Coppice Primary School

INSPECTION REPORT

Dates of inspection: 15-19 November 1999

p.1

INSPECTION REPORT

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Coppice Primary School 2 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.

p.1

INSPECTION REPORT

Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the appropriate authority must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. Every registered parent of a registered pupil at the school should receive a free copy of the summary of the report within ten working days of receipt of the summary by the appropriate authority. A charge not exceeding the cost of supply may be made by the appropriate authority for any other copies of the report and/or its summary provided to any person who asks for one. The appropriate authority should make a copy of the report and the summary available for inspection by members of the public at such times and at such a place as may be reasonable Any enquiries about this legislation should be addressed to the OFSTED Compliance Helpline Tel. 0171421 6567 Coppice Primary School 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Community Primary with Nursery

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Manford Way Chigwell Essex IG7 4AL

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr. Paul McMaster

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: May 1996 Coppice Primary School 4

p.3

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Miss Savi Ramnath Science Attainment and progress History Teaching Geography Mrs Rosalind Hall, Lay Inspector Attitudes, behaviour, and personal development Attendance Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents and the community Mr Alan Stone Religious Education Leadership and management Physical Education Under fives Mr Edmond Morris Mathematics The Efficiency of the School Information technology Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Mrs Elizabeth More Special educational needs The curriculum and assessment Equal opportunities English Design and technology Mrs Sally Manser Art Pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Music Swimming

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

icp 360 Lee Valley Technopark Ashley Road London N17 9LN

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Coppice Primary School 5

p.4

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

p.5

INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of the school 1 - 6 Key indicators

p.5

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

p.5

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Attainment and progress 7 - 23 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 24 - 29 Attendance 30

p.5

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Teaching 31 - 37 The curriculum and assessment 38 - 48 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 49 - 53 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare 54 - 61 Partnership with parents and the community 62 - 67

p.5

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The management and efficiency of the school

p.5

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Leadership and management 68 - 75 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 76 - 80 The efficiency of the school 81 - 83

p.5

PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

Areas of learning for children under five 84 - 95

p.5

PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

English, mathematics and science 86 - 121

p.5

PART C: INSPECTION DATA

Summary of inspection evidence 170 - 172

p.5

PART C: INSPECTION DATA

Data and indicators Coppice Primary School 6

p.5

What the school does well

• . A well-planned curriculum contributes to high standards in English, mathematics, science and information technology. • . Teaching is good or better in over half of the lessons observed and this contributes to the high standards. • . The school is well led and effectively managed. Financial control and administration are very good. This results in a clear direction. • . Teachers provide a broad range of extra curricular activities and visits which pupils enjoy. • . The quality of provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and these pupils make good progress. • . Opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, social and cultural development are good and for moral development are very good. ·

p.6

Where the school has weaknesses

I. Subject co-ordinators do not monitor teaching and the curriculum fully enough to help them identify strengths and weaknesses. II. Children under five have limited access to large apparatus to facilitate their physical development. III. Overall, pupils are given limited opportunities to make choices and take the initiative in their own learning. Pupils are not given sufficient opportunity to develop their investigative, problem solving and research skills.

p.6

Where the school has weaknesses

This is a good school where strengths far outweigh the few weaknesses. The governors’ action plan will set out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection will be tackled. A copy of the plan will be sent to all parents or guardians of pupils at the school.

p.6

How the school has improved since the last inspection

The school has improved on the good standards in Key Stages 1 and 2 detailed in the earlier inspection report of May 1996. Action has been taken on all of the key issues identified although some aspects have not been fully addressed. Acts of collective worship now meet statutory requirements; the information gained from assessment especially in the core subjects and information technology is well used to plan future work and to report to parents. Curriculum co- ordinators provide good leadership and have undertaken some monitoring and evaluation of their subjects, but little is currently taking place. Although policies and schemes of work are now in place for all areas, the quality is still inconsistent and not all of them provide useful guidance to support teachers when planning. The staff and governors have a strong commitment to raising standards even further and the school is very well placed to make further improvements.

p.6

Standards in subjects

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds in 1999 based on the National Curriculum tests:

p.6

similar schools

well above average A above average B Coppice Primary School 7 English C A average C Mathematics · C B below average D

p.6

similar schools

These results show that by the end of Year 6 pupils attain average standards when compared with all schools in England. Compared with schools that have similar characteristics to Coppice standards are well above average in English and above in mathematics and science.

p.7

similar schools

Inspectors judge that by the time pupils leave school, at the end of Key Stage 2, standards are above average in English, mathematics, science and information technology. In religious education standards are in line with the local expectations. Work in all other subjects is in line with what is expected nationally, except in art where it is above.

p.7

similar schools

The difference between inspectors’ judgements and the above grades are due to the fact that inspection looks at a wider range of work than that tested and judgements are based on a different group of pupils in the current year.

p.7

similar schools

By the age of five almost all children are making good progress across the range of their work and overall are in line with the expected level on entry to full time education.

p.7

Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

Information technology Very Good Very Good Religious education Satisfactory Satisfactory Other subjects Good Satisfactory Satisfactory

p.7

Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

The quality of teaching observed is good with some very good lessons. In 95 per cent of lessons observed, teaching is satisfactory or better, in 53 per cent it is good and in 14 per cent of lessons it is very good or excellent. In 5 per cent of lessons teaching is unsatisfactory. Overall the quality of teaching has a positive effect on pupils’ attainment and progress.

p.7

Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses. Coppice Primary School 8 · Other aspects of the school

p.7

Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

Behaviour Very good: pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school. They are polite, courteous and respectful to one another and to adults. Attitudes to learning are good.

p.8

Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

Attendance Satisfactory, in line with the national averages. School begins and ends promptly.

p.8

Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

Ethos* Positive; there is a purposeful, caring and supportive atmosphere, which ensures that all pupils, feel safe and confident. Relationships are very good. The school is committed to high standards and has improved its performance over recent years. Leadership and management The management of the school is good. The headteacher provides effective leadership and has a firm commitment to raising standards. She is ably supported by the deputy headteacher. The governors are actively involved in running the school. All have a clear sense of the school’s direction, focussing on improving standards for the school. However, monitoring of teaching and the curriculum is not sufficiently rigorous. Curriculum Good. It is broad and balanced throughout, with a clear emphasis on developing literacy and numeracy. This contributes to the good standards attained. Pupils with special educational needs Good provision, particular emphasis given to literacy and

p.8

Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

numeracy. These pupils make good progress.

p.8

Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and has improved since the previous inspection. Staffing, accommodation and resources. A good general balance and expertise of staff to meet the demands of the curriculum, there is spacious and well-maintained accommodation . Learning resources are very good in information technology and good in all other areas except for outdoor provision for under fives. Value for money The school provides good value for money.

p.8

Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

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

p.8

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

IV. They are encouraged to become involved in the life of the school. V. The headteacher and staff are approachable when problems arise. VI. The children enjoy going to school. VII. They are kept informed about their children’s progress. VIII. They are satisfied with homework. IX. The school has a positive effect on children’s values and attitudes and achieves X. There were no areas of significant nse to the questionnaire or by the small ng Coppice Primary School 9 good standards of behaviour.

p.8

Overall there was a very positive response from parents, as indicated by the matrix to be

found at the end of the main report. There is strong support for the school.

p.9

Overall there was a very positive response from parents, as indicated by the matrix to be

Inspection findings support the positive views about the school expressed in both the questionnaire responses and at the meeting with parents. Coppice Primary School 10

p.9

Further develop the leadership and management roles of the subject co-ordinators by:

XI. providing clear guidance, time and training to enable subject co-ordinators to monitor and evaluate teaching, learning and pupils' attainment. (71,77,82.)

p.10

Improve the quality of provision for all children under five by:

XII. making better use of the outside space and improving resources for outdoors, particularly physical development. (13, 38.)

p.10

Improve pupils’ personal development by:

XIII. developing pupils’ skills and confidence to enable them to make decisions about their work, put forward their own ideas, select materials for their own tasks and take the initiative in a range of situations. (29,36,119.)

p.10

In addition to the key issues above, the following less important weaknesses should be

considered for inclusion in the action plan.

p.10

Measures should be taken to:

XIV. achieve consistency in the quality of teachers’ marking of pupils’ work so that comments encourage pupils and inform them about ways to improve their work; (34,111,122,145.) XV. review schemes of work to ensure greater progression of pupils’ learning, to support planning and ensure consistency of approach; (34, 122.) XVI. ensure that assessment records and procedures are consistent throughout the school; (47,112,122,127,139,157.) XVII. ensuring that all lessons have sharp and clear learning intentions which focus on what pupils of different abilities are expected to learn and do by the end of the session. (145,169.) Coppice Primary School 11

p.10

INTRODUCTION

1.Coppice is a large primary school situated in the Hainault Ward of Redbridge in Essex. Pupil intake is drawn from owner occupied / private housing and rented local authority housing in the immediate catchment area.

p.11

INTRODUCTION

2.The school takes children from the age of three to 11 and currently has on roll 406 pupils, organised in 15 classes and a further full-time equivalent of 30 children of nursery age. There are almost equal numbers of boys and girls; however girls outnumber boys in two classes, which has implications for grouping arrangements. Just under twelve per cent of pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds and five per cent speak English as an additional language which is higher than in most schools. Thirty-one pupils are supported by Section 11, funding. The average class size is 24 and the pupil teacher ratio is 19:1, which is below the national average. One quarter of the pupils has been identified on the school’s special needs register, a proportion above the national picture. Sixty-eight of those are on stage 2 or above; eight pupils are on stages 3 to 5, none of whom is statemented.

p.11

INTRODUCTION

3.Attainment on entry to the school is screened using recognised testing procedures and these indicate that a significant number of children have low levels of linguistic competence in their first language. The children’s levels of attainment on entry to the Reception class and evidence from baseline assessment (assessment of children on entry to Reception) suggest that a majority of children attain below the levels expected for the average four-year-old in language and literacy and mathematics. At the time of the inspection, 29 children were still under five. The school’s admission policy is very clear and sixty places are allocated in each year group.

p.11

INTRODUCTION

4.Since the previous inspection in April 1996 the number of pupils identified as having special educational needs as well as those with statements has decreased. Other characteristics are broadly similar.

p.11

INTRODUCTION

5.The school aims to be a caring school which greatly values all members of the school and of the wider community. Care, concern and mutual respect is expected and fostered. Specific targets for raising standards even further at the end of Key Stage 2 have been set in English, mathematics and science.

p.11

INTRODUCTION

6.The main curricular aims as described in the current school development plan are to:

p.11

INTRODUCTION

• . continue the implementation of the numeracy strategy; • . monitor and evaluate the implementation of literacy; • . increase the use of the library; • . consider class-based ICT programmes; • . review the effectiveness of the school council; • . evaluate outdoor play in relation to the early years curriculum. Coppice Primary School 12

p.11

1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999 26 28 54

p.12

Test/Task Results

Number of pupils Boys 22 20 22 at NC Level 2 or Girls 27 27 26 above Total 49 47 48 Percentage at NC School 91 87 89 Level 2 or above National 82 83 87

p.12

Test/Task Results

· Teacher Assessments Reading Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 23 23 24 at NC Level 2 or Girls 27 27 26 above Total 50 50 50 Percentage at NC School 93 93 93 Level 2 or above National 82 86 87

p.12

2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999 31 33 64

p.12

Results

Number of pupils Boys 22 21 25 at NC Level 4 or Girls 29 28 30 above Total 51 49 55 Percentage at NC School 80 77 86 Level 4 or above National 70 69 78

p.12

Results

· Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 23 21 23 at NC Level 4 or Girls 28 28 28 above Total 51 49 51 Percentage at NC School 80 77 80 Level 4 or above National 68 69 75

p.12

Results

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

p.12

Results

Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Coppice Primary School 13 · Attendance

p.12

Results

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed %

p.13

Results

through absence for the latest complete Authorised School 7.69

p.13

Results

reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.7

p.13

Results

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

p.13

Results

the previous year: Fixed period 0 Permanent 0

p.13

Results

Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 14 Satisfactory or better 95 Less than satisfactory 5 Coppice Primary School 14 · PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

p.13

Results

· EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

p.14

Results

1.The previous inspection in 1996 found that attainment and progress met or exceeded the expectations for all subjects except religious education. The school has generally maintained and improved the good standards of attainment reported previously and by the time pupils leave school at the end of Year 6 standards are above the national expectations in English, mathematics, science and information technology. In religious education attainment is now in line with the local agreed syllabus. No subject shows below average attainment. Throughout their time in school the majority of pupils make good progress from below average attainment on entry to standards above by the time they leave school.

p.14

Results

2.Expectations are high and since the last inspection a number of initiatives have been put into place to raise standards even further. These include the setting of pupils in mathematics, target setting and the implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategies. These are having a positive effect on pupils’ attainment and progress and as a result, overall standards have improved year on year.

p.14

Results

3.In the 1999 standardised tests and teacher assessment at the end of Key Stage 1 pupils attained levels which were above the national average in reading and close to the national average in writing and mathematics. The proportion of pupils reaching higher levels was above the national average in writing and below the national averages in reading and mathematics. The results when compared with similar schools were well above the average in reading and writing and above in mathematics at the expected Level 2. At the higher Level 3 attainment was well above average in writing and average in reading and mathematics.

p.14

Results

4.In the 1999 standardised tests at the end of Key Stage 2, pupils attained levels which were above the national average in English and mathematics and close to the national average in science. The number of pupils attaining higher levels was broadly in line with the national average in English but below the national averages in mathematics and science. However, when compared with similar schools the results were well above the average in all three subjects at the expected Level 4, and at the higher Level 5 were above the average in English and average in mathematics and science

p.14

Results

5.Taking into account the results over the four years from 1996 to 1999, the school has performed close to the national average in all three subjects at the end of Key Stage 2. By the end of Key Stage 1, trends indicate, over the same period, above average performance in writing and average in reading and mathematics.

