confident about what they are doing. The literacy hour is well embedded in good practice throughout the school. Additional opportunities for pupils to develop their extended writing are available in designated English and topic lessons. Throughout the school, pupils make very good use of IT to support the development of their literacy and numeracy skills in English, mathematics, science and topic work. For example, Year 2 pupils use the Internet to research ‘Greenpeace’ and use IT to write about their topic. Year 5 and 6 pupils regularly use the Internet and Hantsweb to browse and research their own topic or a theme for extended writing. They use a word processing package to present their findings, often linking graphics and digital images with text to enhance their presentation. Their finished

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curriculum that extends out-of-school hours

work is of a high standard for their age. In numeracy lessons, Year 2 pupils use

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

Otterbourne C of E Primary School - 14 appropriate software packages to enhance their learning in number and the simple analysis of data that they have collected. Year 6 pupils use spread sheets and more sophisticated data bases to collect, interpret and analyse more complex research data. For example, in a mathematics lesson, Year 6 pupils were analysing and interpreting the results of their heart rate responses to exercise and stress. This information had been collected the previous week on a residential visit to an outdoor activities’ centre when they were connected to heart rate monitors whilst abseiling down a vertical face. Pupils had exported their own data contained within the heart rate monitor to a computer to produce a graph of their adventure.

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14. At the time of the last inspection, the use of IT and the standards achieved were a key issue for action. This is no longer the case. Whilst the school recognises there is still more to do, the development of IT throughout the school is a success story. There are significant improvements in the quality of provision. For example, pupils have ease of access to an appropriate number of computers in the school. There is a well- structured scheme of work with an efficient system for assessing, recording and monitoring pupils’ achievements. Pupils gain access to the micro-librarian, the Internet, e-mail experience and the school’s own web site. Older pupils, for example, link with other pupils at different schools through e-mail and using the Internet. The quality of teaching in IT has improved significantly due to appropriate in-service training for teachers and the assistance of a very able ‘IT support team’ of parents

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15. The range of extra-curricular activities and the number of pupils who take part are very impressive. Adults and pupils together use this time to very good effect. Extra-curricular music activities include instrumental tuition provided by peripatetic teachers, school choir, ensemble, recorder and guitar groups. Extra-curricular sports activities are mainly at Key Stage 2 and these include netball, football, cross-country running, cricket, athletics, swimming, sailing, and sports exchange with the local comprehensive school. There is a French club, e-mail links with other schools, and a range of social and performing arts activities that include a planned programme of after-school concerts for each year group. All these examples reflect a commitment to education in its broadest sense. They make a significant contribution to the personal development of the pupils and help them to use the basic skills needed to be able to

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communicate effectively through well-developed skills in literacy, numeracy and IT.

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The leadership and management of the school are very effective

16. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and all staff work very effectively as a team to implement the school’s aims and values and promote a strong, positive ethos for pupils’ learning. A high priority is based on raising the standards attained by pupils of all abilities. It is within an ethos that places equal value on the development of pupils’ attitudes to learning, their personal relationships and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. It embraces a strong Christian ethic that reflects the heritage and values of this Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) school. The pupils are mindful of the part they play and know they are expected to give of their best. The parents are very supportive and feel the school is very well led and managed.

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The leadership and management of the school are very effective

17. The management and deployment of teaching staff throughout the school are very good. The senior management team operates as a cohesive unit with clearly defined roles and responsibilities which it carries out very effectively. The headteacher and deputy headteacher fulfil their role as line managers and provide effective support for all teachers and for those who have management responsibility. They also ensure

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Otterbourne C of E Primary School - 15 that all pupils have opportunity to excel. For example, their monitoring of classroom practice during literacy and numeracy lessons has helped to improve pupils’ standards and the quality of teaching in English and mathematics. Teachers found the monitoring to be ‘evaluative and helpful’. The subject co-ordinators for English, mathematics and science are very effective. They have played a key role in raising pupils’ standards in their respective subjects. For example, there have been significant improvements since the last inspection in the standards in mathematics throughout the school, and recent strategies for improving pupils’ reading skills in Key Stage 1 and Year 3 are having the desired effect. Pupils with SEN are very well supported. Subject co-ordinators are developing their roles and it is planned for them to assist in classroom monitoring and the sharing of good practice. The school’s

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strategic improvement plans are carefully focused on raising standards and improving the quality of provision. These plans are used well to target the school’s resources and bring about improvements. However, more focused monitoring to improve the proportion of very good teaching would make this very effective school even better.

