Denmead Infant School

Denmead Infant School

Reporting inspector: Mrs Carol Worthington

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Denmead Infant School

Dates of inspection: 18 th to 21 st October 1999

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Denmead Infant School

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Hambledon Road Denmead Waterlooville PO7 6PN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body of Denmead Infants School.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of Chairman of Governors: Mrs E Goodman

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the appropriate authority must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. Every registered parent of a registered pupil at the school should receive a free copy of the summary of the report within ten working days of receipt of the summary by the appropriate authority. A charge not exceeding the cost of supply may be made by the appropriate authority for any other copies of the report and/or its summary provided to any person who asks for one. The appropriate authority should make a copy of the report and the summary available for inspection by members of the public at such times and at such a place as may be reasonable Any enquiries about this legislation should be addressed to the OFSTED Compliance Helpline Tel. 0171421 6567

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Carol Worthington, RgI Mathematics, Religious education, Music, Physical education Attainment and progress Teaching, Leadership and management, Efficiency Tony West, Lay Inspector Attitudes and behaviour, Attendance, Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents and the community Eileen Chadwick Science, Design and technology, Information technology, History The curriculum and assessment Special educational needs Equal opportunities Margaret Cooper English, Art, Geography Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Children aged under five The inspection contractor was:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Phoenix Educational Consultants “Thule” 60 Joy Lane Whitstable Kent, CT5 4LT

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE

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What the school does well

_. Standards are well above average in mathematics and English, and above average in science. _. Good teaching results in good progress in both Early Years and Key Stage 1. Good progress is made in design and technology, history and geography. _. The school promotes very good attitudes to study, very good behaviour and very good relationships. _. The school provides well for pupils with special educational needs. _. Provision for moral development is very good and for social development, it is good. _. The information for parents is of good quality and the school involves parents very well in children’s learning. _. There are very good links with the community. _. Very good leadership and management create a very good climate for learning. _. There is very good financial planning and the school is efficient and well run.

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What the school does well

I. Progress in information technology is unsatisfactory, especially in the acquisition of keyboard skills for use across the curriculum. II. The curriculum does not provide sufficient creative, investigative and problem solving activities. III. Higher attaining pupils are not consistently challenged by their work.

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school

_ How the school has improved since the last inspection

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school

The school has shown good improvement since the last inspection in 1996. The headteacher, governors and staff have worked hard to achieve improved standards in English and mathematics. Moreover, teaching standards have improved because of the more frequent sharing of good practice. This has resulted in good progress made by the pupils. Good progress has been made in tackling the key issues from the last inspection, particularly raising the standard in mathematics and design and technology. Schemes of work are now in place for the whole curriculum and these are successfully monitored through the examination of planning. The school is well placed to make further improvements. _

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school

This table shows the standards achieved by seven year olds in 1998 based on the National Curriculum tests:

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similar schools

_ Key well above average A above average B Reading B D average C Writing A B below average D Mathematics A A well below average E

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similar schools

The information shows that compared, with all schools, standards are well above average in writing and mathematics and above average in reading. Compared with similar schools, standards are well above average in mathematics, above average in writing and below average in reading. Standards in the1999 national tests were very similar although there has been a marked improvement in reading and the school's results are now above average when compared with similar schools. English results were well above average and high standards have been maintained in mathematics, but science results by teacher assessment were slightly lower than those of 1998, particularly in investigative science which were lower, and physical science which were much lower. Current standards seen during the inspection agreed with these 1999 results. ‘Similar schools’ are those with roughly the same percentage of pupils who are eligible for free school meals. Whilst

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similar schools

standards in science are above average overall, they are not as high as English and mathematics because of weaknesses in investigative skills and in physical science. Standards in information technology are at the level of the national expectation and, in religious education, they are in line with the expectations of the locally Agreed Syllabus. Children aged under five make good progress and attain good standards in most areas of the curriculum. _ Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and attain good standards for their previous attainment.

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similar schools

English Good Good Mathematics Good Good Science Good Satisfactory Information technology n/a Unsatisfactory Religious education n/a Satisfactory Other subjects Good Good

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similar schools

Of the 53 lessons seen, all were satisfactory or better. Forty-nine per cent were good or better and eight per cent were very good. Although the few lessons seen in information technology were satisfactory, their intermittent nature in Key Stage 1 prevents adequate consolidation of skills, particularly on the keyboard, and coverage of the whole curriculum. This results in unsatisfactory progress so that the effect of the teaching of this subject is unsatisfactory.

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similar schools

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

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour Very good throughout the school; attitudes to learning are also very good. Relationships are very good; personal development is good. Attendance Good; attendance for 1997-1998 was above the national average. Ethos* Very good commitment to high standards of work in a caring atmosphere. Leadership and management Very good, strong leadership by the headteacher, who is well supported by the governing body and staff. The new deputy headteacher has already made a significant contribution. Curriculum Good for children under five and Key Stage 1, but there are insufficient creative and problem solving activities to enable pupils to take more responsibility for their own learning. Pupils with special educational needs Good provision. It is well managed by the special educational needs co-ordinator and well supported by staff so that most children make good progress. Those with very high attainment are not consistently challenged by their work.

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Aspect Comment

Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Good overall. Moral development is very good and social good. Provision for spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory. Staffing, resources and accommodation Good overall. There are satisfactory numbers of qualified staff and good arrangements for professional development. The accommodation is well maintained and there are good resources, except for computers which are too few and mostly old. Value for money The school gives good value for money.

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Aspect Comment

*Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards.

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

• .They are happy with behaviour and attitudes to work. • .Their children are able to progress without fear of ‘labelling’, which seems to have a positive effect. • .The appropriate level and amount of homework. • .The school is very approachable. • .The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons. • .The school gives a clear understanding of what is taught. • .Children like school. • .The uncomfortable degree of pressure put on children, especially in Year 2. Several parents felt strongly that their children were being pushed too hard, and were not allowed enough time to play. • .Some parents are critical of the amount of homework their children are expected to do. • .Reports should be more informative, and that information on levels of expectation of children’s attainment should be given. • .Several parents showed concern over the class sizes. Inspectors agreed with the parents’ positive comments. Class sizes are large but well

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

managed by teachers and their classroom assistants. A key issue relates to the emphasis placed on academic work. It was considered that homework is used appropriately to further the curriculum. Annual reports fulfil legal requirements but they do not always provide sufficient guidance on the standards that the pupils have achieved.

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

The governors, headteacher and staff should address the following matters in writing the action plan, in order to raise standards and improve the provision the school makes still further.

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

♦ . Improve progress in information technology skills, as already identified in the

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school development plan, by:

♦ . improving teachers’ expertise; ♦ . fully implementing the scheme of work; ♦ . monitoring equality of access; ♦ . increasing time allocation for the subject; ♦ . improving hardware and software (as funds permit). Paragraphs 25, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 38, 64, 66, 70, 103, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 146.

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school development plan, by:

♦ . Improve the balance of the curriculum by: ♦ . increasing the time spent on creative arts; ♦ . increasing the opportunities for investigating problem solving and independent learning Paragraphs 31, 33, 101, 109,110.

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school development plan, by:

♦ . Extend the provision for children of very high attainment to realise their talents more fully in all areas of the curriculum. Paragraphs 25, 32, 101, 103, 108, 110, 112, 136, 137, 146.

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school development plan, by:

In addition to the key issues above the following less important weaknesses should be considered for inclusion in the action plan.

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school development plan, by:

1. Further improve standards in science by: ♦ . improving teachers’ knowledge of physical processes and investigative methods; ♦ . allocating sufficient time in the curriculum and ensuring that there is a balance across all the attainment targets; ♦ . planning for the full range of ability. Paragraphs 24, 31, 32, 33, 36, 38, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113,136, 137. 1.Implementing a scheme of work for speaking and listening. (Paragraphs 32, 90) 2. Increasing the use of the outdoor area for children aged under five. (Paragraphs 30, 66) 3. Continuing to further promote pupils' understanding of Britain as a multi cultural society. (Paragraph 41) 4. INTRODUCTION 4. Characteristics of the school

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school development plan, by:

1. Denmead Infant school is in the rapidly expanding village of Denmead. It is a school of 210 pupils between the ages of four and seven, and admits 70 pupils every year. Children aged under five are admitted to the school in September on a full or part-time basis according to their age. It is currently moving from two-form entry to three-form as part of the initiative to reduce class sizes for infants. At the time of the inspection, there were three Reception classes, two classes in Year 1 and two in Year 2. The number of boys and girls is almost the same. Most pupils come from the surrounding area which is fairly affluent, although a few children live in circumstances of social and economic disadvantage. The percentage eligible for free school meals is low. Assessment of children on entry shows that they have above average skills in most areas, including social development. The number of pupils with special educational needs and statements of

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school development plan, by:

special educational need is below average. 2. The aims of the school include a commitment to nurturing the full potential of every child in all areas of the life of the school including intellectual, moral, spiritual, emotional, cultural and social development. Recent developments in the school have been the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy and National Numeracy Strategy. The school development plan gives priority to improving reading for boys in particular, and to improving resources in information technology. The governors’ current main priority is to provide resources for times of curricular change and gradually increasing numbers.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total for reporting year: 97/98 35 35 70 3.

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Test/Task Results

At NC Level 2 or Girls 35 35 35 above Total 63 66 70 Percentage at NC School 90 (86) 94 (91) 100 (97)

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Test/Task Results

Level 2 or above National 80 (80) 81 (80) 84 (83)

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Teacher Assessments

Reading Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 30 35 33

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Teacher Assessments

At NC Level 2 or Girls 35 35 35 above Total 65 70 68 Percentage at NC School 93 (93) 100 (95) 97 (97)

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Teacher Assessments

Level 2 or above National 81 (85) 85 (83) 86 (85)

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Teacher Assessments

Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year 3.

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Attendance

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete Reporting year: 1997/98 %

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Attendance

Authorised School 4.8 Absence National comparative data 5.7

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Attendance

Unauthorised School 0 Absence National comparative data 0.5

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Exclusions

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

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Exclusions

The previous year: Fixed period 0 Permanent 0 3.

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Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 8 Satisfactory or better 100 Less than satisfactory 0 3.

