Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School

ST. THOMAS’ C .E. PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 29 February – 2 March 2000

p.1

ST. THOMAS’ C .E. PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

p.1

ST. THOMAS’ C .E. PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Kepple Lane Garstang Preston Lancashire

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Alan Pearson

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 08/07/1996 St. Thomas’ C.E. Primary School - 4

p.3

Team members

Heather Evans Registered inspector Doreen Shotton Lay inspector Joe Peacock Team inspector

p.4

Team members

Cambridge Education Associates Limited Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

p.4

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:

p.4

Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

p.4

Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St. Thomas’ C.E. Primary School - 5

p.4

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6 - 9

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

p.5

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10 - 14

The standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are good. Teachers and governors are committed to maintaining and raising high standards for pupils of all abilities. The good and very good teaching enables effective learning across the curriculum, teachers support each other in seeking ways to improve further. The pupils behave well and get on with each other in a productive way; all the adults involved with the school provide very positive role models. All pupils have good attitudes to learning: this has a strong impact on their good rate of progress. The strong team spirit of the teachers and the leadership of the governors, with the effective intervention of the acting headteacher enable the school to pursue its identified priorities through planned development. The harmonious ethos within the school reflects the deep commitment of the community to promoting and sustaining pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.5

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10 - 14

Parents support the school very well and are pleased with the education it provides.

p.5

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 14

The strategic planning for managing the school, drawn from the school development plan is not sufficiently detailed as to how all the listed priorities will be developed. The use of targeted funding to raise standards for all pupils, by additional intervention through booster classes is not matched to the best use of support time.

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school serves the parish of S. Thomas in Garstang, Lancashire, and some pupils come to the school from other local parishes. This is a smaller than average school and there is no nursery, although the school provides accommodation for a pre-school play group each morning. There are 153 pupils on roll who are taught in five mixed-age classes. The number of pupils entitled to free school meals is low at just 9 per cent. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is higher than average at 25.5 per cent and the number of pupils with increased difficulties or statements of special educational needs is very high for this size of school at 5 per cent. The average class size is 31.

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Almost every pupil is from an indigenous white home and no pupil learns English as an additional language. On entry to the school, although levels of attainment vary, overall attainment as shown by the baseline assessment, is in line with that found in schools nationally.

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school has been without its own headteacher for the past 11 months and he has recently retired on grounds of ill health. There has been some support from ‘associate headteachers', but, until January 2000, when that support was increased to three days each week, this has been for just one day each week. During this time the school has been led by an acting deputy headteacher who has been supported by the other members of the senior management team, governing body and the entire teaching team.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Saint Thomas’ is a good school with many very good features. Pupils attain high standards and the school provides well for the needs of this close-knit, caring, rural community. The management team of the school, including the governing body, is committed to providing an education for the whole child in the areas of physical, social, spiritual, emotional and academic development. The high quality of teaching, the excellent relationships, and the good behaviour of pupils, set against the average cost of education per child, the attainment levels on entry, standards attained and the overall achievements of both able and less able pupils mean that the school provides good value for money.

p.6

What the school does well

• The standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are good. Teachers and governors are committed to maintaining and raising high standards for pupils of all abilities. • The good and very good teaching enables effective learning across the curriculum, teachers support each other in seeking ways to improve further. • The pupils behave well and get on with each other in a productive way; all the adults involved with the school provide very positive role models. • All pupils have very good attitudes to learning: this has a strong impact on their good rate of progress. • The strong team spirit of the teachers and the leadership of the governors, with the effective intervention of the acting headteacher enables the school to pursue its identified priorities through planned development. • The harmonious ethos within the school reflects the deep commitment of the community to promoting and sustaining pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.6

What the school does well

• Parents support the school very well and are pleased with the education it provides.

p.6

What could be improved

• The strategic planning for managing the school, drawn from the school development plan, is not sufficiently detailed as to how all the listed priorities will be developed. • The use of targeted funding to raise standards for all pupils, by additional intervention through booster classes, is not matched to the best use of support time. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. St. Thomas’ C.E. Primary School - 7

