Other · Ofsted report

Longparish Church of England Primary School

Inspected — · published 12 May 2000 · URN 116364

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116364

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+73Very positivemore positive than 73% of reports of this type

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Praiseexcellentgood progressvery highhigh qualityvery effectivepositivemake good progressstrengths

Criticismpoorinsufficientconcernslackweaknesseslimitedshortcomingsconcern

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FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings4149w+80
What needs to improve1314w+43

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There are shortcomings in challenging all Key Stage 2 pupils with targets from the National Numeracy Strategy, which would match pupils’ needs more appropriately. p.14

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Pages: 20
Words of findings: 5,394; longer than usual (typical 1049)
Reading level: Hard; Flesch 47, typical 45
Average sentence: 17 words
Next steps: 8; typical 5
Hedged sentences: 6%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

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Findings 70%What needs to improve 22%About the inspection 8%

Full report text

Aided Primary School

Andover (Short Inspection) LEA area: Hampshire

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Aided Primary School

Dates of inspection: 24 January 2000 - 26 January 2000

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Aided Primary 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.

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Aided Primary School

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. Longparish Church of England Primary - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Longparish Nr Andover Hampshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: John Ellicock

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 29 April 1996 Longparish Church of England Primary - 4

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Team members

Kay Cornish Registered inspector Joy Buncher Lay inspector Susan Bradstock-Smith Team inspector

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Team members

85 Shores Green Drive Wincham Northwich Cheshire CW9 6EJ

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Longparish Church of England Primary - 5

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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 12

Leadership of the school The role of the governing body Teaching Early Years’ provision Standards achieved Provision for special educational needs Curriculum provision Pupils’ behaviour and relationships Links with parents Financial and daily administration Ethos of the school

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 14

Numeracy standards Provision for dance, drama and gymnastics Homework Recycled classrooms

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 17

Longparish Church of England Primary - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Longparish C of E Primary school is maintained by Hampshire Education Authority. It serves the villages of Longparish, Forton, Hurstbourne Priors and the areas immediately surrounding them. The school was founded in 1837 and has grant aided status supported by the Church of England. Its Christian ethos is strong. The school is situated alongside the River Test in north-central Hampshire, in an area of great scenic beauty. A significant number of pupils travel to the school from out of the immediate area.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

An extension was opened in September 1997 providing a medical room, headteacher’s room, reception area and a larger office. The school is organised into four main groups for teaching so that Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 are discrete. Most children commencing at the school have experience of pre-school education. Overall, pupils' levels of attainment on entry are above national expectations, but widely divergent.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

There are 87 pupils on roll aged between four and 11 years, this is a small primary school. The average class size is 22. Seven per cent of pupils have English as an additional language, which is higher than most schools, and only 1 per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is well below the national average. There are 14 pupils on the school’s register for special educational needs, which is below national averages. However, 3.3 per cent of pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Need which is above the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Longparish C of E Primary School is a highly effective school that provides a very good quality of education with excellent aspects. It consistently helps pupils to achieve standards that are well above average overall. Good teaching in all the core subjects impacts substantially on the high standards overall. The high quality of leadership and management constantly strives to achieve higher standards in all aspects of the school’s development. The school gives very good value for money. The many significant strengths of the school far outweigh those areas in need of improvement.

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What the school does well

• The headteacher leads the school with dedication and an excellent grasp of the school’s needs. • The highly committed governing body is excellent at fulfilling its role. • Teaching is a major strength of the school and has a significant impact on the pupils’ learning. • New entrants are given a good start in their education through a lively, well-balanced early years programme. • Standards are high and all pupils achieve their full potential in most subjects. There are well- above average standards in literacy and science throughout both key stages. • The provision for special educational needs, including the deaf, is very good. Pupils make good progress towards most of their individual education targets, particularly in literacy. • The planned curriculum is exciting and broadly balanced in the main. There is excellent enrichment through a wide range of extra-curricular activities. • The excellent behaviour and relationships in the school are ensured by all the hard working and

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What the school does well

talented staff, who work well as a team to give very good support. • The school’s links with highly supportive parents are very good. • The school’s financial and daily administration is of a high standard. • The Christian ethos of the school is strongly reinforced through the very good respect for individual differences and sensitively managed collective worship. Longparish Church of England Primary - 7