p.14

Results

6.The difference between the results of the 1999 National Curriculum tests and the findings of the inspection arise because: the group of pupils at the end of each key stage being tested was different from those being inspected; the inspection takes account of a wider range of knowledge, skills and understanding than do national tests.

p.14

Results

7.Children under five are on course to meet the national learning objectives by age five and many exceed in mathematics and personal and social education. Overall, their progress before they reach their fifth birthday is good and under fives are well prepared for statutory education in Key Stage 1. When they start school in the nursery a significant number of under fives having communication, numeracy and social skills, which are well below those expected for their age. The nursery offers a broad curriculum and children under five make good progress in personal and social development. They quickly settle into the routines of school and show interest in their Coppice Primary School 15 work. They behave well and listen carefully to staff. Their behaviour and attitudes enable them to make good progress in other areas of learning, such as mathematics . Children have good listening skills and most make relevant comments and contributions to discussion in class and

p.14

Results

group sessions. They show an increasing interest and awareness of books. Many pupils read by themselves, recognising simple words by sight and with a clear understanding. Others use the clues in pictures to tell a story. In writing letters and numbers, they demonstrate increasing control and most write their own names clearly with well formed and legible letters whilst a few higher attaining children make their own attempts at writing simple sentences. In mathematics, children identify simple shapes, and some higher attaining children can name the number of sides or corners in them. Most count up to 10 and beyond correctly and identify missing numbers in a sequence. Children make good progress in learning about, and understanding, the world around them. They recognise the features of living things, develop a sense of the past and learn about the environment. They use the computer mouse and keyboard with confidence. Children

p.15

Results

achieve the expected standards in creative and physical development.. They sing with great enthusiasm and enjoy using a range of materials to express what they see, know and imagine. However, due to shortages in the resources provided for children’s physical development, higher attaining children are not always sufficiently challenged by some of the activities and as a result their progress is restricted.

p.15

Results

8.By the time pupils leave school, attainment in English is above average and progress is good in all aspects of the subject. Good progress is due in part to the positive ethos for learning, good quality teaching and the implementation of the literacy hour. They listen attentively to teachers and to one another and willingly contribute to class discussions. Most pupils speak clearly, using a wide vocabulary, and ask and answer questions appropriately in lessons. The standard of reading is above average at the end of both key stages. In Key Stage 1, most pupils read simple texts fluently and with enthusiasm, although not all make a practice of regular reading at home. They are pleased to take books home from the library and often choose a book at a higher level because they find them more interesting. They have a satisfactory knowledge of a range of sounds and use word-banks to find out the meanings of words.

p.15

Results

9.By the end of Key Stage 2, the majority of pupils are competent readers for both information and enjoyment. They have, however only a limited knowledge of authors and are unable to discuss their particular likes and dislikes or why they choose books. Pupils use their literacy skills well across the curriculum. By the end of Key Stage 1, they use capital letters and full stops at the end of sentences and form letters well in their writing. Spelling of common words causes some difficulty. By the end of Key Stage 2, many pupils write in a variety of styles including extended stories, play scripts and poetry. Their use of language is thoughtful and they choose words carefully to make their writing more interesting. Many organise their work appropriately into correctly punctuated paragraphs.

p.15

Results

10.In mathematics, standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are above national expectations and pupils make good progress. The school’s focus on numeracy, the grouping of pupils according to their abilities and the high expectations of work, all have a positive impact on standards. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils have good mental calculation skills and quickly recall addition and subtraction facts to 20. They collect and present numerical data and draw simple conclusions about the results. By the end of Key Stage 2 the majority of pupils have a secure understanding of place value to at least a thousand and confidently add, subtract, multiply and divide such numbers. They use a probability line to show the chances of a particular event happening and confidently work with negative numbers when using co-ordinates in all four quadrants. Most pupils have a good understanding of equivalence when comparing fractions, decimals and

p.15

Results

11.In science, pupils’ attainment by the time they leave school is above average and progress is good. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils build upon their knowledge of materials by discussing and testing the properties of various materials. They communicate their findings clearly in Coppice Primary School 16 pictures and writing. By the end of Key Stage 2, most pupils have a good knowledge of all aspects of the life processes, such as the functions of the human circulatory system and show considerable confidence in answering factual questions, using appropriate scientific terminology and providing definitions and explanations in a wide range of contexts. However, opportunities for pupils to plan and carry out their own investigations are limited. 12.In information technology, pupils’ attainment is well above national standards and progress is very good. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection. The good quality

p.15

Results

focussed teaching and the available resources in the computer suite have a positive effect on standards. Pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 write, edit, save and print their own work successfully with increasing confidence and competence in the use of mouse and keyboard. They use their information technology skills effectively to support their learning in English, art and science fact sheets. At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils use computers with great confidence and increasing skill. They produce their own spreadsheets, interrogate databases and use electronic mail with great aplomb to contact children in other schools, some as far away as Soweto in South Africa .

p.16

Results

13.In religious education, pupils’ attainment by the time they leave school is in line with the expectations defined in the local agreed syllabus. Progress is satisfactory. Younger pupils understand the significance of symbols and that artefacts are special things that must be looked after and handled with care. Older pupils learn to respect the beliefs of others and increasingly understand the significance of a variety of religious festivals and ceremonies such as Diwali and Harvest.

p.16

Results

14.Standards in all other subjects of the National Curriculum are appropriate for pupils by the time they leave school at the end of Key Stage 2 with the exception of art which is better than expected for pupils of this age. Progress is satisfactory in all subjects except art where it is good.

p.16

Results

15.Pupils with special educational needs make good progress through both key stages. Their individual education plans are carefully tailored to their specific needs, set realistic and achievable targets and are regularly reviewed. Work in class is provided at a suitable level which has a positive effect on the good progress made. Classroom assistants also make a significant impact on pupils' progress when their work is planned to support special needs pupils.

p.16

Results

16.Inspection evidence shows that pupils for whom English is an additional language make good progress and attain standards that are comparable with other pupils in the school once they have achieved a reasonable level of competence in English. The good progress made by these pupils results from good attitudes to learning which are encouraged by the school’s positive ethos.

p.16

Results

17.National test results for the past years have been analysed and the school monitors attainment and progress by gender, ethnicity and ability. In response to this analysis, targets for improvements have been appropriately set in English, mathematics and science and the school has successfully met and exceeded the performance targets this academic year.

p.16

Results

23. Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

p.16

Results

18.The attitudes and behaviour of pupils are similar to those reported at the time of the last inspection. Positive attitudes and high standards of behaviour are strengths of the school and make a significant impact on pupils’ attainment and progress and the quality of life in the school. Comments from parents both in the questionnaire and at the meeting prior to the inspection support this view.

p.16

Results

19.Under fives make a positive start and quickly settle into school. Their personal and social skills are promoted well. They relate well to each other and play co-operatively. They listen carefully to adults, have good levels of concentration and follow instructions. In the classroom and play areas they behave well and are developing a sense of right and wrong. They show Coppice Primary School 17 initiative in helping to tidy away resources in a sensible way and are becoming more independent. They have a happy start to school life.

p.16

Results

20.Pupils throughout the school are well motivated, have a positive approach to learning and respond very well to their teachers. They work diligently and sustain concentration well when engaged in a task set for them. They have a positive approach throughout the day and work hard in a calm and purposeful atmosphere. They are able to work independently, for instance when their teacher is working with one group in the class, mostly persevering when problems arise. They are trustworthy and take a pride both in their school and in their own work. However, most tasks are very carefully defined and pupils have little opportunity to generate ideas themselves or to select resources, decide on techniques or solve problems when they arise.

p.17

Results

21.Behaviour is good at all times in and around the school. In class pupils concentrate well and persevere to complete tasks. They are able to work independently and have good self esteem. Those involved in performing in front of others, whether it is showing their work during a plenary session in the classroom or acting a part in drama or class assembly, do so with confidence. Pupils listen attentively during assemblies. Their behaviour at playtime and lunchtime is very good, with boys and girls and younger and older pupils playing well together. Pupils with special educational needs who have identified emotional and behavioural difficulties are well managed in class and during breaks. Incidents of inappropriate behaviour are rare. There was no evidence of bullying seen during the inspection and a high degree of racial harmony was evident in all age groups.

p.17

Results

22.The quality of the relationships between all involved in the school is very good. Pupils show respect for adults and know this will be returned. They work well together and are supportive of each other. For example in a Year 6 religious education lesson they listened carefully to each other’s views and responded sympathetically.

p.17

Results

23.Pupils make sound progress in their personal development. The school provides a satisfactory range of opportunities for pupils to take on responsibility around the school and in the classrooms. They help as register, lunchtime and classroom monitors. There is a school council which was involved in the drafting of the Home School Agreement, set up since the last inspection. These opportunities have a significant impact on pupils' personal development and sense of esteem. However in some lessons the tasks are over-directed by the teacher and this limits the pupils’ ability to show initiative and to organise their own learning.

p.17

Results

24.The attendance levels at the school are satisfactory and similar to those reported in the earlier inspection. The school’s procedures for registration, rewarding attendance and the monitoring of absence are very good and this has a positive effect on standards of attainment and progress. The prospectus contains appropriate guidance for parents on the inadvisability of taking holidays during term time and clearly outlines steps taken by the school to lessen any detrimental effect caused by absence. Lessons start promptly and very little time is wasted. A few children are regularly late and are dealt with appropriately by staff.

p.17

Results

25.The overall quality of teaching is good, has improved since the previous inspection and is a significant contributory factor to pupils’ attainment and progress. Teaching in English, physical education and information technology is good. Some teaching in design technology in Key Stage Coppice Primary School 18 2 is very good, and there are examples of very good practice in mathematics, science, information technology and history. Teaching is satisfactory or better in 95 per cent of lessons, in 53 per cent of lessons it is good and in 14 per cent of lessons observed it is very good. Five per cent of teaching is unsatisfactory.

p.17

Results

26.The quality of teaching of the under fives is good and in three-quarters of lessons it is good or very good. All staff provide a secure and supportive environment in which children learn happily. Teachers have a good knowledge of the recommended curriculum for the under fives and understand the needs of young children. They know their children well and plan an interesting and stimulating mixture of teacher-directed and independent activities to enable pupils to make progress. Day-to-day assessment is good and used well for planning lessons which take account of what has been taught and what is to follow.

p.18

Results

27.Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the subjects they teach are good overall. In English, physical education and information technology it is good and they are successfully implementing the national literacy and numeracy strategies. In these subjects, the progress of pupils is often good and they achieve high standards. Where teaching is at its best, questions are directed to a wide range of pupils with differing abilities and pupils are encouraged to ask and answer questions. Teachers have high expectations of work and behaviour and manage their pupils well, as was seen in a Year 4 lesson on measure and in a practical science lesson in Year 3 on the relationship between musical instruments and sound. Teachers’ secure subject knowledge and understanding enable them to lead pupils towards higher attainment by explaining tasks clearly and making appropriate interventions. Lessons are well paced and teachers convey

p.18

Results

their own enthusiasm for the subject, for example, in a history lesson in Year 3 on the Romans. In physical education, lessons are well structured, orderly and have appropriate activities. Teachers make good use of praise and encouragement. In religious education lessons, teachers create a quiet reflective atmosphere for learning through the use of music or a well-chosen story. Teachers make good use of the human resources in the school, for example, the experience of a Muslim child in religious education. Homework is used well, for example in mathematics, where Year 5 pupils calculate the area of various household objects. In the very few unsatisfactory lessons seen the learning focus of the lesson is not clear both in planning or delivery, pupils are not involved in practical activities, for example in science, and lesson introductions are too long. In music, the weakness in the occasional lesson is also caused by insufficiently clear lesson

p.18

Results

28.Planning for English and mathematics closely adheres to the national literacy and numeracy strategies, which provide well for teachers to take account of what has gone before and what is to follow. Since the previous inspection, some progress has been made in producing schemes of work for science and design technology. However, these are insufficiently detailed to ensure that pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding are developed systematically from year to year. Support staff are generally involved in planning and are able to take a prominent part in lessons to support and advance learning. Consequently, pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, do well. Teachers use daily assessment to good effect through challenging questioning and discussions. They are careful to ask pupils of all abilities and to give them time to think. As a result pupils extend their knowledge, understanding

p.18

Results

and vocabulary. The quality of marking is inconsistent and approaches are not applied consistently in all classes. Although there are some examples of good marking which corrects and informs, most marking does not support progress because it does not tell pupils clearly how to improve their work.

p.18

Results

29.Resources are used well as was seen in information technology lessons where the high quality resources in the computer suite are used most effectively to stimulate and inspire pupils. However, not all teachers plan effectively for the use of computers in classrooms and during the inspection computers were underused to support learning in the classroom. Support staff are generally used effectively in lessons and are able to make valuable contributions to the good Coppice Primary School 19 progress made by pupils. However, there are instances in which they are not actively involved in all aspects of the lessons and their potential is underused.

p.18

Results

30.Good relationships are a notable feature of the school and teachers manage their pupils well in a calm, friendly and firm manner. They have established classroom routines to which the pupils respond positively. These routines are in place for the youngest pupils and are built on as they progress through the school. Expectations of good behaviour are high and this leads to a productive working environment in which pupils feel valued and secure. Pupils are given some opportunities to take responsibility for their work and do so seriously. This was very evident in Key Stage 2 drama session where pupils successfully organised themselves in groups without adult direction. However, some lessons are over-directed by the teacher, particularly in design technology, art and some science lessons and as a result there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to make choices and take initiative in their learning.

