Baschurch CofE Primary School

School

Baschurch, Shrewsbury LEA area: Shrewsbury Unique Reference Number: 123534 Headteacher: Mr P Tutchener

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School

Dates of Inspection: 6 th – 9 th December 1999

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School

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

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School

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

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I NFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School

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I NFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Baschurch CE Primary School Eyton Lane Baschurch SHREWSBURY Shropshire SY4 2AU

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I NFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr P Malpass

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I NFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of the previous inspection: February 1996 Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr G R Sims Registered Inspector Areas of learning for children under five English Information technology Design and technology Music Physical education Attainment and progress Teaching Leadership and management Equal opportunities

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs S Dixon Lay Inspector Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents and the community Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Mrs C Deloughry Mathematics Science Art Geography History The curriculum and assessment The efficiency of the school Special educational needs

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Lynrose Marketing Bungalow Farmhouse Six Mile Bottom NEWMARKET Suffolk CB8 0TU

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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 in writing with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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MAIN FINDINGS

What the school does well Where the school has weaknesses How the school has improved since the last inspection Standards in subjects Quality of teaching Other aspects of the school The parents’ views of the school

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INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of the school 1 – 4 Key indicators

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Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

Attainment and progress 5 – 15 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 16 – 20 Attendance 21

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Quality of education provided

Teaching 22 – 33 The curriculum and assessment 34 – 40 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 41 – 45 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare 46 – 48 Partnership with parents and the community 49 – 52

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The management and efficiency of the school

Leadership and management 53 – 59 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 60 – 63 The efficiency of the school 64 – 70

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

Areas of learning for children under five 71 – 80 English, mathematics, and science 81 - 106 Other subjects or courses 107 - 149

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PART C: INSPECTION DATA

Summary of inspection evidence 150 – 153

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Data and indicators

Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 6

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What the school does well

• .The pupils make good progress in Key Stage 2 and achieve above average standards in English and mathematics and well above average standards in science by the time they leave school. • . The pupils have positive attitudes to school and behave well. The quality of relationships amongst the pupils and with adults is very good. • . Almost a quarter of the teaching is very good. • . The school provides a very good range of extra-curricular activities. • . The staff provide a caring environment in which good attention is given to the pupils’ wellbeing and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. • .There is a good partnership with parents and the local community which has a beneficial impact on pupils’ learning. · Where the school has weaknesses

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What the school does well

I. Although the quality of expression and range of vocabulary in their written work is good, the pupils make too many spelling mistakes. II. The teachers do not make enough use of information and communication technology to help the pupils’ learning in other subjects. III. Curriculum coordinators do not give enough attention to monitoring the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning. IV. Information gained from assessing pupils’ work is not brought together in a helpful format, to allow teachers to have a good oversight of pupils’ progress. V.The annual reports are too impersonal and do not give parents clear enough information about their children’s attainment and progress.

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identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or

· How the school has improved since the last inspection The improvement made since the last inspection has been good. All of the positive aspects identified in the last report have been maintained. All of the key issues and most of the weaknesses have been tackled successfully. The teachers’ planning now includes clear learning objectives which ensure a sharper focus to the teaching. The teachers have raised their expectations, and more able pupils are now adequately challenged in their work. The governing body is now more involved in the life of the school and has improved its procedures for monitoring the school budget. Weaknesses in the teaching of mathematics and in investigative work in science have been rectified, and standards have risen in both subjects. The school now has much better resources for teaching information technology and the pupils have better skills in this subject. However, computers are still not used

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identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or

enough to help pupils with their learning in other subjects. The school has successfully implemented the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, and these are having a positive effect on raising standards. Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 7 Parents acknowledge that the school has improved; they are now better informed about what their children are going to learn each term and are pleased with the increase in extra- curricular music and sporting activities.

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identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or

The school has already exceeded the targets it set for English and mathematics for the year 2000. It has now set new targets which are more realistic, particularly with regard to the percentage of pupils aiming to achieve the higher level 5.

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identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or

The headteacher and governors show a positive attitude to making further improvements. Difficulties with staffing at Key Stage 1 have been resolved for the current year. The staff are committed, hard-working and willing to take on board new initiatives. The school, therefore, has a good capacity for further improvements. · Standards in subjects The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds in 1999 based on the National Curriculum tests. Performance in: compared with all schools compared with similar schools · Key well above average A above average B average C below average D well below average E English A B Mathematics A B Science A A The results of the 1999 National Curriculum assessments at the end of Key Stage 2 were well above the national averages in English, mathematics and science; they were above the averages for similar schools in English and mathematics, and well above average in science. The small number of pupils in each year group causes results to fluctuate from

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identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or

year to year. Over the last four years, however, the school’s results have been consistently above average. The inspection findings show that standards in English and mathematics are above average; in science they are well above average. The investigative work is science is particularly good.

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identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or

The pupils achieve the nationally expected level in most aspects of information technology by the age of 11. They make satisfactory progress in art, design and technology and geography and good progress in history, music and physical education. The pupils have produced some particularly good examples of art in Key Stage 1 and some very good work on the history of the school since 1600 in Class 3.

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identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or

· Quality of teaching Teaching in: Under 5 5 – 7 years 7 – 11 years English Satisfactory Satisfactory Good Mathematics Satisfactory Satisfactory Good Science Satisfactory Good Information technology Satisfactory Satisfactory Religious education – * – * Other subjects Satisfactory Satisfactory Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses. Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 8 * Religious education is to be inspected at a later date by a diocesan inspector

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identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or

The teaching observed during the inspection was at least satisfactory in all lessons. In 21 per cent it was very good and in 38 per cent it was good. The quality of teaching is more rigorous at Key Stage 2 than at Key Stage 1; it is particularly good in Class 3. Problems with staffing at Key Stage 1 have been resolved, and the pupils are now being taught by young teachers with whom they have a very good rapport. All of the teachers are committed and hard-working and willing to take on board new initiatives.

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identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or

· Other aspects of the school Aspect · Comment

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identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or

Behaviour Good. The pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Older pupils are particularly good with younger pupils. Attendance Very good. The level of attendance is well above the national average and there is very little unauthorised absence. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Ethos* Good. The pupils have positive attitudes to their work. Relationships between staff and pupils are very good. The school is conscious of the need to provide pupils with sufficient challenge and is aiming to achieve high academic standards. Leadership and management Satisfactory overall. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school and provides effective leadership for the staff and pupils. The school’s aims, values and policies are implemented consistently. Insufficient attention is given to monitoring the quality of teaching, learning and curriculum development. Curriculum Satisfactory. Pupils receive a broad and balanced curriculum.

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identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or

Appropriate emphasis is given to the acquisition of literacy and numeracy skills. Insufficient time is devoted to the use of information technology. Residential visits, school trips and a very good range of extra-curricular activities enrich the pupils’ education. Pupils with special educational needs Good. The new coordinator has improved the school’s procedures and pupils now have better and more appropriate individual education plans. There is now greater support and involvement from the governing body. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development The school makes very good provision for the pupils’ moral and social development and good provision for their spiritual and cultural development. A good system of rewards reinforces good behaviour. Adults provide good role models. There is a good programme for personal and social education. Staffing, resources and accommodation Satisfactory overall. Resources for information technology have

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identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to all parents or

improved. Good use of the library loan service overcomes the shortage of reference books. The school’s outdoor facilities are good, and there is very good collaboration with the neighbouring secondary school. The cramped accommodation for the youngest pupils is unsatisfactory. Value for money Standards are high in the core subjects and the quality of education is good. The cost of educating each pupil is below average. The school gives good value for money. * Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards. Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 9 · The parents’ views of the school

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

VI. They are pleased with their children’s attainment and the progress they are making. VII. They are very pleased with the attitudes and values promoted by the school. VIII. They feel well informed about what is happening in the school and are pleased that the school is responsive to their views. IX. They are generally pleased with the quantity, regularity and consistency of homework. X. They are pleased with the standards of behaviour. They are particularly pleased with the good relationships which exist between older and younger pupils. XI. They feel welcome in school and are encouraged to help. XII. Their children like coming to school. XIII. A very small number of parents do rity of the parents. XIV. A few parents feel that complaints

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

XV. A number of parents do not feel that out their children’s progress. XVI. Many parents are concerned about lack of continuity in teaching for pupils in Key

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

XVII. Some parents are concerned about classes.

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

Inspectors’ judgements support parents’ positive views.

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

The school has responded to parents’ concern to receive more detailed information about their children’s progress by holding an additional consultation evening for parents and by including an attainment grade on the end of term report. Inspectors feel, however, that these reports do not give parents sufficiently individualised information about their children’s progress.

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

Long-term staff absence has affected the progress of pupils in Key Stage 1, although circumstances have largely been beyond the school’s control. The situation has improved and the staffing situation has, barring unforeseen circumstances, been stabilised for the remainder of this school year.

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

The headteacher and staff show genuine concern for the pupils and make every effort to ensure that all pupils are treated fairly and that problems are dealt with quickly and efficiently. This is not always conveyed successfully to a small number of parents.

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

The school’s system for allocating pupils to classes, when a year group has to be split, is as equitable as possible. The teachers ensure that pupils’ receive similar learning experiences by coordinating the curriculum and planning together. The more able pupils in Year 2, do, however, receive greater challenge in the work they are required to do. Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 10 · KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

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

In order to raise standards of attainment, the governors, headteacher and staff should give further consideration to the following:

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

XVIII.Although frequently expressive and containing a good range of vocabulary, the written work of many pupils is frequently inaccurate. The teachers should ensure that: -. the marking of pupils’ written work gives pupils clear indication of how their writing can be improved; -. greater attention is given to the quality of written English produced for work in other subjects; -. pupils pay greater attention to correcting and revising their own work; -. pupils learn from the mistakes they have made.

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

• . Pupils do not make enough use of information and communication technology as a tool for learning in all subjects. The teachers should:

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

-. make more efficient use of the school’s computers by giving the pupils greater access to computers; -. ensure that their planning identifies ways in which computers can be used effectively to assist pupils’ progress in all subjects; -. enable pupils to make better use of the computer’s facility for drafting and redrafting written work in English.

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

• . Subject coordinators do not take an active enough part in monitoring the quality of curricular planning, teaching and pupils’ work in order to identify areas for improvement. The governors and headteacher should identify ways in which subject coordinators can be enabled to fulfil this role effectively. [Paragraphs 57, 91, 99, 106, 131]

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

• . The assessment data gathered by the school is not collated and recorded in a way which provides staff with a clear and easy insight into the progress each individual pupil is making. The governors, headteacher and staff should devise a system to provide themselves with a clearer overview of pupils’ progress. [Paragraphs 40, 46, 91, 99, 106, 131]

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

• . In order to improve liaison with the parents, the governors, headteacher and staff should give further consideration to the annual reports to parents:

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

• . The governors, headteacher and staff should devise a system of producing annual reports which gives parents clearer information about their children’s progress. [Paragraphs 40, 46]

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

In addition to the key issues above, the following less important weaknesses should be considered for inclusion in the action plan. These are indicated in the main body of the report as follows: Provision for children under five [paragraph 31, 62, 75, 77, 79] Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 11 · INTRODUCTION · Characteristics of the school · 1.The school is situated in the village of Baschurch, which is eight miles north west of Shrewsbury. It is a Church of England, voluntary aided school, which admits pupils between the ages of 4 and 11. There are currently 132 full-time pupils on roll, 59 boys and 73 girls, 19 more than at the time of the previous inspection, which took place in February 1996. The school is smaller that most primary schools. Pupils are taught in 5 mixed-ability classes, all of which contain pupils from different age groups. The school admits pupils into the reception class at the beginning of the school term in which they

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

reach their fifth birthday. At the time of the inspection there were six children under the age of five in the reception class. The school does not have a nursery class. · · 2.Nearly all pupils are of a white ethnic background, and all come from homes where English is the main spoken language. The socio-economic background of the pupils is mixed, but is generally above average. Many pupils come from advantaged homes but, as in most rural areas, there are pockets of deprivation. Only six per cent of the pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals, and this figure is below the national average. Eleven per cent of the pupils have been identified by the school as having special educational needs, and this figure is below the national average. Of these, six pupils are at Stage 2 or above on the register of pupils with special educational needs, and one of these pupils has a statement of special educational

