Southmead School

SOUTHMEAD SCHOOL

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

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SOUTHMEAD SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Southmead School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Wrafton Road Braunton North Devon

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Ms J Aldridge

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1996 Southmead School - 4

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Team members

Mr T Richardson Registered inspector Mrs M Bebo Lay inspector Mr R Brent Team inspector

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Team members

Quality Assurance Associates Ltd Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU Tel: 01305 251591

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Southmead School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10

• All pupils, including those with special educational needs, benefit from good teaching and make good progress so that their achievements are high by the time they leave school • Makes sure that pupils who move into the school are supported very well and quickly raise the standards of their work to match that of other pupils • Has very good procedures for ensuring the welfare and safety of all pupils • Promotes clear values and expectations so that pupils have good attitudes and motivation that helps them to achieve highly at the end of Key Stage 2 • Has good teamwork between all adults in the school community that promotes a corporate culture for high standards

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 14

• The standards achieved by pupils in information and communications technology • Some aspects of leadership so that the curriculum and assessment are more consistently applied, and the school community is made more aware of its success

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Southmead is a community primary school for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It serves the communities of Braunton, Wrafton, Heanton and the armed forces’ base at Chivenor. The school is of average size with 255 pupils on roll and slightly more boys than girls at 134 to 121. There are very few pupils from minority ethnic communities. Six pupils have English as an additional language, with Chinese, Portugese and Urdu as their home languages. There are 47 pupils on the special educational needs register, with one pupil having a Statement of Special Educational Needs. Just under 10 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals. This is below the national average. There are nine classes and the average class size is 28.3 pupils. The attainment of children on entry to the school at age five is broadly average. Each year, approximately 50 pupils enter and another 50 leave the school at times other than the usual times of admission and transfer. This is much higher than the average in

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Southmead Primary School continues to be a good school with many strengths. Pupils achieve high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Key Stage 2. This is impressive when taking into account the high numbers of pupils who enter and leave the school at times other than at ages five and eleven. Good teaching helps pupils to make good progress. Strong foundations for learning are established in Key Stage 1 and these are built upon successfully in Key Stage 2. The school has good leadership and provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• All pupils, including those with special educational needs, benefit from good teaching and make good progress so that their achievements are high by the time they leave school • Makes sure that pupils who move into the school are supported very well and quickly raise the standards of their work to match that of other pupils • Has very good procedures for ensuring the welfare and safety of all pupils • Promotes clear values and expectations so that pupils have good attitudes and motivation that helps them to achieve highly at the end of Key Stage 2 • Has good teamwork between all adults in the school community that promotes a corporate culture for high standards

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What could be improved

• The standards achieved by pupils in information and communications technology • Some aspects of leadership so that the curriculum and assessment are more consistently applied, and the school community is made more aware of its success The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good improvement since the last inspection in June 1996. The key issues from the previous inspection have been addressed effectively. Pupils’ standards of attainment have continued to rise year on year. The quality of teaching has improved and teachers now plan their lessons effectively and have good procedures for assessment. The school has maintained its strong ethos, has a very good partnership with parents and makes newcomers very welcome. Southmead School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

Inspection confirms that the school’s results continue to improve. Appropriate and relevant targets are set each year, and these are routinely met. The class work of the current Year 2 pupils shows that most pupils are attaining at least Level 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. Similarly, most pupils in Year 6 are working at least at Level 4 standards in English, mathematics and science. This indicates that the attainment levels of pupils continue to be well above the national average and also well above the average for schools of a similar nature. Standards in foundation subjects are at least in line with expectations. The school gives good emphasis to improving the quality of handwriting and the success of this is evident in the pupils’ work. However, there are not enough computers for pupils to be able to practise sufficiently to have standards in line with the expectation for their age. The

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Key

school is particularly successful in maintaining high standards even though large numbers of pupils enter and leave the school each year. Some of these pupils have attended a range of other schools and some have experienced interrupted schooling so that their attainments are lower than expected for their age. The school makes considerable effort to help these pupils feel welcome and enables them successfully to aspire very quickly to the work ethic and attitudes of their peers. As a result, these pupils achieve well and there is little adverse impact on the school’s attainment figures. Pupils with special educational needs often make very good progress and catch up with the attainments of their peers by the time they leave school.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils enjoy school, like their lessons and value their teachers.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. The school is orderly, friendly and supportive. Pupils are helpful, polite and courteous.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good relationships are evident between pupils and between children and adults. Pupils have good opportunities to gain responsibility and independence.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils new to the school are looked after very well by others and this helps to make them feel welcome, valued and to settle quickly to their new surroundings. Southmead School - 8