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Otterbourne Primary – Final draft

18. The governors contribute substantially to the effectiveness of the school. They have a high level of expertise and are very well organised and thorough in their approach, for example, in the securing of improvements to the school building and school grounds. They are also open to new ideas and can adapt quickly. They have trust in the headteacher but expect him to be fully accountable to them. They, in turn, account well to the parents of the school. The governors are very well informed on school matters. Many are regularly involved in the daily life of the school. Governor support is linked to each subject of the curriculum. They report back to meetings of the governing body on their aspect of the curriculum and pupils’ standards. The governors ensure the school applies the principle of best value in the use of resources and, overall, the school provides good value for money.

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teaching and learning even better throughout the school

19. Overall, the teaching in the school is very good. However, the range is from satisfactory to excellent with a very small number of lessons (7%) in the satisfactory category. Whilst this is a significant improvement since the last inspection, it could be even better if the existing expertise were used to evaluate teaching in the classroom and help colleagues to improve. For example, satisfactory teaching can be improved by the use of on-going assessments of pupils’ abilities within a lesson and, where necessary, adjustments to planned activities so that the pace and challenge are kept high but achievable in relation to what pupils know, understand and can do.

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teaching and learning even better throughout the school

20. The subject co-ordinators have a good understanding of the standards that pupils achieve in their subjects but are less clear about the strengths and areas for improvement across the school in teaching. The school has recognised this as an area for development and classroom visits are planned to begin shortly.

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progress in the pupils’ annual reports

21. At the meeting for parents and on the questionnaires they returned, parents raised concerns about homework. Their understanding of what is required, and when, is not clear to them. The inspection found inconsistencies in practice between teachers and different year groups. Key Stage 1 pupils take reading records home and parents are encouraged to write comments. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have homework diaries to record what they should do. However, Years 5 and 6 do not have diaries, although regular homework is set. Clear information on pupils’ homework now needs to be communicated to all parents.

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progress in the pupils’ annual reports

22. The written reports to parents contain clear information on work covered and pupils’ attainment in the subject areas, as well as giving information on their attitudes to work and personal development. However, the reports contain little on either pupils’ strengths in the subject or the next steps needed to improve.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

23. Otterbourne Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School is a very effective school and pupils attain high standards. In the context of the school’s many strengths, the following issues should be considered for action in the action plan:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• improve the proportion of very good and excellent teaching by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

− enabling subject co-ordinators in English, mathematics and science to assist in the monitoring of teaching and learning (paragraphs: 5, 6, 7, 17, 19, 20)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

− providing support and strategies to help teachers understand what it is they need to do to improve (paragraphs: 5, 6, 7, 17, 19, 20)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

− the demonstration of very good teaching strategies and the sharing of expertise found within the school (paragraphs: 5, 6, 7, 17, 19, 20)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• improve information to parents on pupils’ homework and pupils’ progress by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

− ensuring clear information on pupils’ homework is communicated to all parents (paragraph: 21)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

− ensuring pupils’ annual reports contain clear information on work covered, pupils’ attainment in the subject areas, attitudes to work, pupils’ personal development and the next steps needed to improve. (paragraph: 22)

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 15

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

7 43 43 7 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 268

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals N/A 7 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 70

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 8

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 6

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 23 11 34

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 18 23 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 11 11

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 85 (91) 100 (88) 100 (82) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 21 22 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 10 11

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 94 (94) 94 (88) 100 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 20 22 42

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 18 19 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 20 19 21

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 90 (79) 90 (87) 98 (98) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 18 19 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 20 19 21

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 90 (90) 90 (92) 98 (98) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 3 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10 Financial year 1998-1999

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26.8

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 419,351.00

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8 Expenditure per pupil 1,626.00

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 145 Balance brought forward from previous year 13,018.00

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 26,906.00

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult N/A FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 50 42 8

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 47 50 2 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 33 48 17 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 47 42 10 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 74 20 5 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 55 41 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 54 35 10 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 66 30 2 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 50 48 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 23 43 27 1 6

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