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

need. Most pupils have attended either the village playgroup or a local private nursery before starting school. The results of initial assessments for the previous two years show that the attainment of pupils on entry to the school is generally above average. · · 3.Over the last 18 months, two members of staff have had prolonged periods of absence, and Key Stage 1 classes have been taught by a succession of supply teachers. The situation has stabilised, and two young teachers have been appointed to teach the Key Stage 1 classes until the end of the summer term. Of the current staff, only the headteacher and deputy headteacher were teaching in the school at the time of the last inspection. · · 4.The school aims to enable all pupils to develop their full potential and to build Christian values into its ethos and teaching, while maintaining understanding and respect for other faiths. It welcomes all children from the neighbourhood and promotes

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

attitudes of mutual respect and responsibility among members of the school community. It seeks to develop strong links between school, home, parish and community. To further develop relationships with parents, the school has surveyed opinion and collaboratively produced a Home-School Agreement. The school’s official target is for 77 per cent of the pupils to achieve level 4 in English and mathematics by the end of the year 2000. This target was exceeded in both subjects in 1999 and the school is now aiming for 89 per cent to achieve this level, with 60% achieving the higher level 5 in English and 48 per cent in mathematics in the coming year. Over the next year, the school’s main targets for development are to improve the pupils attainment in the core curriculum subjects by improving the quality of education. This includes the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy and continuing to develop

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

the literacy hour. The school is also aiming to extend the teaching accommodation in order to improve facilities for the youngest pupils. · Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 12 · Key indicators · Attainment at Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for th l t t ti 1999 8 17 25

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics Number of pupils Boys 8 8 8 at NC Level 2 or Girls 17 17 17 above Total 25 25 25 Percentage at NC School 100 (94) 100 (94) 100 (88) Level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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

Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 8 8 8 at NC Level 2 or Girls 17 17 17 above Total 25 25 25 Percentage at NC School 100 (94) 100 (88) 100 (88) Level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86) · Attainment at Key Stage 2

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 f th l t t ti 1999 8 10 18

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 7 7 7 at NC Level 4 or Girls 10 9 10 above Total 17 16 17 Percentage at NC School 94 (70) 89 (60) 94 (90) Level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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

Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 7 7 7 at NC Level 4 or Girls 10 9 10 above Total 17 16 17 Percentage at NC School 94 (70) 89 (65) 94 (70) Level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) · Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 13

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Attendance

% Percentage of half days (sessions) missed Authorised School 4.2 through absence for the latest complete Absence National comparative data 5.7 reporting year (1997/98): Unauthorised School 0.0 absence National comparative data 0.5 ·

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Exclusions

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

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Quality of teaching

% Percentage of teaching observed which is: Very good or better 21 Satisfactory or better 100 Less than satisfactory 0 · Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 14 · PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

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Quality of teaching

· E DUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

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Quality of teaching

· 5.The school’s results in the 1999 National Curriculum assessment tests at the end of Key Stage 1 were well above the national average and the average for similar schools in reading, writing and mathematics. All pupils achieved the nationally expected Level 2. Almost a half achieved the higher Level 3 in reading, and over a third achieved this level in mathematics; only a tenth achieved this level in writing. The 1999 results were better than the previous year. Over the last four years and since the last inspection, results have fluctuated but, overall, they have been consistently above the national average. Pupils who are currently at the end of Key Stage 1 have suffered considerable disruption to their teaching in both Year 1 and Year 2 because of the long-term absence of two teachers. This has affected their progress, particularly in writing, and accounts for the inspection findings that their attainment is not quite as

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Quality of teaching

high as the previous year’s results. Standards are average in writing and above average in reading and mathematics. The school has stabilised the staffing situation for the current year and the pupils are making satisfactory progress. · · 6.The school’s results in the 1999 National Curriculum assessment tests at the end of Key Stage 2 were well above the national average in English, mathematics and science. They were above the average for similar schools in English and mathematics and well above in science. Almost all pupils achieved the nationally expected Level 4 in all three subjects. Close to a third achieved the higher Level 3 in English, a third in mathematics and over a half in science. The 1999 results were better than those of the previous year and placed the school as one of the top achieving schools within the local authority area. With some minor fluctuations over the last four years, standards

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Quality of teaching

have improved in all three subjects and are now better than at the time of the last inspection. Inspection findings show that standards are above average in English and mathematics and well above average in science. These findings coincide with the overall picture for the last four years, during which time the science results have been slightly higher than those in English and mathematics. The school has already exceeded the targets set for English and mathematics for the year 2000. · · 7.When children enter the school and join the Reception class in the term in which they are five, their overall level of attainment is above average. They make good progress in their personal and social development and settle into school routines quickly. They make satisfactory progress in all other areas of learning and, by the age of five, most pupils have progressed beyond the Desirable Learning Outcomes . They show independence, take turns and are cooperative and helpful. They have good

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Quality of teaching

speaking and listening skills, recognise words and letters and are starting to write. They count to 20 securely, sequence numbers well and have a well-developed mathematical vocabulary. They have a good knowledge of the world around them. The

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Quality of teaching

1 The school’s results are compared both to the national average (i.e. the average of the results of all schools in England, where pupils took National Curriculum assessment tests at the end of Key Stage 2) and to the average for similar schools (i.e. the average of the results for all schools whose pupils come from similar socio- economic backgrounds, determined by the eligibility of pupils within the school to receive free school meals). Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 15 children draw well and show good control in physical activities. · · 8.The pupils, including those with special educational needs, are making satisfactory progress in English at Key Stage 1 and good progress at Key Stage 2. Standards in speaking, listening and reading are above average at the end of both key stages. By the end of Key Stage 1, the pupils have a good command of vocabulary and express themselves well. Most pupils read accurately and with good understanding and cope

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Quality of teaching

well with unfamiliar words. Lower-attaining pupils have not yet acquired strategies to work out new words. By the end of Key Stage 2, the pupils speak clearly in well- constructed sentences; they converse easily and naturally with adults. Nearly all are capable of reading advanced texts. They read with fluency, confidence and expression, self-correcting when necessary. Although they cope with demanding texts in lessons, the books which they choose to read for themselves do not show the same degree of challenge. The pupils’ progress in writing at Key Stage 1 has been affected by staffing problems; standards are average, but pupils are now making satisfactory progress. The most able pupils produce some good examples of imaginative writing. Other pupils find it hard to write more than a few sentences. By the end of Key Stage 2, the pupils’ attainment in writing is above average. At its best, their writing is fluent,

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Quality of teaching

interesting and varied, and pupils use a wide range of vocabulary. Spelling is the weakest aspect of the pupils’ work in English throughout the school, and standards are lower than they ought to be. Overall, however, the pupils have good literacy skills by the time they leave school. · · 9.The pupils make satisfactory progress at Key Stage 1 and good progress in Key Stage 2 in developing their mathematical skills. Their attainment is above average at the end of both key stages. By the end of Key Stage 1, the pupils have a good understanding of number and of basic shapes. They carry out investigations successfully. By the end of Key Stage 2, they have a good understanding of place value and the four rules of number. They are able to use quick methods of calculation in mental arithmetic. They apply their numeracy skills well in other areas of the curriculum, for example, as an integral part of their investigations in science. The

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Quality of teaching

setting arrangements in Key Stage 2 have had a positive impact on pupils’ progress. · · 10. The pupils make good progress in science at both key stages. Standards are above average by the end of Key Stage 1 and well above average by the end of Key Stage 2. By the end of Key Stage 1, standards are above average. The pupils have a good understanding of the properties of materials and of the conditions required for things to live. They make simple plans for their investigations and record the results of their discoveries in a variety of ways. By the end of Key Stage 2, standards are well above average. They have developed good investigative skills They make accurate measurements and record their findings with precision. They have a good understanding of each of the areas of the science curriculum. · · 11. The provision for information technology has improved since the last inspection, and there has been an improvement in the standards of attainment. The

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Quality of teaching

pupils are making satisfactory progress and achieve the nationally expected level at the end of both key stages. Throughout the school, the pupils show a reasonable

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Quality of teaching

2 The nationally agreed goals for learning for children by the time they enter compulsory schooling at the age of five. The skills, knowledge and understanding which are deemed to provide a suitable foundation for young children are described in the Government’s guidance document “Desirable Learning Outcomes for Pupils entering Compulsory Education”. Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 16 degree of confidence when using a computer. By the end of Key Stage 1, the pupils are able to produce short pieces of written text and show sound control of the mouse when producing maps of their route to school. By the end of Key Stage 2, the pupils demonstrate appropriate skills in using a word processor and a spreadsheet. They know how to write commands and procedures to draw shapes using a logo program. Although attainment in information technology is lower than in English, mathematics and science, the pupils have sufficient basic skills to be able to tackle new programs.

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Quality of teaching

· 12. The pupils make satisfactory progress in art and design and technology. Standards in art at Key Stage 1 are above those normally found. The younger pupils paint and draw well. Much good quality art-work is on display around the school. In design and technology, the older pupils show a sound understanding of the basic processes of designing, making and evaluating a product and demonstrate satisfactory skills when, for example, designing and making a pair of slippers or a range of musical instruments. · · 13. The pupils make satisfactory progress in geography and good progress in history. The pupils have a good knowledge of local geography, aided by constructive field-work in the vicinity of the school. A particular strength in history is the emphasis placed on teaching historical concepts and skills. The work undertaken by pupils in Class 3 on the history of the school is particularly good. Using primary and secondary

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Quality of teaching

sources, they have gained a very good understanding of local history through the ages since 1600. · · 14. In music, the pupils make good progress and achieve above average standards at Key Stage 2. They listen carefully to music in assemblies and show great enthusiasm when practising together. A large number of pupils play musical instruments and many participate in the lively music club, which makes an effective contribution to pupils’ knowledge and understanding of music. The pupils achieve standards which are above average for their age in games and swimming at Key Stage 2. By the end of Key Stage 2, virtually all pupils know the principles and skills of water safety and survival and achieve the nationally expected standard of swimming 25 metres using different strokes, and many achieve higher standards than this. · · 15. The school provides extra support for the small number of pupils identified as

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Quality of teaching

having special educational needs. These pupils are integrated well into all aspects of school life and progress at a similar rate to other pupils in all subjects. They make good progress when withdrawn from normal lessons to attend specially targeted teaching sessions, or when they receive additional help from the teacher or classroom assistant. There has been a recent improvement in the quality of their individual education plans which now provide clearer targets and a sharper focus to assist their progress. ·

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Quality of teaching

· Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

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Quality of teaching

· 16. The pupils have good attitudes to their work. Greater consistency in the quality of teaching, particularly in mathematics, has resulted in an improvement in the pupils’ attitudes since the last inspection. The pupils work hard and, for the most part, remain attentive throughout lessons and the school day. They listen carefully to their teachers and each other and, when required, offer their own ideas and opinions with enthusiasm. Pupils are developing the skills needed to become independent learners but, at present, some pupils lack initiative and make better progress in lessons only when directly supported. However, good examples of independent learning and the use of research skills were observed in history studies. In many lessons, however, Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 17 pupils work well alone. Collaborative work is good; for example, in a Key Stage 2 physical education lesson pupils played hockey showing good team skills and respect

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Quality of teaching

for the rules of the game and the safety of each other. Pupils are encouraged to take pride in their work and to celebrate their own achievements and those of others. This is evident in attractive displays of work throughout school and by the sharing of good work with other pupils. · · 17. The behaviour of the pupils is good and has a positive effect upon their learning. Parents are, justifiably, pleased with the standards of behaviour achieved by the school. Behaviour is good in lessons, assemblies and at lunchtimes and contributes to the industrious atmosphere that exists. On the small number of occasions where behaviour is less good, pupils respond well to the school’s system of rewards and sanctions. Conflict and bullying are rare; any that occurs is dealt with appropriately, closely following the school’s anti-bullying policy. One pupil has been excluded from school in the recent past. · · 18. Relationships throughout the school community are very good. Adults in

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school present very good role models and this is reflected in the relationships between pupils and staff and amongst pupils themselves. Pupils are well mannered and respectful towards each other and adults. Pupils of different ages mix and play well together. Older pupils approach their responsibilities towards younger pupils with thought and consideration. · · 19. The personal development of pupils is good. There is very good support for this from the comprehensive personal and social education programme, from lessons and assemblies. Pupils throughout the school are offered many opportunities to take responsibility; these include a wide variety of classroom duties and opportunities to serve the whole school community. Pupils gain in confidence and experience by taking part in the wide variety of extra-curricular clubs and older pupils benefit from a residential visit. Care and appreciation for others is encouraged in many ways