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What could be improved

• The mathematical standards at Key Stage 2, although above average in most areas, do not reach the same very high standards of literacy and science. • The provision for dance, drama and gymnastics is unsatisfactory and infrequent because the hall is occupied for most of the time by a class. • A few parents are unhappy about the way homework is collected after its completion. • The suspended floors in the outer, recycled classrooms, are a possible safety risk. 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 previous inspection in April 1996 judged Longparish Primary to be a good school. The standards achieved by the pupils, the quality of education and the management and efficiency of the school were good. Since that time, good progress has been made in important areas. The results achieved by pupils since 1996 in the National Curriculum tests at the ages of seven and 11, have improved significantly in English and science, and in mathematics at Year 2. They are well above the national averages. Results in mathematics at Key Stage 2 have risen and standards are above the national average. However, they have not risen as much as English and science.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

All the key issues for action of the previous report have been dealt with very effectively and good progress has been made. The school’s structure is now reorganised into a four-class structure with discrete key stages. Extra training for teachers has been given in National Curriculum testing and information and communications technology (ICT). The coordinator’s role for ICT has been well supported, so that the planning in the subject is detailed and ensures that pupils make good progress in their ICT skills each year. The science curriculum at Key Stage 1 has been readjusted for a yearly cycle so that pupils revisit scientific concepts more frequently. A large amount of funding has been allocated for extra resourcing and its storage so that resources are sufficient, of high quality and easily accessible. Considerable alterations have been made to the building for administration and health and safety purposes. This has largely been funded voluntarily through the commendable

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

efforts of the chair of governors, the governors and staff and parents. The school is well placed to maintain its high standards and to continue its good improvement.

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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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Key

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

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Key

Results of seven year olds in the National Curriculum tests are equally impressive and mainly very high in writing and mathematics, and well above average in reading, both in comparison with all schools and in comparison with similar schools. Longparish Church of England Primary - 8 Standards are also high for children under the age of five; almost all children achieve above the Early Learning Goals before commencing their studies of the National Curriculum. Standards of children in the under-fives are as a result of the broad and relevant programme for them.

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Key

Throughout the school, standards in literacy are very high; pupils’ studies in other subjects help to promote fluency in literacy. At Key Stage 1, numeracy standards are very high with strengths in understanding place value and mental calculations. Numeracy standards at Key Stage 2 are above the normal benchmark, but not all pupils are challenged sufficiently for calculating mentally and for recording with larger numbers. There is insufficient work on capacity, weight (mass) and volume. In addition, pupils with special educational needs are not as well supported in numeracy as for literacy and other subjects. Standards in science at both key stages are well above the national standard and for similar schools. Standards in ICT are very secure and above expected levels for the primary age range. Standards on religious education are reported on separately by the Section 23 inspector.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils have very purposeful attitudes to their work. They are enthusiastic about their studies and their concentration is very good. They are very happy to come to school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour is excellent.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Personal development is excellent. Pupils make maximum use of the many varied opportunities they are given to take responsibility, conduct independent research and to use their initiative. Relationships throughout the school are excellent. Pupils have significant respect for the feelings, values and opinions of others.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance and punctuality are very good. There are very good systems to promote high attendance and low levels of unauthorised absence.

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

Lessons seen overall Very good Very good Very good

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

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

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

Throughout the school the quality of teaching and learning was predominantly very good. The teaching in all lessons was at least good. More than half the lessons seen were very good, with excellent aspects. This is a much higher proportion of very effective teaching than is usually seen. The high standards attained by pupils reflect the positive impact on learning made by the high quality teaching.

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

Features of the best teaching include the teachers’ very good knowledge of the National Curriculum overall, exceedingly high expectations for listening and discussion, the often excellent management of pupils and the detailed planning for lessons. Most lessons were challenging and interesting. During the inspection there was very good teaching in science, ICT and music. Longparish Church of England Primary - 9 The teaching of literacy was exceptionally good. The teaching of basic skills for literacy included very good emphasis on phonological awareness and strong encouragement to ensure a high standard in analysing the text, in comprehension in knowing about the development of plots and discussing characterisation. Handwriting, punctuation and grammar are well taught.