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

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

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

In the lessons seen by inspectors, the quality of teaching was judged to be good in 65 per cent, and very good teaching was observed in a further 20 per cent. Teaching was satisfactory in the remaining 15 per cent of lessons, and no unsatisfactory teaching was observed. This is a significant improvement on the previous inspection. Teaching is good in all key stages and this leads directly to pupils making good progress so that they achieve standards in English, mathematics and science that are well above average by the end of Key Stage 2. The literacy and numeracy strategies have been implemented effectively and are well taught. Teachers have high expectations and set clear objectives for what they expect pupils to learn. This leads pupils to know what they are doing, to work hard, to concentrate on what they should learn, and to meet the targets set for them in their work books. Teachers’ good management of pupils keeps them on task and ensures that lessons have a

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

good pace. They give good praise and encouragement. This enhances pupils’ self esteem, so that individuals know they are valued, and are motivated to gain higher achievements. Teachers plan interesting work and pupils enjoy their learning. Group work is well planned and includes routines that encourage pupils to learn how to find things out for themselves. As a result, pupils are often able to sustain hard work without their teacher. The needs of all pupils are met well and those pupils with higher attainments are challenged to achieve at even higher levels, while those with special educational needs receive effective support that helps them to improve their work.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum meets the statutory requirements for the National Curriculum and religious education. Teachers plan effectively together what will be taught each year.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils are supported well so that most attain at the national average by the time they leave school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Pupils are enabled to have equal access to learning with their peers.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Spiritual provision is good with effectively planned links between religious education and assemblies. Provision for moral development is very good. Clear values are put across to pupils and they know the difference between right and wrong. Social development is good. Cultural provision is good overall and satisfactory awareness of life in a multi-cultural society is promoted. How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. Assessment procedures are now good with some examples of particularly good practice. The school provides very good support and guidance for all pupils. Teachers know pupils very well and help them feel cared for and valued – this enables them to achieve high standards. New pupils are made to feel especially welcome. Effective links with the on-site playgroup help children to transfer into school

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Aspect Comment

Teachers have worked hard to establish an effective curriculum and improve procedures for assessment for each year group. These now need coordinating so that: everyone has a clearer Southmead School - 9 overview of what will be taught each year as pupils move through the school; and all teachers adopt consistently the best practice for assessment. Whilst there has been a reduction in the number of clubs offered, the school enriches the curriculum satisfactorily with experiences, such as residential visits and artists in residence. There are very good links with parents and they, in turn, support the school very well.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Leadership is good and effective in helping teachers to do their job well and ensuring that pupils achieve high standards.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors fulfil their responsibilities well. They work hard and provide effective support.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school is effective in its monitoring and evaluation. Good use is made of assessment data by the headteacher and staff to plan ahead and set relevant targets for improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Specific grants and resources are used appropriately. The school applies consistently the principles of best value.

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Aspect Comment

The school is currently without a deputy headteacher. This has led to a lack of clarity of some management roles and responsibilities. As a result, the curriculum and assessment developments have not been sufficiently coordinated and some staff are doing too much, while others have devised simpler and more effective ways of planning and assessment. A number of people within the school are too critical of what they do. Clear leadership to establish a culture of celebrating what the school does well is needed to build on the considerable strengths of the school and help it to improve further.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• that their children are happy at school • the relationships in the school and the support they receive from all staff • the warm welcome they receive from the school secretary • the quality of teaching and the high standards in the school • the way new pupils are helped to settle into school life • the range of activities provided outside lessons • the provision and standards in information and communications technology • more stability in the school population so that children can keep friendships

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors endorse all the positive views expressed by parents. They acknowledge that the school has a much higher ‘turn over’ of pupils than other schools and does its utmost to build relationships. Inspectors judge the range of activities provided outside lessons to be satisfactory and agree with parents that standards could be higher in information and communications technology. Southmead School - 10

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make good progress so that their achievements are high by the time they leave school