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throughout school; in Class 3, for example, the pupils value a special system through which they can recognise and express the kindness of others. The pupils show respect and understanding for the needs and values of others, for example, through their work in religious education and other lessons, and in the way they support the work of charities. · · 20. Children under five show a positive attitude to school. They concentrate well and listen attentively to the teachers and other pupils. They show a good degree of independence when moving around the school or working in the classroom. They form good relationships with each other and with adults, and show sensitivity to the needs of others. They respond particularly well to the older pupils. ·

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· 21. The level of attendance is very good; it is well above the national average, and is slightly higher than at the time of the last inspection. The level of unauthorised absence is well below the national average. The school is well informed about absences and these are largely due to childhood illnesses and to a small number of holidays taken in term time. Pupils arrive at school in good time. Registration is completed efficiently and the first lessons follow promptly. The administrative arrangements are good and meet statutory requirements. · Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 18 · Q UALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

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· 22. The quality of the teaching is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. During the inspection one fifth of the lessons were very good, two fifths were good and the remainder were satisfactory. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. All of the very good and most of the good teaching occurred in the top three classes. The teaching was particularly good in Class 3. The quality has improved since the last inspection. Pupils are managed effectively at Key Stage 1, and teachers expectations have improved at Key Stage 2. Lessons are generally well planned and have clear learning objectives. The problems with teaching in Key Stage 1 which have been encountered over the last 18 months because of long-term staff absence have been overcome, now that the school has stability in its staffing for the current year. There is no subject in which the teaching is weak. The teachers are committed, hard-working

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and willing to take on board new initiatives. They have, for example, responded very positively to the introduction of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and feel that these have brought improvements to their teaching. · · 23. The teaching of children under five is satisfactory. The teacher’s very good rapport with the children promotes their personal and social development and helps them to feel secure as they are taught alongside the older Year 1 pupils. Well-chosen activities contribute to the children’s progress in speaking and listening. An appropriate range of activities is provided for each area of learning, and regular teaching and practice during the literacy hour and numeracy session help the children to develop their literacy and numeracy skills. Appropriate thought and attention is given to the quality of display and the way in which work is presented to the children. Some sessions last too long for the children to maintain their concentration.

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· · 24. The teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the subjects of the National Curriculum are sound at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. They demonstrate this through good questioning skills, clear explanations and the ability to answer pupils’ questions clearly. In an English lesson for pupils in Year 3, for example, the teacher used her knowledge to help the pupils use a wider range of more expressive vocabulary. Competent piano playing and the ability to give pupils a confident lead helped pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 to improve the quality of their singing. In Year 6, the teacher helps pupils to understand some difficult and demanding texts. Although there is still some hesitancy, the teachers' confidence in teaching information technology has improved. Where necessary, the teachers have a good awareness of health and safety requirements, for example in physical education or when using equipment in

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science. · · 25. The teachers’ expectations are generally appropriate and in many lessons in Key Stage 2 are high. Pupils in Year 3, for example, were given a very clear indication of the standards expected as the teacher showed them two examples of good work and asked them to explain why they were good. In lessons for the younger pupils, expectations of what they are able to achieve in a given time are not always high enough. In contrast, a lesson in which they were encouraged to be more adventurous in their use of words, helped the pupils to improve the quality of their writing. The school has given greater thought since the last inspection as to how to extend the more able pupils, and the growing percentage of pupils achieving higher levels in the National Curriculum assessment tests indicates that the more able pupils are being successfully challenged. · Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 19

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· 26. The teachers plan thoughtfully for their lessons and activities are well prepared. Lessons have clear learning objectives, an improvement since the last inspection. Occasionally, as was the case in some of the dance lessons observed, there is not a clear enough focus on what the teacher wishes the pupils to learn or achieve during the lesson. In most lessons, tasks are well matched to the needs of the pupils, and differentiated tasks are provided for pupils of differing abilities. The school has made good use of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies to improve planning in English and mathematics. The planning for information technology has also improved since the last inspection, and teachers endeavour to teach new skills within a meaningful context. For example, the work on spreadsheets observed during the inspection tied in well with the pupils’ science work. · · 27. The teachers use a good variety of teaching methods and styles, and strike

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Quality of teaching

an appropriate balance between whole-class teaching, group-work and individual tasks. In some lessons at Key Stage 1, individual components of a lesson occasionally last too long, with the result that pupils struggle to maintain their concentration. The emergent writing techniques used to encourage the youngest children to write successfully help pupils to develop a willingness to write, but many pupils struggle later on to produce accurate spelling. Quick mental mathematics sessions are having a positive impact on pupils’ ability to use numbers. Work on investigative mathematics has improved, but is still the weakest aspect of the subject. Very good use is made of the locality and the richness of the school’s own background in history, which results in some stimulating and interesting work in Class 3. · · 28. The teachers’ classroom management skills are satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 1. Very good relationships exist between staff and pupils at all

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Quality of teaching

levels. At Key Stage 1, the staff are particularly caring and sensitive to the pupils’ needs, although at times not enough attention is given to curbing the tendency of pupils to call out their answers or to encourage them to work more diligently during independent activities. In Key Stage 2, lessons are orderly, and the teachers establish a positive and supportive climate which makes it easy for pupils to participate and learn. Minor incidents are solved quickly and effectively. · · 29. A distinguishing feature between the lessons which are satisfactory and those which are good is the pace at which the lesson is conducted. In some lessons, the pace is rather slow; the teachers either give the pupils too much time to complete their tasks or allow the pupils to dictate the pace. In contrast, many lessons are conducted at a brisk pace. All pupils are involved and active and they are given clear indications as to how long they have in which to complete their work. In mathematics,

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Quality of teaching

the most effective mental sessions are conducted briskly and involve all pupils. The least effective sessions are too slow and questions are aimed at individual pupils rather than involving the whole class. · · 30. The teachers make effective use of resources which help to achieve the objectives of the lesson. In an English lesson, for example, the simple use of flashcards made by the pupils helped them to learn the difference between ‘their’, ‘there’ and ‘they’re’. In Key Stage 1, nicely presented cards with reminders of what to look for in writing help to reinforce literacy skills. Very good work in history has resulted from imaginative use of interesting resources. Not enough use is made of computers to assist pupils’ learning in other subjects. · · 31. The quality of the teachers' day-to-day assessment is satisfactory. The teachers’ daily interaction with the pupils in lessons is a strong point, as most teachers

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Quality of teaching

are good at asking appropriate questions to ensure that pupils understand their work. Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 20 Some lessons start with an effective review of previous work in order to ensure that the pupils understand what has gone before. In a Year 3 lesson, for example, the teacher made effective use of pupils’ writing from the previous week to consolidate a teaching point. The starting point of some lessons derives from a careful analysis of weaknesses observed in a previous lesson. For example, in a mathematics lesson for pupils in Year 5, the teacher referred to errors which had been made in the previous day’s work and helped the pupils to correct the mistakes. When pupils are working on their own or in groups, most teachers use their time profitably to assess what pupils are doing and to provide appropriate help and feedback. The closing sessions of most lessons are used well to assess what pupils have learnt and to clear up any

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misconceptions. Occasionally, the focus of these closing sessions is not sharp enough. The weakness in the day-to-day assessment of pupils’ work lies in the marking of written work. Most books are marked regularly and, occasionally, in some detail. However, the pupils are not given a clear enough indication as to how they might improve their work. Although sometimes asked to do so, the pupils rarely revisit their work to correct or improve it, in order to learn from their mistakes. In English, a lack of rigorous marking is an important reason why pupils' writing continues to be inaccurate. In written work produced for other subjects, the teachers do not correct English mistakes, with the result that incorrect spellings are perpetuated. · · 32. Parents are generally pleased with the quantity, regularity and consistency of the work their children are given to do at home. The school has a clear and simple

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Quality of teaching

policy for homework, and has established appropriate guidelines for each year group, starting with reading daily, key words and number games taking about one hour per week in Year 1, to spellings, number work and regular science, topic and literacy assignments amounting to two and a half hours in Years 5 and 6. The work which pupils are doing at home is helping them to make progress. · · 33. The teaching provided for pupils with special educational needs is good. The special educational needs coordinator has a clear understanding of the needs of these pupils and has improved the quality of individual education plans for them. These are used effectively to target the specific weaknesses previously identified. Additional support provided for these pupils is helping them to make progress. ·

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Quality of teaching

· 34. The quality of the curriculum provided by the school is satisfactory. All subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education are taught regularly in all classes. The curriculum meets statutory requirements fully. There are schemes of work for all subjects which provide a satisfactory breadth and balance in the coverage of the programmes of study. The school devotes sufficient time to the teaching of literacy and numeracy, and a satisfactory amount of time is spent on the teaching of other subjects. The school provides equal opportunities for all pupils, including those with special educational needs. This is evident through the planning for different groups and the level of support given to enable pupils with special educational needs to access the curriculum. · · 35. The children who are under five are taught in the Reception Class with pupils from Year 1, and share most of their lessons. Although the work is not specifically

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Quality of teaching

planned to the Desirable Learning Outcomes, due attention is paid to the children's specific needs. The curriculum provided satisfactorily promotes these outcomes, especially in numeracy and literacy, but play activities are not sufficiently structured. The children’s levels of attainment are assessed soon after they enter the school, and Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 21 these are used to identify any areas of concern or to assist in decisions about placing a child on the register of special educational needs. The assessments, however, are not sufficiently used to inform planning. · · 36. The National Literacy Strategy has now been satisfactorily implemented in each class. The Numeracy Strategy has helped the teachers to plan their mathematics curriculum systematically and to include more mental work which is having a good impact on the pupils’ attainment and progress. The system of whole-school planning

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Quality of teaching

and the emphasis placed on investigative skills in the science curriculum are helping to raise standards in the subject. Insufficient use is made of information technology in all areas of the curriculum. · · 37. The provision for the pupils’ personal and social development is good, not only in circle time but throughout the day. There is a good programme for providing sex and health education, which includes information regarding drug abuse and the dangers of smoking. · · 38. The school provides a very good range of extra-curricular activities that enrich the curriculum. The activities are provided on four nights of the week. They are very popular and are well supported by the pupils. They include, amongst others, a religious discussion group taking by the vicar of the local church, a thriving music club, French and a variety of sports activities. Peripatetic music teaching is also available, and many pupils are learning to play a musical instrument. Good use is made of the

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Quality of teaching

local environment and a wide range of educational visits is organised, including an annual residential visit for pupils in Years 5 and 6. These activities not only enhance the pupils’ attainment, but also have a very positive influence on their social and personal development. · · 39. The curricular provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The special educational needs coordinator has only recently been given the responsibility. Since then, she has worked hard to review and improve most of the individual educational plans for the pupils on the register. The targets and activities are now specifically identified so the teachers can plan work which closely matches the needs of the pupils. The previous report highlighted the fact that the special needs governor was not sufficiently involved. This situation is much improved as she is now working in the school with the pupils, and meets the coordinator regularly.