p.19

Results

31.Teachers give good support to pupils with special educational needs and to those with English as an additional language. Work is generally matched to their individual education plans, and set at an appropriate level to enable these pupils to make good progress. Classroom assistants, under the direction of the class teacher, sometimes work with groups of targeted pupils and give good quality support. This support is most effective when the class teachers have planned the work of their assistants and use them fully throughout the lessons. It is less effective when assistants are passive onlookers to lessons and their work is not specifically focussed.

p.19

Results

32.The curriculum for children under the age of five is satisfactory and planned to cover the desirable outcomes. It promotes learning in personal, social, language, literacy and numeracy effectively by the age of five. Activities are planned to develop children’s physical skills but the opportunities to use large outdoor play equipment, such as climbing frames, are limited. This means that children do not make as much progress in their physical development as they should.

p.19

Results

33.The curriculum provided for pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 is good. It is broad and balanced, promotes pupils’ intellectual development well and covers the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. Suitable attention is given to health education, and to developing pupils’ awareness of drugs, as well as to sex education. Broadly appropriate time is allocated to each subject and meets the recommended levels for both key stages. In some cases the connections made between different subjects help the school to make efficient use of time and promote learning well. The way that art is used in Year 5 to extend pupils’ understanding of the history of the Aztecs is a good example of how links between subjects contributes well to pupils’ progress. Since the last inspection, the religious education curriculum has improved significantly and planning builds on previous learning more effectively. This is one of the main reasons why

p.19

Results

standards have improved. Another improvement since the last inspection is that the school now provides a daily act of worship although classroom assemblies are not always of a consistently high quality.

p.19

Results

34.Pupils are well prepared for their secondary school careers. The school has effective arrangements for liaison and support for pupils. For example, pupils make ‘taster’ visits to the school to which they will transfer and most are looking forward to the change. The school is particularly effective in developing pupils’ moral understanding. This is one of the reasons why pupils respond positively to the school and behave well.

p.19

Results

35.The time allocated for literacy and numeracy is being used effectively, and the strategies are working effectively to promote the good progress and levels of attainment in these subjects. The arrangements in Key stage 2 for grouping pupils according to their prior attainment has helped to match of work to the needs of the pupils. In Key Stage 1, providing work that extends the higher attainers is also helping to promote progress effectively. Coppice Primary School 20 36.Planning is satisfactory overall. Links are made between each year and key stage so that the work set in Year 6, for example, takes account of what pupils studied in Year 5. This ensures that in most subjects pupils build on their previous learning as they move through the school. In information technology, for example, planning is excellent and a real strength in the school: pupils develop their skills and understanding of computers, and how to use them, effectively as they

p.19

Results

become older. Planning is very good in mathematics and good in English. In both subjects planning is thorough and follows the national guidelines carefully. There is, however, a weakness in planning the development of pupils’ predicting, enquiring, evaluating. For example, in science pupils have only limited opportunities to organise experiments and research and solve problems. The governing body is fully involved in the development of the curriculum and works closely with the school.

p.20

Results

37.The provision for extra curricular activities is very good. There is a lively and varied sporting programme with opportunities for pupils to participate in inter-school competitions in football, athletics, tennis and swimming by their attending clubs and being selected to represent the school. There are many clubs some of which are a very high standard. Staff give much time and effort to these activities and clubs are well attended, with almost 100 pupils participating, and pupils value them considerably. The clubs include netball, badminton, tennis, football, gymnastics, choir, gardening, art and information technology. Parents are sometimes involved in supporting these activities: for example, in building the hedgehog shelter in the garden area.

p.20

Results

38.The school makes good use of the LEA’s drama centre to enhance the curriculum. For example, projects about the ‘Siting of an airport’, ‘African week,’ and ‘Manning of the ships of the Armada’ have made significant contributions to the wider curriculum being offered. Additionally, the school curriculum is enhanced by visits to a variety of places including Hainault Forest, Hendon RAF Museum and Colchester. The visit to Colchester, for example, has helped to extend Year 3 pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the Romans as part of their work in history. The school is very good at enlisting the help of visitors and arranges visits from groups such as ‘The Young Shakespeare Theatre’, ‘ The Saxon Village People’ and the local fire brigade. This strategy is one of the strengths of the school, is valued and appreciated by parents and pupils, and has a positive impact on learning.

p.20

Results

39.There is good access to the curriculum in Key Stage 1 and all pupils have the same opportunities to realise their potential. In Key Stage 2, access is slightly less good and satisfactory rather than good. This is because pupils who have music tuition miss other lessons and are not always able to catch up.

p.20

Results

40.The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils have individual education plans that set clear, realistic and relevant targets that are regularly reviewed each term. Pupils receive a high level of support especially in the literacy and numeracy lessons, often in small groups. Effective support enhances pupils’ learning and as a result progress in literacy and numeracy is good. Assessment arrangements meet the requirements of the Code of Practice.

p.20

Results

41.Assessment procedures are good for children under five. Pupils undergo detailed assessments on entry to reception and work is matched to their needs. At Key Stages 1 and 2 procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment are satisfactory overall. However, the implementation of the assessment policy is still in its early stages of development and means that it is not yet used consistently in all classes. Teachers keep detailed records of achievement for each pupil in English and mathematics but because there is no school wide format they do not always show the information in the same way. In other subjects, the short-term plans include an evaluation of attainment in general for that week. The use of assessment to inform curriculum planning is also satisfactory. The head teacher and the deputy have made use of the national test results to analyse areas for development and have changed the organisation in the school

p.20

Results

by, for example, introducing extension work for some pupils and putting pupils into groups based Coppice Primary School 21 on their attainment. Assessment is developing within the school. For example, there are plans to collect samples of writing, as a portfolio of work, and the pupils in Key Stage 2 will be taking the taking the optional national tests for the first time this year.

p.20

Results

42.Day to day assessment is very good in information technology with three pieces of work from pupils of above average, average and below average saved each term. This provides good evidence of pupils’ attainment and progress. Assessment is good in English and mathematics and is satisfactory in other subjects.

p.21

Results

48. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

p.21

Results

49. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall and makes a positive contribution to the quality of education and the standards that pupils achieve.

p.21

Results

43.Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good and has improved since the earlier inspection. The school provides pupils with knowledge and insight into values and beliefs through assemblies and the planning and implementation of the Agreed Syllabus for religious education. The most effective class assemblies have a planned relationship to whole school assembly themes, provoke thoughtful discussion supported by teacher’s use of good questioning and allow time for silent reflection by individuals. However teachers’ approaches to class assemblies vary and not all are equally successful. Whilst some celebration of the spiritual aspects of life are emphasized in lessons such as in the appreciation of music and art, planning does not identify all the opportunities for pause and reflection which occur in the curriculum.

p.21

Results

44.Provision for moral development is good. Throughout the school there is consistent promotion of high moral standards and parents fully support the values and attitudes which the school promotes. There is an effective code of conduct with related systems of rewards and sanctions, which ensures that pupils understand the principles that distinguish right from wrong. Pupils strive to achieve recognition for their hard work, good behaviour and attendance record and fully understand the systems in place. Adults working in the school are positive role models for the pupils. A clear and positive moral code continues to be reflected in all aspects of school life, resulting in a very positive and caring school ethos. Moral themes are reinforced through well chosen stories in assemblies. There is direct teaching about distinguishing right from wrong through such activities as ‘circle-time’ in Key Stage 1, the religious education syllabus, the

p.21

Results

personal and social education programme and sex education. Pupils are encouraged to take a wider perspective and to respond to the needs of those less fortunate through raising money for a variety of charities.

p.21

Results

45.Provision for social development is very good. The school provides many opportunities for all pupils to practise their social skills. From nursery upwards pupils are taught to respect each other and value the contributions made by others in school life. The school has a programme for personal and social education and pupils are well prepared for citizenship. They are taught about the local community and the needs of the people within it. Social development is enhanced by the provision of extra-curricular activities such as football, swimming, athletics and music. The extended school field trips every year provide older pupils with an invaluable experience to develop their social skills and to take greater responsibility for their own actions in co-operation with others.

p.21

Results

46.The school has extended its curriculum since the last inspection to encompass more frequent consideration of the diversity and richness of other cultures resulting in provision that is now good. Cultural activities play an important role both within and beyond the curriculum at Coppice, with choral singing, art and drama having particular prominence. There are easily accessed opportunities for instrumental tuition and good relationships with quality borough-wide services such as the Drama Centre and Music Service. In addition to its traditions of school plays and Coppice Primary School 22 concerts the school recognises the important role expressive arts activities can play in helping the school community to mark special times in the school year. Displays around the school raise pupils’ awareness of the cultures and traditions of others. For example, artefacts from other world religions and work done on India as a contrasting locality in geography. There is a very

p.21

Results

good programme of regular trips to museums and art galleries for all pupils. The school adopts a variety of approaches to recognising the diversity and richness of other cultures, from clear embedding of source material from non-western cultures in schemes of work to the recent African arts week. All curriculum areas have yet to explore this to the full, but there are examples of good practice in art, information technology and religious education.

p.22

Results

53. Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

p.22

Results

47.The last inspection report commented that the school is effective in promoting the welfare of pupils and in providing helpful guidance. This view is supported by parents and endorsed by the inspection team. The good, support guidance and welfare provided for pupils are significant strengths of the school enabling them to take full advantage of the good learning opportunities available.

p.22

Results

48.The procedures for monitoring academic progress are appropriate in English, mathematics and information technology and are strengthened by the good personal support which is available and the informal knowledge which all staff have of the pupils as individuals. The positive relationships between staff and pupils and the good role models provided by staff enhance the self esteem of pupils and aid them in their achievements. Those children with special needs are well supported through good individual educational plans and assessment of their progress. This contributes effectively to their progress.

p.22

Results

49.The behaviour policy is very effective. The rewards for good behaviour and recognition in assemblies through the merit leaf system are appreciated and sought after by pupils. The school deals with any rare instances of inappropriate behaviour consistently.

p.22

Results

50.Systems for promoting and monitoring attendance are very good and help to ensure regular attendance by nearly all pupils. All paperwork is accurately completed and attendance is rewarded. Concerns are acted upon very quickly, for example, the school secretary has recently started to contact all parents on the morning a child is first absent if no notification has been received. Absences are always followed up when the child returns to school.

p.22

Results

51.There are clear procedures for child protection with a detailed policy. The deputy head teacher is the designated teacher with responsibility for this area but works closely with the head teacher to ensure maximum coverage. Appropriate records are kept where the school has concerns about particular children. The school makes good use of outside agencies such as the school nurse, health visitor and social services, when necessary.

p.22

Results

52.First aid procedures are good and detailed records are kept of all incidents and copies of these are given to parents. There is a good number of qualified first aiders on the staff. The personal and social education programme, particularly in Years 5 and 6 supports the health and well being of pupils in its exploration of issues such as personal health and hygiene, drugs awareness and sex education.

p.22

Results

53.The school has regular audits for health and safety undertaken with involvement from the governing body and these are acted upon. A comprehensive health and safety policy is in place.

p.22

Results

54.Pupils with special educational needs are identified early in their school life and are appropriately assessed. They are given appropriate work and, if applicable, good quality individual education plans are drawn up by their class teachers and the special needs co- Coppice Primary School 23 ordinator. Pupils for whom the school has concerns regarding behaviour, receive the appropriate pastoral support. There are no statemented pupils in the school.

p.22

Results

61. Partnership with parents and the community

p.23

Results

55.The school has maintained a good relationship with its parents and the local community. In a wide variety of ways the school is well supported by parents and this has a positive effect on pupils’ attainment overall. Nearly all parents who replied to the inspection questionnaire supported all aspects of the school’s life and work. There were no significant concerns.

p.23

Results

56.Parents are provided with good information about the school in the form of a full and detailed prospectus and regular newsletters. Nearly all parents attend parents meeting where individual progress is discussed. The annual report on progress is detailed and meets requirements. Parents would appreciate more ongoing information about the work their child is currently undertaking but they are given a good overview of educational issues through regular information meetings. These have been held about SATS, literacy, numeracy and homework and have been well attended. A class assembly held during the inspection was well supported by mothers, fathers and grandparents. Parents appreciate the approachability of teachers and the school secretary liaises very well with parents both on the telephone in dealing with absence and as they visit the school.

p.23

Results

57.The school makes good links with parents before children start at the school. An evening meeting is held to introduce parents to the work of the nursery and then home visits are undertaken. As a result most children settle very quickly into the nursery routines. Pupils with special educational needs have individual education plans which are regularly reviewed and parents are fully involved. Parents are given copies of the plans and all attend review meetings. The special needs co-ordinator holds weekly surgeries for any parents to attend and discuss the provision for their child.

p.23

Results

58.There is an appropriate level of parental support for pupils’ learning at home although pupils’ reading records show that not all children are heard to read regularly. Many work in classes, giving valuable and valued help to teachers, as was observed during the inspection. Others help with school events, trips and open days. There is an active parent - teachers association which organises a variety of fund raising and social events throughout the year in order to provide extra resources and equipment to benefit pupils.

p.23

Results

59.The school has developed a good relationship with the local secondary school which ensures the smooth transfer of pupils at this level. Pupils from both schools are involved in a story writing project.

p.23

Results

60.The school has a wide range of links with the community at many levels. For example, a farmworker from Wellgate Community farm leads each Harvest festival assembly. There are good links with local shops and the health clinic. A Fire Officer works regularly with all classes and Year 1 pupils have visited the local Fire station. The school has participated in local Art Days, the borough recorder and music festival and in many sporting events, including the local and Essex league for football. Strong community links not only provide pupils with a firm springboard for understanding the importance of good citizenship but have a noticeable impact on their attainment and progress.

p.23

Results

67. THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

p.23

Results

67. Leadership and management Coppice Primary School 24 61.The educational direction of the school is clear and the effective partnership between headteacher, staff and governors successfully promotes the school’s aims. The ethos of the school is very good. School aims and objectives are appropriate and these are reflected in the actions of staff as well as in written policies. Leadership and management effectively promote pupils’ social development, confidence, positive attitudes to learning and the good standards that pupils achieve.