1. The quality of teaching is good throughout the school. Children enter the reception class where teachers carry out good baseline assessment of their development, taking into account the evidence provided by parents. This assessment shows that most pupils have at least average ability in most of the areas of development. Teachers use this assessment well to plan learning activities that continue to move the children forward and prepare them for beginning the National Curriculum by the time they are five. Teachers in the reception class have very good communication styles and classroom management. Daily routines, such as counting everyone present, changing books to take home, and writing for others to read result in every minute being packed with learning opportunities. The teachers also reward pupils very well for their effort, work and behaviour and this inspires others to try really hard to improve what they do. In one lesson

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make good progress so that their achievements are high by the time they leave school

seen, the teacher’s high expectations for good writing were evident as a pupil was asked to write again a whole page. However, the way the teacher asked for this to be done made the pupil feel pleased to be having a second attempt and proud when the finished page was displayed to the class as work of the required quality. As a result, children learn the foundations of reading, writing and numeracy well so that, for example, they are able to decipher the word kite by using their knowledge of phonics and then read it correctly on subsequent pages.

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make good progress so that their achievements are high by the time they leave school

2. Within Key Stage 1, teachers continue to have high expectations and work hard to help pupils develop the necessary classroom skills of listening carefully, waiting their turn and valuing the contributions made by others. They also set out to encourage pupils to become more independent in their learning. For example, in a Year 1 history lesson, the teacher expected that pupils would investigate in pairs prepared texts about William Morris and share their information with the class to explain who Morris was and what he did. This generated enthusiasm and interest so that, by the end of the lesson, all the class remembered that William Morris designed fabrics and wallpapers in the 1870’s and were looking forward to creating similar designs themselves in art. Teachers plan their lessons carefully and have clear objectives for what pupils should learn. For example, in a Year 2 mathematics lesson, pupils knew they were learning how to count on

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make good progress so that their achievements are high by the time they leave school

nine from other numbers. As the lesson continued, the teacher kept checking with the class by asking ‘Are we reaching today’s target?’ and this prompted pupils to concentrate hard on improving their calculation strategies. By the end of the key stage, almost all the pupils have achieved at least Level 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. The data published by the school shows that the results of National Curriculum assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 are above national averages for the percentage of pupils attaining Level 2. However, there are fewer pupils than expected attaining the higher Level 3. This is due to two factors. First, teachers mark pupils’ work fairly so that no one is awarded Level 3 unless most of their work is consistently at the required standard. Second, teachers focus on teaching pupils how to learn (which includes teaching them how to behave so that they can benefit from their lessons) rather than just trying to

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make good progress so that their achievements are high by the time they leave school

improve the data published in performance tables. As a result, pupils go into Key Stage 2 with a solid foundation of knowledge that helps them to attain even higher achievements by the time they are eleven.

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make good progress so that their achievements are high by the time they leave school

3. Within Key Stage 2, pupils make good progress and achieve results in National Curriculum assessments that are well above the national average, and well above the standards achieved in similar schools. Teachers work together to plan the work to be covered by Years 3 and 4 and also by Years 5 and 6. Lessons are planned with logic and clarity, teachers organise and manage the class well, lessons have clear introductions, demonstrations and activities are explained well. As a result, pupils know what they should learn, are clear about what they have to do and are helped to know how well they are doing. For example, in a Year 4 literacy lesson, the teacher used the plenary session to review what should have been learnt and pupils accepted honest praise for those who worked hard, and individuals also acknowledged what they could have done better. In a Year 6 lesson, pupils learnt to be critical of the clauses they wrote, they knew when to work on

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make good progress so that their achievements are high by the time they leave school

their own and when to seek help from the teacher. Prior to this, the teacher had explained clearly Southmead School - 11 what was expected and pupils raised successfully the standard of their work to match. The outcome is that pupils achieve highly, are independent in their learning and prepared effectively for secondary school.

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make good progress so that their achievements are high by the time they leave school

4. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs make good progress. These pupils are identified appropriately and have relevant support planned for them. Some of this support is provided through assistants taking groups out of class for additional literacy tuition, and some is provided by assistants and teachers in class during group activities. The impact of this support is seen in the high proportion of pupils (almost all) who attain the national average of Level 4 in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven. This shows that most pupils with special educational needs have raised their standards to achieve in line with national averages by the time they leave school and are enabled to transfer to secondary education doing as well as their peers.