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Quality of teaching

· · 40. Procedures for assessing pupils' attainment are satisfactory The school utilises a range of assessment tests to measure attainment. Staff analyse the statutory test results and other interim assessments effectively, in order to identify areas of weakness. If necessary, amendments are made to planning or additional support is provided. However, the results of these assessments are not recorded in a way which gives a clear overview of the progress of individual pupils as they move through the school. The transfer of information between year groups lacks efficiency and effectiveness. The comments on the annual report to parents lack individuality and are unsatisfactory. ·

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Quality of teaching

· Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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3 Circle time is an activity where pupils are able to discuss certain matters as a class, following strict rules about listening to others and taking turns to speak. Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 22 · 41. The school makes very good provision for the pupils’ moral and social development and good provision for their spiritual and cultural development. The school’s provision has improved since the last inspection and parents are pleased with the values and attitudes which the school promotes. · · 42. The provision for the pupils’ spiritual development is good. They learn about the Christian faith in assemblies and religious education lessons and through a close relationship with the village church. Pupils learn about other faiths in religious education lessons and recognise their religious festivals, often where they fall alongside those of the Christian faith. At present, this has included the study of

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Quality of teaching

festivals of light, for example, Hanukkah and the traditional Christian celebrations in Sweden. Pupils’ spiritual awareness is raised through the environmental work carried out in the school grounds and through lessons, for example, in a Key Stage 1 science lesson, where pupils examined different sources of light. Environmental work and caring for the school’s pets promotes appreciation of the world around them. There are opportunities for pupils to express their feelings in lessons and through written work. Time for prayer and reflection in assemblies and in the classroom encourages pupils to value and consider themselves and others. · · 43. The provision for the pupils’ moral development is very good. Pupils are provided with opportunities to gain a clear understanding of right and wrong which are supported by the well understood system of rewards and sanctions. Pupils are given the chance to consider moral values in assemblies and personal and social education

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lessons. All adults in school set very good examples for the pupils, who learn to respect and care for one another and their property by undertaking a variety of responsibilities. · · 44. The provision for the pupils’ social development is very good. Lunch and breaktimes are pleasant and sociable, illustrated clearly, for example, when on a wet break-time the whole school took part in singing games. Lessons and assemblies offer opportunities to celebrate and share one another’s successes. The pupils’ social development is enhanced by extra-curricular clubs, by taking part in community events and by residential visits for the older pupils. · · 45. The provision for the pupils’ cultural development is good. Pupils learn about their own culture and heritage by undertaking studies of their own village and a detailed study of the history of their school. The cultures and traditions of other countries are learnt about in various areas of the curriculum, for example, in Class 1

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Quality of teaching

where pupils have made drawings of different dwelling places from around the world. Pupils’ cultural knowledge and experience is widened by visits to places of interest and by involvement in the world of art and music. This has included working with artists and taking part in an African music workshop. ·

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Quality of teaching

· 46. The support, guidance and provision for pupils’ welfare is good overall. The positive aspects noted at the time of the last inspection have been maintained. There are satisfactory procedures for assessing pupils’ academic and personal progress. A variety of tests and assessments are made and samples of work collected but, at present, the recording of this information is insufficient to track the progress of individual pupils effectively or to provide detailed regular information for parents. Pupils are well supported personally by the very good relationships that exist with the Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 23 staff. Pupils with special educational needs are also well supported. Pupils are well prepared for life outside school by the work covered in the very good personal and social education programme. This includes aspects of personal safety and appropriate sex and drugs education. Meetings and visits ensure that children make a happy start

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Quality of teaching

to their school life and a smooth transfer to the next stage of their education. In particular, children starting school benefit from the close and effective relationship maintained with pre-school providers. · · 47. There are very good procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour. There is a good policy and an effective system of rewards and sanctions. A feature of this is the recognition and reward for the good behaviour and work of all pupils, with additional praise and reward for special efforts and the completion of homework. There are good procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance. Administrative procedures are efficient and the school meets all statutory requirements. · · 48. The arrangements for child protection are good. Teaching, non-teaching and ancillary staff have a good level of awareness and are appropriately trained. All receive good written guidance. The arrangements for promoting the health, safety and

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well-being of all in school are also good. They are supported by a detailed policy, good daily practice and suitable arrangements for dealing with accidents and emergencies. ·

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Quality of teaching

· Partnership with parents and the community

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Quality of teaching

· 49. Good links with parents and the local community have been maintained since the last inspection. Parents are supportive of the school. They are especially pleased with the encouragement they receive to take part in the life of the school, the good extra-curricular provision and the provision for homework. · · 50. Parents provide very good support for their children’s learning. They provide much help in school with classroom activities and support extra-curricular clubs and sporting events. Parents have a clear understanding of the school’s homework policy and provide good support for homework. There is an active and successful Friends Association that provides additional resources for the school. Parents respond well to invitations to come to school productions and events. · · 51. The quality of information provided for parents is satisfactory. Parents are well informed about the school through the school brochure, governors’ annual reports

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Quality of teaching

and informative newsletters. They received information about the implementation of the literacy hour and receive regular information about work and topics for the coming term. Reporting on pupils’ progress is made at termly consultation events. Although these events provide a good opportunity for discussion, parents have expressed a wish for better information about their children’s progress. Written reports are provided in the summer term, but these are unsatisfactory. They provide little individualised information about pupils’ progress and, across the school, the content is restricted to a small number of repetitive or identical statements. · · 52. Links with the community are very good. They provide support for the curriculum and enrich pupils’ lives. There are opportunities to visit the countryside for environmental studies and museums and country houses to support art and history. Members of the community come to school to share their childhood experiences, and

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Quality of teaching

other visitors have supported art and poetry. The personal and social education programme benefits from pupils’ involvement in police programmes of study and Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 24 special events. There are close links with the Church which pupils visit for services and to support the curriculum, for example recently with work on light. Members of the clergy are regular and popular visitors to assemblies. ·

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Quality of teaching

· T HE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

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· 53. The overall quality of the leadership and management within the school is sound. The leadership style of the headteacher is unassuming, but outward appearances belie a quiet determination to bring about improvements and raise standards. Diffidence means that this determination is not always clearly communicated to parents, but he leads the staff team well, enjoying their confidence and support. He has a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. He provides caring leadership for the pupils and, through his own teaching, provides an example of good practice to the other staff. · · 54. The governors, headteacher and staff have responded well to the key issues identified in the last inspection report and have made improvements in many areas of the school. The parents’ perception is of an improving school and, through their active support, many parents have contributed to these improvements. Positive aspects

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Quality of teaching

mentioned in the previous inspection have been maintained. All of the key issues and most of the weaknesses identified in the previous report have been tackled successfully. The teachers’ planning and the quality of teaching have improved. The planning now includes clear learning objectives which ensure a sharper focus to the teaching and the more able pupils are now adequately challenged in their work. Weaknesses in the teaching of mathematics and in investigative work in science have been rectified, and standards have risen in both subjects. The school now has much better resources for teaching information technology and the pupils have better skills in this subject. However, computers are still not used enough to help pupils with their learning in other subjects. The school has successfully implemented the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, and these are having a positive effect on raising

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Quality of teaching

standards. Parents are better informed about what their children are going to learn each term and they are pleased with the increase in extra-curricular music and sporting activities. The school has already exceeded the targets it set for English and mathematics for the year 2000. It has now set new targets which are more realistic, particularly with regard to the percentage of pupils aiming to achieve the higher level 5. · · 55. Governors take their role seriously, support the school and fulfil all of their statutory responsibilities. Since the last inspection, the governing body has become more involved in the life of the school and has improved its procedures for monitoring the school budget. Their understanding of their roles and new curricular initiatives has improved as a result of attendance at training courses. The governing body has an appropriate committee structure, which facilitates decision-making. Individually, some

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Quality of teaching

of the governors provide a good level of individual support for the school, visiting frequently and providing additional help in various ways. The governors keep in touch with parents and are well informed about parents’ views of the school. · · 56. The school has developed a comprehensive set of clear and sensible policies, which provide an appropriate structure for running and managing the school. The school implements its policies consistently and well, and is successful in fulfilling its main aims. The management of special educational needs has improved and is Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 25 now good. The quality of the pupils’ individual education plans has improved. · · 57. Procedures for the monitoring and support of teaching, learning and curriculum development are unsatisfactory. Apart from some monitoring which has been undertaken in English and mathematics, there are no formal procedures for

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Quality of teaching

monitoring what happens within the classroom, for establishing whether curricular planning is meeting the needs of the pupils or for evaluating the quality of the pupils’ work. Coordinators do not have enough time to evaluate what is happening within their subject in other classes. The staff do, however, work closely together and provide much mutual support and help in developing the curriculum. Where coordinators have had the opportunity to monitor, this has proved helpful to staff and informative for the coordinator. · · 58. The overall quality of the school’s development plan is satisfactory; it identifies the most important areas for development, indicating clearly what action has to be taken. It pays due regard to governmental initiatives, such as the introduction of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. It is also appropriately linked to the school’s budget and staff training needs. Whilst all subjects and aspects of the school

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Quality of teaching

are reviewed regularly, there is little evidence within the development plan that these reviews, other than in English and mathematics, lead to the identification of specific issues which require further development, suggesting that they are not as rigorous or penetrating as they could be. · · 59. Despite the weaknesses in procedures for monitoring, the ethos of the school is good. The school has a strong commitment to attaining high academic achievement and pays very good attention to the pupils' social, moral and physical development. It is a caring place which promotes appropriate values, attitudes and relationships and ensures equality of opportunity for all pupils. Parents support the school, and the pupils feel happy and secure within its community. The governors and headteacher show a positive attitude to making further improvements. Difficulties with staffing at Key Stage 1 have been resolved for the current year. The staff are

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Quality of teaching

committed, hard-working and willing to take on board new initiatives. The school, therefore, has a good capacity for further improvements. ·

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Quality of teaching

· Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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Quality of teaching

· 60. The school has a satisfactory number of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of the curriculum. There is a mix of experienced and relatively inexperienced teaching staff. Their additional responsibilities are sensibly divided, but the role of the coordinators is under-developed. Teaching staff are complemented by a satisfactory number of classroom and special needs assistants. The administrative, caretaking and ancillary staff are efficient and provide a smooth running, pleasant and safe environment. · · 61. The arrangements for the professional development of staff are satisfactory. Newly-qualified teachers are well supported, and all staff benefit from the guidance provided by the staff handbook and other written information and policies. The training needs of the staff are linked to the needs of the curriculum and cover a variety of curricular and non-curricular areas. They are not, however, always clearly linked to the

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Quality of teaching

school development plan. Staff training has been particularly effective in science and mathematics and has had a positive effect on learning. There are suitable arrangements for staff appraisal and some training needs are identified in this way. · Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 26 · 62. The accommodation is satisfactory. Internally the school is well maintained and attractive and meets the needs of the curriculum. The school hall is sufficiently large and accommodates whole school assemblies and indoor physical education well. The classrooms are adequate in size with the exception of the reception classroom. This is smaller than other classrooms and the size restricts the scope and range of activities which can be undertaken. This particularly affects provision for the needs of children under the age of five. Plans to extend the building have yet to come to fruition. Outside, the school grounds are pleasant and have been imaginatively

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Quality of teaching

developed. They offer sufficient space for play, for environmental studies and the keeping of some of the school’s pets. Through the good relationships with the adjoining secondary school, the school has access to playing fields and other facilities, for example for information technology. · · 63. The level of resources provided to meet the needs of the curriculum is satisfactory. There are no areas of weakness. The resources provided by the school grounds are good and support various areas of the curriculum well. Resources within the classrooms are well stored and easily accessed by pupils. The school makes good use of resources beyond the school, with visits to places of interest and with visitors coming to school to share their skills. · Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 27 · The efficiency of the school

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Quality of teaching

· 64. The school's procedures for managing and monitoring the expenditure of its funds are satisfactory. There was an unexpected cut in the budget for the year 1998/99, but the school managed to maintain a small surplus. · · 65. The previous inspection reported weaknesses in the financial monitoring and in areas of longer-term planning. These issues have now been satisfactorily addressed. The chair of the finance committee monitors the expenditure on a monthly basis with the headteacher and reports regularly to the committee and full governing body for further discussion. The governors are closely involved in determining the priorities in the school development plan, which is realistically costed and prioritised for a period of three years. There are plans to monitor the effectiveness of the spending on information technology, but there is no clear and regular procedure for evaluating the effectiveness of the major spending decisions.