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The last inspection in July 1996 found S. Thomas’ to be a good school. Since then the school has undergone many changes and almost all of the teaching staff is new. Some teachers were promoted to new posts in other schools and some retired. Following a long illness the headteacher has recently retired. The results achieved by pupils in the National Curriculum tests at the age of 11 have been maintained at a high standard. The teaching is much better now than at the time of the last inspection. All the key issues for action previously identified have been tackled effectively. The school has the commitment; people and expertise needed to continue to improve.

p.7

STANDARDS

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

p.7

Key

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

p.7

Key

These are good results and evidence from the inspection confirms them with regard to English and science and indicates that in mathematics standards are improving. Results in the national tests for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 were not as high. This was caused, in part, by the high percentage of pupils in the group with identified special educational needs and the disruption to teaching, for the tested class, during the test year. During the inspection, evidence showed the identified problems to have been addressed. The great majority of pupils in Year 3 and in Year 2 were working at a level above that expected nationally in English and mathematics. Some pupils with special educational needs were attaining the appropriate nationally expected levels. Across the school pupils write well for a wide range of audiences and use their skills in speaking and listening to create interesting, informative well argued

p.7

Key

and attractively presented text. Skills in mathematics are improving as a result of good teaching and the well-managed implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy. In both mathematics and science, across the school, the commitment to investigational and experimental work is proving to be a useful way of increasing pupils’ learning and progress. Attainment levels in information technology are overall in line with national expectations at the age of seven and are above those found in most schools nationally by the time pupils leave at the age of 11. By the time they leave the school the vast majority of pupils of all abilities has achieved as well as is possible for each individual. Over time the school has improved its high standards at the end of Key Stage 2 in line with the overall improvement nationally.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good indeed. Pupils are keen to learn and want to succeed. They are interested in their work and are pleased to describe what they are doing.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good both in lessons and in other activities around the school.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils respect each other and understand that other people are entitled to their views. They take care of their own property and that of the school. Pupils work and play together very harmoniously.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. Pupils like coming to school and are punctual. Lessons start promptly and no time is wasted. St. Thomas’ C.E. Primary School - 8 Pupils’ attitudes to work are very good. Within the school there is a total absence of oppressive behaviour and pupils have an excellent understanding of how their behaviour affects the feelings and work of others. The relationships among pupils and between pupils and adults are excellent. Pupils use of their own initiative and the sense of responsibility for their own learning and behaviour are very good.

p.7

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

Lessons seen overall Insufficient direct evidence Very good Very good

p.8

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

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

p.8

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

Overall, the teaching in the school is very good. In all lessons seen the quality of teaching was at least satisfactory and in all but one of the lessons seen the teaching ranged between, good, very good and excellent. The balance of good and very good teaching was the same at both key stages, with the best teaching in classes at the end of each key stage. There were only six children below the age of five in the reception/Year 1 class and in the lessons observed these were working appropriately, within the National Curriculum, with Key Stage 1 pupils. The quality of teaching in the literacy hours and during numeracy sessions was never less than good and was very good or excellent at the end of both key stages.

p.8

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

The best teaching inspires pupils to respond with exciting contributions and many good ideas, which move the lessons along at a good pace. Pupils delight in explaining what they are doing and why they are doing it. The shared enthusiasm for teaching and learning is evident. In all lessons teachers have very secure subject knowledge and have good insight into the elements of the subject that enables them to share their joy in learning with pupils. In all lessons the challenge of work set is appropriately high. The spread of ages and abilities in the mixed age classes increases the difficulty for teachers but work is invariably matched carefully to the range of abilities, time is used well and pupils are too busy to think about misbehaving. In lessons and when marking books teachers rejoice with pupils about good work and offer constructive comments to show them how to do better next time. Pupils enjoy lessons, as they

p.8

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

know that their ideas and opinions are valued. They help each other and are encouraged by the teachers to complete a considerable amount of work.