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Attainment and progress

3. In Key Stage 1, attainment in reading at the expected Level 2, as shown by the 1998 national end of key stage tests, is above both the national average and that of similar schools. The number of pupils reaching the higher Level 3, however, was close to the national average but below that of schools with a similar intake. Standards in writing at Level 2 were above the national average and that for similar schools, and the percentage reaching Level 3 was well above the national average and above average compared with similar schools. Teacher assessment of speaking and listening also shows standards to be well above average. Standards have risen steadily over the three years from 1996 and show considerable improvement since the previous inspection report in 1996 when they were seen to be broadly average. 4. The findings of the current inspection are that standards in English are well above average, which is consistent with the standards achieved during the most recent national

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Attainment and progress

tests in 1999. Pupils show well above average speaking and listening skills. They confidently express their ideas to others in well-chosen vocabulary, and show by their relevant comments that they have listened carefully. Reading standards are well above average. Pupils read a very good range of books; most understand the main points in the text, show preferences, and are able to use simple library classification systems to locate books. Standards in writing are well above average. Seven year olds write letters, stories, menus and newspaper reports, and demonstrate particularly high standards in spelling and punctuation. 5. In 1998, 11 per cent of the pupils did not achieve Level 2 in reading and in 1999 four per cent did not achieve Level 2. In 1998, seven per cent did not achieve Level 2 in writing. However, due to successful teaching of writing including spelling to lower attaining pupils,

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Attainment and progress

only four per cent in 1999 did not achieve Level 2 in writing. According to 1999 teachers’ assessments, there are more boys with below average reading and writing than girls. This was not apparent in the special educational needs teaching groups observed on the inspection. 6. Standards in mathematics, as shown by the 1998 national tests were well above average. Both the percentage of pupils gaining the expected Level 2 and the higher Level 3 were well above average when compared with all schools, and also with similar schools. Moreover, the trend in standards of attainment has been rising over the last three years. Analysis of the 1999 national tests shows that these high standards have been maintained and that the percentages of pupils gaining Level 2 and Level 3 are again well above the national average and that for similar schools. 7. Current attainment in mathematics observed during the inspection agrees with the test

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Attainment and progress

data. Pupils' work contain a high proportion of Level 3 material and, in all classes, they are working at levels which are well above average for their age. Pupils aged seven have a very good grasp of the four rules of number; most are secure in two, five and ten times tables, and are able to multiply and divide in hundreds, tens and units. Average pupils collect data about their journey to school and neatly produce hand drawn bar charts. All pupils identify common two dimensional shapes, and higher attaining pupils identify faces, vertices and edges of three dimensional shapes. 8. Attainment in science shown by teacher assessment for 1998 was well above average for Level 2 and above, and well above average for Level 3. It was also above average when compared with similar schools in all four science attainment targets. However, standards dropped in 1999, being above the national average in Levels 2 and 3, but only

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Attainment and progress

average compared with similar schools. Attainment at Level 3 was variable: it was high in biological aspects, but lower in physical and investigative science. Pupils with special educational needs sometimes spend too much time recording by colouring in science lessons and not enough time reading and writing at their own level which limits their literacy in all subjects. 9. The findings of the inspection agree with the results of the 1999 national tests, but note a lack of balance in the curriculum. There are high standards in life and living processes, very good use of scientific vocabulary and an ability to apply knowledge to design and technology projects, for example, making nutritious sandwiches and a box for them to go in. Pupils' understanding of forces is below average, as is their ability to plan their own tests. 10. In information technology, standards were seen to be at the level of the national

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Attainment and progress

expectation. Skills using the mouse are highly developed but keyboard skills are weak, thus limiting pupils’ ability to use a wordprocessor to draft and edit work. Although pupils construct bar charts, standards in data handling are below average. Standards in controlling a programmable robot are average for pupils of this age. 11. In religious education, attainment is in line with the expectations of the locally Agreed Syllabus. Pupils have a satisfactory knowledge of Christian stories and festivals, and learn to compare and contrast them with Hindu festivals such as Diwali and Holi. 12. At the time of the last inspection, pupils’ attainment was in line with national expectations for most subjects and areas of experience. Standards in science, religious education and music were judged to be high. In mathematics and design and technology, there was some below average achievement. Progress was noted as being unacceptably

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Attainment and progress

varied in the Reception and Year 2 classes. 13. The findings of the current inspection are that, by the end of Key Stage 1, standards in English and mathematics, including literacy and Numeracy, are well above average, and in science, they are above average. This shows good improvement in English and particularly good improvement in mathematics. In information technology, standards are at the level of the national expectation and, in religious education, they meet the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus. In design and technology, history and geography, standards are above average for the pupils ages and in music, art and physical education they are average for the pupils ages. Standards in history and geography have improved since the school’s last OFSTED inspection but in music and religious education they are not as high as they were at that time. 14. Progress is good overall, and is commensurate with the high proportion of good

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Attainment and progress

teaching seen in English, mathematics, design and technology, history and geography. Progress in design and technology has improved since the last inspection. Progress in science is uneven and, although good in life processes, is slow in physical science and investigative work. Pupils make satisfactory progress in all other areas of learning, except information technology where computer skills are not systematically developed. In general, good progress is made where teachers are secure in knowledge and understanding of the subject and sufficient time is allowed for continuity from one week to the next, thus permitting knowledge, understanding and skills to be consolidated. Good progress also results from pupils knowing and understanding the lesson objectives, good use of resources, good matching of work to ability, and sufficient challenge. Progress is good over time as pupils build on their previous knowledge, practise new skills and incorporate them

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Attainment and progress

into their work at a higher level. The school has set challenging targets for further improvement and is making good progress towards achieving these targets. 15. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress particularly in reading, writing and spelling through effective teaching of the small steps needed during specialist withdrawal time or support in class. Pupils’ difficulties are well assessed, and individual education plans are specific to their needs. 16. Children enter the Reception classes with above average skills in language and literacy, numeracy and most other curriculum areas. Many have had nursery education. Most children have easily met the Desirable Learning Outcomes for children of this age, and are moving on to National Curriculum work by the time they are five, if not before. By the end of the Reception year, their attainment is above average in language, literacy,

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Attainment and progress

mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, and average in creative development. Their progress is good, and high standards are maintained, as a result of good teaching that combines high expectations with a sympathetic understanding of the needs of young children.

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Attainment and progress

17. Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

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Attainment and progress

17. Behaviour in the school is very good. As in the previous inspection, the school has an orderly and harmonious atmosphere. The school’s detailed policies for discipline and behaviour result in a happy yet well ordered community. Pupils show a positive response to teaching throughout the school; they are well motivated, keen to learn, interested in their work and participate well in class. Opportunities appropriate for the pupils’ ages are provided for them to take personal responsibility, and the pupils work as monitors and assist members of staff. They are encouraged to undertake suitable work at home. Although the opportunities for pupils to take initiative in their own work are limited, they are able and willing to work in a variety of group structures. Their relationships with one another, with members of staff and with other adults are very good. Examples of collaborative work were seen during the inspection including pairs of pupils working in a

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Attainment and progress

numeracy session “hunting for gold”. Pupils are happy to share equipment and are very careful when handling resources. 18. Pupils are aware of the school’s expectations and are encouraged to devise their own class rules. They respect the school’s rewards and sanction systems, respond well to instruction, are courteous and observe the rules. A thorough knowledge of the pupils and skilled handling by the staff help to maintain the high standards of behaviour. There have been no exclusions in the school during the past year. There are few instances of bullying and none was seen during the inspection. The pupils’ personal development is good. Children in the early years show high attainment in their personal and social skills. This area of learning is taught well, and the children make good progress.

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Attainment and progress

19. Attendance 19. Attendance at the school is good. It was above the national average for the last reporting year (1997/8) and, for the same period, no days were missed through unauthorised absence. This was well below the national average. The school registers are coded correctly and are marked consistently at the start of sessions. Pupils are punctual to lessons and settle down quickly to the established routines. These findings are broadly in line with those of the last inspection.

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Attainment and progress

20. QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED 20. Teaching

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Attainment and progress

20. At the last inspection, teaching was judged to be satisfactory and often good, although some unsatisfactory lessons were observed. Design and technology was not well taught. An improvement was seen during this inspection when 53 lessons were observed. All were satisfactory or better: 49 per cent were good or better and eight per cent were very good. In Key Stage 1, 45 per cent were good or better and two per cent were very good. The improvement in the quality of teaching since the last inspection reflects the school’s success in addressing the key issue regarding the need to share good practice in teaching. 21. The quality of teaching in the early years is good, and makes a positive impact on the progress made by children under five. All lessons seen were at least satisfactory, 62 per cent were good or better, and 23 per cent very good. Teaching of creative development is satisfactory, and all other areas of learning are taught well. The teaching of both

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Attainment and progress

numeracy and writing is particularly strong and results in the children making very good progress in these areas. 22. Reception teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the early years curriculum as well as the needs of younger children. They plan and structure tasks well, matching them to the differing stages of learning of children within the class, and provide opportunities for children to choose some of their own activities. There is an appropriate mixture of whole-class, group and individual learning. Support staff are used well: they are closely informed of planned activities and what the children are to learn, and help to monitor the children’s progress. In a very good lesson observed during the inspection, the teacher had very good knowledge and understanding of how young children acquire early writing skills. Shared writing was planned well to meet the needs of all children whatever

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Attainment and progress

their current stage of learning. There was good use of assessment by the classroom assistant who recorded the children’s capacity to share ideas with others during the whole- class introduction, and by the teacher in her written assessment in individual writing books. The teacher did a great deal to increase the children’s pride and confidence by demonstrating how much she valued their independent writing. 23. Teachers have secure knowledge and understanding of the curriculum and demonstrate this daily in the subjects that they teach in Key Stage 1. They have implemented the literacy hour well and are following its format in each year, although they have not yet adapted it thoroughly to the needs of the school. The National Numeracy Strategy has been implemented this term and teachers are already secure in its structure, although some are not so confident in the whole-class mental mathematics sessions and the final

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Attainment and progress

plenary. In science, teachers have good knowledge of life and living processes and a sound knowledge of materials, but are less sure of investigative scientific methods and of some components of physical processes, for example, forces. Knowledge and understanding are also good in design and technology. Teachers’ expectations are high, which is shown by the high level at which National Curriculum work is done. 24. In Key Stage 1, planning is satisfactory. Lesson objectives are usually clear and, in most cases, communicated well to the children. However, they do not always contain work planned to meet the full range of attainment in the class, for example, in science, all pupils do the same work and differentiation for the higher attaining is based usually on the ability to record in writing rather than pictorially, and not on the extension of scientific ideas and understanding. Planning does not include the relevant use of information technology.