p.23

Results

62.Action has been taken to address each of the key issues from the last inspection and improvement is satisfactory, overall. The school has made good progress with regard to religious education and the act of collective worship. Systems for day-to-day assessment of pupils’ progress have been reviewed and, in literacy and numeracy, it is clear that assessment informs teachers’ planning. Progress in ensuring consistency in monitoring and evaluation is satisfactory but currently underdeveloped. A policy has been developed and includes arrangements for monitoring planning, teaching and learning and feedback to staff and summaries to aid school management. The policy has yet to be fully implemented. Although the monitoring of planning is now well-established, the monitoring, evaluation and support of teaching needs further development to disseminate good practice and assist school management.

p.24

Results

63.The headteacher provides good leadership which is moving the school forward effectively. Her leadership is well supported by the deputy headteacher, senior management team and other school staff. The deputy headteacher has wide ranging responsibilities and a significant teaching role. She works closely, and effectively, with the headteacher, to manage the school and to plan school development. A large senior management team meets regularly to advise the headteacher. The team is appropriately involved in decision making. Members of the senior management team have a responsibility to support colleagues with the implementation of school policy and are deployed in five year groups.

p.24

Results

64.Subject co-ordinators have clear job descriptions and agreed targets and action plans are in place. Identified action points are not always based on accurate knowledge of strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning. Even in the core subjects, where assessment information is available, co-ordinators have only a general sense of standards in their subject. Information about standards of attainment and teaching and learning is not always analysed and used to plan further development. Monitoring by subject co-ordinators largely involves looking at teachers’ plans but will include some monitoring of lessons in the spring term. The monitoring of teaching has so far focused on literacy and numeracy lessons and as a result co-ordinators in other areas of the curriculum have little opportunity to oversee the work of their area of responsibility, and directly to influence the work in the classroom. The lack of effective monitoring of the curriculum

p.24

Results

has a direct effect upon the standards of pupils’ work especially in the classes where the provision is inconsistent.

p.24

Results

65.The governing body fulfils its statutory obligations. Governors are very supportive and some individual governors are very knowledgeable and active. Committees for finance, building and development, provide an effective means whereby governors are involved in planning and decision-making. The headteacher actively involves parent governors by, for example, consulting them and seeking their advice regarding the home-school agreement introduced this year. Governors’ responsibilities for curriculum matters are increasingly fulfilled by individual nominated governors. Governors with responsibility for literacy, numeracy and special educational needs know the school well and report regularly to the governing body. The governing body is kept well informed. Meetings are regular and well attended.

p.24

Results

66.The school plans well for change and its development plan is a useful document for moving the school ahead. Priorities and targets are appropriately identified through consultations between subject leaders and phase groups. They are costed; appropriately identify the people responsible for them and give deadlines for completion. Governors are appropriately involved in formulating and approving the school development plan. Coppice Primary School 25 67. The management of special educational needs is good. The co-ordinator keeps meticulous and up-to-date records and effectively liaises with the school staff, parents, the local authority and other support agencies. There is a designated special needs governor who meets regularly with the co-ordinator and reports back to the governing body. Pupils have equal opportunities for access to the whole curriculum. However, the timing of instrumental tuition and consequent

p.24

Results

withdrawal of pupils means that some pupils miss lessons regularly.

p.25

Results

68.The school’s strategies for raising standards of literacy and numeracy are sound. The school has appropriate systems and structures in place and is well positioned to continue the consistent trend of improving standards. 75.

p.25

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

69.The school is well staffed with sufficient teachers to enable the pupils to be taught in single age classes. Teachers are appropriately qualified and have the necessary experience and expertise to meet fully the demands of the curriculum. Co-ordinators have generally been allocated subject areas closely matched to their initial or subsequent training and give good advice and support to colleagues. Some teachers and instructors have a very high level of expertise in their subjects, which has a significant impact on the very good standards often attained, for example, in music, information technology and art. Teachers are ably supported by a good number of classroom assistants.

p.25

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

70.The deputy head teacher is responsible for staff development within the school and there is a clear and appropriate planned programme for professional development within the school. These arrangements cover staff in-service training days and the regular staff meetings that also take place. The school-based training undertaken to support the implementation of the National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy has had a positive impact on the progress of pupils. School-based in-service training in religious education has also contributed to the improvement in teaching since the previous inspection. Staff training needs are generally identified and tied appropriately to the development plan. However, opportunities for identifying staff training needs through classroom observation by subject co-ordinators are restricted. The school also arranges support for staff from external speakers as well as during in-house sessions.

p.25

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

The induction arrangements for teachers new to the school are good. The newly qualified teachers spent two weeks working in school prior to taking up post. They all have mentors as well as informal help from colleagues. In most cases the mentor is in the parallel year group and this works particularly well because both teachers are considering the detailed short term planning at the same time.

p.25

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

71.The school has very good accommodation. It is spacious and well maintained and this contributes well to pupils’ learning. The school has two halls and a separate canteen which results in more flexibility in the timetable for assemblies, drama sessions and physical education. The new library and the computer room allow the curriculum to be taught effectively. The environment is organised effectively for learning, and pupils look after the fabric of the school responsibly. Since the previous inspection there has been development of the school site to enable a new library to be built, equip a computer suite, and reserve an area of the grounds as a nature garden. This expansion has been well-planned and is already being integrated into the learning experiences of the children.

p.25

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

72.With the exception of large apparatus for the under fives, the school is adequately resourced. Resources for information technology have recently been upgraded and there is a very well resourced information technology suite which has increased pupils’ understanding and the development of information technology skills. The school also has access to a wild area, which is used to support pupils’ learning. The range of resources provided for teaching pupils who are Coppice Primary School 26 identified as having special educational needs is good. The school library and all classrooms contain a good supply of fiction and non-fiction books, plus other high quality resources used to support the literacy hour. They are clearly labelled and, where appropriate, accessible to pupils. The purchase of resources is planned carefully and targeted in the school development plan. Outdoor provision for the under fives has been identified as an area to be considered next year

p.25

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

73.Outside resources and visitors to the school are effectively used to extend and enrich pupils’ learning experiences. For example, a range of museums provides good opportunities to illustrate aspects of art, history and science and regular visits and visitors enrich curriculum provision. Overall, staffing, accommodation and learning resources make a good contribution to the quality of education and the standards achieved

p.26

The efficiency of the school

74.The school manages its resources well. It has clearly identified, forward looking budgetary aims and objectives which are focused on improving the educational provision for all pupils. Financial planning is efficient and very carefully thought out by the headteacher, senior management team and the very effective finance committee of the governing body. They produce the school development plan and all spending is appropriately linked to the educational priorities identified in the plan. This is similar to the findings of the last inspection. Subject co- ordinators are allocated budgets which they spend wisely to support learning in their specific areas. They report back to the governors to account for the impact their spending has had on raising standards and to show value for money. Governors are kept fully aware of how the school is managing its resources through regular printouts of the budget situation which enables them to

p.26

The efficiency of the school

make informed decisions. All spending is closely monitored by the headteacher and the finance committee with very good support from the school's administrative officer. The funding allocated to support pupils with special educational needs is spent appropriately and overseen by the governing body.

p.26

The efficiency of the school

75.Teaching staff are well deployed by the school and their individual strengths are used to the full. They give good support to each other and willingly share their expertise and experience which has a positive impact on their own development and the good progress made by pupils. Subject co-ordinators have good subject knowledge, monitor planning and play an active role in promoting their subjects successfully. The monitoring of teaching and the evaluating of outcomes are areas which are still developing and are not yet fully applied. The special needs co-ordinator works very effectively throughout the school giving support to groups of pupils. However, she has little non-contact time in which to perform her administrative duties or to monitor the provision. The classroom assistants are deployed well but they are not always used effectively by some teachers to support learning. In a few classes, they are passive onlookers for lengthy periods

p.26

The efficiency of the school

whilst in others their work is carefully planned. In these classes they give focussed support to a particular group of pupils throughout the lesson and have a significant positive impact on the good progress made by such pupils, often those with special educational needs. Learning resources are used effectively, looked after well and readily accessible to all staff. The well maintained accommodation is very good and is used to the full. The new information technology suite is being used extremely well to support learning and has been a major factor in promoting the excellent progress pupils are now making in the subject. The new library is also a useful learning area and provides an extra classroom for teaching sets of pupils during the literacy and numeracy lessons.

p.26

The efficiency of the school

76.Financial controls are very secure. All the recommendations of the last audit have been carried out successfully. The day-to-day administration of the school is very good with all systems in place and working effectively. The administrative staff effectively support the management of the school allowing the headteacher and staff to concentrate on providing a good quality education for their pupils. They also provide a warm and welcoming first point of contact for visitors to the school. Taking all factors into account, including the pupils' good attainment Coppice Primary School 27 and progress, their very good attitudes to learning, the good teaching and the pupil unit costs, the school provides good value for money. 83. Coppice Primary School 28 83. PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

77.Children under five are educated in one of two part-time nursery classes, or one of two full- time reception classes. At the time of the inspection, the majority of children in reception classes were under five, with ages ranging from 4 years 6 months to 4 years 11 months.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

78.Entry profiles and notes from home visits show that, when children start in the nursery their attainment in all areas of the curriculum is below that expected for children of the same age. Children’s speaking and listening skills, and early skills in reading and writing, are limited. The nursery offers a broad curriculum and children make sound progress in most areas. They make good progress in personal and social, and mathematical development. Their listening and early reading skills, and their ability to answer questions and to talk about activities improve quickly. The attainment of the majority of children on entry to the reception class is in line with standards appropriate for their age. In reception they continue to make good progress in personal and social and mathematical development. In other areas progress is sound so that, by the age of five, the attainment of the majority of pupils is broadly in line with the expectations of the Desirable

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

Learning Outcomes in language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development. Attainment in mathematics and personal and social development is above these expectations and many children are working comfortably within the Key Stage 1 programmes of study for mathematics.

p.28

Personal and social development

79.The personal and social development of the children is good. Under fives settle quickly into the nursery routine where an emphasis is placed on personal and social development. They make good progress in this area, particularly in forming effective relationships with adults and peers, independence in personal hygiene and managing clothes when changing. Children in the nursery respond positively to instructions, behave well and develop positive attitudes towards school. Teachers have effective strategies for improving social skills and relationships are good. They learn to share equipment and to co-operate in their play, for example, when engaging in role-play in the home corner, or the baker’s shop. Children arrive in the reception classes with largely well developed social skills. By the time they reach five many attain standards that are above what is normally found for children of this age. They work independently, showing

p.28

Personal and social development

concentration and perseverance, for sustained periods of time. They take an active part in keeping the classroom tidy and well-organised. They are given responsibility for getting out, and putting away, materials and equipment and are successfully encouraged to help each other with these tasks.

p.28

Personal and social development

80.Children’s attainment in language and literacy is in line with expectations. The children answer questions willingly and develop their speaking skills through confident role-play applying their growing vocabulary to express their thoughts and ideas with increasing fluency. The children have frequent opportunities to listen to story tapes and listening skills improve quickly in the nursery when receiving instructions, hearing adults read books, or ask questions during structured activities. The nursery gives the children a sound start in early reading skills. Adults share books effectively with the children and use them to extend their vocabulary. The children enjoy books, look at books on their own, in small groups and as a class. They handle and use books with care and are beginning to understand how books are organised. In the nursery, an emphasis is placed on developing the fine-motor skills and hand eye co-ordination needed for

p.28

Personal and social development

writing. Nursery children are taught to recognise their own names. However more could be done to encourage and support children to begin to write for themselves and to express ideas in written Coppice Primary School 29 form.

p.28

Personal and social development

81.The reception teachers place a strong emphasis on all aspects of literacy. Daily lessons in literacy are successful in developing children’s reading and writing skills. Children make good progress in these classes and all children tackle texts with confidence. The children take books home to share with their families and a small number are beginning to use their imagination to make up stories of their own. Most children recognise some familiar words and all associate letters and words with sounds. By the time they are five, most children are able to write their names correctly, using a mixture of upper and lower-case letters. They can communicate in writing, using pictures, symbols, letters and words. A small number of children are working beyond the Desirable Learning Outcomes for writing. These children are able to write independently using words they know and by using their knowledge of sounds and letters, or

p.29

Personal and social development

word cards. However, few children in reception are able to apply the reading skills they practise in class when reading independently. For example, they “read” simple texts such as “Dear Zoo”, “We’re going on a bear hunt” and “The very hungry caterpillar”, with varying degrees of accuracy, mainly relying on memory, and make limited use of pictures to support their reading. Some higher attaining children point to the text as they read but none match the text to their spoken words.

p.29

Personal and social development

82.Children’s attainment in mathematics is good. Through teacher directed and independent activities in the nursery the younger children successfully sort, count and match objects by colour and shape. A majority of children recognise numbers up to 5 and about a third recognise numbers to 10. They place beads on an abacus to represent small numbers correctly and recognise numbers on the computer keyboard. In reception, children build on their earlier experiences, they accurately count beyond 20 and some recognise patterns of dots to identify numbers on dice. Many children recognise a number of common two-dimensional shapes such as square, rectangle, circle and triangle and a few older higher attaining children know some properties of these shapes, stating, for example, that a square has four equal sides. By the age of five, most can count and match objects accurately to thirty, write missing numbers in a

p.29

Personal and social development

sequence and understand the processes of addition and subtraction.