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the standards of their work to match that of other pupils

5. The school serves the armed forces’ base at Chivenor and has a higher than average number of pupils who enter and leave the school at times other than age five and eleven. Very good procedures are in place to make these pupils feel welcome when they join the school. For example, teachers choose an existing pupil to be responsible for the newcomer and help them learn their way around the school and meet new friends. Pupils take this responsibility very seriously and make sure that at playtimes and lunchtimes their new friends are included in their games and introduced to children from other classes. Administration staff, the headteacher and class teachers inform parents of how their child has settled and take careful note of the opinions expressed by parents new to the school. Discussions with pupils during the inspection show that pupils like the excitement of meeting new people and making new friends, although they also

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the standards of their work to match that of other pupils

express sadness when good friends leave and move to other schools.

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the standards of their work to match that of other pupils

6. Pupils are not only made to feel welcome, but also benefit from the quality of education they experience. A number of pupils transfer from schools with lower expectations of the standards they can achieve. Pupils who enter Key Stage 1 benefit from the emphasis given to learning how to behave, take turns and produce work they can be proud of. This helps them to realise quickly how to behave and to try hard to do as expected. By the time these pupils transfer into Key Stage 2, they have settled into the expectation of the school and achieve standards in line with the expectation for their age. Pupils who enter classes in Key Stage 2, find pupils already working to a high standard, with a culture of working hard and trying to give of their best. This sets a pattern for new pupils to emulate and they quickly conform to the standards set. As a result, a large number of these pupils show good progress and quick gains in their achievement so that their

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the standards of their work to match that of other pupils

attainments match those of the rest of the class. The numbers of pupils transferring in and out of the school have increased since the last inspection, and the school has also seen an increase in pupils entering the school with attainment levels below the national average. However, the welcoming nature of the school, and the culture of always doing your best, are most successful in helping pupils quickly to raise the standards of their work. As a result, the school’s performance data, as measured by National Curriculum assessments at the end of Key Stage 2, has continued to improve so that all pupils, including those new to the school, achieve highly for their age.

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Has very good procedures for ensuring the welfare and safety of all pupils

7. The school has very good procedures for ensuring the welfare and safety of its pupils. Health and safety procedures are carried out very well, and reviewed daily where necessary, so that the buildings, grounds and experiences for the pupils are safe, with any risk clearly defined. The school works hard to encourage good attendance and gives parents clear guidelines as to when absence can be authorised. As a result, the attendance figures are good and this helps to ensure that pupils keep learning and raise their levels of achievement. The anti-bullying policy is very effective and pupils enjoy their play times, free from the risk of oppressive behaviour and name calling from others. Pupils told inspectors how much they enjoy school and how they value the relationships they form, between one another and with adults. All children, even those new to the school, are known well and teachers use this knowledge sensitively to help and support

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Has very good procedures for ensuring the welfare and safety of all pupils

individuals. Pupils new to the school informed inspectors that they were pleased with the way Southmead School - 12 others had helped them to feel welcome and part of the community. Parents also expressed their gratitude for the welcome given by the school secretary and the way that details are remembered, showing a genuine care for their children. This also helps parents to, rightly, feel secure in the knowledge that their children are educated in a school that has the best interests of every pupil and family at heart.

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Has very good procedures for ensuring the welfare and safety of all pupils

8. Teachers monitor effectively the personal development of pupils through daily contact and activities such as circle time. Good assessment of pupils’ academic standards takes place and there are some examples of particularly good practice. In some classes, pupils are set very clear criteria for what they are expected to learn through their written work. For example, a teacher may write that the work will be marked on how well punctuation has been used, or how descriptive the vocabulary is. The work is then marked with these in mind and this allows the pupils’ skills to be clearly assessed. Teachers work together in pairs to check that each is assessing fairly and some useful work has taken place with teachers from other schools so that everyone is clear, for example, when a pupil has attained Level 3 in their writing skills.