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Attainment and progress

25. Teaching methods are usually good in Reception where there is a good range of activities during each session and they are satisfactory in Key Stage 1. Although most teachers plan a variety of activities, pupils sometimes spend too long on the carpet listening to or watching the teacher demonstrate something. The management of pupils is good and classes are characterised by their busy atmosphere. Any behavioural problems, which are almost always associated with more able children losing interest in long introductions, are quickly dealt with. 26. Lessons begin and end on time, and time is generally used well for learning. Teachers have the management of large classes well under control, and not much time is lost in settling them. Some whole-class lessons tend to have a slow pace, especially where teachers are not so secure in whole-class techniques, for example, some mental mathematics sessions. Plenary sessions are sometimes too brief and do not allow all the

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Attainment and progress

main points of the lesson to be explored in depth. 27. Teachers keep marking up-to-date and obviously use their knowledge of pupils' achievements to group them for literacy and numeracy to best advantage, and to plan further lessons in all subjects. Homework is well used for children under five and is very well used for Key Stage 1, although some parents, who are not so happy about the amount their children are expected to do, feel that it leaves little time for play and relaxation at home. 28. Overall, the teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Class teachers work closely with the special educational needs support staff and prepare tasks that are usually well matched to the previous attainment of pupils. Pupils’ individual education plans contain targets which are short term and achievable. Pupils are sensitively encouraged to take a full part in nearly all lesson activities although, during some elements

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Attainment and progress

of the literacy hour, some appropriate individual tuition is provided. Good use is made of the time when pupils are withdrawn for specialist English support.

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Attainment and progress

29. The curriculum for children under five is planned well, with a strong emphasis on language, mathematics and personal development, and prepares the children effectively for their learning at Key Stage 1. There are good arrangements for monitoring children’s standards and progress, and assessment information is used efficiently to match learning to individual needs. The Reception classes are well provided with the number of suitably experienced teaching and support staff to meet the needs of the children and the curriculum, and with accommodation and resources. Classrooms are organised effectively into distinct learning areas and have immediate access to an enclosed outdoor area, although insufficient use is made of the outdoor space to promote learning during lessons. 30. The school offers a broad curriculum that is relevant to the pupils’ daily lives. The curriculum encourages good progress and well above average attainment in literacy and

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Attainment and progress

numeracy. There is a strong emphasis on the core subjects of English and mathematics but time allocations sometimes result in uneven progress in other subjects. The school devotes a well above average amount of time to teaching English. Too little time is devoted to information technology, which results in unsatisfactory progress. Insufficient time is given to developing pupils’ investigative and practical skills in science, which causes them to underachieve in their ability to plan and make their own experiments. The school meets the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus in religious education. However, insufficient time is allocated to the creative arts, such as music, art and drama, which results in pupils’ progress not being as good as, for example, in most aspects of English or in history. 31. Curricular planning is generally supported by satisfactory schemes of work. The school has made satisfactory progress in addressing this key issue from the last inspection, when

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Attainment and progress

there were no schemes of work in place. The scheme for English, including plans for implementing the National Literacy Strategy good. However, there is not a scheme for developing speaking and listening skills. The scheme for mathematics and plans for implementing the National Numeracy Strategy are good. Other schemes are satisfactory apart from science and information technology which both have weaknesses. The scheme for science does not cover all aspects of investigative science and there is not enough emphasis on physical processes. The scheme for information technology does not emphasise word-processing skills enough. Both science and information technology schemes do not provide enough guidance for teachers for planning for higher attaining pupils, both weaknesses at the time of the last inspection. 32. The half-termly planning and weekly planning are mostly satisfactory. It is good in English and mathematics, where pupils are carefully allocated to ability groups and plans

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Attainment and progress

show how teachers will carefully match work to pupils’ previous attainment. However, in science and information technology, teachers’ plans do not show planning for the range of attainment. This causes higher attaining pupils to underachieve and those of very high attainment to make unsatisfactory progress as a result. The best curricular planning, for example, in numeracy and design and technology, shows how teachers will teach in a range of teaching styles. This enables teachers to plan carefully how to teach a variety of styles, which include problem solving as well as instruction. However, this is not common to all other subjects and, as a result, teachers spend a great deal of time on instruction in English and science. In science, the pupils spend insufficient time on problem solving. At the time of the last inspection it was judged that there were too few opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for the direction of their own learning.

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Attainment and progress

33. The school has welcomed the introduction of the literacy and numeracy strategies and is successfully implementing these successfully. A strong factor is the consistent planning and implementation in all classes throughout the school. There are also effective planning systems to ensure similar provision between different classes within the same year. Pupils’ achievements are carefully assessed and pupils are successfully allocated to ability groups within their classes for their group work. Pupils apply their reading and writing satisfactorily to most other subjects. Mathematics is applied well to design and technology but, in science, pupils do not use a wide range of mathematics for recording and higher attaining pupils do not use mathematics rigorously enough. The application of information technology to other subjects is unsatisfactory. 34. The school has a good policy for personal, social and health education. This is taught

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Attainment and progress

in all years through ‘circle’ time in each class. The pupils respond well to their personal and social education. Sex education is taught within science and there is an appropriate policy. 35. There is a policy for equal opportunities but there are inconsistencies in its implementation. Provision for pupils to have similar amounts of time using the computer is unsatisfactory and higher attaining pupils, including very high attaining pupils, do not have consistent opportunities to achieve more advanced levels. In accordance with the national guidelines for special educational needs, at all stages, pupils are set achievable targets and are provided with opportunities to meet them. The co-ordinator for special educational needs and the assistants work well with class teachers to provide appropriate experiences. Reading, writing and spelling tasks are carefully matched to pupils’ needs and individual

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Attainment and progress

education plans. However, there is a slight imbalance of time between reading and writing, as writing receives a little more time than reading. In science, opportunities are sometimes missed for lower attaining pupils, most of whom have special educational needs, to read and write at their own level. Often, too much of their recording time is spent on colouring. Some support work is carried out on a withdrawal basis but this is carefully managed to ensure that it does not limit pupils’ access to the full curriculum. 36. There are no extracurricular clubs although the curriculum is enhanced by a good range of visits and visitors to the school. 37. Assessment arrangements are good for reading, writing, spelling, and for pupils with special educational needs, and satisfactory for mathematics, including numeracy. Those for science and information technology are unsatisfactory as the level descriptions are not

p.20

Attainment and progress

used for assessing attainment regularly. Teachers have insufficient awareness of how to use the level descriptions. Assessment is used well to plan for the range of attainment in English and mathematics but is not used adequately in science and information technology. This has an adverse effect on the attainment of potentially higher attaining pupils. Assessment is informal in other subjects, and teachers are not always sure how best to assess pupils’ attainment. 38. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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Attainment and progress

38. The school’s provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is good overall. The provision for the spiritual development of children is satisfactory in assemblies and elsewhere in the school. Provision for the pupils' moral development is very good. The opportunities for pupils to distinguish right from wrong are very good. Staff are very good role models and, throughout the school, the pupils are given high quality guidance that upholds a high level of behaviour and maintains a calm, secure atmosphere. Personal and social development for children aged under five is very well taught. These children settle quickly into classroom routines and soon show confidence in choosing activities. 39. The provision for pupils’ social development is good. Behaviour in different situations in the school is always good. Pupils co-operate well with adults and their peers in a variety of

p.21

Attainment and progress

work and group structures. Pupils have many opportunities to develop and express themselves, and to take individual responsibility, for example, lunchtime monitors check the clearing up and help adult supervisors. 40. Personal and social education is well designed and class teachers manage this time well. A ‘circle’ time session was used particularly well with a Year 2 class. Cultural development in the school is satisfactory. There are few artefacts and little art on display which promote cultural development. Musicians, artists and theatre groups have visited the school and have enhanced pupils’ experience. Subjects such as history and geography are mainly focused on the pupils’ own culture. However, religious education features the study of other cultures, such as India and Hinduism. During the inspection, the displays and examples of work done by pupils did not provide evidence of a rich cultural diversity. The

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Attainment and progress

findings of the school’s previous inspection were similar.

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Attainment and progress

41. Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare 41. The good provision for the support, welfare and guidance of pupils continues to be a strength of the school. The school has a caring, family atmosphere and provides a secure environment for the pupils. 42. The arrangements for monitoring progress and personal development are good. This makes a positive contribution to the educational standards achieved. Records of pupils’ performance and progress are noted on their detailed annual reports and, for pupils in Key Stage 1, targets for improvement are included. Attendance records are noted on all reports. 43. Parents confirm that members of staff value the pupils and that the school has a very friendly, supportive and caring atmosphere. Pupils’ personal and social education continues to be taught through a planned curriculum that includes assemblies, ‘circle’ time, class activities, outside visits and visitors to school including local church leaders, the

p.21

Attainment and progress

school nurse and the police. 44. There are good induction arrangements for new entrants, including an open afternoon for both parents and children in the summer term, and pre-school visits in September. There are staggered arrangements for entry, and all children are offered part-time attendance from September, and full-time by January. The children are carefully supervised at all times, and teachers and assistants work well as a team to provide a caring and supportive environment for learning. 45. Procedures for monitoring and promoting attendance are good. Registration arrangements comply with statutory requirements, and day-to-day lateness, absence and holidays are regularly checked. The arrangements for promoting discipline and good behaviour in the school are very good. They are well thought out, and there are appropriate measures for sanction and reward. 46. The school’s arrangements for child protection and pupils’ welfare are good. The

p.21

Attainment and progress

provision for child protection reflects the requirements of the local Area Child Protection Committee and the headteacher is the designated teacher. All teachers and support staff have been trained in the appropriate procedures. The school has a detailed health and safety policy, its arrangements are comprehensive, and there is a high level of hazard awareness amongst staff. Despite the lack of a dedicated first aid room, welfare arrangements are good, and members of staff have been trained in first aid. Staff are very aware of pupils’ welfare and medical needs. Written risk assessments of hazards have been made by governors, who regularly inspect the school. A few minor safety and security concerns were passed to the headteacher by the inspectors. 47. There is good support for pupils who have been identified as having special educational needs. Effective procedures for monitoring their progress are in place. This support is

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Attainment and progress

supplemented by regular contacts with outside agencies including the educational psychologist and speech therapist. 48.