p.29

Personal and social development

89. Knowledge and understanding of the world

p.29

Personal and social development

83.Attainment in knowledge and understanding of the world is in line with standards expected. In the nursery, children have regular opportunities to explore, observe and examine features of living things, objects and events in the natural world. They show great interest in adding to their collection of autumn leaves. They make accurate observations and many know about seasonal changes in plants and trees. Many correctly name different parts of plants and older children describe the falling motion of a seed with words such as “twisting” and “like a helicopter”. In talking about the area in which they live some children mention features of the environment such as the shops, the park and the bus stop. Some older children name features observed on their way to school, or to the homes of friends and relatives. In structured science activities the children talk about and compare the properties of materials, and changes that result from cooking. They

p.29

Personal and social development

use appropriate language to describe their mixture for making buns and for the finished product. They use simple comparative language such as bigger/smaller, heavier/lighter and are beginning to understand how these affect, for example, floating and sinking. In art and craft and construction activities children confidently use apparatus to build models and to develop skills such as cutting, gluing and manipulating a small range of tools. Children use the computer confidently and show reasonable control of the mouse when using simple number activities. In the reception classes, an appropriately broad curriculum ensures sound progress in this area. By the age of five, children predict and find ways of recording science investigations – for example, the number of marbles it will take to sink Mr. Gumpy’s boat. Coppice Primary School 30 90. Physical development

p.29

Personal and social development

84.The physical development of the children is in line with expectations. In the nursery, children improve their fine-motor skills successfully through a good range of activities with small equipment, tools, objects, construction and malleable materials. Most children make good progress in developing the skills of cutting, sticking, joining, threading and modelling. By the time they are five, most skilfully manipulate tools such as pencils, crayons, brushes, glue spreaders and scissors.

p.30

Personal and social development

85.In the nursery, the use of wheeled toys outdoors, provides good opportunities for the children to improve their riding, pushing, pulling and balancing skills and their ability to judge space and distance. The children confidently use small balls and equipment for hoola hoop. However, opportunities for climbing and balancing are limited and there is insufficient large equipment to develop these skills effectively. All of the children observed using stepping stone equipment needed adult help to balance. Reception classes have no access to enclosed outside space but carefully planned use of small and large equipment in the playground and hall enables most aspects of physical development to be addressed. In physical education lessons children in the reception classes rapidly improve their ability to use space, to move with control, to balance, and to use small apparatus successfully.

p.30

Personal and social development

86.Standards in creative development are average. In the nursery, the children are shown how to use a range of media and most confidently use a variety of techniques including painting, drawing, collage and printing. They effectively use a number of circular shapes to print designs and use crayons carefully to make leaf rubbings. They are able to mix colours successfully and older children know the result of mixing certain colours. They use materials with care and particularly enjoy shaping plasticine. The children enjoy singing and opportunities to use musical instruments. They know a number of songs and rhymes. In the reception classes, displays show that children explore colour, texture, form and space when making three dimensional models and constructions, as well as large pictures. Drawings and paintings show increased control of a range of media and tools. They enjoy singing in assemblies and class and are able to sing in

p.30

Personal and social development

87.The quality of teaching for children under five is good overall. There is no unsatisfactory teaching and, in the reception classes, a high proportion of teaching is good. Teachers and support staff work very well together to teach and to assess the progress children make. They use questioning effectively to develop children’s knowledge and understanding. Expectations are high and work is well matched to children’s abilities and levels of maturity. In the reception classes teachers provide good opportunities for children to acquire self-discipline and independence with an appropriate balance between teacher-directed activities and children choosing and working independently. Teachers manage the children well and behaviour is good. Children identified as having special educational needs are well supported.

p.30

Personal and social development

88.Time is generally used well although some nursery routines are slow and reduce the time available for children to be active. For example, although many children are proficient in managing clothes and using the toilet, the whole group was mainly inactive for the thirty minutes it took to get ready to use the hall. Day to day assessment of the under fives is good. Assessment of children is based on careful observations and these effectively inform planning.. Written notes are sometimes used to update children’s profiles. In reception classes, observations are recorded alongside planned objectives. This is particularly effective for literacy and numeracy and enables teachers to plan next steps appropriately. Coppice Primary School 31 95. ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

p.30

Personal and social development

89. At the end of both key stages attainment in all aspects of English is above national expectations and progress is good. Standards have risen since the previous inspection. Results of the1999 statutory test at the end of Key Stage 2 show that the proportion of pupils reaching the expected Level 4 was above average whilst the number of pupils attaining the higher Level 5 was average. When compared with similar schools, results are well above average at the expected level and above average at the higher level. Taking the four years 1996 to 1999 into consideration standards in English are in line with the national average.

p.31

Personal and social development

90.Results of statutory tests at the end of Key Stage 1 show that the proportion of pupils achieving the level expected for their age, was above the national average in reading and close to the national average in writing. The number of pupils reaching the higher level was below in reading and above in writing. When compared with similar schools the results were well above the average for similar schools in writing at both levels. In reading the results were well above the average for similar schools at Level 2 but average at Level 3. Teacher assessment of speaking and listening showed the percentage of pupils achieving Level 2 to be in line with the national average whereas the percentage attaining the Level 3 was below the average.

p.31

Personal and social development

91.In speaking and listening, standards are above average at the end of both key stages. In Key Stage one, pupils are confident to answer questions in front of their friends and by the end of Key Stage 2 confidently answer questions that require them to read and select information. However, in the lessons observed, the pupils seldom asked questions for clarification of meaning or volunteered ideas, other than as a response to a direct question by the teacher. The standard of listening is very good and this is reflected in the very positive climate in the school. Pupils show respect when others are speaking or performing, in for example assemblies

p.31

Personal and social development

92.Standards of reading are above average for the majority of pupils at the end of both key stages. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils read simple texts with accuracy and fluency. They use their knowledge of sounds, their meaning and a memory bank of sight words to interpret the text. Pupils are encouraged by the school to take reading scheme and library books home. Several pupils were reading more difficult books by choice than those allocated from the reading scheme and found their own choices more challenging and interesting.

p.31

Personal and social development

93.The pupils in Key Stage 1 are beginning to understand the use of ‘contents’ for reference purposes. In Key Stage 2 most pupils showed good knowledge of the use of ‘ contents’ and ‘index ‘ and selected and returned books in the library using a classification system. Pupils had a limited knowledge of authors and were unable to identify authors that they would like to read in the future. Currently the non-fiction books stay in school and the range of books is restricted for those pupils who prefer non -fiction.

p.31

Personal and social development

94.Standards in writing are above national expectations at the end of both key stages. By the end of Key Stage 1, letter formation is accurate and consistent in size. Pupils are writing in sentences and are able to retell stories. Pupils make good efforts at spelling using sounds, however, common words such as ‘ with’, ‘went’ and ‘their’ cause problems. Pupils experience a wide range of work including descriptive writing about themselves in ‘passports’, booklets about the fire station, and reports about the environment. By the end of Key Stage 2 , pupils are writing scripts for plays, character descriptions and poetry, in an interesting and thoughtful way and attainment is above national expectations. The work provided for the more able pupils is extended in some sessions by setting arrangements and their work shows imaginative choices of vocabulary; an Coppice Primary School 32 example being ‘The plane was spiralling hopelessly downwards with terrifying speed’. A range of

p.31

Personal and social development

punctuation including apostrophes is used. The spelling of most pupils has developed well and they are capable of writing words such as ‘decided’ and ‘fashioned’, however, errors with simple common words persist, for example ‘always’. The school does not have a consistently applied method of pupils correcting spellings that occur in their writing and teachers vary in their approach to identifying mistakes in work. Pupils do have opportunities to re-draft work and displays are well presented; handwriting is neat, joined and clear to read. Pupils are able to use reference books to retrieve information and make good use of computers to develop their writing skills.

p.32

Personal and social development

95.Overall the teaching of English is good. The school is following the literacy strategy and planning is detailed and carefully undertaken. In the best lessons, questions were targeted at a wide range of pupils which kept pupils alert. In the lessons where teaching was very good, there were opportunities for pupils to express opinions rather than facts. The high content level of lessons prescribed by the framework still needs to be balanced against the need to encourage shared reflection of thoughts and relevant experiences.

p.32

Personal and social development

96.In some lessons, the teacher-led sessions were too long and the initial interest of pupils waned. Work was usually well matched to the ability of the pupils, although, in a few lessons, pupils misunderstood the tasks they had been given and did not seek clarification. This occurred in lessons where the teacher was listening to group reading. The quality of the writing that is produced in these circumstances was reduced. At, other times the worksheets given were too difficult and pupils were frustrated. In Key Stage 2 some pupils missed significant parts of lessons by being withdrawn for music tuition. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good throughout the school and they make good progress.

p.32

Personal and social development

97.. The co-ordinator has enthusiasm for and enjoyment of English and this helps to establish and maintain the good ethos for learning. There is little direct observation of lessons undertaken by the co-ordinator to enable staff to share expertise. Monitoring the delivery of the curriculum is underdeveloped. The school is well equipped with books and the library is now finished and provides a spacious new learning environment . 104.

p.32

Mathematics

98.Inspection findings show that the current Year 2 and 6 pupils are likely to attain standards above the national expectations. Progress is good through both key stages. In 1999 the results of the statutory test show that by the end of Key Stage 2, a higher than average percentage of pupils attained the expected national Level 4, whereas the number of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 was below the national average. When compared with schools which have pupils from a similar background standards are above average at the expected Level 4 and average at Level 5.

p.32

Mathematics

99.Results of the Key Stage 1 national tests show that the percentage of pupils attaining the expected national level was broadly in line with the average but was below the national average at the higher level. When compared to schools with pupils from a similar background, the results for pupils attaining average levels were better than most schools but broadly similar for pupils attaining the higher levels. The 1999 results show a slight improvement on the previous year at the end of Key Stage 2. There is no significant difference between the attainment and progress of boys and girls.

p.32

Mathematics

100.At the end of Key Stage 1 pupils understand the language of number, have a secure knowledge of place value to a hundred and quickly recall addition and subtraction facts to twenty. They measure length accurately in standard units using tape measures and rulers correctly and devise their own investigations for comparing the hand spans of members of their group. Pupils collect data about the most popular local shops and present their findings as a bar chart. They find area by counting squares as seen in their work on castles which they drew as part of their Coppice Primary School 33 history topic. Pupils solve simple money problems and calculate change from a pound. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils have a good understanding of place value to at least a thousand and can quickly and confidently add, subtract, multiply and divide such numbers, with many pupils accurately working to two decimal places. Pupils use correct mathematical language and have a

p.32

Mathematics

good mental recall of multiplication facts to the ten times table. They use a probability line to show the chances of a particular event happening and work with negative numbers successfully when using co-ordinates in all four quadrants. Pupils have a good understanding of equivalence when comparing fractions, decimals and percentages. More able pupils calculate the area of regular and irregular shapes using given dimensions. Data handling, often involving information technology, is good with pupils able to create and interrogate their own spreadsheets after putting in the correct formulae.

p.33

Mathematics

101.Progress in mathematics is good through both key stages. Through Key Stage 1 pupils quickly develop their understanding of the language of number and their knowledge of place value. Progress is good in all the attainment targets but particularly in number where pupils receive a great deal of well structured work on a regular, planned basis. Their progress is also good in developing a range of useful mental strategies through the daily numeracy session in every class which always includes mental mathematics. Pupils' progress in Key Stage 2 continues to build on the good work in previous years with pupils using and applying their knowledge and skills in a range of different situations. Pupils of all abilities make good progress which is a direct result of the good teaching they receive and the organisation of each year group into ability sets where they are provided with work which is closely matched to their prior

p.33

Mathematics

attainment. Pupils with special educational needs also make good progress, often being taught in small groups by a teacher or a classroom assistant working under the direction of a teacher. An indication of the good progress they make is seen in their results in the end of Key Stage 2 tests where a third of them reach Level 4.

p.33

Mathematics

102.Pupils respond well to the subject and have a very positive attitude to their work. In all classes they joined in the mental mathematics sessions with enthusiasm and showed a great desire to succeed. Pupils work well independently and in small groups as was seen in a Year 2 lesson where pupils gave each other useful support when using a tape to measure various parts of their bodies. They have good relationships with their teachers and each other and share equipment sensibly and fairly. The good and often very good attitude which pupils have to mathematics has a positive impact on their learning and is a significant factor in promoting the good progress they make throughout the school.

p.33

Mathematics

103.The quality of teaching is always satisfactory and often good or better. The teaching in two thirds of the lessons is good or very good. Teachers have a good subject knowledge and plan their lessons very well to meet the needs of all their pupils. They have successfully implemented the National Numeracy Strategy and are using it in all lessons. Teachers have very high expectations of work and behaviour as seen in a Year 4 class where pupils were solving problems of a challenging nature and responded with great enthusiasm. They manage their pupils well and, in the best lessons, question pupils carefully to assess understanding, keep pupils on task and move them along at a brisk pace. Where teaching is less good the teachers have a very long introduction to the lesson which causes some pupils to lose interest and their attention declines. Resources are effectively used to support learning and work is regularly

p.33

Mathematics

marked although the quality of the marking varies and it does not always set future targets for pupils. Homework is used well by most teachers to consolidate learning. A good example of this was the homework set for Year 5 pupils in calculating the area of various household objects.

p.33

Mathematics

104.The co-ordinator gives very good leadership in the subject and has handled the implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy very well. He was videoed teaching a model numeracy lesson to show teachers the correct format. This sharing of good practice is very useful in helping all teachers to improve the quality of their teaching and improve pupils' progress. The monitoring of planning is good although the monitoring of teaching and evaluating of Coppice Primary School 34 outcomes is less well developed and an area which the co-ordinator plans to address. Assessment procedures, apart from the end of key stage tests, to identify standards achieved by individual pupils and to set them appropriate targets are not yet in place. The school is fully committed to raising standards in mathematics even higher and statutory requirements are met. Resources are in sufficient quantity and of suitable quality to deliver the full curriculum.