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Quality of teaching

· · 66. The delegated funding for special needs pupils is appropriately and efficiently deployed. The standard fund is used to good effect to provide in-service training and professional development for the staff. The whole-staff training for teaching mathematics and science has had a very positive impact on methods and standards. · · 67. The day-to-day administration is good. The administrative assistant and procedures adopted are efficient. There are appropriate computer systems to ensure that the administration procedures in respect of the budget are secure. The recommendations of a recent financial audit have all been carried out. The coordinators are delegated funding to support their subjects, but most of the classroom equipment and consumables are purchased by individual teachers, which is not always cost and time effective. · · 68. The teachers are effectively deployed, including the arrangements for setting

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Quality of teaching

for mathematics in Key Stage 2, and the use of teachers with particular expertise in physical education and music. The non-teaching staff are, in the main, used very well to support the less able pupils and those with special educational needs, which is having a positive impact on their progress. There are, however, occasions when they are not directly involved in the teaching and could be more gainfully employed. · · 69. Satisfactory use is made of the accommodation, especially the hall space, but there are areas in the school, on the first floor, which are not fully utilised. The resources are generally used efficiently, but the information technology equipment is under-used to support learning in all subjects. · · 70. The unit cost per pupil is low. The overall progress of the pupils is good and attainment in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science is above average. The attitudes, behaviour and relationships of the pupils are a significant strength of the

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Quality of teaching

school. The quality of teaching is good overall and is especially so in Key Stage 2. The school, therefore, is providing good value for money. · Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 28 · PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS ·

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

· 71. The school admits children under five at the beginning of the term in which they have their fifth birthday. Children, therefore, only have one term in the school before they reach compulsory school age. The school aims to integrate new children as quickly as possible, so that they are able to participate in the formal teaching programme alongside the Year 1 pupils in the same class. At the time of the inspection there were only six children in the Reception year, some of whom had already had their fifth birthday. The overall level of attainment when children enter the school is above average in all areas of learning. · · Personal and Social Development

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

· 72. The children make good progress in their personal and social development and, by the time they are five, the majority exceed the personal and social development goals outlined in the Desirable Learning Outcomes. The children settle quickly at the start of each day and are familiar with classroom routines. They concentrate well and listen attentively to the teachers and other pupils. For example, at the start of the week they listened carefully when other pupils were talking about what had happened to them over the weekend. They show a good degree of independence when moving around the school or working in the classroom and do not interrupt the teacher unnecessarily. The children form good relationships with each other and with adults, and show sensitivity to the needs of others. · · 73. The teaching in this area is good because of the warm and caring nature of the teacher which promotes very good relationships with the children and helps them

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

to feel secure in their new environment. Additional adult support, either from the support assistant or from voluntary helpers, is used effectively to deal with individual needs as they arise. The children are made aware of right and wrong, and the need for good behaviour and consideration for others. The teacher has a good awareness of the needs of the children and this contributes effectively to the development of confidence and learning in a secure and friendly environment. · · Language and Literacy

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· 74. The children make satisfactory progress in language and literacy and, by the time they are five, most have already progressed beyond the Desirable Learning Outcomes for this area of learning. The children listen attentively and with good concentration to stories, to adults and to each other when working and playing together. They are confident and eager to talk about their own experiences. They understand how books are organised. They are confident with letter sounds and recognise a number of words. They recognise and write their own names and some children are making good progress with the early stages of writing. · · 75. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Well-chosen activities contribute to children’s progress in speaking and listening, although some speaking and listening sessions last too long for the children to maintain their concentration. Through participation in the literacy hour with older pupils in Year 1, the teacher encourages an

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interest in books and the written word. Children are grouped effectively, so that the more able pupils are able to work with pupils in Year 1 to complete their individual tasks. The quality of display in the classroom and attention to the way tables and resources are prepared provide further stimulus for the children, and this helps to Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 29 develop their awareness and interest in language and literacy. · · Mathematics

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· 76. The children are making satisfactory progress in mathematics and, by the age of five, their attainment exceeds the expectations of the Desirable Learning Outcomes. The children count to 20 confidently. They are able to count objects and match them to the correct numeral. They understand sets and are beginning to carry out basic repeated addition calculations and have some insight into counting backwards as a means of subtraction. They recognise commonly used two- dimensional shapes. Their mathematical vocabulary is well developed; for example, they use words such as ‘behind’, ‘in front of’, ‘larger’, and ‘smaller’, confidently and accurately. They are very secure when placing pictures of stories in the correct sequence and are becoming aware of the significance of different times of the day. · · 77. The teaching of mathematics is satisfactory. Most of the teaching takes place with the Year 1 pupils in the class and is planned from the National Curriculum

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programmes of study. This is appropriate for the children’s stage of development, although some of the numeracy lessons are too long for the children to maintain concentration. · · Knowledge and Understanding of the World

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· 78. The children make satisfactory progress and have a good general knowledge of the world around them, events in their past and the properties of materials. They are, for example, able to create shadows using a light source, a screen and different objects and make observations regarding the quality of the shadow. The children can explain where they live and talk about events which are important to them. They have an understanding of ‘old’ and ‘new’ and are able to place four sources of light in historical order. The teaching of knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory. The teacher provides appropriate opportunities for the children to gain scientific and historical understanding and to become familiar with using a computer. · · Creative Development

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· 79. Children make satisfactory progress in their creative development and, by the age of five, their level of attainment has progressed beyond the expectations of the Desirable Learning Outcomes. They listen attentively to music and join in with the singing of songs and rhymes. They are able to draw well using pencils and crayons, and they are very competent when using paint. They are secure and confident when they cut and stick. Their role play is imaginative and enthusiastic in the home corner. The teaching is satisfactory, but the teacher does not ensure that the time devoted to play is sufficiently structured. This weakness is particularly evident when the children are engaged in role-play or using the sand tray and, as a result, the full educational potential for these experiences is missed. Lack of space also restricts the type of activity which can be undertaken. · · Physical Development

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· 80. The children make satisfactory progress in their physical development and, by the time they reach compulsory school age, their attainment is above the Desirable Learning Outcomes. Most children are well coordinated. They handle scissors, pencils and small construction toys with increasing control and accuracy. They successfully manipulate the mouse whilst working on the computer. In dance, they show a good Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 30 awareness of space and good coordination of movement. Some children have good control when throwing and catching a ball or bean bag. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Adult helpers are used effectively to help the children with cutting, joining and modelling. Although not observed during the inspection, appropriate opportunities are provided by the support assistant for children to use wheeled toys. In the formal sessions of physical education, the children are provided with a good range of

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appropriate activities and those who find them difficult are given sympathetic encouragement and support. ·

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· 81. The results of the 1999 National Curriculum assessment tests in both reading and writing at the end of Key Stage 1 were well above both the national average and the average for similar schools. All of the pupils achieved the national expectation of level 2 in both reading and writing. Almost a half reached the higher level 3 in reading, but only one tenth achieved this level in writing. Although there has been some fluctuation in the results over the last four years, the school has maintained high standards. Pupils currently at the end of Key Stage 1 have had considerable teaching disruptions in both Year 1 and Year 2, and standards are currently not as high as in the previous year. The inspection findings show that standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are above average in reading but are only average in writing. · · 82. The results of the 1999 National Curriculum assessment tests in English at

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the end of Key Stage 2 were well above the national average and above the average for similar schools. Almost all pupils achieved the nationally expected level 4, and just over a quarter achieved the higher level 5. There has been a gradual improvement in the school’s results over the last four years. Over this period, the school’s results have been above the national average. The inspection findings show that standards in English at the end of Key Stage 2 are above average, and that they are better than the findings of the previous inspection. · · 83. Initial assessments show that children’s attainment in language and literacy is above average when they enter the reception class. Because of the disruption to teaching in Key Stage 1 over the last two years, the pupils have not progressed from this good foundation as much as they should. However, the school has stabilised the staffing situation for the current year, and the pupils are currently making satisfactory

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progress in both Year 1 and Year 2. A small number of Year 2 pupils are taught together with pupils in Year 3. These pupils are making good progress as they rise to the challenge of keeping pace with their older compatriots. The pupils make good progress in Key Stage 2 in most aspects of English. The level of challenge in the mixed Year 2/3 class is very good, as is the case for some of the tasks given to pupils in Years 5 and 6. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is similar to that of other pupils. Additional help from assistant staff or voluntary helpers is provided for these pupils, and this is contributing effectively to their progress. · · 84. Attainment in speaking and listening is above average at the end of both key stages. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils have a good command of vocabulary and express themselves well. For example, when asked to share their news, pupils

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respond eagerly; they are not afraid to stand in front of the class and they speak with confidence. The caring and friendly nature of the teachers in Key Stage 1 promotes very good relationships with the pupils, which encourages pupils’ participation in Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 31 discussion. In the Year 2/3 class, very good emphasis is given to getting pupils to think carefully about the words they use. The pupils’ oral command at this stage is well in advance of their ability to write correctly. By the end of Key Stage 2, most pupils speak clearly in well-constructed sentences. They listen well and answer questions thoughtfully. They converse naturally and easily with adults, and are interesting to talk to. · · 85. The pupils' attainment in reading is above average at the end of both key stages. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils read accurately and with good understanding. The most able pupils read with great fluency and cope well with new

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and unfamiliar words. Most pupils have a good sight vocabulary and use their knowledge of other words and sounds to attempt to read unfamiliar words. Lower- attaining pupils have not yet acquired strategies to work out new words and have a tendency to gloss over or miss out words which they cannot read. The pupils know how to use contents and index pages to search for information. By the end of Key Stage 2, nearly all pupils are capable of reading advanced texts. They read fluently, confidently and with expression, self-correcting when necessary. They show good understanding of what they read. Pupils in Year 6 show a good ability to analyse and understand poems, such as Walter de la Mare’s “Silver”. They know how to locate reference books in a library and use them well for research purposes. Older pupils are given some demanding texts to work with in class, but do not experience the same level of challenge in the books which they choose to read on their own. There is

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infrequent checking of the type of books the pupils read and insufficient guidance on texts which would challenge their reading skills and widen their repertoire. Whilst much help is given to the pupils during the literacy hour to improve their reading skills, the discipline of regular individual reading, at home, in school and in the presence of adult helpers, is not as rigorous as in the past. · · 86. By the end of Key Stage 1, overall attainment in writing is average, although the range of attainment is very wide. The most able pupils show a great desire to write and put their thoughts on paper. There are some good examples of imaginative writing, for example, a pupil writes a long story about “The night the witch turned me into a frog”. These pupils write in full sentences, and show an appropriate awareness of the use of full stops and capital letters. As a result of the emphasis on choosing interesting words, they use a good range of vocabulary. The standard of spelling is

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well below the pupils’ expressive ability. Some middle-ability and most lower-attaining pupils are still struggling to commit their thoughts to paper, and find it hard to write more than a few sentences. Standards in handwriting are satisfactory. By the end of Key Stage 2, the pupils' attainment in writing is above average. The writing of most pupils at its best is fluent, interesting and varied. They show competence in writing in different styles, for example, writing instructions, a book review, setting out arguments for and against a topic, or producing imaginative writing. They think carefully about the words they use and are developing a wide range of vocabulary. For example, they successfully adapt poems such as John Keats’ “Meg Merrilees”. Punctuation is generally used correctly. Apart from the most able pupils, the standard of spelling is below the pupils’ ability to produce interesting and expressive writing. The work of

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lower-attaining pupils is inaccurate, although it generally conveys meaning well. · · 87. By the time they leave school, the pupils have good literacy skills. They read with fluency and understanding, and are confident in their ability to tackle new words. They have a very good range of vocabulary, and are able to write in a range of styles. They are able to use books well for research purposes. The weakest aspect is their ability to spell accurately and consistently. · Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 32 · 88. The pupils' attitudes to English are generally good. In Key Stage 1, the pupils are keen to participate in discussion and respond enthusiastically to the teachers’ questions. They do not always show the same degree of enthusiasm or attention when working on their own. Some of their conversations are unrelated to the work they are asked to do, and this slows their progress. In the Year 2/3 class, the pupils respond

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very well to the stimulus and interest provided by the teacher. The older pupils respond positively in their lessons, and their written work generally shows good application. The pupils' behaviour is generally good throughout the school. This contributes to an orderly atmosphere within the classroom, which contributes to the pupils’ learning. Relationships with their peers and their teachers are very good. The personal development of the pupils is good. Younger pupils use their own word books to look up words. In Year 3, they use dictionaries without prompting. The older pupils show good individuality in the way they present their work. A few pupils who have access to computers at home, choose to do some of their tasks using a word processor. This improves both their presentation and the accuracy of their work. · · 89. The overall quality of teaching in English is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. During the inspection, a quarter of the lessons observed were

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very good; the remainder were, in equal proportion, good or satisfactory. In Key Stage 1, the teachers have a sound understanding of the National Literacy Strategy. Good subject knowledge in Key Stage 2 contributes significantly to the pupils’ progress. For example, pupils in Year 3 make very good progress in developing their range of vocabulary because of pertinent questioning and thoughtful guidance from the teacher. In Years 5 and 6, the teacher is able to help pupils to understand some demanding and difficult texts. At times, the teachers' expectations are very good. For example, pupils in Year 2 were encouraged to use words that will surprise. High standards are set in Year 3 when pupils are shown examples of very good writing and asked to explain why it is effective. At other times, however, expectations are not as high. In one Year 2 lesson, for example, the teacher did not make it clear how much