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Partnership with parents and the community

48. The partnership between the school, parents and the community is very good. This was noted as a strength of the school in the previous inspection. The school continues successfully to develop positive and meaningful relationships with parents and the community. There is very good parental involvement in pupils’ learning as parents are encouraged to help in the school in a variety of ways including assisting staff in the classrooms, helping pupils with reading and art and outside visits. Parents are involved with homework, which has included “Impact” mathematics, reading and art work in Key Stage 1. 49. Parents are invited to the school to attend assemblies, see the pupils perform and observe the school in action. Parents have the opportunity to attend meetings on the curriculum, as well as meeting staff to discuss pupils’ progress. 50. Parents are provided with good information about the school through pupils’ progress

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Partnership with parents and the community

reports, regular letters home, the school prospectus, information on specific concerns, open days and curricular events. The annual reports fulfil legal requirements and provide information on pupils’ progress. However, they do not always provide sufficient guidance on the standards that the pupils have achieved. Targets for improvement are included in the annual reports. 51. Parents are always made welcome at the school to discuss pupils’ progress, end-of- year reports or other issues. They are fully involved with the reviews of pupils with special educational needs. Through the school’s parent teacher association, parents are also involved in supporting the school by fundraising and joining in with social events. 52. The school has very good links with the community that enhance curricular provision. Visitors have included church leaders, the police, fire service, drama groups, artists, musicians, authors, road safety groups, librarians, and charities. The headteacher is keen

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Partnership with parents and the community

to continue to strengthen the good links with the receiving junior school and the local cluster of schools. 53. Parents of children aged under five are kept well informed of their children’s attainment and progress, and are offered talks on starting school, the development of children’s writing, and baseline assessment. 54. The governor’s Annual Report and the prospectus provide all the required information regarding special educational needs including access and other arrangements for pupils with physical disabilities. 55. THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL 55. Leadership and management

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Partnership with parents and the community

55. The leadership and management of the school are very good. The headteacher provides very strong leadership and has a clear view of the educational direction in which the school is heading. She is very well supported by the governing body and by the new deputy headteacher who has already brought in new ideas, for example, in the teaching of mathematics for which she is also the co-ordinator. The headteacher has introduced a very comprehensive induction programme for the deputy, which is enabling her to become conversant with the running of the school while giving priority to establishing herself with her own class. 56. Since the last inspection, good progress has been made in addressing the key issues, particularly in raising standards in mathematics and design and technology, and in the development of schemes of work for the whole curriculum. Teachers now share good practice more frequently, and pupils have more responsibility in undertaking duties around

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Partnership with parents and the community

the school, for example, library monitors. However, they still do not take sufficient responsibility for the direction of their own learning. Satisfactory progress has been made in addressing the key issue regarding co-ordinators’ roles. Some curriculum co-ordinators now successfully monitor the planning of the curriculum, but do not monitor class teaching of their subjects. It is planned that the senior management team should undertake this task, and is part of the new deputy headteacher’s responsibility. There is no named co- ordinator for the children under five, although the Reception year leader manages early years provision well. 57. The governing body is very supportive of the school and governors take a critical and active role in all aspects of school life. They investigate new initiatives particularly well, and are always mindful of their effect on teaching and learning, and of their cost-

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

effectiveness. Governors are very diligent and attend all relevant courses and in-service training days. The literacy governor has satisfactorily monitored the literacy hour, and others the provision for information technology and the numeracy hour. The finance governor has drawn up a comprehensive plan to raise money for this by approaching local industrial concerns to finance projects. This is already reaping rewards. 58. The school has maintained the good provision for pupils with special educational needs found at the time of the last inspection. 59. The quality of the school development plan is good. This year’s format is new and has been carefully drawn up by the senior management team as a result of discussion by the whole staff. Governors have approved the plans for development in English and information technology which were originally drafted by the respective co-ordinators and discussed within the governors’ curriculum committee. They then costed them. This is a

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Partnership with parents and the community

good demonstration of the strategic role that governors fulfil. 60. The current focus for improvement is literacy, particularly for pupils, mainly boys, who have difficulty in achieving the expected level in reading. Finances for all targets are carefully allocated, and procedures put into place to ensure that development in literacy and all other areas has a positive impact on standards. 61. The school implements its stated aims and policies well. The ethos of the school is very good: there is a real commitment to high standards in all aspects of school life, with a purposeful attitude to learning. Relationships are very good between pupils themselves and the staff. All statutory requirements are met. Pupils receive equality of opportunity in most respects but pupils of differing levels of attainment are not always fully catered for and the use of time in, for example, information technology does not promote equal access

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

to the curriculum. 62. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

62. The school has an appropriate number of suitably qualified and experienced teaching staff to meet the demands of the curriculum. This includes two part-time teachers who are sharing responsibility for a class during the class teacher’s maternity leave. The school has a satisfactory number of classroom and other support staff whose contributions promote progress by pupils throughout the school. 63. There are good arrangements for the professional development of staff. The appraisal system has been maintained consistently since its introduction, and there is an extensive induction programme for the recently appointed deputy headteacher. Recent professional development has had an impact on teachers’ expertise and the quality of teaching in English, particularly spelling and reading, and in design and technology. Knowledge and understanding of information technology are a relatively weak feature but this deficiency

p.24

Partnership with parents and the community

has already been identified by the school and further training is planned. 64. The school provides good accommodation. The building is in very good decorative order, and there are plans for a two-classroom extension to begin later in this academic year. Classrooms have sufficient space and there is a good-sized hall, and a separate room for the library, which has been recently improved. Year 1 teachers in the two linked classrooms take steps to avoid the possibility of noise from one class disturbing the learning in the other. The Reception classrooms are organised well into distinct learning areas, and have immediate access to an enclosed outdoor space. The school has spacious and attractive grounds, including hard surfaced and grassed areas for playtimes and physical education lessons, painted games and landscaped gardens. There are further plans for improvement through additional seating around the field and a quiet play

p.24

Partnership with parents and the community

area. 65. The school is well provided with a good quantity and range of resources of high quality, particularly books, and there has been a significant improvement in resources, including those in the library, since the previous inspection. A relative weakness is in the provision of computers. The number of computers is barely adequate for the pupils on roll; many are dated, and there is limited software. Good use is generally made of resources beyond the school, including visits to places of educational interest and visitors invited to the school. Particularly good use is made of field work visits to promote learning in geography. Only limited use is made of the external environment and community to support learning in the early years. 66. The efficiency of the school

p.24

Partnership with parents and the community

66. The efficiency of the school is good overall. Financial planning is very good. This is an improvement on the last report. The governors’ finance committee prudently plans to cover all the on-going expenditure, then considers the priorities of the school development plan. Good use is made of the advice from the Local Education Authority’s officer during this period. Very effective use is made of community contacts and activities by the parent/teacher association to secure extra funding, for example, to buy gymnastic equipment and to improve playground facilities. The funding for special educational needs is well targeted for those with greatest need and is used effectively for promoting pupils’ good progress. The very enthusiastic finance governor has set up a comprehensive plan to secure links with local large companies for funding, particularly for information technology. The main aims of the finance committee are to secure sufficient resources for

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Partnership with parents and the community

the curriculum. The headteacher manages these well to provide best value for money. The school is about to expand, and new buildings are to be erected on site. The governors realise that this will be difficult to fund at first, and are considering a range of different ways of dealing with increasing numbers of pupils every year. 67. A priority for the school is sufficient staffing. In the last financial year, the school reduced the hours of classroom assistants and also reduced staffing by one teacher. Classes in Years 1 and 2 are very large, and are only viable because of the number and quality of the assistants who work well with groups of children, particularly during literacy and numeracy hours. The special educational needs co-ordinator also withdraws pupils, but is attached to Year 2 for extra literacy support. Since she is part-time, all literacy hours in Year 2 must be taught in the morning.

p.24

Partnership with parents and the community

68. Good use is made of the area in the wide main corridor to give the special educational needs co-ordinator teaching space conveniently adjacent to the classrooms, thus allowing the room she previously occupied to be designated as a library. This is already proving useful in enabling sessions in library skills to be time-tabled. 69. The headteacher deploys all staff well, particularly when most Reception children are part-time. Their teachers teach information technology, library skills and take extended writing sessions (for the higher attainers too) in other classes. However, throughout the school, computers are often switched on but are not effectively used during the day, which contributes to slower progress. Similarly, mathematics software is not being used at present, and good resources for scientific investigations are not effectively used, as teachers do not often allow children to carry out their own. However, the grounds are used

p.25

Partnership with parents and the community

effectively for science teaching in the summer. 70. Financial control is good, and is ably overseen by the headteacher. The administrative officers share the task of dealing with day-to-day finance and carry this out efficiently, producing printouts of the budget status for governors’ meetings. 71. In view of the very good standards achieved, the very good attitudes to learning, the good quality of education, the above average socio-economic circumstances and attainment on entry, and the average cost per pupil, the school gives good value for money. This is an improvement on the findings of the school’s last inspection report when value for money was judged to be sound.

p.25

PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

72. AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

72. The school makes good provision for children in the early years. Standards are generally high on entry and all children, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in the Reception class to achieve above average standards by the age of five. Attainment is particularly high in both writing and in numeracy. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers, ably supported by classroom assistants, have good knowledge and understanding of the areas of learning for children under five, and of the needs of younger children. They provide a broad range of activities with a good mixture of whole-class, group and individual tasks, including some chosen by the children, to promote progress across the areas of learning. Teaching and support staff work well as a team to provide a caring and supportive environment that ensures children’s security and self- confidence. As a result, the children show positive attitudes to the experiences that are

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

provided for them. 73. There has been considerable improvement in the early years provision since the previous inspection in 1996, particularly in the rate of progress made by children under five. There has also been substantial development in the quality of joint planning which is now achieving greater consistency in the quality of teaching and of opportunities provided for children in the Reception classes.

p.26

Personal and social development

74. Children in the early years show high attainment in their personal and social skills. This area of learning is taught well, and the children make good progress. They settle quickly into classroom routines, show confidence in choosing activities, and persevere in their learning. Teachers and support staff show, through encouragement and praise, how they value the children’s efforts and this promotes the confidence with which they approach their tasks. Children establish good relationships with others, and show concern and consideration for adults and for other children. They have good ideas about what makes a good friend, and can share their ideas of what they would do if a friend were sad or hurt. There is a planned programme for children to plan and review their own learning although, when account is taken of the pupils’ well developed personal and social skills on entry to the school, but this is not developed quickly enough.

p.26

Language and literacy

75. Children show well developed speaking skills on entry to the school and make good progress, particularly in their writing, as a result of high quality teaching. By the age of five, their attainment is above the level of Desirable Learning Outcomes for these children. They listen to others and generally respond appropriately, using a growing vocabulary to talk about their experiences. They enjoy books, understand how they are organised, and recognise familiar words in simple texts. The children progress in writing from conveying meaning through letters and letter-like shapes to extending their ideas in a sequence of sentences. They write about their favourite nursery rhymes, send get well messages to Humpty Dumpty, and record their experiences and simple stories.