p.33

Mathematics

105.The school’s previous inspection report found standards in science to be in line with the national expectations with an appropriate emphasis on experimental and investigative work. Findings from this inspection show that the school has improved its standards in nearly all areas of science and attainment is now above national expectations at the end of both key stages, except in experimental and investigative work where standards are average

p.34

Mathematics

106. The results of the 1999 National Curriculum tests for Key Stage 2 show that the percentage of pupils reaching the expected level 4, was average while those exceeding it to reach Level 5 was below the national average. When compared to the results obtained by pupils from similar backgrounds, the results are well above the average of these schools at Level 4 and average at the higher Level 5. The performance of girls was higher than that of boys, which mirrors the national picture. Over the last four years, attainment has improved and as national standards have risen, the school results have improved accordingly.

p.34

Mathematics

107.In the 1999 teacher assessments at the end of Key Stage 1, the percentage of pupils achieving Level 2 or above was just above the national average. However, no pupil was assessed as working at the higher level. When compared with similar schools the results for pupils attaining the average level at the end of Key Stage 1 was well above the average for similar school but well below at the higher level.

p.34

Mathematics

108.In Key Stage 1, the youngest pupils are beginning to use scientific vocabulary with increasing confidence and understanding, and to develop their investigative skills. For example, they investigate the properties of a range of materials and know that some are ‘transparent’ when we can see through them and ‘opaque’ when we cannot. Pupils know that everyday appliances around the school and home use electricity and that care must be exercised for their safety. Their identification of materials both natural and man-made is accurate and they have a secure understanding of how some are more suitable for specific purposes, such as glass for windows and plastic for construction toys. Most know that heat changes the properties of some materials, for example, jelly, and that coffee granules dissolves when it is added to hot water. Older pupils investigate a variety of light sources, accurately predicting which circuits will make their bulb light

p.34

Mathematics

109.In Key Stage 2, pupils confidently predict which materials are the best conductors of electricity. Through experimentation with a wide range of musical instruments they know that sounds are caused by vibrations. They correctly identify sounds that they hear twice, and those which cannot be heard by the human ear. In Year 4, pupils test elastic bands and know that the force increases as the elastic band stretches. In Year 5, most pupils have a sound knowledge of life cycles and a good recall of different types of mechanism when investigating how Victorian toys work. By the end of the key stage, standards are good and most pupils show considerable confidence in answering factual questions, using appropriate scientific terminology and providing definitions and explanations in a wide range of contexts. For example, they know the function of the different types of teeth and the importance of dental care. Most have a good knowledge of

p.34

Mathematics

the human circulatory system, know that exercise affects the pulse rate, and that eating the right type of food keeps them healthy. From their investigation of the nature garden and their use of information technology, pupils understand that different plants are suited to their particular areas. Coppice Primary School 35 110.Scrutiny of pupils’ previous work shows that there is above average attainment in many strands of science as well as good examples of experimental and investigative science tasks. This has a positive effect on pupils’ attainment. However, the delivery of the investigation attainment target is often more focused on practical activities and pupils have too few opportunities in planning and organising their own experiments and devising their own ways of recording. The use of information technology as a tool to support work or to improve presentation in science is developing. There is good evidence that work in science has contributed to pupils’

p.34

Mathematics

literacy skills through writing but not as well to their numeracy skills in the use of tables to present findings and graphs to display information.

p.35

Mathematics

111.Progress is good overall with pupils increasing their scientific knowledge and understanding. All pupils broaden their knowledge about the properties of materials from being able to describe simple properties, such as texture and appearance, to knowing that some materials are better conductors of electricity than others. They make sound progress in recording their work. For example, younger pupils report their findings by talking about their work and through drawings, whilst older pupils use increasingly sophisticated methods of recording, including graphs. Pupils extend their understanding of the human body and their knowledge of forces increases from an understanding of pushing and pulling to gravity. Progress in investigative science is limited throughout the school, because pupils have too few opportunities to plan their own experiments, select appropriate equipment or make decisions for themselves because activities are often

p.35

Mathematics

teacher-led and too prescribed. Progress is particularly limited when pupils are all given the same task which is not always sufficiently challenging for the more able pupils. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in developing and consolidating their knowledge, skills and understanding across all aspects of the science curriculum. They generally show a sound understanding and are able to explain their work orally, even though they sometimes find it difficult to make an independent written record of their findings.

p.35

Mathematics

112.Pupils have good attitudes to science. Most listen carefully and respond well to questions. Teachers encourage the use of appropriate vocabulary. They sustain concentration and show interest in and enjoyment of science activities particularly when they have the opportunity to engage in purposeful scientific investigation and to take some responsibility for their learning. This was evident, for example, in a Year 3 class during experiments to investigate the different types of sound. There was a palpable buzz of excitement and evident enjoyment. Behaviour in lessons is always satisfactory often very good. Pupils work well collaboratively and show good relationships with their teachers and with one another. They respect and care for resources, sharing them sensibly and fairly. Pupils are proud of their efforts and contribute willingly to discussions, making many thoughtful and informed observations as seen in a Year 5 lesson on

p.35

Mathematics

how Victorian toys work. This contributes well to their attainment and progress.

p.35

Mathematics

113.Overall, the quality of teaching is good. During the inspection, however, some sound as well as less than satisfactory practice was observed. In the best lessons teachers are well prepared, plan their lessons well and refer to previous learning. They have a secure knowledge and understanding of science. This was particular evident in a Year 6 lesson about the teeth where the teacher led a lively and profitable discussion, taking care to involve all pupils. In these lessons, there is a good balance between practical investigation and direct teaching, and good use is made of discussions and questioning to help pupils recall and consolidate their knowledge and understanding and to challenge them to think for themselves. Good opportunities are provided for speaking and listening and activities are stimulating, maintaining pupils’ interest and learning through the whole lesson. There is good use of time and resources and of links with

p.35

Mathematics

other subjects, for example, in the practical session in Year 3 where pupils use a variety of musical instruments to identify different sounds. Where teaching is unsatisfactory, lessons are not well planned and objectives do not build on pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding. In these lessons, teachers have insecure subject knowledge, introductions are too long and pupils are not involved in practical activities. Learning objectives are not clearly identified in planning or met during the session and work is not sufficiently matched to the differing needs of pupils. As a Coppice Primary School 36 result, pupils’ concentration is not sustained, time is wasted and the lesson loses its science focus. Although teachers’ planning follows the National Curriculum, it rarely identifies the level at which pupils are expected to work. Teaching does not sufficiently develop and extend higher attaining pupils’ learning systematically from year to year because neither the medium nor the

p.35

Mathematics

short-term planning states clearly what pupils of different ages and abilities will learn by the end of a lesson or a series of lessons.

p.36

Mathematics

114.Since the last inspection, some progress has been made to establish a scheme of work. However, the current documentation provides limited support and guidance to teachers to ensure that pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding are developed systematically from year to year. Due to the implementation of the national literacy and numeracy strategies science is not a focus of development in the school and as a result there has been no recent monitoring of the quality of teaching or learning in science. Systems for assessment are satisfactory but they are used inconsistently. Teachers sometimes make evaluative comments about pupils’ work which help them to improve. Currently, moderation of standards within school to achieve a consistent approach to marking and assessment is under-developed. Although information technology is used well to extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding of science, its use to improve

p.36

Mathematics

presentation is under-developed. Resources are satisfactory in quality and quantity and are well organised. Good use is made of the school environment, such as the nature garden to develop the pupils’ understanding of the environment, and the curriculum is enhanced by visiting speakers and theatre groups. Although the school has set targets to raise standards in science, National Curriculum results have not been thoroughly analysed in relation to pupils’ performance in the different attainment targets nor are there completed portfolios of moderated work to assist teachers in assessing the attainment of their pupils with regard to National Curriculum levels and to help reduce the mismatch with national test results.

p.36

Art

115.Standards in art at the end of Key Stage 1 are similar to that found in most schools. Displayed art work across this key stage demonstrates pupils’ ability to work two and three dimensionally, use paint brushes, scissors and glue, and a range of materials, but outcomes are frequently rather similar. By the age of 11, however, there is more diversity of outcome and standards in art are better than is found in most schools. a judgement similar to the previous inspection. Displays of work across Key Stage 2 demonstrate pupils’ competence in using a variety of media and working in a range of styles – from observational drawing of Victorian artefacts to family wedding character studies in the style of Beryl Cook. Three-dimensional work in clay shows originality, and computer graphic experimentation using Aztec imagery demonstrates pupils’ competence in manipulating images using computers and then transferring

p.36

Art

116.In line with the findings of the previous inspection, pupils continue to make sound progress through Key Stage 1, but good progress in Key Stage 2. In Key Stage 1 there is an appropriately strong emphasis on developing key skills, for example, Year 1 pupils’ original fire-engine paintings demonstrate evidence of careful looking, colour mixing and experimentation with composition thus making good progress in a number of aspects of art at the same time. Pupils make less progress in other Key Stage 1 classes where teachers prescribe less challenging but equally time consuming activities where the processes pupils engage in have more limited scope for creativity. Progress in Year 2 is adversely affected by the limited amount of art teaching time. In Key Stage 2 there is more discrete art teaching, with stimuli chosen from productive cross- curricular links. Progress is particularly enhanced by teachers’ use of good questioning and

p.36

Art

feedback to pupils, and sensitive encouragement of pupils to share their practical first hand Coppice Primary School 37 experiences with each other when working with unfamiliar processes such as printing. There is significant improvement in pupils’ skills in close observational drawing across Key Stage 2 illustrated in the detail of shading and their increasing awareness of the depth of objects.

p.36

Art

117.Throughout the school, pupils of all ages and abilities identify art lessons as particularly enjoyable and their interest is reflected in enthusiastic attendance at extra-curricular art and information technology clubs. Where given the opportunity to work collaboratively, pupils co- operate well and assist each other patiently. Although pupils sometimes become frustrated when working with unfamiliar materials they generally show determination and persist with tasks until they are satisfied with the outcomes. Pupils’ study of art enables them to take an enthusiastic interest in the creative work of artists from diverse cultural heritages. Pupils show pride in their work and are happy to explain their work to visitors.

p.37

Art

118.The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, with half of lessons observed judged to be good. All teachers recognise the value of introducing their pupils to a wide variety of media and tools, and the importance of introducing pupils to the work of a range of artists from Europe and other countries and cultures. Where teaching is good, teachers define learning objectives more specifically, using the offering of regular feedback and sometimes the constraining of pupils’ choice in order to encourage new ways of looking and working, for example, when Year 4 were asked to experiment with adding water, rather than paint, while experimenting with painting a sky from observation. Where teaching is just satisfactory, pupils increase their confidence and skill at using art tools and media through repeated practice. Learning intentions to activities are frequently broad, and questioning lacks the kind of strategic focus, which enables pupils to raise

p.37

Art

the quality of their work through altering their technique or considering alternative approaches.

p.37

Art

119.This curriculum area is well led by the art co-ordinator, whose action plan shows insight into the needs of the school. There is a detailed policy and scheme of work, resources are well organised and reference materials are broad-based. Considerable thought has been given to representing diversity of culture both in the processes pupils experiment with and the artists’ work they use as reference material. The art technician assists the co-ordinator in resource management and monitoring. The co-ordinator has not been able to observe any lessons in order to monitor the quality of teaching. Although some portfolios of exemplar materials have been prepared to help staff assess progress and attainment of pupils, and proforma circulated for teachers to record attainment, approaches to assessment in art and design vary considerably across the school.

p.37

Art

120.Standards in design and technology are as expected for the age and ability of the pupils. Only two lessons were observed during the inspection. Judgements are formed from a scrutiny of teachers’ planning, photographic evidence, display work and discussions with pupils.

p.37

Art

121.In Key Stage 1 pupils design and make products and examine a broad range of mechanisms, structures and materials. They learn a variety of skills including measuring, cutting and joining. In the lesson observed, pupils copy designs of towers, using blocks and then test their stability by knocking them down with balls. They design their own towers, by freehand drawings and then by using blocks and testing them. They evaluate their design and reflect on which designs were better although, they did not predict the outcomes.

p.37

Art

122.In Key Stage 2 pupils make samplers linked to the topic on the Victorians. This involved them in following patterns of letters and then writing their names accordingly. They follow the patterns carefully and the work of both boys and girls was to an expected level. The care for the rear of the work varied more than the appearance of the front. Pupils did not focus their Coppice Primary School 38 discussion on their work or ways of improving, or about making their designs more interesting. They were unaware of what was to be done with their finished products. In this instance they were practising rather than generating ideas or considering the purpose of their products and the activity lacked some challenge. High quality work produced at other times indicates that pupils’ level of skill does develop and that they make satisfactory and sometimes, very good progress. Pupils had made very attractive books that lit up, working lighthouses and electrically powered

p.37

Art

go-carts. Other interesting projects have been to design a hamster cage, a Victorian bathing machine and a well. There is an art club that encourages pupils’ to design thoughtfully and draft out work and this is a positive addition to the curriculum being offered.

p.38

Art

123.Pupils show interest and take pride in their work. The pupils in Key Stage 1 were working independently whilst the teacher was listening to group reading. They initially worked on the set task but later lost concentration without adult intervention. This happened when they found the reading on the worksheet difficult to understand. The pupils in Key Stage 2 again worked independently, as other subjects were the main focus of teacher input. Pupils showed respect for work and boys and girls sat sewing together. The pupils worked hard, although, conversation was not frequently about the task. Work displayed in classrooms and in the corridors was well treated by pupils and care was shown.