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work pupils were expected to accomplish when working on their own and did not ensure that all pupils were working productively. In most classes, not enough is done to enable pupils to achieve better standards in spelling. Most lessons are well planned and, in the best, the tasks stimulate the pupils’ imagination, reinforce previous work and are clearly differentiated for pupils in different year groups. Some of the speaking and listening sessions in Key Stage 1 are well-structured. The use of flash cards for each pupil, a technique adopted from the Numeracy Strategy, was very effective in a Year 4/5 lesson and helped to reinforce pupils’ understanding of when to use ‘their’, ‘they’re’ and ‘there’. Pupils are generally well managed, although a tendency of the younger pupils to call out answers sometimes detracts from the main purpose of the discussion. Time is used well in lessons in Key Stage 2 but, in Key Stage 1, too much

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time is allocated to some activities, with the result that pupils lose their concentration. Good thought is given to the use of resources in Key Stage 1; the teachers work well together and produce an attractive learning environment for the pupils. Parent helpers are used effectively in some classes, with a positive effect on pupils’ learning. · · 90. Whilst the teachers interact well with the pupils and respond well to their questions, the marking of pupils’ work is not as helpful as it could be in giving pupils a clear indication of how their writing can be improved. Insufficient attention is given to pupils correcting or improving work once finished or learning from the mistakes they have made. Some of the assessments of pupils’ writing at Key Stage 1 are over- generous. Whilst there are frequent opportunities for pupils to develop writing skills within the context of other subjects, for example, in science, history and geography,

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little attention is given on these occasions to how pupils can improve their writing. The school does not make enough use of information and communication technology to Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 33 help pupils with their writing, particularly with drafting and redrafting. Homework is undertaken regularly and makes a positive contribution to pupils’ progress. · · 91. The subject is well led by a knowledgeable and very good classroom practitioner. Much thought was given at an early stage to the introduction of the literacy hour. The teachers are well supported on an informal basis by the coordinator, but not enough time is allocated to enable the coordinator to devote sufficient attention to monitoring planning, teaching and pupils’ work or to contribute her own expertise to help other teachers. The overall curriculum for English provides good breadth and balance. Whilst the school has some appropriate procedures for assessment, the

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information is not collated in a format from which it is easy to determine how each pupil is progressing as they move through the school. Various tests are used effectively, however, to identify individual pupils who need additional assistance. The subject makes a good contribution to the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, particularly through helping pupils to consider and listen carefully to the views of others, and teaching them to read with understanding. Occasionally, older pupils write plays or stories for the younger pupils and this promotes good interaction between the different age groups in the school. Resources for the subject are generally adequate, although there is a lack of group reading books. Visiting authors and storytellers make an important contribution to the subject and motivate the pupils. · · Mathematics · 92. The results of the 1999 National Curriculum assessment tests for pupils at

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the end of Key Stage 1 were well above the national average and the average for similar schools. They were an improvement on the previous year’s results and reversed the downward trend of the previous three years. All pupils achieved the nationally expected Level 2, and over a third achieved the higher Level 3. The inspection findings are that the attainment of pupils currently at the end of Key Stage 1 is above average, but not quite as high as the previous cohort, because of the lack of continuity in teaching. The pupils are making satisfactory progress. Pupils with special educational needs are making good progress because of the additional help they receive. · · 93. The 1999 National Curriculum assessment tests at the end of Key Stage 2 were also well above the national average and above the average for similar schools. Nine tenths of the pupils achieved the national expectation of Level 4, and a third

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achieved the higher Level 5. These results were better than those of the previous year and continued the gradual trend in improvement since the last inspection. The inspection findings indicate that the overall attainment of pupils currently at the end of Key Stage 2 is above average. This is in line with the school’s overall performance for the last four years. The pupils, including those with special educational needs, are making good progress. Pupils in Key Stage 2 are taught in four ability sets, and this is a key factor in helping them to make good progress. · · 94. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils have a good understanding of number. They can make accurate calculations, and halve and double numbers up to 20, both mentally and on paper. They can order numbers to 100. The most able pupils begin to use simple fractions and make calculations expressing sums of money as decimals. They have a good knowledge of basic shapes and are able to recognise

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symmetrical patterns. The pupils are able to carry out investigations. In Class 2, for example, they test heavier and lighter objects, by first making an estimate and then using balancing scales to check their judgements. The pupils record the results and compare them with their predictions. They do this well. They use tally counts and Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 34 collect and communicate information, using block graphs, for example to show how they travel to school. · · 95. At the end of Key Stage 2, most pupils have a good understanding of place value and the four rules of number, using two, three and four-digit numbers. They use quick methods of calculation in mental arithmetic, for example, rounding numbers up and down to the nearest 10 or 100. The pupils are also very capable when explaining the method they have adopted to obtain an answer to a problem. Many pupils are secure in their knowledge of percentages, and have a good understanding of the

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relationship between fractions, percentages and decimals. Most pupils have a good understanding of shape and space and can identify the properties of a variety of two and three-dimensional shapes. They know how to calculate perimeters. The higher- attainers understand rotational symmetry. The pupils have a secure understanding of data-handling. They collect information in order to construct bar charts and line graphs, sometimes making good use of information technology. The most able pupils have a good understanding of square numbers and square roots. · · 96. Opportunities are provided for the pupils to apply their mathematical and numeracy skills in other areas of the curriculum; for example, they have successfully recorded the results of an investigation in science of the growth of plants in different areas of the school grounds on a bar chart. Pupils in Year 6 measure the relationship between the length of a shadow and the distance of an object from the light source.

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· · 97. Pupils have good attitudes and enjoy their mathematics. In Key Stage 2, where the atmosphere of lessons is quiet and industrious, responses are often very good. Throughout the school, pupils work well together and share ideas and resources willingly. The very good relationships between the pupils and staff ensure the pupils' views are valued, so they confidently try out new methods, contribute their own ideas and explain their methods without fear of ridicule. Their behaviour in class is generally good; pupils persevere with tasks, and concentrate for sustained periods of time. All these factors have a positive impact on attainment and the progress pupils make. · · 98. The quality of teaching is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. Of the seven lessons observed during the inspection, two were very good, two good and three satisfactory. All the teachers have a secure knowledge and understanding

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of the subject. They know their pupils well, make good use of day-to-day assessments of attainment and progress, and carefully match the work to their pupils' varying abilities. In the good lessons, the mental sessions move at a fast pace, the teachers allow time for pupils to explain the methods they have adopted to make a calculation and, through skilful questioning, assist pupils to learn from their own and others’ errors. In the less successful lessons, the teachers do not organise the time as effectively; mental mathematics questions are answered by individual pupils, instead of involving all pupils by using digit cards, and introductions to lessons are often too long. Good use is made of the plenary sessions to reinforce the learning and the mathematical vocabulary. · · 99. The National Numeracy Strategy has been successfully implemented in the school. The use of setting by ability enables pupils to work with others of similar

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attainment. This is making a good contribution to their progress. The regular, quick mental arithmetic practice is also having a very positive impact on standards, especially in the classes where the teachers are making good use of digit cards and ‘number crunchers’. Very good use is made of homework in Key Stage 2. Since the previous inspection, more emphasis is being placed on investigative mathematics, but this remains the weakest area in the mathematics curriculum. Regular assessments Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 35 are made of pupils' attainment, but the results of these assessments are not recorded in a way which makes it easy to track the progress of individual pupils. The coordinator is monitoring the teaching and learning well, but not enough support is being provided for the teachers in Key Stage 1. · · Science · 100. The results of the 1999 National Curriculum teacher assessments at the end

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of Key Stage 1 were well above the national average, and were an improvement on the previous year’s results. All pupils achieved the nationally expected Level 2, and a third achieved the higher Level 3. Inspection findings show that the attainment of pupils currently at the end of Key Stage 1 is above average. The pupils, including those with special educational needs, are making good progress. · · 101. The results of the 1999 National Curriculum assessment tests at the end of Key Stage 2 were well above the average for all schools nationally and for similar schools. Almost all pupils achieved the nationally expected level 4 and over a half achieved the higher Level 5. These results were an improvement on the previous year and maintained the continual upward trend since the last inspection. The inspection findings are that pupils attainment is well above average and that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, are making good progress.

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· · 102. By the end of Key Stage 1, the pupils have a broad basic vocabulary to name and describe scientific processes. They can describe how some materials are changed by heating and cooling, such as water, ice, jelly and chocolate. They have developed an understanding of living things through talking about their own bodies and senses, and by observing and caring for the classroom pets. They carry out tests which demonstrate the need for plants to have water and light in order to grow. They describe materials as being translucent, transparent or opaque and are able to carry out investigations to discover which casts the best-defined shadow. They are able to make simple plans for their tests and record the results of their discoveries in a variety of ways, with varying degrees of accuracy. · · 103. By the end of Key Stage 2, most pupils have developed good investigative skills. They make predictions based on their increasing knowledge and understanding,

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and they carry out a fair test by changing one variable. For example, when investigating the size and quality of shadows, they recognise the importance of keeping the distance between the light source and the screen constant. Most of the pupils observe and make accurate measurements as they carry out investigations and record their findings with precision. Many pupils are learning to make choices as to the most appropriate way to communicate their results, for example as a written description or graphically, or using a computer programme. Pupils suggest reasons for their discoveries and observations and the higher-attaining pupils draw appropriate conclusions. Pupils identify and name the major organs of plants and the body and describe their functions. They have a good knowledge and understanding of the need for a healthy diet. They know the differences between solids, liquids and gases and soluble and non-soluble substances. They have learned that materials have different

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properties and this affects their usage. They have, for example, tested for thermal capacity. · · 104. The pupils demonstrate good positive attitudes towards their science lessons. They are enthusiastic about the practical aspects of the subject, and most listen and respond well to their teachers and each other. The older pupils collaborate very well when planning their investigations and work effectively as a group when carrying them out. Pupils of all ages are confident and willing to share and modify their Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 36 ideas in the class discussions. They are able to work independently, usually with good levels of concentration and perseverance. · · 105. The teaching is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. Five lessons were observed during the inspection and, in all of them, the quality of teaching was at least satisfactory, but in two it was good and in two it was very good. Teachers

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plan their work thoroughly. The many good quality opportunities for pupils to carry out independent investigations help them to develop as scientists, and successfully promote their personal and social skills. In the good lessons, very good use is made of open-ended questions to advance pupils' learning, and frequent encouragement gives the pupils confidence. In one of the lessons observed, however, some of these opportunities were missed, and when a group of pupils occasionally went off task, they were unnoticed by the teacher. Teachers, in all classes, carefully plan work to meet the needs of pupils of varying ability. · · 106. The subject is coordinated effectively. The science topics are now being planned for the whole school by the coordinator and then discussed by the full staff. This is working well, as it allows a sharing of expertise and ensures full coverage and progression. The school plans to adopt this model in the future. This system means

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the coordinator maintains a good overview of the planning, but she has no non-contact time to monitor the teaching and learning. Record keeping is inconsistent. ·

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· 107. There were weaknesses in the school’s provision for information technology at the time of the last inspection. Some of these have been addressed and standards in information technology have improved. However, information technology remains one of the school’s weakest subjects and standards are not as high as in English, mathematics and science. Insufficient use is made of information and communication technology to assist pupils’ learning in other subjects. Very little direct teaching of information technology was observed during the inspection. Judgements have been made on the basis of discussions with pupils and teachers and a scrutiny of finished pieces of work. · · 108. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils are achieving standards which reflect the lower end of the national expectations for seven-year-olds and, after a period of some disruption, are now making satisfactory progress. The pupils show a reasonable

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degree of confidence when using a computer. Pupils in Year 2 show sound control of the mouse to move objects on the screen in order to produce maps of their route to school. They have some familiarity with the keyboard layout, and know the function of the shift, delete and return keys, but take time to locate individual letters when producing short pieces of writing using a word processor. They know how to change the font and size of their text. They know how to use a tape recorder and are aware of common uses of control technology in everyday life. · · 109. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils reach the national expectations for 11- year-olds in most aspects of the National Curriculum for information technology. The pupils, including those with special educational needs, are making satisfactory progress. Evidence of work on display in the classroom shows that pupils can use a word processor competently to communicate information. They know how to edit text,