p.8

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good overall, The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good and all subjects of the curriculum are given the necessary time and value. Provision for extra-curricular activities is very good.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The needs of pupils with special educational needs are well met. There is a high proportion of such pupils in every class and both in lessons and when they work in smaller groups they are enabled to make very good progress.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development This is an outstanding strength of the school. All aspects of spiritual, moral, social and cultural experiences contribute effectively to the overall personal development of all pupils. The development of pupils’ moral and social awareness is excellent.

p.8

Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares very well for the overall wellbeing of all its pupils.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Since the last inspection the curriculum has been reviewed and modified and there are effective policies in place for all subjects. These are supported by comprehensive schemes of work, some of which are identified for review in the school development plan, in the light of the impact of new initiatives in literacy and numeracy. The school is very successful in its care for pupils. There is a commitment to educating the whole child and sporting, cultural and recreational opportunities are provided within the school, the community and further afield through a number of stimulating events and visits such as the residential visit to York. St. Thomas’ C.E. Primary School - 9

p.8

Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The school is very well led and managed. In the absence of the headteacher the teaching staff and governors have formed a strong and effective team The new acting headteacher has provided positive and efficient emphasis for working towards excellence and has affirmed the ongoing work of the management team.

p.9

Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body has formed a very well organised and knowledgeable team and fulfils all its commitments very successfully.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Extremely good. The governors and teachers together have been successful in analysing the strengths and weaknesses of the school and in deciding the order of priorities. They have not yet completed the long-term plan as to how and when identified areas will be tackled. The monitoring of the curriculum and teaching has been undertaken very effectively

p.9

Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good overall. The time, money, people, accommodation and resources available to the school are used well. The timing of when to use grants to provide additional learning support in booster classes should be reviewed to ensure the very best effect for pupils of all abilities.

p.9

Aspect Comment

In the absence of the headteacher, through illness, the staff, led by the acting deputy headteacher, supported by the dedicated senior management team and with the full support of the strong and effective governing body, has provided very positive collegiate leadership. The school has succeeded in sustaining and improving standards and has worked very effectively to address the identified issues in the school development plan with dedication and expertise. The impact of the recently appointed part- time acting headteacher has been to enable teachers and governors to reflect on their achievements and to encourage them to move even more positively towards the next planned steps. From this successful and strong base, the governors and the senior management team of the school need to reflect on the best time to insert additional teaching support to benefit all pupils. They now need to raise all the elements of the school development plan to match the quality of those found in the plans for the building

p.9

Aspect Comment

and those for raising the profile of information technology throughout the school, which are very good. The financial management of the school is good and in all purchases the school seeks to look for the best value for money when placing orders. This is a good school, which is developing very effectively and is still improving.

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Parents like the high standards attained by pupils. • They like the fact that their children like school. • The very good behaviour in and out of the classrooms. • They value the approachability and friendliness of teachers. • They are pleased that the school values the contributions of all children, including those with special educational needs. • They support the Christian aims and values of the school. • Parents look forward to the appointment of their new headteacher.

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The team agrees with the parents that this is a good school with many very good features. The teaching team has maintained the high standards despite staffing difficulties and the illness of their own headteacher. The team notes the parents’ and governors’ loyalty and commitment to the school and all its pupils during a difficult time. If the governors are successful in appointing a strong leader, the school should go on to even greater success. St. Thomas’ C.E. Primary School - 10

p.9

The standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are good. Teachers and governors are

committed to maintaining and raising high standards for pupils of all abilities.

p.10

The standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are good. Teachers and governors are

1. The results in the National Curriculum tests for eleven-year-olds in English, mathematics and science are good compared both with all schools nationally and against those schools, which are similar in intake. In English and science, results are well above average and are above average in mathematics. These results have been achieved despite a number of pupils with special educational needs being in the class as well as the class teacher being required to lead the school and use supply cover on some days. The results reflect the careful analytical work of the assessment co-ordinator which enabled pupils to have carefully matched work whatever their ability and prior attainment. The well prepared lessons and the implementation of the literacy hour also made valuable contributions to standards. The results for boys and girls are broadly similar and subsequent analysis has not shown any significant differences. The school

p.10

The standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are good. Teachers and governors are

has suitable expectations for high attainment and teachers prepare thoroughly to attack any areas of identified weakness such as increased practical and investigational work in mathematics and science.