p.38

Art

124.The teaching observed in both lessons was satisfactory. The relationships with the pupils were good and pupils responded well to the teachers. The pupils tried hard and the loss of concentration by the Key Stage 1 pupils was because of classroom planning of time which had been allocated to group reading. This meant that the pupils were undertaking the practical technology tasks without direct questions to encourage them to predict or closely observe and discuss outcomes. The pupils in Key Stage 2 were able to undertake their task of sewing and said they enjoyed the task. There was little direct teaching observed attached to this activity and the pupils worked independently. The current weakness in teaching of technology would seem to be related to the lack of main teaching focus due to the demands of the curriculum. The school attempts to use a cross-curricular approach to address this and history is often used. In some

p.38

Art

classes technology takes place when there are additional adults supporting in the room, although, this was not the case in the lessons observed.

p.38

Art

125.The planning of technology is satisfactory in both Key Stages. The scheme gives broad guidance coverage of the areas recommended to be covered in the Key Stage 2 programme of study. It does not give guidance to the sequence of skills to be learned and the detail of this is left to the medium and short term planning which then relies on the individual skill and knowledge of teachers to interpret. The co-ordinator has produced a planning guide to help teachers plan to run alongside the scheme. Assessment procedures are satisfactory; an evaluation element is in the short term planning cycle to encourage assessment to take place. The assessment records are personal to individual teachers and rely on their personal skills and knowledge. Due to the demands of other subject areas the co-ordinator has limited non-contact time so does not have the opportunity to observe lessons and use this to identify the training needs of staff.

p.38

Geography

126.Only two lesson were observed during the inspection and judgements are based on evidence collected from scrutiny of pupils’ past work, displays, resources, analysis of teachers’ planning and discussion with the co-ordinator. From all of these sources it is apparent that geography has a place in the school’s curriculum and that pupils attain standards in line with those expected by the age of eleven, and above those normally expected by the age of seven. Standards have been maintained since the earlier inspection

p.38

Geography

127.In Key Stage 1 the youngest pupils learn about the various people in the community who help us, such as the crossing patrol, the doctor, the police and the fire service. In Year 2, pupils develop their mapping skills when investigating the local area. Some confidently describe what Coppice Primary School 39 they see on their journey to school and name some of the features in the local area. Pupils begin to express their own views on the attractive and unattractive features of their local area and suggest ways in which it could be improved, beginning to use appropriate geographical vocabulary. Year 3 pupils confidently use atlases and indices to find countries of the world. They find national flags and recognise countries by their distinctive shapes on world maps. Pupils correctly identify the different countries in the British Isles and understand the use of keys and symbols on maps. They know how the water cycle operates and use and interpret simple maps,

p.38

Geography

using keys, symbols, simple grid references and co-ordinates confidently to locate places. Many have appropriate knowledge of the symbols and terms used in geography. Year 4 pupils monitor the weather over a period of time and use a thermometer to measure the temperature. In Year 5, pupils study life in the Indian village of Chembakolli, contrasting the lifestyle and environment with their own, and write empathically about how it feels to be living in India. They are beginning to use secondary sources such as books and photographs to investigate and ask questions about human features of Chembakolli. Their written work discusses the good and not so good things they have discovered. Year 6 pupils use reference books and CD-ROMs when researching the culture, food, architecture and tourism of modern day Greece, which supports literacy skills well. They appreciate that features of places and aspects of life may be similar to, or different from

p.39

Geography

those of their own locality. Some make detailed research reports on Greece, showing increased independent research skills and a secure understanding of a distant place. Class visits to various places of geographical interest serve to develop pupils’ interest in geography and illustrate a sound development of pupils’ skills.

p.39

Geography

128.Progress is good in Key Stage 1 and sound in Key Stage 2 with pupils gaining in knowledge and understanding and improving their skills of map-making, map-reading and route-finding. Their skills in drawing plans and in map reading increase steadily. Pupils learn to obtain information from a variety of sources and communicate findings effectively. They increase their knowledge of their local area and their awareness of localities beyond their own, for example, in Greece. Although pupils with special educational needs attain levels below national expectations, they make satisfactory progress in relation to their prior attainment. There is no significant difference in the progress made by boys and girls.

p.39

Geography

129.Pupils’ attitudes to geography are positive and they enjoy finding out about other places. Boys and girls work sensibly in pairs, taking turns and sharing resources. This was evident in the lessons on using atlases to identify countries of the British Isles and of the world. They listen carefully to the ideas and views of others and contribute well to discussions. Discussions with pupils indicate that they enjoy finding out about other places and using maps. Evidence from past work shows that their capacity for personal study is well developed, particularly in Year 6 where they apply themselves conscientiously to individual research tasks linked to their topic work.

p.39

Geography

130.Evidence of the quality of teaching gathered from pupils’ work reviewed in both key stages showed teaching to be mostly satisfactory. The quality of teaching in the two lessons observed was satisfactory in one and good in the other. In the good lesson, the teacher explained tasks clearly and made appropriate interventions to support and guide pupils in their work and good use was made of questioning to check and extend pupils’ learning. The lesson was well paced which kept pupils interested and working hard with the work appropriately matched to their needs. This was particularly evident in Year 6 where pupils were investigating why landscape features vary in a locality.

p.39

Geography

131.The co-ordinator has a good understanding of the role and has a positive influence on the teaching of the subject. The policy and scheme of work provide useful guidance for teachers when planning. However, individual lesson planning does not consistently state clearly what pupils are to know, understand and do by the end of the session. Pupils’ learning in geography is enriched by outside visits and good use is made of the local area. There are good curriculum links with, for example, history, English and information technology. Studies of the locality as well Coppice Primary School 40 as the topics on India and Greece contribute well to pupils’ cultural development. Assessment and recording procedures are inconsistent. Pupils’ work is generally marked with a tick, but there are few constructive comments suggesting how the work might be improved. Currently, there are no procedures for monitoring the delivery of the subject. Resources are satisfactory and well

p.39

History

132.By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils’ work is better than average but by the end of Key Stage 2 they produce work which is broadly average for their age. There are however, variations in attainment between the key elements. Generally the range and depth of historical knowledge is better than the other elements. Although standards have been maintained since the last inspection there is still no monitoring of teaching and learning. Standards have improved in Key Stage 1 and have been maintained in Key Stage 2.

p.40

History

133.In Key Stage 1, younger pupils develop a sound understanding of chronology and know about the differences between past and present, for example, when sequencing different types of lights. They understand that historical artefacts are useful sources of finding out about aspects of life in the past and know that candle and oil lamps were used before the introduction of electricity. Pupils learn about famous people and many clearly understand the reason for some past events. This was evident in their work on Guy Fawkes and the gunpowder plot. By the end of the key stage, through their work on castles, pupils develop their enquiry skills. They learn about the people in the castle and most accurately name the defensive features of a castle.

p.40

History

134.In Key Stage 2, pupils successfully retain a wide range of factual information in the various historical topics that they are studying. For example, work in Year 3 shows a good understanding of everyday life of the Romans made real for them by a visit to Colchester Castle. Some know that towns with ‘chester’ and ‘castor’ have origins in Roman times. Drama and art are used well to support their work. In Year 4 pupils develop research skills effectively, distinguishing between primary and secondary sources of information when looking for specific information on Henry VIII. They make good use of what they know about life during the war when they discuss the impact of rationing on people in their topic on Britain since 1930. Pupils in Year 5 accurately identify the important events that took place during the reign of Queen Victoria and extend their knowledge of the Aztecs through the study of their art. By the end of the key stage pupils have built on their

p.40

History

previous knowledge and most have developed the skills required for purposeful historical enquiry. Evidence gained from scrutiny of work show that many pupils have an above average ability to communicate their knowledge through their well structured written accounts of the gods and goddesses in their study of Ancient Greece. They use computer software effectively to extend their knowledge and understanding of history.

p.40

History

135.Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 1 and sound progress in Key Stage 2. They develop a secure understanding of the passing of time by the age of seven and their understanding of chronology extends to include important dates and events in the different periods of history by the age of 11. In Key Stage 2, most pupils show an increasing knowledge and understanding of the history of the periods covered. This is reflected when talking and writing about historical matters and using evidence and imagination to describe life in the past. Good examples of this were seen in Year 6 where pupils wrote letters to Greek gods. Also the recent visit to Colchester Castle made a significant impact on the rate of their progress with pupils broadening and extending their knowledge and understanding of the Romans. All pupils become confident about asking questions. They develop further their historical enquiry skills and as a

p.40

History

result increasingly use a range of primary and secondary sources to find information and make judgements. Progress is enhanced by pupils' interest in the subject. There is no difference in the rate of progress between boys and girls.

p.40

History

136.Observation of pupils in lessons, a study of their work and discussion with them indicate that Coppice Primary School 41 most pupils have a lively sense of curiosity when exploring life in the past. They answer questions willingly and join in discussions with enthusiasm. This extends their understanding and enriches their perception of the past. Pupils listen attentively to teachers' explanations and sustain good levels of concentration. Discussions with pupils indicate that they enjoy finding out about the past through artefacts. They are interested in their learning and are willing to discuss their past work in detail. For example, pupils in Year 3 talk willingly about their work on the Romans and their recent visit. Work samples and displays are well presented and show that pupils take care and pride in their work.

p.40

History

137.Teaching, where seen, was generally sound, sometimes good or very good. In the best practice teachers are enthusiastic about the subject and this is clearly communicated to the pupils, as seen in the Year 3 lesson on the Romans. In this session stimulating questioning and whole-class discussions are used appropriately to check and extend pupils' knowledge, understanding and vocabulary. Where teaching is good, artefacts are used well to stimulate and sustain interest. For example, in the lessons on sequencing lights, pupils were able to handle appropriate resources. Where teaching is only satisfactory learning intentions are not clearly identified and work is not well planned to meet the needs of pupils of different abilities. Marking, although regularly carried out, is often limited to simple corrections, and comments do not specifically help pupils to improve their work.

p.41

History

138.The headteacher is acting co-ordinator and ensures that the subject continues to contribute to the breadth of the curriculum. There is a clear policy as well as a scheme of work which support teachers when planning and help to make sure that the curriculum is well balanced giving good coverage of the knowledge and skills that pupils require for understanding history. Resources are adequate and are organised and used well. Good use is made of school visits for example to the Colchester Castle, Braintree Victorian Museum and The Royal Air Force Museum in Hendon. Visitors, for example, the Saxon village people, help to bring history alive for pupils by recreating life in Saxon times. History makes a positive contribution to pupils’ spiritual development by helping them to reflect on the past. It also introduces pupils to their local and national heritage; it therefore contributes well to cultural provision. Information technology is well

p.41

History

used to support learning. Assessment procedures are developing but the monitoring of teaching is currently underdeveloped.

p.41

Information technology

139.Information technology is a strength of the school and attainment is above that expected nationally at the end of both key stages. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils can log on and off the computer and confidently use the mouse. They can use computers for word processing by opening their own document, writing a cartoon story, using a talkback facility to read back the story, print and then save the finished document. They successfully use a graphics program, using a variety of tools, to draw their own pictures of a castle linked to their history topic. Pupils also program a roamer to follow a set of commands and have a good knowledge of the uses of information technology in the world around them. At the end of Key Stage 2 pupils have many well developed skills in information technology and can use the computers with great confidence. They merge text and graphics to produce good quality pieces of work such as science fact

p.41

Information technology

sheets, which included their own text and imported clipart, about the human body. The information for these fact sheets had been synthesised from sites accessed on the intranet provided by the local education authority. Pupils create their own spreadsheets and confidently input data using the correct formulae. They interrogate their databases successfully and print out their findings in a variety of forms such as bar and pie charts. Pupils send and receive netcards via the internet and contact other children from as far away as Soweto in South Africa as well as in local schools.

p.41

Information technology

140.Progress, especially recent progress, is excellent through both key stages. All pupils make Coppice Primary School 42 excellent progress due to the very good teaching they receive and the superb resources available. The use of the new computer suite has had a highly significant impact on progress as pupils have regular access to good quality programs and equipment. Progress is particularly good in word processing and data handling throughout the school. From their earliest days in the school pupils are making excellent progress in their knowledge and understanding of information technology and follow a carefully planned curriculum which covers all aspects of the subject and successfully meets their needs. The progress of some pupils' skills with the keyboard for inputting text is not as good as in other areas and this slows down the work rate of such pupils. Progress of pupils with special educational needs is also excellent as they receive a great deal of

p.41

Information technology

good quality support from their teachers and their classmates.

p.42

Information technology

141.Pupils respond with infectious enthusiasm to the subject. They love their sessions in the computer suite and are loathe to leave when the lesson ends. They handle all equipment with great care and respect. Many of the pupils in Year 6 willingly give up their lunchtimes to work in the suite with the suite manager to further improve their skills and knowledge. Pupils talk animatedly about their many successes and have a great desire to learn more. They thoroughly enjoy their work and use information technology with great confidence to support their learning in other subjects. For example, the Aztec art project by Year 5 produced some very high quality work culminating in the printing of an attractive wall hanging prominently displayed in the school.

p.42

Information technology

142.The quality of teaching is always good and, more often, very good. Most of the teaching observed during the inspection was by the computer suite manager who also teaches information technology to adults. All the teaching is pitched at the correct level for the age and abilities of the pupils and is extremely well planned. Time and resources are used very well and pupils are given interesting and stimulating tasks. All teachers have at least a good subject knowledge and many timetable extra sessions in the computer suite with their class to further extend and reinforce their pupils' skills.

p.42

Information technology

143.The co-ordinator, ably assisted by the computer suite manager, gives excellent leadership in the subject and has a clear vision for the future of information technology in the school. The scheme of work is of the highest standard and is carefully designed to make sure all pupils make excellent progress. Assessment procedures are good with all pupils having a clear record of their achievements kept on the computers. These records can be transferred to disks to go with the pupils to their next schools. The resources are very good with one computer between two pupils in the computer suite and other, sometimes older, computers available for use in each classroom. The use of the classroom computers is not as well planned by all teachers as those in the suite and some of them are not used as effectively to support learning. The accommodation is very good and the school has plans to extend the computer suite in the near future. Statutory

p.42

Information technology

requirements for the delivery of the subject are fully met.