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save and print their work. They change the font, size, colour, and style of their text, for Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 37 example to produce a heading or emphasise text. Their posters of the school’s “Rule of Five” show a developing awareness of audience. The pupils have not yet had the experience of producing more complex layouts. They show adequate competence in handling data. When using a spreadsheet, they recognise the active cell, and know how to insert columns or rows, choose a suitable chart, add titles and label axes. In a lesson for pupils in Years 5 and 6, they learnt how to import a chart they had made into a word processed document. Within control technology, the pupils are able to write sequences of commands to produce regular geometric shapes. Some pupils are able to turn these commands into procedures. The pupils are gradually gaining an understanding of how to access information on the Internet. The school has not had

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the necessary equipment for pupils to learn how to use information technology to monitor external events. · · 110. By the time they leave school, the pupils are competent in using a limited range of software, and have acquired basic information technology skills. Their ability to enter text quickly is hampered by poor keyboard skills, as keyboarding techniques have not been taught. They have sufficient skill to use CD-ROMs as tools for research, although they have not had much practice in using these. · · 111. The pupils’ progress is affected by organisational problems, limited access to the classroom computers and difficulties in organising teaching sessions. Sensible solutions have been found which partially overcome these problems, although they do not provide the frequency of access necessary for pupils to make good progress. In the lower three classes, computers are moved into the hall once each half term to

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enable a whole class to be taught at the same time. The top two classes are able to use a computer suite in the neighbouring secondary school once a fortnight. When time is set aside for pupils to use the classroom computers, for example after lunch or during group-work time in the literacy hour, the pupils make sensible use of the available machines. However, information and communication technology is greatly under-used as a tool for learning in other subjects. For example, there is very little use of word-processing in English for drafting and redrafting, no exploration of music software, and little research conducted using CD-ROMs. However, the contexts within which information technology skills are taught do make some contribution to pupils’ progress in other subjects, for example through the use of spreadsheets and data- handling in mathematics. The pupils’ books contain very few examples of work

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produced using information technology. A few pupils use their computers at home to produce some of their written work. · · 112. The pupils have a positive attitude to information technology, which is seen when they are asked to work on the classroom computer. When working on their own or in pairs, their behaviour is good. They collaborate well, take turns and help each other when necessary. They treat equipment with respect and can be trusted to work on their own in a mature and sensible manner. Their sensible attitudes enable them to make progress when it is their turn to use the computer. During the one lesson which was observed, the pupils responded well to the teacher’s instructions and behaved sensibly in the neighbouring school. · · 113. On the basis of the standards achieved by the pupils, the quality of the teaching is satisfactory. Although most of the teachers are not expert users of information technology, they have sufficient knowledge to give clear explanations and

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guidance. In the lesson which was observed, the pupils were given careful guidance, and made progress as a result. Many pupils have access to computers at home, but teachers do not exploit the possibility of extending pupils’ information technology skills through work undertaken at home. Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 38 · · 114. Curricular planning for information technology has improved and teachers are now provided with better guidance to help them plan appropriate learning experiences for the pupils. The school has yet to devise appropriate assessment procedures, with the result that individual needs, particularly those of the more able pupils, are not adequately identified. Checklists of which pupils have used the computer are kept by most teachers, but these are not used in a developmental way. There is no collection of work which pupils have accomplished in information technology, which could serve as an illustration of levels of attainment or as a

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celebration of pupils’ achievements. Valuable assistance is given by voluntary helpers. During the inspection, a parent was helping groups of pupils to learn about accessing the Internet. There are good outline plans, in partnership with a local college, to develop a web site for the school. At the present time, however, only one machine, situated in the headteacher’s office is able to access the Internet. · 115. The level of resources has improved gradually since the last inspection and most classes have access to two or three well-specified machines, capable of running good software. However, the computers are under-used and the geographical layout of the school makes it awkward to move them between classrooms in order to facilitate class teaching sessions or to allow larger numbers of pupils to use a computer at the same time. The good relationships with the neighbouring secondary school are proving of significant benefit, in allowing the older pupils to have some full lessons

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during which they are taught important new skills. Software resources are still lacking to assist learning in a number of subjects, and also to cover a small number of aspects of the information technology curriculum. The school is hoping to attract funding to allow the creation of a purpose-built information technology suite, which would solve the current organisational difficulties. · · Art · 116. By the end of both key stages pupils are attaining standards in art that reflect the national expectation, but some of the work in Key Stage 1 exceeds this. Only one lesson took place during the inspection, so judgements have been made from observation of the displays around the school. All areas of the National Curriculum programmes of study are covered at an appropriate level, and pupils make satisfactory progress as they move up through the school. · · 117. The pupils in Key Stage 1 paint and draw well. They have gained some

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experience in colour mixing and their work is well controlled. The pupils in Class 1 were shown the Van Gogh painting of the bedroom in Arles, and have, as a result, created some excellent pictures of their own bedrooms in a similar style. Their work with pencils and crayons when illustrating and recording their class topics is also of a good standard, and they have produced some good, detailed observational portraits of each other. Some of their art work arises from topic work, for example, in Class 2, where the pupils have very effectively used a brown colour wash and then drawn Tudor houses with black felt tip. · · 118. In Key Stage 2, the pupils develop their use of paint satisfactorily, and are introduced to the work of different artists. In Class 4, the pupils have made some imaginative portraits, based on an idea of Salvador Dali, incorporating objects and furniture from different rooms as distorted features. This class has also painted some

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still life pictures, confidently using good strong colours which makes a very attractive display in the corridor. The older pupils have used water colours to paint postcard- sized scenes from around the school. When the pupils are given the opportunity to work with other materials, they do it well. They are, for example, able to observe Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 39 carefully the horizontal pattern of colours in a picture and reproduce this by winding wool around a card, to good effect. · · 119. The pupils display good attitudes to their art work. They are very enthusiastic and take pride in the finished product. They work carefully and make close and accurate observations. Their behaviour is good and they confidently select the resources they require. They are able to work independently and help each other spontaneously. · · 120. Only one lesson was observed during the inspection, and this was good. The

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teacher had good knowledge and expertise, and carefully conveyed the technique of wool-winding to the pupils. The management of pupils was good and the lesson well planned. The resources and activity were well chosen to meet the needs and interests of the group, and provided opportunities for further development and challenge in the future. · · 121. The coordinator has only recently taken on the responsibility for art and is aware that the scheme of work requires development and fine-tuning in order to ensure that skills are taught progressively through the school and that less confident teachers are helped with their planning, especially in the classes where the range of materials used is too narrow. The curriculum is enhanced by visits to the Walker Art Gallery, and a very successful workshop was held in school, led by a visiting artist. The pupils also participate in an arts week each year, frequently sharing activities with

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the local secondary school. · · Design and Technology · 122. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and higher-attaining pupils, make satisfactory progress in design and technology. At both key stages, they are attaining standards appropriate to their age. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection. · · 123. No direct teaching of design and technology was observed in Key Stage 2, and only one session was visited for a short time in Key Stage 1. However, an examination of teachers’ planning, of work in progress and of past examples on display confirms that appropriate opportunities are provided for pupils to develop skills and techniques through the completion of one major design brief each term. The projects involve using a range of materials and techniques, and appropriate skills are taught to enable pupils to make the objects they have designed. In Years 1 and 2, for example, the pupils have discovered a variety of ways to make hinges for the windows

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of a house they are making from junk materials, and they show an appreciation of which hinge is the most suitable. They understand the need for plans; one pupil commented: “We have got to check our plans. You have to think about what you are going to do before you put it together. Builders have to look at the plans the architect has made.” The pupils show an appropriate level of skill in designing and painting their house. · · 124. In Years 5 and 6, the pupils are engaged on a project to design and make a pair of slippers. They show a sound understanding of the basic processes of thinking about the intended purpose, designing their slipper and considering how it will be constructed. Whilst the designs show a clear indication of what the slipper will look like, the finished designs lack measurements and annotations. Some pupils show a good degree of skill when sewing their fabric to the card base used for the slipper. In a

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previously completed project, the pupils have made a range of musical instruments, which are well finished and fit for purpose. The pupils have used originality in the Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 40 production of their design briefs but, again, these lack a clear indication of size and measurements. · · 125. The pupils demonstrate a positive attitude to the subject. They express enthusiasm when talking about the objects they have made. Finished products show good perseverance, for example, in producing a good quality finish for their musical instruments. They clearly take pride in their finished products. · · 126. From the evidence of pupils’ design briefs and finished projects, it is evident that the standard of teaching is satisfactory throughout the school. Pupils are taught to think carefully about their designs before embarking on the task of making. Appropriate techniques are taught and attention is given to evaluation the finished

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products. Whilst pupils show some originality in the way they draw up their design brief, greater attention could be given to the way in which the various stages of designing, making and evaluating are recorded. · Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 41 · Geography · 127. No lessons took place in geography in Key Stage 2 during the inspection, but a scrutiny of the pupils' books and the teachers' plans enable judgements to be made. Attainment in geography, in both key stages, is broadly in line with the standards found nationally. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress as they move through the school. · · 128. The pupils in Key Stage 1 are developing a sound geographical vocabulary when talking about where they live. They are able to follow a route on a simple map of Baschurch and point out the main landmarks. They can describe their journeys to school. The most able can also locate places on the map of a wider area around the

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village, such as Shrewsbury and Oswestry. They are taken on walks around Baschurch, which enable them to gather information regarding the local attractions to include on their brochure for visitors. · · 129. In Class 3, the studies are continued of the local area, when the types of building and land use are discussed. The project is very well supported by a good classroom display, focussed around a local map and photograph. The topic very successfully introduces the concept of a key to mark the main buildings and features on a map. The pupils show a good understanding of the geographical elements in this display. They also demonstrate their ability to carry out research, for example, conducting a survey in Eyton Fields of the residents’ views on the pros and cons of building a new housing estate. The pupils have a clear understanding of the water cycle and how rivers are formed, which they gain from their study of the Reabrook

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River in Shrewsbury. · · 130. The pupils’ response to their lessons is good. They show interest and enthusiasm and are very willing to share their ideas with the group. They settle quickly to their individual tasks and take a pride in the finished product. They are able to work independently and respond positively to challenge. · · 131. The quality of teaching in the two lessons observed was satisfactory. The teachers make interesting introductions to their lessons and give clear instructions. They use satisfactory questioning techniques, but sometimes they supply answers without giving the pupils sufficient time to think, and the potential challenge is lost. They maintain very good relationships and use their time effectively in supporting individual pupils with their activities. There is a clear scheme of work for the subject, but the system of assessment and monitoring the effectiveness of the learning and

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teaching is insecure. The subject is well supported by field studies and good use is made of the local environment. · · History · 132. The pupils in Key Stage 1 make satisfactory progress in history, and achieve standards which are appropriate for their age. In Key Stage 2, progress is good and the pupils' attainment goes beyond what might be expected for their age. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and is generally good in Key Stage 2. The emphasis placed on teaching historical concepts and skills is a particular strength. · · 133. The concept of chronology is taught in Key Stage 1. The youngest pupils sequence stories and events in their own lives, and the older ones compile pictorial time lines of objects from the past 100 years. The pupils have a good understanding of 'then' and 'now', and are able to contrast objects and features from the past, such as

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Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 42 clothing, housing and means of transport, with those of today. They are introduced to basic research skills by compiling a questionnaire for their parents and grandparents in order to discover how they travelled to school. · · 134. These concepts are further developed in Key Stage 2, through the study of topics such as the Ancient Greeks, the Tudors and the Victorians. The pupils make more detailed time lines and have a good understanding of the sequence of events. The pupils carry out historical research; for example, by studying inventories from two differing Tudor households, they make deductions regarding the wealth and lifestyle of the families and then compare them with today. The pupils in Class 3 have completed some very good work about the history of the school, making excellent use of the log book, and Eleanor Harris's will and the minutes of her endowed school. They have

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gained insights into the life and social priorities of a hundred years ago, by studying the reasons for absence from school, using entries from the school log book. Another particularly effective exercise was for the pupils to decide to support Oliver Cromwell or Charles 1 during the Civil War, giving reasons for their choice of loyalty. · · 135. The pupils enjoy their history and, in Key Stage 2 particularly, gladly accept the challenges offered by the tasks they are set. They are able to work independently and make good use of the opportunities provided for personal research. They are very willing to participate in discussions and to ask and answer questions. They behave well in lessons and their levels of concentration and perseverance are generally good. · · 136. The teaching of history is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. All the teachers have a sound knowledge of the subject and focus well on the key