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

The teaching of numeracy ensured warm-up activities for mental calculations and highly perceptive questioning to enable a wide range of strategies for calculating to be explored. Activities for problem-solving were good. However, the size of numbers used to calculate and record were low at Key Stage 2 and lacked sufficient challenge. Throughout the school, planning by teachers for work on capacity, weight and volume was insufficient. Support in numeracy lessons for pupils with special educational needs was not of such a high quality as for literacy.

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

In each class there were examples of high quality teaching.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and balanced in the main and meets statutory requirements. Activities are very stimulating and relevant. Provision for extra-curricular opportunities is excellent. Planning for teaching literacy is very good with very good attention paid to the new literacy strategy. Although provision in numeracy is overall good, there are aspects of planning at Key Stage 2 where objectives do not take detailed account of pupils’ individual differences and their experiences for capacity, mass and volume. Provision for pupils with special educational needs All pupils with special educational needs are welcomed and make very good progress in nearly all subjects. The hard working coordinator and the support staff work sensitively and conscientiously to meet the needs of all pupils in their care. There is very good support, both internally and from the local education authority’s external agency staff

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Aspect Comment

for the deaf. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language During the inspection, pupils who had commenced their schooling with English as an additional language had made such good progress that they no longer were in need of the good provision of support available through the local education authority. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The overall provision is very good. The provision for spiritual, social and cultural development is very good. Provision for moral development is excellent. The school clearly states high values. The management of behaviour is excellent. The school encourages a well developed sense of mutual responsibility, protective of people and the environment. How well the school cares for its pupils There are good procedures implemented to assess all pupils. There is good analysis made on all results to monitor and maintain standards,

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Aspect Comment

and a very good tracking system implemented to monitor pupils’ progress from entry. The quality of care is very good. The school is very clean and well maintained. All staff, including mealtime assistants, ensure that pupils are well supported in an ordered community. Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are very good. Longparish Church of England Primary - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The quality of leadership and management is very good overall, with excellent features. The dedicated, calm headteacher has an excellent grasp of the school’s educational needs. All the enthusiastic staff work well as a team and carry out their coordinator roles most effectively. How well the appropriate authority fulfils its responsibilities The chairman and governors are excellent at strategic planning in supporting the school. They are fully involved in the life of the school and give voluntary support for fund-raising well beyond the normal expectations. The school’s evaluation of its performance The school is excellent at evaluating its own strengths and weaknesses. The headteacher, governors and senior staff have ensured rigorous monitoring and evaluation of standards and teaching. As a result, key issues of the previous report have all been rectified

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Aspect Comment

and standards raised. The school has already identified the present areas for development in order to raise provision further for numeracy, for dance, drama, gymnastics and building improvements. The strategic use of resources The school provides very good value for money. The school uses its resources of time, equipment, the budget and somewhat limited accommodation, very effectively. The school’s financial and daily administration is of a high standard. Excellent use is made of all staff, parents and members of the local community so that there are significant contributions made to enable high standards in most aspects of the school.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The headteacher’s educational leadership. • The very good behaviour of pupils. • The approachability of teachers. • The happy family ethos. • Small classes. • The good consultation over the home/school agreement. • The very good support for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language. • The literacy and numeracy curriculum. • They are welcomed openly at the school. • The class in the hall. • The arrangements for returning completed homework back to the home. • One parent was unhappy about music tuition. • One parent was concerned whether provision for children aged under five was relevant to the age range. • A few parents had concerns over a lack of challenge for higher attaining pupils.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with all the parents’ positive views about the school.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The pupils in the class in the hall were making very good progress and a great deal of thought had been put into making their lessons free from interruptions. However, the class using the hall limited other classes’ provision for dance, drama and gymnastics.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Arrangements for returning completed homework back to the home were variable between classes. Inspectors agreed that the collation of homework in a homework book, which could be returned more immediately, would be a desirable improvement. The school has already begun steps to implement this at Key Stage 2 for numeracy. Longparish Church of England Primary - 11 • The concern over music tuition was unjustified. All music lessons observed were of a high standard. The content of lessons closely met the National Curriculum’s targets for music. Modern targets are now broader and no longer narrow-range.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The under-fives receive a well balanced early years programme, highly relevant to their needs.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• There was a lack of challenge for higher attainers in some aspects of numeracy, but not for all other subjects observed. Longparish Church of England Primary - 12

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The headteacher leads the school with dedication and an excellent grasp of the

1. The headteacher has an excellent grasp of the school’s developmental areas and she communicates these clearly to governors, staff, parents and pupils. The firm commitment to high standards and the belief that all pupils should be given the best possible opportunities to achieve their full potential are the firm foundations which underpin all aspects of the school’s work, and are clearly stated in all the school’s documentation.