p.26

Mathematics

76. This area of learning is taught well, and the children make good progress. They achieve above average standards by the age of five, and very high standards in number work. They sort, match, sequence and measure a range of objects, and compare them to identify which are taller or shorter. They work with coins, prices and clock times, and can also recognise and recreate repeating patterns. Children count and order numbers to 20 and begin to work with simple addition and subtraction. Higher attaining children have developed mental strategies for making calculations using numbers up to a hundred.

p.26

Knowledge and understanding of the world

77. Children make good progress in their knowledge and understanding of the world. They are taught well, and achieve above average standards by the age of five. They use magnifying glasses, for example, to observe seeds, investigate the effect of magnets on different objects, and explore electricity through batteries and torches. Children show knowledge about seeds, plant growth and growing conditions. They plan and create their own puppets and sandwiches. On a walk around the school, they observe and record what they notice, and can also distinguish between past and present by finding out about and comparing the toys of today with those from the past. Children use computers to support their learning, and use a hand-held control to direct action on the screen.

p.27

Physical development

78. Children ‘s attainment by five years old is also above average in this area of learning. The children demonstrate high levels of manual dexterity in their use of construction apparatus, scissors, pencils and paintbrushes while carrying out their daily activities. They also move confidently and with increasing control and co-ordination in gymnastics lessons, showing awareness of space and of others. The quality of teaching is good, and results in the children making good progress.

p.27

Creative development

79. Standards in creative development are average by the age of five, and the children make satisfactory progress. They paint pictures of nursery rhyme characters, and create printed patterns with fruit, vegetables and paint. They sing simple songs and rhymes such as ‘Polly put the kettle on’, follow instructions to sing louder and softer, and also clap a steady pulse through ‘The Grand Old Duke of York’. There is a strong emphasis on teaching skills within the creative arts, although there are more limited opportunities to work imaginatively. Role play areas are provided within each classroom and their form is often linked to learning in other areas, although they are not sufficiently stimulating to promote creative story-making satisfactorily. Play activities promote good progress in lessons where the children are monitored and supported by an adult to extend their learning. Insufficient use is made of the outdoor space to promote learning during lessons. The

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Creative development

quality of teaching is satisfactory. 80. 80. ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE 80. English

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Creative development

80. Analysis of the national tests for 1998, the latest year for which comparative data are available, shows high attainment in English. The percentage of pupils who achieved Level 2 in reading was above the national average, and above the average for similar schools. The percentage achieving Level 3 was in line with the national average, though below the average for similar schools. Standards in writing at Level 2 were above the national average, and also well above the average for similar schools. The percentage achieving Level 3 was well above the national average and above the average for similar schools. The teachers’ assessment of speaking and listening also showed standards to be well above those achieved nationally. 81. Standards have risen steadily over the three years from 1996 and show considerable improvement since the previous inspection report in 1996 when they were seen to be broadly average. The inspection found no significant evidence of variation in standards

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Creative development

between girls and boys, although the school has set targets to improve boys’ achievements in reading and writing. 82. The findings of this inspection are that standards, including those in literacy, are well above average by the end of Key Stage 1. This is consistent with the standards achieved during the most recent national tests in 1999 when the percentages of pupils who achieved Levels 2 and 3 in both reading and writing all showed a further increase from 1998. 83. Standards in speaking and listening are well above average at the end of Key Stage 1. Pupils talk and listen confidently and, through their relevant comments and questions, show that they have listened carefully. They express their ideas clearly to others, displaying a well-developed vocabulary. Most have begun to adapt what they say to the needs of the listener, and use standard English appropriately. Pupils make good progress in their speaking and listening, and this is seen particularly in their developing confidence,

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Creative development

and in growing precision in their use of vocabulary . 84. By the age of seven, standards of reading are well above average. The pupils read a range of books fluently and accurately, including stories, information books and poetry anthologies. They use their knowledge of letters, sounds and meanings well to read unfamiliar words and establish meaning. Many pupils understand the main points in the texts they read, express preferences, and know how to use a simple classification system to locate books in a library. A few pupils show very high levels of understanding and are beginning to use inference and deduction. Pupils make good progress in reading, and show increasing fluency, accuracy, levels of understanding, and knowledge about a range of books and other texts. 85. Standards in writing are also well above average. By the age of seven, pupils write in a range of forms including letters, stories, menus and newspaper reports. Standards in

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Creative development

spelling, punctuation and handwriting are particularly high. Many pupils are able to mark sentences accurately with full stops and capital letters, and to use a handwriting style that is neat, joined and legible. A few pupils use well-chosen vocabulary, and are developing a style that engages the interest of the reader. Very good progress is made in writing, particularly in conveying meaning clearly, and in organising ideas into grammatically correct sentences with accurate use of punctuation. A few pupils develop a handwriting style of outstanding quality. 86. Progress in English through Key Stage 1 is good for all pupils, including those with special educational needs. Pupils are already achieving high standards by the age of five. The school’s provision builds well on this strong foundation to achieve very high standards by the age of seven. 87. Pupils show positive attitudes towards their work in this subject. They approach all their

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Creative development

tasks conscientiously and with high levels of confidence, and persevere in their learning. Pupils are attentive and are keen to answer questions during whole-class introductions to literacy lessons, particularly when interested in the focus of the lesson, although some become restless when this part is too long. They show particularly deep engagement in their written tasks when there is a meaningful purpose and audience for the activity, as seen when Year 2 pupils created their own menus. Behaviour is very good. Pupils try hard to carry out all the instructions they are given, show respect towards teachers, other adults and each other, and treat resources with care. 88. English is taught well and is promoting the good progress that pupils make in the subject. All lessons seen were at least satisfactory, and two out of three were good. Teachers have good knowledge and understanding of the subject, particularly with regard

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Creative development

to the requirements of the National Literacy Strategy, and have high expectations of pupils’ attainment. Lessons are carefully planned, group activities are matched well to the differing needs of pupils, and support staff are used well. Teaching methods are often well chosen but are less effective when the whole-class introduction is too long, or when pupils are unclear of the purpose of their activity. Day-to-day assessment is of a high quality, including teachers’ written assessments in writing books and reading records, as well as the general monitoring and support of individuals and groups throughout lessons by teachers and classroom assistants. Homework is used well to extend learning including regular reading and spelling. High quality support in this subject is often given to pupils with special educational needs by the special educational needs co-ordinator. 89. Characteristic strengths of good teaching were seen in a Year 2 lesson in which the

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Creative development

class worked together to write the sequence of events at dinner times, linking ideas with words that made the order of events clear. The content of the lesson was demanding for the age and stage of pupils’ learning and showed the teacher’s high expectations of attainment. The activities were matched well to clear and appropriate learning objectives. Helping new pupils about to join the class provided a clear purpose and audience for the activity. The use of a puppet during the word work element of the lesson was very effective in making the activity fun for the pupils and in heightening their interest and concentration. 90. The school devotes a large proportion of curricular time to English, and this is instrumental in the very high standards which are being achieved. The National Literacy Strategy has been implemented well, and has already been adapted to provide additional time for extended writing. Plans are in hand for further development to meet the needs of

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Creative development

the school’s pupils more effectively. The school has schemes of work and guidelines for different elements of the subject, although current provision is based very firmly on the planning of the National Literacy Strategy. Although frequent opportunities are provided for speaking and listening, there is no scheme of work and it is unclear whether provision in this aspect meets the differing needs of pupils as they progress through the school. Statutory requirements for English are met, and the school meets the curricular requirements of pupils with special educational needs. Reading and writing are taught well during English lessons, although insufficient use is made of work in other subjects to develop literacy skills. However, good examples were seen in geography including an information leaflet made by Year 1 pupils about the village of Denmead. The curriculum is enhanced by regular book events, and by the opportunity to work with a visiting theatre

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Creative development

group. 91. There are good arrangements for assessing and recording pupils’ standards and progress in English, including high quality assessment of pupils’ writing and the setting of challenging targets for improvement. 92. The subject is managed very effectively by the co-ordinator, and this is shown in the considerable improvements that have been made since the previous inspection both in standards and progress, and in the successful implementation of the National Literacy Strategy. The ethos in which the subject is taught reflects the school’s aims and a commitment to high achievement. The school has a satisfactory number of suitably qualified and experienced teaching and support staff to meet the demands of the subject. There has been recent development of the library to provide greater support for reading skills. The school is well provided with a large number and range of books of high quality.

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Creative development

93. Mathematics 93. Analysis of the 1998 national tests, the latest year for which comparative data are available, shows that attainment is well above average in mathematics. There was no difference between boys’ and girls’ attainment. Both the percentages of pupils gaining the expected Level 2 and the higher Level 3 were well above average when compared with all schools, and also with similar schools. Furthermore, when the average of the school’s test data is compared with that of all schools, it is well above average, and also when compared with similar schools. Over the three years 1996-1998, the trend of attainment has been rising and it rose sharply from 1997 to 1998. 94. Analysis of the 1999 national test results shows that these high standards have been maintained with the percentages of pupils gaining Level 2 and Level 3 again well above the national average and that for similar schools. Girls did much better than boys in

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Creative development

95. The findings of the inspection are in line with the school’s end of key stage national tests and assessment. Pupils in all classes, including those at the end of the key stage, are working at levels that are well above average for their age. This is an improvement compared with the findings of the school’s previous OFSTED inspection. Standards in numeracy are well above average. Pupils aged seven have a very good grasp of the four rules of number, and can multiply and divide tens and units. The many higher attaining pupils are able to extend this to hundreds, tens and units. The majority of pupils are secure in two, five and ten times tables and use these well in calculations. They respond well to challenges given for homework such as calculating the number of right angles there are in a kitchen. Average pupils multiply and divide tens, although they appear unsure of how to treat zero. They count in twos and threes and are starting to show competence in

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Creative development

number problems, such as finding the number of animals, given eight horses and six pigs. They analyse data by producing bar charts, for example, on pupils’ journeys to school, which they confidently interpret. They easily recognise two dimensional shapes, such as triangle, pentagon and rectangle. Higher attaining pupils recognise edges, vertices and faces of three dimensional objects. 96. Progress, including that made by pupils with special educational needs, is good. In Reception, children make a very good start, as they learn to copy and extend patterns of two or more shapes or colours and increase their knowledge of numerals by counting dots on magnetic fish. In Year 1, pupils quickly learn to find number bonds, although lower attaining pupils need more help for this. Higher attaining pupils learn to explain patterns and how to hypothesise, and relate addition to multiplication. They measure using standard