p.42

Music

144.The standards pupils achieve in music are as expected for their age and ability. This matches the judgement of the last inspection.

p.42

Music

145.Samples of music teaching and singing practices at both key stages were observed. At both key stages, pupils’ singing is of a good standard, above average for pupils of a similar age. Pupils know a range of songs and sing enthusiastically both in class and in larger groups. They sustain their concentration well when learning new songs. Key Stage 1 pupils demonstrate above average listening skills and awareness of rhythm and pitch. Year 4 pupils identify the sound of a violin and show interest in its structure. Pupils from both key stages demonstrate their recognition of the mood of pieces of music played to them. Attainment in composing music making is, however, below average for pupils of a similar age. The last inspection identified this area of the curriculum as being in need of development, and it remains an area of weakness. Coppice Primary School 43 146.Pupils make progress in the development of singing skills and musical appreciation overall at

p.42

Music

the rate expected of pupils of their age with some examples of good progress. Better progress is made in music lessons in the development of listening skills, particularly at Key Stage 1, where effective class control and a strong emphasis on the importance of listening, enhances learning. Year 1 pupils demonstrate good progress in understanding the need for silence during the instrumental sections while learning a new song. Where a teacher pays attention to expressive skill development by modelling the tone of singing required, as occurs in the lunchtime singing club, children make good progress. Within the curriculum there is less evidence of strategic teacher interventions to refine the quality of the singing and thus increase the rate of progress. This leads to some singing practices that stretch pupils powers of recall but miss opportunities for developing expressive skills. The limited curriculum time spent in musical composition restricts

p.43

Music

147.Pupils of all ages enjoy and appreciate music as listeners and performers. Where lessons are carefully planned and behaviour well-managed pupils of all abilities demonstrate high levels of concentration. Clubs at lunchtime are well attended and the highly motivated pupils who attend take responsibility for their own sheet music. All pupils hold positive attitudes to singing which helps the school population to enjoy festivals and celebrations and respect assemblies.

p.43

Music

148.Overall, the quality of music teaching is sound, although there was both a good and an unsatisfactory lesson observed. There is a strong correlation between teachers’ knowledge and understanding of music, their ability to define the aims of lessons and the purpose of activities and the rate of pupils’ progress. Where music teaching is confident, teaching objectives clear and consistently reinforced, progress is most rapid. A good example of this was seen in music with Year 1, where carefully chosen recorded sounds progressively increased the level of listening challenge for pupils resulting in high levels of accurate identification. In Year 4, however, where the objectives of the lesson were not clearly translated into appropriately challenging musical tasks, pupils’ were poorly motivated and concentration levels were unsatisfactory.

p.43

Music

149.The music scheme of work is organised around song, additionally featuring some analysis of musical elements and musical appreciation. Published resources support the delivery of the curriculum plan appropriately, within a narrow sphere of reference. The assessment and recording of pupils’ attainment and progress in music is underdeveloped. The curriculum is well supported by instrumental tuition that has recently expanded to accommodate 36 pupils. The curriculum offer is enriched by regular opportunities to work towards performance, both on and off the school site through a programme of concerts. 156. Physical education

p.43

Music

150.Standards achieved in physical education are as expected for the age and ability of the pupils. This matches the findings of the last inspection. Lessons were observed in dance, gymnastics, games and athletics. The work observed was appropriate for pupils’ ages and pupils’ performance was broadly in line with what might be expected for pupils of this age. An intensive swimming programme is provided for pupils in Year 4, with some opportunities for less proficient older pupils to take part. Almost all pupils are able to swim 25m by the time they leave the school.

p.43

Music

151.The progress of pupils in physical education is satisfactory overall. In gymnastics and dance in Key Stage 1, pupils learn quickly to use space well. They perform basic movements of hopping, jumping, running and turning with appropriate control. Older pupils are beginning to sequence movements and are learning to observe and describe the movement of others. By the end of Key Stage 2, in gymnastics, pupils plan and perform a sequence of movements with Coppice Primary School 44 controlled beginnings and endings, on the floor and on apparatus. In games, almost all pupils in Year 2 confidently use a bat to control a small ball, when bouncing or patting into the air. As pupils move through the school their games skills are improved through individual practice and in team situations. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils understand the principles of team games and have an appropriate range of skills. They are aware of how their bodies change as a result of

p.43

Music

exercise and know how physical education contributes to them being fit and healthy.

p.44

Music

152.Pupils have positive attitudes to physical education. They are motivated, interested and enjoy the activities provided. They work well together and are able to discuss their own work as well as that of others in order to improve performance. Pupils particularly enjoy the personal challenge introduced into some activities by measurement and timing. For example, in athletics, pupils’ used measures of personal performance to provide targets and to monitor improvements in speed and distances thrown. Pupils dress properly for lessons and understand the importance of the need to act safely, especially in the handling and use of apparatus. In gymnastics lessons, pupils in years 5 and 6 co-operated well to set out a wide range of apparatus quickly and efficiently. These pupils checked the security of apparatus without prompting and also explained why they moved chairs, and other pieces of equipment, a safe distance away.

p.44

Music

153.The quality of teaching is good. Routines for changing and for setting out equipment are well-established. These enable pupils to make progress by maximising time available for working. Lessons are well structured and orderly. Pupils are encouraged and praised appropriately and taught to understand safety rules. In the best lessons, teachers use their subject knowledge and understanding to help pupils observe and analyse movement in order to improve their own work. For example, in gymnastics with year 6, many pupils were asked to show their bridges and balances so that others could observe different strengths of the work. In gymnastics with year 2, the teacher divided the class into performers and audience to encourage observation and evaluation. In this lesson, the teacher used questioning very effectively to draw attention to particular features of the work. In these lessons demonstration was used

p.44

Music

successfully to improve and influence the quality of performance. Good subject knowledge and the teachers’ own proficiency enabled clear explanation and demonstration of a number of games skills, for example, in teaching netball passes to year 5 and skills of shooting, striking and dribbling with Year 3.

p.44

Music

154.The school emphasise the importance of physical education and the policy and scheme of work plan an appropriately broad curriculum. Sufficient time is allocated to provide a breadth of experience. Opportunities are provided for tennis coaching and use is made of Redbridge Sports Centre. Extra-curricular provision for netball, football, gymnastics, tennis and badminton serves to enhance the curriculum on offer. A large number of pupils attend and the clubs contribute to improved standards as well as promoting good attitudes towards physical education. The school competes against other schools in team games and has been particularly successful in football. Pupils from the school have successfully represented Redbridge at the Heathrow Youth Games in swimming and tennis.

p.44

Music

155.The school participates in the Redbridge Intensive Swimming Scheme. Provision is targeted mainly at pupils in year 4 who cannot yet swim 25 metres but augmented with older pupils who have yet to reach the required standard in swimming proficiency. Once a year a cohort receives seven and a half hours of instruction over three weeks from two well-qualified and experienced instructors. Health and safety regimes are carefully observed both in travel and organisation of lessons. Although it was not possible to observe lessons in action, scrutiny of documentation suggests that swimming lessons are well planned and differentiated according to need, and progress is regularly assessed. The percentage of pupils reaching the required standard at the Coppice Primary School 45 end of the intensive period in Spring 1999 is in line with borough averages. A recent reduction in the borough subsidy for swimming means that the school’s provision for developing swimming

p.44

Music

competence beyond the minimum standard has been much reduced. Pupils from Coppice participate in the Borough swimming gala and are encouraged to continue their tuition in swimming by joining after school clubs at the local swimming pool.

p.45

Music

156.Pupils’ attainment in religious education is in line with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus in both key stages. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection, which stated that the teaching of religious education needed to be addressed as a whole school issue.

p.45

Music

157.By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils know some stories from different religions and are beginning to recognise religious symbols. They understand that artefacts are special things that must be looked after and handled with care. In discussing the stories of St. Bernadette and Elmer’s Day pupils show the ability to empathise. They talk enthusiastically about “special times” such as birthdays, harvest festival and Diwali. Pupils are confident discussing and suggesting answers to difficult questions and show an appreciation that some questions may not have definitive answers.

p.45

Music

158.By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils know about some of the religions represented in Great Britain and in the school. They talk about some beliefs, stories and teaching from Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism and Judaism. They name some special places of worship. Pupils understand some religious symbols, for example, they correctly explain the symbolism of light and the cross in Christianity. Many pupils know that the bible is divided into old and new testaments and that the story of Christ is told in the new testament. In Year 5, when talking about the stories of Jacob and Joseph, pupils name the relationships between characters and use this understanding sensitively and thoughtfully to explain motivation. With help, higher attaining pupils relate the actions of a character in a story to the precepts of Buddhism.

p.45

Music

159.Overall, pupils make sound progress in religious education. Their knowledge about religions increases steadily as they move through the school. They make good progress in their ability to express feelings and to speak and write about them with clarity. Pupils are less secure in talking about what can be learnt from the religions they study and any implications for living.

p.45

Music

160.Pupils have positive attitudes towards religious education. They enjoy reading and listening to stories from the bible and other religious traditions. They listen well and are eager to answer questions and contribute ideas. They enjoy active involvement in the lesson, for example, when taking parts to read from the service of baptism and drawing on personal experience to describe this ceremony. Pupils enjoy talking about personal experience and are willing to discuss feelings and emotions without any self-consciousness. In one class, where pupils were describing their emotions on seeing an upsetting incident, pupils were very supportive of each other, especially as one girl became tearful with emotion. Behaviour in lessons is good.

p.45

Music

161.The quality of teaching observed during the inspection was satisfactory overall with some good and unsatisfactory practice. Where teaching was good teachers have established effective signals that create a calm and contemplative “mood”. For example, in Year 3, music called the children together and they gathered in silence ready to listen and think. In Year 6, a very quiet voice and a well-read story had a similar effect. In Year 2, the mood was created by asking the children to think about their feelings in a world without colour. In these lessons teachers made good use of their subject knowledge to teach the syllabus and include content that reflects the experiences and interest of pupils. For example, in lessons about the ceremony of baptism in Coppice Primary School 46 Year 3, and in work on stained glass windows in Year 2, teachers used interesting pictures and resources to encourage pupils to recall and apply existing knowledge. In Key Stage 1, teachers

p.45

Music

use imaginative displays such as “The great ocean of mystery” and “The waterfall of wonder” as starting points for some imaginative work on feelings and emotions. Where teaching was unsatisfactory the learning intentions were unclear, tasks lacked challenge and did not secure the involvement of pupils, questioning inappropriate and the pace of the lesson was slow. In all lessons, relationships are good and pupils benefit from a consistent focus on personal identity, respect for self and others. The teachers themselves demonstrate and model good attitudes and appropriate behaviour, for example, responding positively and explicitly to a contribution from a Muslim child who explained that her name means “light”.

p.46

Music

162.The co-ordinator is keen and able to advise and support colleagues informally but has yet to work alongside colleagues across the key stages to share expertise and gain a greater knowledge of the work undertaken with pupils outside the year group in which she works. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources for the teaching of religious education are satisfactory and are efficiently and effectively managed and deployed. The subject makes a significant contribution to the moral, social and cultural development of the pupils but not as well as it should to pupils’ spiritual development. Work in assemblies contributes to the subject. Coppice Primary School 47 169. PART C: INSPECTION DATA

p.46

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

170. The inspection team consisted of six inspectors. They observed lessons or parts of lessons, covering all subjects of the National Curriculum, over five days. Additional observations included assemblies, registration sessions and lunchtime. All teachers were observed on a number of occasions. Only a limited amount of work was observed in art, design and technology and music. A total of 75.5 hours was spent in gathering evidence from class observations.

p.47

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

171. Pupils' work was scrutinised and discussed with them over a period of a further 11.4 hours. Samples of pupils' work representing the various attainment levels of the pupils in each age group were examined; work examples included past and present work. A sample of pupils from each year group was heard to read. Informal discussions were held with many pupils, both in lessons and around the school.

p.47

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

172. Documentation provided by the school including policies, curriculum statements and plans, teachers’ plans and record books, financial statements and attendance registers were analysed. Inspectors considered the views of 26 parents who attended a meeting with the Registered Inspector and written responses from 103 parents. Inspectors held discussions with the chair and members of the governing body, the headteacher, teachers and a wide range of support staff. Discussions with teaching staff focused mainly on their work as curriculum co-ordinators and their teaching. Coppice Primary School 48 169. DATA AND INDICATORS

p.47

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

169. 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

p.48

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

YR – Y6 406 0 103 91 Nursery Unit/School 30 0 1 0

p.48

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

169. Qualified teachers (YR – Y6) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 21.37

p.48

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

169. Education support staff (YR – Y6) Total number of education support staff: 11 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 173

p.48

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

169. Qualified teachers (Nursery school, classes or unit) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 1

p.48

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

169. Education support staff (Nursery school, classes or unit) Total number of education support staff: 2 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 51

p.48

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Average class size: 27.1 Coppice Primary School 49 169. Financial data

p.48

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

£ Total Income 813,067.00 Total Expenditure 2002.63 Expenditure per pupil 785,089.00 Balance brought forward from previous year Balance carried forward to next year 27,978.00 Coppice Primary School 50 169. PARENTAL SURVEY

p.49

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Number of questionnaires sent out: Number of questionnaires returned:

p.50

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

p.50

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 43 53 3 1 0

p.50

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 44 49 4 1 2

p.50

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

The school handles complaints from parents well 20 54 15 5 3

p.50

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 18 73 6 2 0

p.50

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 32 54 7 4 2

p.50

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 27 63 7 1 1

p.50

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 25 59 8 5 1

p.50

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 19 62 7 8 1

p.50

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 29 60 6 0 3

p.50

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 27 63 7 2 1

p.50

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

My child(ren) like(s) school 50 43 2 3 0

p.50