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The headteacher leads the school with dedication and an excellent grasp of the

The highly committed governing body is excellent at fulfilling its role.

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The headteacher leads the school with dedication and an excellent grasp of the

2. The chairman and members of the governing body are fully involved in the daily life of the school. The governing body is excellent at strategic planning. As a result, the aims of the school’s development plan have been successfully achieved within a reasonable time-scale. A number of governors help out in school on a regular basis, supporting teachers and pupils in classrooms and helping out in fund-raising. Governors are well aware of the needs of the school and make a full and active contribution when they can. The chairman often takes a major lead in organising fund-raising; his drive and flair largely influenced the provision of a new extension to the school, housing new offices, staff room, a library and medical room.

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The headteacher leads the school with dedication and an excellent grasp of the

3. Governors have high levels of personal and professional expertise and are conscientious and well organised. Relationships between the headteacher and governors are mutually respectful and sincere. Governors are proactive and keep themselves very well informed about what is going on in the school. They make regular reports back to the full governing body and account well to the parents of the school.

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Teaching is a major strength of the school and has a significant impact on the pupils’

4. The quality of teaching throughout all classes is very good and has a strong impact on pupils’ learning. Teaching is founded on the very good relationships which have been established between all staff and pupils. The opinions of pupils are respected and valued. As a result, the quality of discourse in lessons is high, contributing significantly to pupils’ knowledge and understanding. A positive feature of very good teaching is in the very high expectations teachers have of pupils’ academic performance and behaviour. Teachers consistently expect that all pupils will give of their very best, and are very encouraging for pupils’ attempts.

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Teaching is a major strength of the school and has a significant impact on the pupils’

5. Assessment is thorough and teachers make good analysis of results and data overall in order to plan comprehensively for the next lessons. The headteacher operates a very good tracking system of individual pupils’ performances in order to provide extra support where this is needed. Teachers take great care to ensure that lessons are interesting and relevant, and that the tasks are well matched to pupils’ needs. Their management of pupils is skilful and at times excellent, so that pupils are eager to try hard and to behave responsibly. Teachers make very good use of support staff and resources for maximum impact in lessons. The use of well-planned homework contributes well to pupils’ high standards.

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New entrants are given a good start in their education through a lively, well-balanced

6. The teaching for the under-fives is very good and the children take part in a well-planned and very appropriate programme of learning activities which develops early skills and learning to a level above national expectations. The planned activities for the children under five are lively Longparish Church of England Primary - 13 and relevant, closely based upon the Early Learning Goals. In addition, in their language development, children greatly enjoy completing their literacy tasks, including the whole-class ‘big book’ shared sessions. There is a good balance of teacher-directed tasks and child-chosen activities so that children’s self-esteem and confidence are enhanced well.

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New entrants are given a good start in their education through a lively, well-balanced

Standards are high and all pupils achieve their full potential in most subjects.

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New entrants are given a good start in their education through a lively, well-balanced

7. There are well-above average standards in literacy and science throughout both key stages. Standards in mathematics at the end of Key Stage 1 are very high. High standards were observed in music. An analysis of pupils’ work illustrates high standards of presentation and very good skills for communication. Attendance is very good and pupils are happy to come to school, arriving promptly. There is excellent personal development of pupils.

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New entrants are given a good start in their education through a lively, well-balanced

8. The very effective learning that takes place ensures that academic standards are often well above the national averages in English, mathematics and science. It is a notable strength of the school’s curriculum that high academic standards have been achieved whilst retaining breadth and balance in the curriculum in the main.

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New entrants are given a good start in their education through a lively, well-balanced

The provision for special educational needs, including the deaf, is very good.

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New entrants are given a good start in their education through a lively, well-balanced

9. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards most of their individual educational targets, particularly in literacy. The school works very hard to make sure that all pupils with special educational needs feel valued and play a very full part in the life of the school. Pupils with special educational needs are proud of the work they do and are keen to celebrate their achievements with the staff, their friends and their fellow pupils.