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Creative development

and non-standard units, helped by a homework project. At the beginning of Year 2, pupils are progressing well in the consolidation of two, five and ten times tables. Higher attaining pupils learn to predict patterns of number beyond 100, and revise odd and even numbers with excitement. Towards the end of the year, pupils devise their own strategies for addition and subtraction in hundreds, tens and units. 97. In most lessons, pupils are well motivated and enthusiastic. They enjoy number work and are particularly successful in making progress when lessons have challenge and pace. They work well in groups, for example, when meeting the challenge of finding gold. The structure of planning for the numeracy lesson ensures that pupils have work matched to their ability, which allows them to make good progress. They concentrate on their task and are clear about what they have to do. 98. Teaching in all lessons observed was mainly good. Teachers’ knowledge and

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Creative development

understanding of mathematics are generally good and they can successfully challenge the pupils at high levels. They are becoming fully conversant with the structure of the numeracy lesson and the majority of them are using it well. Some teachers, however, have difficulty pacing mental mathematics sessions, and sometimes allow pupils too long to answer. Use of the board rather than digit cards, for example, makes it harder to assess how many pupils answer correctly. 99. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils, as shown by the standard of work at very high levels from Reception onwards where, for example, teachers extend recognition of numerals 0-5 to 0-20 for higher attaining children, and reinforce patterns by missing out numbers for the children to fill in. 100. Teachers’ planning is good overall. Long-term plans are satisfactorily based on the National Numeracy Strategy and are translated into good half-termly plans which have

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Creative development

assessment opportunities included. Short-term plans, however, do not always contain assessment opportunities and, although work is designed to suit different abilities, the higher attainers are sometimes not extended enough to reach their potential during lessons, although some good problem solving activities were seen in Year 2. 101. Teachers’ methods and organisation are generally appropriate, although introductory sessions are sometimes too long and pupils are not given enough problem solving activities during the lesson. Good use is made of the programmable robot to reinforce number work. Management of pupils is good except when they are sitting on the carpet for long periods of time and become restless. Standards of discipline, nevertheless, are good. Lessons generally proceed at a quick pace, except those mental mathematics sessions where pupils sit watching others writing on the board. Resources are appropriately used,

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Creative development

although digit cards were not used frequently because of the time it took for pupils to handle them. Assessment is satisfactory. Teachers mark with ticks and helpful comments. It is expected that homework will be completed by pupils and their families. This is very successful and has a good impact on learning 102. The curriculum follows the National Numeracy Strategy and, therefore, meets all statutory requirements and is effective in ensuring continuity of learning. Equality of access to the curriculum is not always given to the higher attaining pupils. Lower attaining pupils with special educational needs are well provided for. The mathematics policy is out- of-date and information technology is not used enough for data handling or for revision. Day-to-day planning is consistent between classes, especially in Year 1 where open-plan classrooms necessitate co-operation. Assessment is carried out regularly and samples of

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Creative development

pupils' work are taken once a term. These are annotated and kept in Records of Achievement. At the end of each module, pupils are tested to ascertain their level of attainment. 103. The new co-ordinator, who is also the deputy headteacher, has successfully carried out an audit of provision and resources. She has begun to support teachers satisfactorily, although is not yet monitoring in class. She has improved resources by providing each pupil with a pack of essentials for mathematics lessons, including digit cards, counting cubes, number lines and squares. The coordinator recognises the need for further in- service training and for more use of information technology. 104. Mathematical skills are used well in other areas of the curriculum, for example, when pupils make nets of three dimensional shapes for their lunch boxes in design and technology, and when measuring time in history where pupils understand its division into

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Creative development

specific periods. In music, they are able to clap pulse and rhythm, and in geography, mathematical application is made to develop mapping skill. However, in science, mathematical skills are not developed fully.

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Creative development

105. Science 106. Analysis of Key Stage 1 teachers’ assessments for 1998 shows that the percentage of pupils reaching Level 2 and above was above the national average. At Level 3 and above, it was well above the national average. When the average of the school’s tests data is compared with all schools, it shows that pupils’ performance was well above average. When compared with similar schools, these results were also well above average. Pupils’ average performance was well above average in all four targets, due to well above average attainment at Level 3. 105. Analysis of Key Stage 1 teachers’ assessments for 1999 shows a decline from the results achieved in 1998. In 1999, the percentage of pupils reaching Level 2 and above was above the national average and the percentage reaching Level 3 was also above the national average. However, when compared with similar schools, these results show that

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Creative development

the percentages achieving Level 2 and above, and Level 3, were average. Overall results when compared with similar schools were average. A high proportion attained Level 2 in all four targets. However, attainment at Level 3 was very variable and was not as good as in 1998. Attainment in life processes was high, but attainment at Level 3 in physical science was weak and much lower than in 1998. That in investigative science and properties of materials was average when compared with similar schools, despite well above average attainment in all these aspects in 1998. 106. The evidence of the inspection shows that pupils’ attainment is on course to be above average at the end of Key Stage 2, and these findings similar to the results achieved in the 1999 national tests and assessments. Examination of pupils’ previous work, lesson observations and curricular planning show that the decline in Key Stage 1 pupils’

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Creative development

attainment since 1998 is due to a lack of balance across the targets and irregular opportunities for pupils to work at higher levels. Overall standards are similar to the above average standards observed at the time of the last inspection. The weaknesses noted in investigative science at that time remain. 107. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ skills and knowledge across the range of science are above average although there are strengths and weaknesses. Pupils observe and predict well, make good comparisons and are very able when applying their scientific knowledge to everyday life. Their ability to explain results is good and a small proportion have very advanced scientific reasoning skills. Pupils have insufficient awareness of the fair test. There is little attainment at Level 3 in the recording, collecting and interpreting of evidence using mathematics. Pupils’ ability to ask “What happens if?”, to suggest ideas for

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Creative development

tests and to plan and make their own tests does not develop adequately. Their knowledge of living things and life processes is very good. Pupils' scientific vocabulary is very good, and they apply their knowledge very well, for example, when designing a healthy sandwich. They are knowledgeable about the properties of materials but their understanding of physical processes is below average. Pupils understand electricity well; their understanding of light and sound is average whilst their understanding of forces is below average. 108. Overall, pupils make satisfactory progress. By the age of five, there are many higher attainers who do not work at a high enough level to make sufficient progress. In Reception pupils make good progress as they begin the National Curriculum. They develop their enquiry skills through a range of high quality experiences. For example, pupils solve problems related to forces when they investigate how their “Bunnycopters” fall. They

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Creative development

develop their ability to suggest ideas, to plan, and make their tests well. They make good progress in their ability to offer scientific explanations and to begin to search for patterns. Progress is satisfactory overall in Years 1 and 2 but it is not as fast as in Reception. This is due to less frequent opportunities to attain at higher levels and an imbalance in the coverage of the National Curriculum. Year 1 and 2 pupils make satisfactory progress in developing observing, predicting, and pattern seeking skills but their mathematical and fair testing skills do not develop so well. Pupils make unsatisfactory progress in planning and making their own tests. They make consistently good progress in developing their knowledge of biological targets and electricity, and satisfactory progress in understanding materials. Their progress in light and sound, though, is unsatisfactory as most aspects are

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Creative development

taught at Level 2. Progress in forces is unsatisfactory and this aspect is not covered adequately. Very high attaining pupils underachieve in Years 1 and 2 through few opportunities to solve problems, to apply scientific skills rigorously, and to learn knowledge consistently at high levels. Lower attaining pupils make satisfactory progress overall. However, when recording in science, they spend too much time colouring and not enough time reading and writing at their own level. Average and higher attaining pupils make satisfactory progress in developing writing skills throughout science. 109. Pupils have good attitudes to science, especially when the activity is challenging and sustained as when they observed how apples change through microwave cooking. They are confident, eager to contribute to class discussions and well behaved. They co-operate well and share resources but teamwork and problem solving skills are insufficiently

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Creative development

developed in Years 1 and 2. Reception children are particularly inquisitive, and this is channelled well into investigative work. 110. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Pupils’ work and lesson observations show that it is good in Reception and satisfactory overall in Years 1 and 2. Good teaching is characterised by a predominantly practical approach, and clear expectations of the skills and knowledge that pupils are to learn. There are many opportunities for higher attaining pupils to achieve at higher levels. Good teaching was observed in Year 1 when, as a class, pupils investigated apples. Here, teachers’ clear objectives ensured that pupils had many opportunities to learn observation and prediction skills and to acquire knowledge at higher levels. However, when the same year group investigated the properties of paper, the problem set was insufficiently rigorous for very high attaining pupils so that the

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Creative development

teaching was satisfactory rather than good. In Year 2, teaching is satisfactory. Teachers present work well and engage pupils’ enthusiasm by making science relevant to everyday life. Their class management and relationships are good. However, pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop their own practical skills. Lesson plans do not show how very high attaining pupils will acquire skills or knowledge at an appropriate level, and this leads to their underachievement. Examination of pupils’ work shows that, frequently, all pupils work at the same level and scientific skills do not systematically develop through practical work. Too often, the differences in levels of work are related to recording, rather than to scientific skills and knowledge. 111. The school implemented a new scheme of work last year in response to the weaknesses identified at the time of the last inspection. The scheme and planning systems

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Creative development

still have weaknesses. The scheme presents the steps in knowledge adequately except for forces, light and sound, which are not covered in the required breadth and depth. The scheme does not include all aspects of investigations, as the progressive skills involved in planning and making experiments are not shown. The experimental skills that pupils are to learn are not presented systematically. This prevents teachers planning, covering and teaching skills at different levels, including Level 3, and leads to underachievement, for example, in fair testing. Plans do not include details of how much time will be spent on whole class investigations or pupils’ own practical work. This leads to insufficient practical work overall. Medium and shorter-term plans lack rigour. Plans do not show the levels at which pupils are to work or to achieve, which adversely affects the learning of higher attaining pupils. The science co-ordinator monitors planning but has not monitored the

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Creative development

quality of science teaching in classes. The science co-ordinator has not had a long science course and teachers have had little recent subject knowledge and skills’ training. This has an adverse effect on the quality of provision in investigative science and physical processes. Assessment is weak, the level descriptions are infrequently used and they are not understood by all teachers. Pupils do not use information technology adequately.