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elements and skills. The teachers prepare their lessons well using a variety of interesting resources. The research work undertaken by the pupils in Key Stage 2 makes very good use of the skills they are acquiring in the literacy hour. · · 137. Good use is made of the local environment and educational visits, including the residential visit to York. These are followed up well afterwards and form the basis for some very good displays in the classroom, for example, on Tudor Shrewsbury in Class 5 and the Key Stage 1 visit to Blists Hill. The display in Class 3 on the history of the school is particularly attractive and noteworthy. The school makes good use of its own artefacts and those borrowed from the museum service. These experiences have a very positive impact on the pupils' progress. · · Music · 138. There were few opportunities to observe the teaching of music during the inspection, and no lessons were observed in Key Stage 1. Judgements have been

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made on the basis of two lessons observed at Key Stage 2, opportunities for music provided within assemblies, scrutiny of teachers’ planning, an interview with the subject coordinator and discussions with pupils. The positive aspects noted in the previous inspection have been maintained. The pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress at Key Stage 2 and achieve above average standards. · · 139. Pupils in Year 3 know the meaning of musical symbols such as ‘f’, ‘ff’, ‘p’ and ‘pp’, and alter the dynamics accordingly when playing instruments. They follow the lead given by a conductor, and play their instruments at the correct time to accompany the narration of their record of a walk around the village. As a school, the pupils sing tunefully and in time, but the singing lacks volume and impetus. Pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 show greater enthusiasm when practising together in a lesson for a later

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performance of songs from Africa. The pupils listen carefully when music is played in Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 43 assembly. When listening to Saint-Saëns Danse Macabre, they recognised different instruments, and some identified the tune of a popular nursery rhyme embedded within the music. A large number of pupils play musical instruments and many participate in the lively music club which is held after school. In the session which took place during the inspection, a group of 30 pupils showed good accomplishment when performing a percussion piece with many parts. · · 140. The pupils’ attitudes to music are good. They enjoy playing musical instruments, which they treat with due care. They listen well to music in assembly and respond very well to the teachers’ questions. The pupils participated very well, when a playtime was cancelled during the inspection because of the wet weather and the

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pupils were asked to sing a number of action songs. They sang these with gusto and obvious enjoyment. Individual pupils had the confidence to stand up and sing a short verse in front of the rest of the school. The response to the school’s music club is very good indeed, and this interest is sustained throughout the year. · · 141. Because of arrangements for a school performance, all of the teaching at Key Stage 2 was being undertaken by the music coordinator. Consequently, only one teacher was observed. The quality of this teaching was good. Although not a specialist musician, she demonstrated good expertise through playing the piano, and by providing clear explanations and though-provoking questions. The lessons were well planned and well-structured, containing an appropriate variety of activities. A particularly good feature was the purposeful involvement of all pupils. The pupils were encouraged to think about their own performance and that of others, and suggest

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ways in which they could be improved. · · 142. The subject is well led. The subject policy is clear and helpful. The school has maintained a broad and balanced curriculum and provides many opportunities for pupils to engage in musical activities. Apart from regular instrumental lessons, the annual concert involves all pupils, and there are opportunities to participate in musical events with other schools. The number of pupils learning to play a musical instrument has increased since the last inspection. The subject makes a good contribution to the pupils’ cultural development, through the appreciation of music from different times and different cultures. · · Physical Education · 143. It was not possible to observe a full range of physical education activities during the inspection. Evidence for physical education was gathered from the observation of dance and games lessons at both key stages. No gymnastics or

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swimming lessons were timetabled during the inspection. The positive aspects noted in the last inspection have been maintained and the range and response to extra- curricular activities have improved. The pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress at Key Stage 1 and good progress at Key Stage 2. In dance, they achieve standards which are appropriate for their age. In games and swimming, the attainment of pupils in Key Stage 2 is above average for their age. · · 144. When following taped radio programmes in dance, most pupils listen carefully to instructions and follow them sensibly. Some of the younger pupils do not yet listen carefully enough to the music, but they all show good spatial awareness. When given the opportunity, the pupils show the ability to evaluate the performance of others. One of the younger pupils, for example, picked out another pupil’s movements

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as being particularly scary; an older pupil noted the performance of another for including good facial expressions, as well as good poses. Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 44 · · 145. In games, the youngest pupils are developing basic skills of ball control, bouncing, throwing and catching. At this age, there is a wide variation in the level of skill and control but, through the opportunities provided, the pupils make satisfactory progress. Older pupils show a good range of ball skills. In uni-hoc, they are well coordinated and show good skills in passing and tackling. In basketball, nearly all pupils control the ball successfully when dribbling between a series of cones. They pass and catch the ball well. Throughout the school, the pupils have a good capacity for vigorous physical exercise and participate well in warm-up activities. · · 146. Until recently, all pupils in Key Stage 2 have had the opportunity to go

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swimming during the summer term. Funding arrangements now impose restrictions, and those who are already good swimmers no longer have the opportunity to go swimming. The arrangements ensure, however, that, by the end of Key Stage 2, virtually all pupils have confidence in water and reach the nationally expected standard of swimming 25 metres unaided and knowing the principles and skills of water safety and survival. Many pupils progress well beyond this standard. · · 147. The pupils’ attitudes to physical education and their behaviour are good. The pupils get changed sensibly and quickly, both before and after lessons and move quietly to and from the hall. They enjoy their lessons and all pupils participate with a good degree of enthusiasm and commitment. When asked by the teacher, “Are you ready to go?” a pupil in Year 1 replied, “You bet!”, typifying the enthusiastic response of the others. Nearly all pupils pay attention well and follow instructions, although

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some of the younger pupils have a tendency to become rather noisy at times, which prevents them from hearing instructions. Most of the older pupils show a mature and sensible attitude, although a few pupils have a tendency to show off, which their level of skill does not merit. Some of the older pupils are rather self-conscious during dance lessons. The pupils relate well to one another and their teachers, and make positive comments about their peers when asked to evaluate one another’s performance. They are responsive and helpful when asked to tidy away at the end of the lesson. · · 148. The overall quality of the teaching in physical education is good. It is slightly more purposeful at Key Stage 2 than at Key Stage 1. The teachers have a good level of personal expertise and show enthusiasm for the subject. They give clear instructions and demonstrations. They set the right example by changing into

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appropriate clothing and participating with the pupils. They expect and obtain a good level of participation from the pupils. In a very good dance lesson for pupils in Years 2 and 3, for example, the teacher not only encouraged pupils to think about different movements and ways of expressing a happy dance, but demonstrated possible movements herself, and drew attention to the good points in the performance of individual pupils. The planning for games lessons is generally better than for dance lessons. In the latter, the teachers rely heavily on broadcast programmes and their planning does not make sufficiently clear what pupils are expected to learn or in what ways they are expected to improve. The teachers place appropriate emphasis on health and safety procedures. Lessons are well structured, and the teachers give due importance to warm-up and warm-down exercises. In games lessons, they provide a

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variety of skills-based activities, as well as opportunities for small-sided games. Most teachers manage the pupils well, achieving good levels of concentration and discipline and keeping them active throughout the lesson. At Key Stage 1, the teachers set a good atmosphere at the start of the lesson by ensuring that all pupils are quiet and concentrating; however, this is not always maintained throughout the lesson. Some teachers are very good at analysing what pupils are doing, and providing opportunities for pupils to demonstrate and evaluate the performance of others. In some lessons, Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 45 although pupils are asked to demonstrate, not enough attention is given to analysing what is done well and where improvements could be made, or of ensuring that pupils look critically at their own performance in order to try to improve it. · · 149. The school provides an appropriately balanced programme of physical

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education, which is considerably enhanced by the extra-curricular activities available for pupils. At various times of the year, all of the teachers help with running extra- curricular clubs for sport, such as hockey, football, netball, cross-country, rounders and cricket. These activities are supported enthusiastically by a good number of pupils. Valuable assistance is also given by a number of voluntary helpers and students from a local college. There are no extra-curricular sporting activities for pupils in Key Stage 1. Teams are entered for tournaments, competitions and inter-school fixtures in most sports. In addition, pupils in Year 3 have the opportunity to do orienteering activities within the school grounds and pupils in Years 5 and 6 experience outdoor and adventurous activities on their biennial residential trip. The school’s own accommodation for physical education is adequate, with a suitably sized

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indoor hall and an even tarmac surface for outdoor games. The fields of the neighbouring secondary school are available for use whenever conditions permit, thus providing ample space and good facilities for outdoor games. · Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 46 · PART C: INSPECTION DATA

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· 150. The inspection was carried out by a team of three inspectors: two spent four days in school and the lay inspector two days. A total of 10 inspection days was spent gathering first-hand evidence; additional time was spent looking at the school’s documentation before the inspection, and considering evidence afterwards · · 151. Before the inspection, approximately 40 parents attended a meeting, at which their views on aspects of the school were heard by the registered inspector. A questionnaire was circulated to all parents, and responses representing 73 pupils (55 per cent of the pupils on roll) were returned. The points raised at the parents’ meeting and those made in the parents’ questionnaire were considered during the inspection. Meetings were also held with the headteacher, the chair of governors and governing body, and members of the teaching staff, in order to discuss the nature and conduct of

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the inspection. Inspectors studied a wide range of documentation and information supplied by the school; this included policy documents, teachers’ planning, the school development plan, governors’ annual reports, newsletters, budgetary information and minutes of meetings. Close attention was given to the school’s previous inspection report and its post-inspection action plan. · · 152. During the course of the inspection, 39 lessons or part-lessons were observed, covering work in all subjects of the National Curriculum. Lessons in religious education were not inspected, as these are to be the subject of a separate inspection by the Diocese. A total of over 26 hours was spent in the classrooms. All teachers were observed teaching English and mathematics, as well as a wide range of other subjects. Discussions were held with the headteacher, all staff and various members of the governing body. Assemblies, pupils’ arrival at and departure from school,

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registration and break-times were also observed. Attendance records, teachers’ planning documents and the records kept on individual pupils were examined. · · 153. Inspectors scrutinised the current and past work of a representative sample of pupils in each year group, and looked at the work of other pupils during their classroom visits. Classroom displays, pupils’ portfolios, individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs and teachers’ assessment records were examined. A representative sample of pupils read to inspectors and spoke about the books they read. Other groups of pupils were interviewed to find out what work they had covered in certain subjects. In addition, many informal conversations were held with pupils in the classroom and at break-times. · · 154. Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 47

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PUPIL DATA

Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school’s register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals YR – Y6 132 1 15 7 ·

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Qualified teachers (YR – Y6)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent) 5.80 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.76 ·

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Education support staff (YR – Y6)

Total number of education support staff 4 Total aggregate hours worked each week 30.2 ·

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FINANCIAL DATA

Financial year: 1998/99 Total income £188,776 Total expenditure £193,969 Expenditure per pupil £1,539 Balance brought forward from previous year £5,980 Balance carried forward to next year £787 · Baschurch Church of England Primary School - 48

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out: 132 Number of questionnaires returned: 73 · Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 51 44 4 0 0

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I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 49 40 6 4 1

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The school handles complaints from parents well 31 38 21 7 3

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The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 41 52 1 6 0

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The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 27 53 9 11 0

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The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 48 41 9 3 0

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The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 54 39 7 0 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 41 47 12 0 0

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The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 47 43 7 1 1

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The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 43 44 6 7 0

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My child(ren) like(s) school 56 36 7 1 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

· Percentages may not add up to 100 because of rounding

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· Other issues raised by parents · 155. Parents are generally pleased with their children’s attainment and the progress they are making. They feel that the school promotes good attitudes and values and are pleased with the standards of behaviour. They are particularly pleased with the good relationships which exist between older and younger pupils. They are well informed and are pleased that the school is responsive to their views. Their children are well supported by the teachers. Parents value the good links with the neighbouring secondary school. They are generally pleased with the quantity, regularity and consistency of homework. Parents feel welcome in school and are encouraged to help. They feel there have been improvements since the last inspection; the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies are having a positive impact; information technology provision has improved; there are more opportunities for extra-curricular music and

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sport. · · 156. A major concern of parents is the disruption to the teaching of their children in Key Stage 1, caused by the long-term absence of two teachers. They are also disturbed at cutbacks which occurs because of financial pressures, such as the loss of a classroom assistant and the withdrawal of swimming lessons for older pupils. · · 157. A very small number of parents do not share the positive views of the great majority of the parents. A few parents feel that complaints and problems are not handled well and some do not feel that the school gives clear enough information about their children’s progress. A number of parents are concerned about the way pupils are allocated to the mixed-age classes.

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