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New entrants are given a good start in their education through a lively, well-balanced

10. The special educational needs coordinator is industrious and efficient; she gives very good support to teachers and classroom assistants in order to devise and implement together appropriate programmes of work. Pupils’ problems are identified early. The ratio of adult to pupil support is very good and the quality of support is high. Visiting specialists, such as learning support for the deaf, come to school frequently and give very good help to staff and pupils. All teachers are aware of the Code of Practice and implement it fully.

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The planned curriculum is exciting and broadly balanced in the main. There is

excellent enrichment through a wide range of extra-curricular activities.

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The planned curriculum is exciting and broadly balanced in the main. There is

11. Lessons are highly relevant and encourage excellent attitudes to learning. Activities are carefully planned to sustain pupils’ good concentration and interest. Very good opportunities are provided for pupils to work alone or collaboratively in small groups. In one science lesson, pupils were encouraged to work in pairs with batteries, wire and bulbs to make complete electrical circuits, and to investigate what would happen if a switch was introduced. Another class enjoyed participating in a dramatic interpretation of what it would have been like to have been a Tudor person, complete with a resplendent Queen Elizabeth I.

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The planned curriculum is exciting and broadly balanced in the main. There is

12. There are excellent planned opportunities to enrich the curriculum. These have included a National Grounds Day, Bournemouth Sinfonietta workshops, re-stocking of the nearby River Test, theatre group visits for The Magic Nutcracker, and a puppeteer. Pupils have visited Andover Museum, Whitchurch Silk Mill and Lepe Beach. They have participated in music and sports festivals, and have been on residential trips to Devon, Isle of Wight and the New Forest.

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The planned curriculum is exciting and broadly balanced in the main. There is

13. Pupils take part in an extremely wide range of high quality activities after school throughout the school year. The headteacher, staff and parents contribute successfully to these after-school sessions. When pupils leave the school, their transition to secondary schooling is smooth, due to the good links built up for extra-curricular visits. For a small school, the after-school activities and visits on offer are quite exceptional and collectively are a major strength. Longparish Church of England Primary - 14

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The excellent behaviour and relationships in the school are ensured by all the hard-

working and talented staff, who work well as a team to give very good support.

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The excellent behaviour and relationships in the school are ensured by all the hard-

14. The school is a harmonious community based on trusting and respectful relationships where everyone is valued. Contributions made receive good respect. As a result, there are positive attitudes and secure relationships which ensure an effective learning environment. The procedures for encouraging good behaviour are well known by pupils, and pupils are proud to participate in the school’s rewards systems, culminating in its celebration ceremony when each term, the house-point cup is awarded. In striving to achieve, very successfully, high quality relationships, the school still remains a friendly and supportive community with a caring ‘family’ atmosphere extended to the wider community, for example in the support for charities, and the luncheon club for the older members of the area. In the final year of their schooling a certificate is presented to a Year 6 pupil who has made the most significant contribution to the life of the

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The excellent behaviour and relationships in the school are ensured by all the hard-

The school’s links with highly supportive parents are very good.

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The excellent behaviour and relationships in the school are ensured by all the hard-

15. Parents support the school very well and are satisfied with the education it provides. This was reflected by the positive comments at the parents’ meeting and the satisfaction shown through the parents’ questionnaires. The pre-school links with parents are good. Parents successfully help during and after school, as well as raising substantial amounts for projects, such as when the chair of governors walked from the Needles to Cape Wrath to raise funds for extra accommodation to be added to the school's building. There is a thriving 'Friends of Longparish School' Association which organises a wide range of social as well as fund-raising events. Parents are happy that they have good opportunities to voice their concerns.

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The excellent behaviour and relationships in the school are ensured by all the hard-

The school’s financial and daily administration is of a high standard.

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The excellent behaviour and relationships in the school are ensured by all the hard-

16. The overall efficiency of the school is very good. Governors receive regular statements of the budget and keep a close check on spending. There has been very close monitoring of the budget in recent years in order to fund the school’s extension and refurbishment. A great deal of the school’s finances has been saved due to the concerted effort of staff, governors, parents and members of the community in order to build the extension in the most cost-effective way.

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The excellent behaviour and relationships in the school are ensured by all the hard-

17. Day-to-day financial procedures ensure a separation of functions with regular checks undertaken so that administrative systems are of a good standard. School routines are very efficiently monitored by the school’s administrator and the headteacher. There is maximum use of funds, accommodation, staffing and resources. The extent to which the principles of ‘best value’ are applied is excellent. Overall, the school gives very good value for money.