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that helps them to achieve highly at the end of Key Stage 2

9. All pupils are expected to behave well, work hard and do their best. The outcome of this is seen in the positive attitudes pupils have to their school and their work, that lead them to try hard for their own satisfaction, as well as to please their teachers. In the reception class, each pupil learns that they and their work are valued, through teachers explaining why they are proud of them and demonstrating regularly what it is that they have learnt. This helps pupils develop positive attitudes and is built on subsequently throughout the school. In a Year 1 lesson, despite being tired at the end of the day, pupils listened carefully to a story about a vulture and demonstrated a desire to learn more by asking questions about its feeding habits and where it lives. In a Year 4 literacy lesson, pupils showed a high degree of maturity in settling very quickly to quiet independent work without disturbing the teacher who could then give all her efforts to helping

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that helps them to achieve highly at the end of Key Stage 2

particular individuals. The class showed high standards of self-reliance in the way they sustained concentration, worked very hard and helped one another when anyone was stuck.

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that helps them to achieve highly at the end of Key Stage 2

10. By the time pupils are in Year 6, they are well motivated learners and are able to organise themselves and their own groups. For example, in a design and technology lesson, they quickly chose who to work with and negotiated successfully who would carry out the different tasks in building strong structures out of rolled paper tubes. In a physical education lesson, Year 6 pupils listened carefully to what was required and adapted their work very quickly, with the minimum of fuss, when rain forced outdoor activities to cease. Their own enthusiasm for learning was maintained throughout and this spurred them on to achieve above average standards of athleticism and orienteering. This desire to do well is apparent in all lessons and contributes significantly to the high standards of attainment in the school.

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culture for high standards

11. The good quality of teamwork between adults in the school is a major factor in pupils knowing what is expected of them. Consistent expectations of behaviour are set and pupils respond by behaving well in and out of lessons and during their break times. Pupils are spoken to positively and listened to with respect for their opinion. This helps pupils to understand that they are valued and their work is worth doing as people are genuinely pleased to see it. Within classrooms, teachers and assistants work together effectively and make sure that all individuals receive the support and attention they need. Teachers work well together within their year groups and key stages to plan the curriculum and share their views of assessment. Administrative staff liaise very effectively with parents and make sure that messages are passed on to teachers and pupils. Lunch time staff keep up the same positive approach as others and show that they too value

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culture for high standards

what pupils have to say. Caretaking and cleaning staff are equal members of the school team and support teachers by changing the order of their work at short notice should, for example, a teacher need to use their room for a meeting. The resultant quality of relationships throughout the Southmead School - 13 school makes it a happy place for pupils and staff to be. In addition, a corporate culture for the celebration of the pupils’ academic success is created and this leads them to be proud of what they do and to delight in the success of others. As a result, boys and girls work hard to achieve their best in all subjects. Southmead School - 14

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The standards achieved by pupils in information and communications technology

12. Since the last inspection, the school has upgraded its computers and taken advantage of government initiatives to improve provision for information and communications technology (ICT). However, some of this work has caused problems and, whilst the school has had a network installed for its computers, this has not always worked as it should and has delayed the implementation of plans. Teachers are continuing to raise their own levels of expertise and the school has appropriate plans to train all teachers to meet the recognised standards identified by the Local Education Authority. Some of this training is already proving beneficial as some teachers use ICT to plan their lessons, bring new information from the Internet and use relevant software to keep records and analyse data. Not all teachers have skills in all the areas of the ICT curriculum they are expected to teach, but through effective teamwork and mutual support ,

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The standards achieved by pupils in information and communications technology

pupils are enabled to experience all the requirements of the National Curriculum. However, there are not enough computers in the school for every pupil to be able to have as much practice as they need to achieve the expected standards in ICT by the time they are eleven. Also, computers are not yet used as much as they could be to enhance the work in other subjects, for example in music to assist composition and enable pupils to make recordings. In addition, some pupils have computers at home and have good skills in ICT. The school’s assessment is not yet sufficiently detailed to identify the amount of skill each pupil has and to help teachers plan their lessons to make sure that individual expertise is built upon. Without this information, the school is also unable to set targets for the raising of standards in ICT to at least the expected level.