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Creative development

113. OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES 113. Information technology

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Creative development

112. Little work in information technology was seen during the inspection. Although some good examples of polished wordprocessed work were on display, very little use of computers was seen during the inspection. Evidence was also gained from pupils’ books, teachers’ planning, discussions with pupils and observing Year 2 pupils when they were asked to use the keyboard. 113. Experiences during Key Stage 1 are sporadic and result in attainment at the level of the national expectation by the end of the key stage. Pupils’ progress is unsatisfactory as many have high attainment at the beginning of the key stage. Many pupils have computers at home and bring high level skills to school, especially when they use the mouse to control on screen events. However, their skills are not developed in school across the range of applications required for high attainment in the National Curriculum. Since the last inspection, the school has not made satisfactory progress in improving

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Creative development

information technology. However, this has now been identified as a priority on the school development plan. 114. Pupils are above average in their ability to generate and communicate ideas using graphics software and many are very skilled when using the mouse. Pupils use high level skills when they select fonts for different purposes, such as writing their names or making menus. These high level skills contrast strongly with their weak keyboard skills. Keyboard skills are weak through lack of systematic development through the key stage. Many pupils are unfamiliar with the layout of the keyboard and are very slow when typing in information. They lack the skills to use the wordprocessor to draft and edit work. Pupils construct bar charts but little work in data handling was seen in pupils’ work in science, mathematics or design and technology. Pupils control the computer programmable toy to

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Creative development

move along a set route to an average standard. 115. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make unsatisfactory progress because information technology skills are not systematically developed. There is a computer in every room but opportunities for pupils to use computers are not carefully charted. This results in irregular opportunities for each pupil and pupils do not have equal access to the curriculum. They underachieve significantly and a few very high attaining pupils, who begin with very advanced skills, make poor progress. Pupils do not use information technology adequately within other subjects, including reading, writing, spelling, numeracy, science, design and technology, geography and history. 116. Pupils work with computers with enthusiasm, and co-operate well with each other. They are very self-reliant within the applications that they already know. However, many are very uncertain when asked to work on the keyboard due to their lack of familiarity with

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Creative development

it. 117. Due to its intermittent nature, teaching is unsatisfactory as pupils make unsatisfactory progress. It is clear that many staff lack expertise in developing pupils’ capability in information technology. When teaching did occur during the inspection, it was satisfactory. However, teachers’ arrangements for ensuring that each pupil spends the required time on the computer each week are unsatisfactory. Although teachers in the lessons observed effectively demonstrated skills, they do not follow class lessons through with systematic procedures that ensure that each pupil practises and uses that skill. 118. The scheme of work meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. It covers the full range of the Programme of Study and sets out most skills to be mastered. However, time for word-processing is insufficient and the development of keyboard skill is not as systematic as other applications. Plans do not show teachers clearly how they can plan

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Creative development

for a range of attainment which results in the underachievement of higher attaining pupils. Teachers’ medium-term and shorter-term plans do not show the time to be spent on the computer or on teaching strategies, which leads to ineffective systems for ensuring that each pupil has regular access to the computer. Although some subject schemes of work show links with information technology, this is rarely transferred to medium and shorter- term planning. Where plans are shown, they are brief, and do not show plans for the range of ability, including very high attaining pupils. Assessment is weak, and the long- term scheme of work does not enable teachers to assess pupils’ attainment easily against National Curriculum levels. The ratio of computers per class is lower than in most schools and many models are old. However, they can still be used for basic applications. There are only three multimedia models, which are used for the whole school. Although a

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Creative development

system is in operation to ensure that classes each have their turn, this restricts pupils’ regular access, for example, to CD-ROM facilities. This prevents pupils consistently using the computer independently for research within their subjects, for example, in science, history or geography. Information technology is a key area for development on the school improvement plan. At present, the co-ordination of the subject is unsatisfactory.

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Creative development

119. There was not a great variety of work seen in lessons, since both parallel classes in each year do the same work. Nevertheless, from previous work and planning files, pupils attainment is meeting the expectations of the locally Agreed Syllabus at the end of Key Stage 1 and, in some cases, exceeding it. In the school’s previous inspection standards in religious education were good. The scheme of work for religious education is based firmly on the locally Agreed Syllabus ‘Visions and Insights’. 120. In Year 2, pupils listen carefully and with interest to the story of Adam and Eve, which is developed as a means of exploring decision making in their own lives as well as in the story. The level of discussion observed about moral issues raised by the story showed very advanced speaking and listening skills for the age of the pupils, for example, some advocated cutting the apple in half so that only the good bit could be eaten, but others

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Creative development

pointed out that this was no good as it was all bad. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make at least satisfactory progress through the key stage, as they learn about important Christian stories and festivals, and those of other religions, including the Hindu Holi and Diwali. Children in Reception learn about friendship and how to share, which improves their social understanding, and as Christmas approaches, they learn about the meaning of the Christmas story, and are able to join in the school celebrations confidently. 121. Pupils in Year 1 are currently learning about harvest, and think carefully about their own responses to things they would most like to thank God for, which they put in a decorated harvest box. They have already thoughtfully produced boxes of more tangible goods for deprived children and local old folk as part of their harvest offering. 122. Pupils enjoy religious stories and like doing practical work. They listen carefully and

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Creative development

show great interest in morality, for example, they became cross with God for not telling Adam and Eve they would have to leave the garden if they ate the fruit. They most willingly prepared their harvest offerings with an understanding of the meaning. 123. The quality of teaching is mostly satisfactory and some is good. Teachers have secure knowledge of the subject at this level and plan well with high expectations, but do not always consider the range of ability within the class. Many teachers successfully use stories from the Bible and other sources in story telling, as an addition to their religious education time-tabled lessons, which also aids the development of literacy across the curriculum. 124. The co-ordinator is new to the post but already has clear ideas for the development of religious education. The scheme of work has satisfactorily been devised from the Agreed Syllabus and is a sound balance between religious knowledge and its application to

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Creative development

everyday life. A recent resource audit carried out by the co-ordinator has indicated that these are satisfactory. There are many suitable books for religious education lessons. However, there are insufficient artefacts to enhance the curriculum. Relationships with the local clergy are good. Pupils visit the church, for example, to look at the harvest loaf, and clergy come to the school to make visits to assembly and classrooms. 125. Religious education has a high profile in the curriculum, but assembly themes do not often correspond with religious education themes.

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Creative development

126. Pupils are making sound progress in this subject and attain average standards for their ages. Year 1 pupils mix primary colour paints to recreate the missing half of autumn leaves they have chosen. They also paint self-portraits, create observational drawings of objects such as sewing machines and bicycles, and use plasticine to make printed flower designs. Year 2 pupils explore different degrees of soft pencils to compare the effects, and mix blue and yellow paints to create a range of green shades. They use pencils and charcoal to produce detailed observational drawings of bottles, vegetables and fruit, and use polystyrene to design and produce repeated printed patterns. Collage techniques are used to develop landscape scenes. Pupils, throughout the key stage, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in their observational drawing skills. 127. Pupils show positive attitudes towards their work in this subject. They listen carefully to

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Creative development

the instructions they are given, approach the tasks with confidence and take pride in their work. Pupils work with sustained concentration, and behave well. They show consideration towards others, and treat the resources with great care. 128. Although few lessons were seen during the inspection, the evidence from teachers’ planning, and the progress shown in pupils’ work, shows that the quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers demonstrate good subject expertise in the techniques of working with different media, and manage pupils well. They have high expectations of pupils’ attainment in specific skills, although lower expectations of their capacity to express their own ideas, and experiment with skills and techniques. 129. Although no evidence of work in three dimensions was available during the inspection, teachers’ planning shows that opportunities are provided for pupils to work with clay, and

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Creative development

paper and paste, and to develop their knowledge of the work of other artists such as Mondrian. There is a strong emphasis on developing skills when working with a range of media. There is insufficient provision for pupils to work imaginatively to explore and express their own ideas, although Year 1 pupils are given the opportunity to make a personal response to music by creating their own picture. This imbalance within the art curriculum limits the contribution that work in the subject makes to the school’s provision for creative arts. 130. Development of the subject is currently suspended during the temporary absence of the art co-ordinator. However, there has been improvement since the previous inspection, notably in the scheme of work and planned progression in the skills of working with different media. A display policy, currently in draft form, has recently been developed. Sketchbooks are now provided for all pupils throughout the school, and the co-ordinator is

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Creative development

collecting samples of pupils’ work to provide guidance for teachers. The school is well provided with staffing, accommodation and resources to meet the demands of the art curriculum.

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technology

131. Pupils’ work was viewed, discussions were held with pupils and teachers and lessons were visited in Year 2. On this evidence, pupils’ attainment is above that normally found for this age which is an improvement since the school’s last inspection. Pupils make good progress from when they are five in Reception through to Year 2. Design and technology has a high profile in the school and adequate time is devoted to the subject. Since the last inspection, the school has made good progress overall in addressing the key issue identified at the time of the last inspection. The school has made good progress in improving pupils’ designing skills and satisfactory progress in providing opportunities for the pupils to design and make with a wide range of materials. Pupils design and make well with paper, card, simple mechanical components and textiles although designing and making with food is limited for older pupils. Pupils’ progress has improved through

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technology

implementing a new scheme of work and increasing teachers’ subject knowledge. 132. From Reception to Year 2, pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in acquiring designing and making skills and in applying their knowledge and understanding to these skills. By Year 2, when designing, pupils suggest many creative ideas, represent their ideas well through drawing and plan ahead very carefully. When making their products they work from their plans very well, and cut, shape and join materials accurately. Pupils evaluate their work during, and after, designing and making according to how their products fit their original purpose. Pupils’ knowledge of existing products, for example, different lunchboxes or bags, develops well and they successfully apply this to design and make tasks. They carefully apply knowledge of properties of materials to designing and making but do not use scientific knowledge of

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technology

forces for making structures so well. Pupils use mathematics very well, for example, when making nets of three dimensional shapes for their lunchboxes. They apply art skills well to textile work, but this is not as good when they design and make with paper and card. 133. Pupils’ attitudes are good. They generate ideas very well, work independently and take much responsibility for their work. Pupils handle simple tools safely and carefully and try hard to make a good end product. Their behaviour and motivation to learn are both good and they can adjust their own learning style well. They successfully make decisions for themselves or follow instructions when required to do so. 134. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and plan carefully. Their plans ensure that pupils are provided with enough time for investigations into products, focused skills and development of knowledge before they begin their design

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technology

and make tasks. They teach both designing and making skills well and provide a good balance between instruction, practice and problem solving. Teachers manage pupils well and their projects arouse pupils’ enthusiasm for learning. They differentiate practical skills appropriately. However, there are two weaknesses: scientific knowledge does not extend very high attaining pupils, for example, in forces, and little time is devoted to showing pupils how to apply art skills. 135. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and has successfully led the team to improve the subject. There is a good scheme of work that is used well in medium and shorter-term planning, although specific links to science, art and mathematics are not shown. There are no plans for how the talents of the very high attaining pupils can be identified and met. The scheme of work provides a balanced programme overall although food technology

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technology

does not occur in Year 2. This is a lost opportunity as pupils design a healthy sandwich in science but do not link this with design and technology to make their sandwich. Assessment is informal and does not have clear criteria for assessing attainment in design and technology, which the co-ordinator has prioritised as an area for development.