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The Christian ethos of the school is strongly reinforced through the very good

respect for individual differences and sensitively managed collective worship.

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The Christian ethos of the school is strongly reinforced through the very good

18. Opportunities for collective worship are frequent and based firmly on the Christian faith. The quality of quiet time for prayer and inner reflection is unhurried and transforming. It promotes a fine awareness of our beautiful world, of God, of the unity underlying all people, and a growth in personal insight. Pupils gain very good personal insight into their own responses, relationships and the spiritual beliefs of their own and other cultures.

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The numeracy standards at Key Stage 2, although above national averages, do not

reach the same very high standards of literacy and science.

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The numeracy standards at Key Stage 2, although above national averages, do not

19. There are shortcomings in challenging all Key Stage 2 pupils with targets from the National Numeracy Strategy, which would match pupils’ needs more appropriately. For example, higher Longparish Church of England Primary - 15 attainers need to be working in mental and recorded calculations in larger numbers than at present. There is insufficient coverage of the National Curriculum Programmes of Study for pupils’ knowledge of capacity and mass (weight) throughout both key stages. The support for pupils with special educational needs in numeracy is not as effective as that of literacy.

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The provision for dance, drama and gymnastics is unsatisfactory and infrequent

because the hall is occupied for most of the time by a class.

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The provision for dance, drama and gymnastics is unsatisfactory and infrequent

20. The pupils of the class in the hall are making very good progress. A great deal of care and thought has been put into providing an environment which is as free from interruption as possible. The school is very successful at this and the class is interrupted only when the hall is required for active purposes. This is timetabled for carefully. What is affected significantly is the lack of sufficient provision for other classes to use the hall for dance, gymnastics and drama. Sporting activities are well provided for outdoors. The school’s site is well endowed and attractive and, therefore, physical activities often take place out of doors. However, in inclement weather this is not always possible.

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The provision for dance, drama and gymnastics is unsatisfactory and infrequent

A few parents are unhappy about the way homework is collected after its completion.

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The provision for dance, drama and gymnastics is unsatisfactory and infrequent

21. Arrangements for returning completed homework back to the home varies between classes. Sometimes this is asked for on separate sheets, which are often filed in a topic folder as part of project work. Therefore, parents did not see the homework again until the parents’ evenings, termly. The inspectors considered that if the collation of homework was managed within a book format and returned home as soon as possible, parents would be able to help their children over any problems more promptly. Inspectors considered that the home/school agreement was very worthy and that parents were more than pleased with their involvement over its implementation.

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The provision for dance, drama and gymnastics is unsatisfactory and infrequent

The suspended floors in the outer, recycled classrooms are a possible safety risk.

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The provision for dance, drama and gymnastics is unsatisfactory and infrequent

22. Staff, parents and governors all have concerns over the safety of the outer classroom floors. Notification has been given to the school that no more than five adults should be present in a classroom at the same time as a class of thirty pupils, due to the dubious nature of the suspended flooring. The classrooms arrived at the school second-hand many years ago and have probably outlasted their span of projected use. It would seem appropriate if a further survey by a qualified building surveyor could be arranged in order to allay any worries about the safety of all who use the rooms.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

23. Ensure that numeracy standards at Key Stage 2 reach the same very high standards of literacy and science by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

§ Challenging all pupils with targets from the National Numeracy Strategy which are more appropriately linked to their needs, for example, using larger numbers for higher attainers to calculate orally and record; § Providing more experiences of capacity and weight for pupils; § Supporting pupils with special educational needs more effectively during all numeracy lessons.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

24. Improve the provision and frequency for dance, drama and gymnastics by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

§ Drawing up a feasibility plan with the aid of the appropriate authorities for either re- housing the class using the hall, or renting or providing an alternative hall.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

25. Improve the collation of regular homework within a book format and arrange for its prompt return to parents.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

26. Ensure the complete safety of pupils and adults in the outer, recycled classrooms by enlisting the Longparish Church of England Primary - 16 support of the local education authority and a representative of the Diocesan Board in order to survey the flooring in its present state. Longparish Church of England Primary - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 24

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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

6% 53% 41% The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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