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applied, and the school community is made more aware of its success

13. At the time of the inspection, the school was without a deputy headteacher and had just appointed a replacement to begin in September 2000. The roles and responsibilities of the deputy headteacher have been distributed to other senior members of staff and most aspects of leadership have continued to function at a good level. However, there is now a need to clarify who is responsible for implementing, monitoring and evaluating the school’s curriculum and assessment policies. Since the last inspection, teachers have worked hard and successfully to improve the curriculum and the way that each subject is coordinated. Where there are pairs of classes, for example the two classes for pupils in Years 3 and 4, teachers plan their curriculum together effectively and take care that pupils do not repeat topics unnecessarily. Within each key stage, the coordinators keep an overview of what is taught. However, there is no overall

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applied, and the school community is made more aware of its success

coordination of the curriculum across the whole school.

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applied, and the school community is made more aware of its success

14. Assessment practices have been developed effectively since the last inspection. Teachers have worked in pairs, in subject groups and in key stage groups to devise and implement how best to assess the attainments of pupils and use the information in the short term to plan lessons, and in the longer term to plan the curriculum. This has resulted in a number of systems for assessment throughout the school. Each is equally valid, but some are more time consuming than others. There is now a need for clear leadership to establish the simplest and most effective procedures as standard in every class. One of the results of the current lack of curriculum and assessment leadership is that the work load for planning, assessing and recording varies between teachers, with some staff spending much more time than they should on their paperwork. For example, some teachers have listed what pupils are expected to learn in each subject and highlight the

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applied, and the school community is made more aware of its success

areas that each pupil knows so that, at a glance, they can judge their attainment. Other teachers set clear criteria for pupils’ work, but include too many so that marking becomes tedious and time consuming.

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applied, and the school community is made more aware of its success

15. A number of adults within the school community focus in daily conversation on what they could improve with only little reference to what the school does well. This impression was also conveyed to parents recently through the tone in which the governors’ annual report to parents was written. The school is successful and has reason to be proud of the many things it does well. To help the school to improve further, it should establish more clearly what each individual does well so that improvement can build on a secure base of confidence and knowledge of good Southmead School - 15 practice, as well as honest appraisal of what can be improved. Southmead School - 16

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

16. To help the school improve further, governors, senior managers and staff should now:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1. Improve the standards achieved by pupils in information and communications technology through: • continuing to implement the planned training programme for raising teachers’ skills with computers; • providing more computers so that pupils can have sufficient ‘hands on’ experience; • increasing the opportunities for pupils to use computers to support the work in all subjects; • assessing the skills acquired by pupils; • using this assessment to make sure pupils continue to build on their prior knowledge; • setting targets for improvement, based on this assessment; and • ensuring targets are met, so that standards rise to at least the levels expected in the National Curriculum.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2. Further develop aspects of leadership so that: a) the curriculum and assessment procedures are more consistently applied by: • clarifying roles, responsibilities and accountabilities throughout the school, particularly with regard to coordinating the curriculum and assessment arrangements; • ensuring the policies for the curriculum and assessment are implemented systematically so that: • best practice is shared; and • teachers save unnecessary work by adopting consistently the most efficient practices; b) the school community is made more aware of its success by: • ensuring staff are enabled to know what they do well; and • governors and management of the school giving credit where it is due. Southmead School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

0 20 65 15 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 255

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 20 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 47

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 56

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 49

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Southmead School - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 19 20 39

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 17 18 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 17 20 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 87 (88) 97 (93) 87 (86) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (77) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 16 17 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 15 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 82 (80) 82 (78) 85 (83) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 20 28 48

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 16 17 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 26 25 26

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 88 (74) 88 (83) 92 (72) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 16 18 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 26 25 26

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 88 (87) 90 (88) 94 (84) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (71) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Southmead School - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 6 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10 Financial year 1999 – 2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 436210

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Expenditure per pupil 1710

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 129 Balance brought forward from previous year 4063

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 2181

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Southmead School - 20

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 43 48 1 1 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 45 49 1 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 27 60 10 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 39 51 8 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 67 27 5 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 65 34 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 49 38 12 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 45 49 4 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 43 53 1 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 16 40 26 12 5

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Other issues raised by parents

Additional comments were received with 13 questionnaires. The majority expressed praise for the quality of teaching and the progress made by their children. A number of parents commented on the high quality of the school productions and the support staff give to out of school activities. The school secretary received warm praise for the happy welcome she provides. Three parents expressed regret that the school does not provide more activities outside lessons. At the meeting before the inspection, some parents informed inspectors that the provision and standards in information and communications technology could be improved and that more stability in the school population would help their children to keep friendships.

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