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technology

136. Although no lessons were seen during the period of the inspection, there is sufficient evidence from studying teachers’ planning and pupils’ work to show that pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in this subject, and pupils in Year 1 make very good progress. Pupils attain above average standards for their ages which is an improvement since the school’s last OFSTED inspection. 137. Year 1 pupils select information from resources provided and their own observations to respond to questions about places. They draw their own route to school on a map and mark features they pass on the way. Considerable knowledge is shown about the physical and human features of the village of Denmead, including a detailed study of a road. The pupils locate features from photographs, describe the road and buildings, list changes they observe, and record views on features they find attractive and unattractive. They also

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technology

work with a model of the village in three dimensions and consider how the village could be safer. 138. Pupils continue to make good progress in Year 2, for example, in map skills, observing and handling information, and knowledge about place. They use simple as well as detailed large scale maps, and make comparisons between their own village and the contrasting village of Hambledon. Information technology is used to present some of their work. 139. Although pupils’ behaviour could not be observed during lessons, the quality of their written and other tasks, which are completed and presented well, shows their positive attitudes to work in geography. The evidence from pupils’ work and the progress that they make, also indicates that the quality of teaching is good. Teachers have good levels of knowledge and understanding of the subject, and work is planned well. 140. In spite of the reduced time available for work in geography as a result of the impact of

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technology

national initiatives in literacy and numeracy, the school still makes good provision for the subject. The curriculum is balanced and planned well in blocked units which take good account of knowledge, understanding and geographical skills, and meet the differing needs of pupils as they progress through the school. Opportunities are provided to promote progress in information technology, and there are good examples of work planned to promote standards in literacy, including information leaflets produced by the pupils. Very good use is made of resources beyond the school for fieldwork. There are effective arrangements for assessing pupils’ standards and progress in the subject. 141. The subject is managed well by the co-ordinator and there has been considerable improvement since the previous inspection, particularly in the planning of blocked units and in the development of resource packs to support learning. Work on the local area is of

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technology

particularly high quality, and further development in the subject is planned. 143. History

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technology

142. Because history is planned as part of a topic-cycle, for the second half of the term, it was not possible to visit any lessons during the inspection. History is given a very high profile in the school and enough time is devoted to the subject. On this evidence, pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in gaining knowledge and understanding and their attainment is high compared with other pupils of a similar age. This is an improvement from the findings of the last inspection and the school has made good progress in improving the quality of pupils’ learning in history. This is due to the systematic implementation of a new scheme of work. 143. From Reception to Year 2, pupils make good progress in understanding that the past can be divided into different periods of time. By Year 2, many can recognise similarities and differences between Victorian times and present times. Pupils, through dramatic role-

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technology

play when they visit the Search Museum, gain very good factual knowledge of the period through dressing in clothes, and using tools and kitchen equipment. Pupils also understand what life was like in Victorian schools as they pretend to be Victorian children for a day. They experience similar lessons to those of Victorian children, and have very good factual knowledge of school life, including the games that pupils played. As result of handling and using artefacts of the period and comparing them with today, pupils understand well how inventions change over periods of time. They have a very good understanding of the impact of technology on daily life, including electrical appliances, and what life must have been like before these advances. Pupils also know about famous people of different periods such as Florence Nightingale, Guy Fawkes and Grace Darling, although they do not know a great deal about scientists or inventors in the past.

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technology

144. From Reception to Year 2, pupils gradually begin to understand periods of time further away from their own times through high quality experiences which are relevant to their daily lives. As a result of careful teaching, pupils begin to find answers to questions about the past through using surveys and asking their grandparents about their own school days, clothes or games. Pupils record their work in writing and pictures but information technology is not used adequately. This particularly restricts higher attaining pupils in finding out their own information in response to a question through the use of CD-ROM. 145. Pupils are keen to talk about their work and showed interest in learning about the past. 146. The planning of history topics and evidence of the pupils’ work indicates that a great deal of the teaching is good. The high quality scheme of work is carefully used for planning all other work. There is good progression from Reception to Year 2. Teachers

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technology

have good subject knowledge and are enthusiastic about teaching history. Resources in the school are good and teachers use people and pupils’ own artefacts well, for example, old teddies in Reception. There is very good involvement of the local community, including grandparents and the Search Museum.

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Music

147. It was not possible to see many music lessons during the inspection because of time- tabling arrangements; none was seen in Year 2. Scrutiny of teachers’ planning and the good scheme of work, and the two lessons observed show that pupils, including those with special educational needs, make at least satisfactory progress. The evidence indicates that the pupils attain average standards for their ages. In the school’s last OFSTED inspection standards were judged to be very good. Reception children were seen learning nursery rhymes, paying careful heed to dynamics. They sang tunefully for their age, while clapping a steady pulse, though when asked to stamp their feet also, only a few had sufficient control to do so. Older pupils in Year 1 managed to clap syllables correctly when holding a rhythmic conversation with their teacher, and one group of girls made good progress maintaining their line in a three-part round while others faltered fairly quickly, not

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Music

reaching the end. Singing seen in two classes was reasonably tuneful, similar to that expected of this age, but in assemblies, pupils while sitting produced a lack-lustre sound with a lack of direction by a teacher. Pupils' compositions with unpitched percussion were being written in graphic notation, with appropriate symbols for dynamics and duration. No musical appreciation was seen in the use of some appropriate music to introduce assemblies. In one on feelings, Beethoven’s Sixth symphony was used well to help pupils recognise emotions of happiness and fear, as the peasants’ dance leads to the storm. 148. Pupils enjoy music and appreciate the practical aspects of the subject. They are very well disciplined when playing instruments, listen carefully to instructions, and are eager to learn. 149. The music co-ordinator has devised a good scheme of work and teaches all years satisfactorily when she does not have her own Reception class. Pupils' aural sense is not

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Music

being fully developed as they move up the school because singing is not treated as an essential. Pupils respond well to music and express emotions engendered by it during dance lessons. Although valued by the school, music does not have sufficient time devoted to it most weeks due to the demands of other curricular initiatives.

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Physical education

150. Pupils attain average standards for their ages. An appropriate amount of time is devoted to physical education, and most classes have three lessons a week, dance, games and gymnastics. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make at least satisfactory progress in all three areas, and in some lessons seen, good or very good progress was made. Pupils in a Year 2 games lesson exhibited good skills in dodging and marking each other while playing piggy-in-the-middle. They demonstrated good throwing and catching techniques for their age and in teams, they showed good tactics, and were able to form good judgements when evaluating others’ performances. In gymnastics, most pupils plan a satisfactory sequence of movements. Higher attaining pupils show a greater degree of teamwork, and plan and execute a more complex sequence of stretching, curling and rolling. Pupils in Year 1 showed during a dance lesson that they can express feelings

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Physical education

engendered by the music, and satisfactorily represented anger by facial expression, angry movements of the body and stamping feet. Many, after practice, were able to make their movements flow together into a simple routine. 151. Pupils enjoy physical education and get excited when playing games, where there is a real feeling of competition. Teams are ready to evaluate each other’s work sensibly. They behave well, listen carefully and maintain high standards of discipline for their age. 152. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and sometimes good. Teachers have a satisfactory knowledge of the subject and always ensure that both they and the pupils dress appropriately. They sensibly use a taped scheme for dance, making sure the pupils listen carefully. They enforce discipline well which is essential in the hall which is small and becomes cramped when a large class is doing physical education. Teachers have high

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Physical education

expectations of performance and behaviour. They plan lessons well but do not always allow for the wide range of ability in their classes although, in the best lessons, teachers choose pupils well to demonstrate techniques on the basis of assessment of their performance. 153. The scheme of work follows the National Curriculum and allows for individual interpretation. Resources are satisfactory, with plenty of equipment, such as bean bags and balls, and some good quality large apparatus bought by the parents and used well. The co-ordinator, new to the post, has had to introduce the numeracy hour so has not yet started to monitor the curriculum or to carry out a full check of resources. 155. PART C: INSPECTION DATA

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Physical education

The inspection was carried out by a team of four inspectors who spent a total of 11 inspector days in the school. They observed teaching, scrutinised the work of pupils and checked their attainment by working with them during the inspection. Seven hours 15 minutes were spent at pre-Key Stage 1, and 22 hours ten minutes at Key Stage 1 in the observation of 53 lessons or parts of lessons. In addition, 14 hours 25 minutes were spent on the following:

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Physical education

• . The observation of a number of registration periods, assemblies, playtimes, lunchtimes and extracurricular activities; • . discussions held with all teaching staff and some non-teaching staff; • . many pupils heard to read and questioned about their mathematical knowledge and understanding; • . the inspection of three samples of pupils' work across the full range of ability in all year groups in addition to work examined during lessons; • . the analysis of all available school documentation; • . attendance records, pupils' records kept by the school and teachers' planning documents were examined; • . the inspection of budget figures; • . discussions held with pupils, parents and governors; • . a parents' meeting was held, and the views of the 24 parents present at this meeting, as well as those of the 81 families who responded to a questionnaire were taken into account.

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Physical education

157. Pupil data Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school’s register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals

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Teachers and classes

157. Qualified teachers (YR – Y2) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 8.5

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Teachers and classes

Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 21.65 157. Education support staff (YR – Y2) Total number of education support staff: 7 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 140

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Teachers and classes

Average class size School, 26. Reception, 24. Key Stage 1, 35. 157.

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Financial data

£ Total Income 365470 Total Expenditure 385818 Expenditure per pupil 1786.19 Balance brought forward from previous year Balance carried forward to next year 10289 157. PARENTAL SURVEY

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Number of questionnaires sent out: Number of questionnaires returned:

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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 38 55 4 3 0

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I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 55 42 3 0 0

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The school handles complaints from parents well 16 62 20 2 0

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The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 38 53 7 2 0

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The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 37 52 11 0 0

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The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 36 58 6 0 0

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The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 10 54 30 6 0

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I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 20 60 13 7 0

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The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 45 45 10 0 0

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The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 40 45 14 1 0

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My child(ren) like(s) school 52 38 6 4 0

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♦ . Several parents showed concern over the class sizes. ♦ . Several parents felt strongly that their children were being pushed too hard, and were not allowed enough time to play. ♦ . Some parents, with the above point in mind, were critical of the amount of homework their children are expected to do.

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