p.10

The standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are good. Teachers and governors are

2. The results for seven-year-olds at the end of Key Stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics are not as good as in previous years. Compared with schools nationally standards were well below the national average and were low when compared with schools with a similar intake. The school has reviewed the results and can provide well founded reasons for this apparent fall. In the group in question, 30 per cent of pupils had identified special educational needs at stages where additional extra help was required. A teacher was seconded to the class by the local education authority but proved to be unsuitable and was replaced in January 1999 by a new appointment. This second teacher then became ill and pupils were taught by a number of supply teachers. This resulted in a lack of consistency and unsatisfactory progress. The school has since provided additional teaching for the group and these pupils, now in Year 3, have

p.10

The standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are good. Teachers and governors are

made good the work that was missed. During the inspection those pupils were working at levels above those expected for pupils of the same age nationally. Pupils in the present Year 2 are working at high levels and following a programme of challenging work. The impact of the literacy hour and the numeracy strategy is having a marked effect on all of these pupils and all of those with special educational needs are attaining appropriate levels for their age and ability.

p.10

The standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are good. Teachers and governors are

3. The school supports pupils who need extra help very effectively in all classes throughout the school. The commitment of the governors and teachers to educate pupils of all abilities to a high standard and work together to educate the whole child is instrumental in building the strong ethos of the school. Teachers set clear targets for every group of pupils, taking account of their individual and group needs. The work for pupils with special educational needs is most frequently undertaken in class. Sometimes they are withdrawn, when their work is carefully linked to that of other pupils and their own individual targets.

p.10

The standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are good. Teachers and governors are

4. Alongside the commitment to raising standards is the careful assessment of work. Teachers mark work carefully and adjust future planning in response to completed work. All teachers and support staff have a good understanding of the quality and quantity of work they should be expecting of pupils. This part of the work towards high standards has improved since the last inspection. Teachers regularly look at pupils’ work together and discuss whether the level of attainment is good enough and they discuss what should come next in the classes where pupils in the same year group have different teachers. They are clear in their recording of what should be the next phase of new work.

p.10

The standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are good. Teachers and governors are

5. Pupils themselves have a very good idea of how to improve their work and how to use what they have learned in one subject, such as mathematics, to raise the level of their work in another, such as geography or science. They enjoy the comments written in their books as part of the marking and sometimes make replies such as “ I will try to remember to write in shorter sentences”. St. Thomas’ C.E. Primary School - 11

p.10

The good and very good teaching enables effective learning across the curriculum,

teachers support each other in seeking ways to improve further.

p.11

The good and very good teaching enables effective learning across the curriculum,

6. The quality of teaching observed during the inspection was always at least satisfactory and in all but one lesson was at least good; in half the lessons it was very good and sometimes it was excellent. The balance of good, very good and excellent teaching was the same at both key stages; the best teaching was found in classes at the end of each key stage. At both key stages the teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. Teachers have a clear understanding of pupils’ prior attainment and know how and where to drive on with new challenges and when to allow time for pupils to benefit from a period of reflection in order to consolidate their thoughts and to develop their personal ideas. Throughout the school there are teachers who teach well. They bring out the best in children and find many ways of supporting one another.

p.11

The good and very good teaching enables effective learning across the curriculum,

7. Every teacher is skilled in a range of suitable teaching techniques and methods to meet the learning styles of different pupils. They mix their styles well to impart knowledge, increase skills and deepen pupils’ understanding. Skills in teaching basics such as spelling rules, parts of speech and grammatical structures, as well as multiplication tables, make such routines as mental mathematics exciting and enjoyable in every classroom. Teaching and learning are carried out at a brisk pace and almost every minute is used effectively. The introduction and development of the literacy hour and the numeracy strategy have empowered teachers to add challenge to their planning and to constantly look for ways to increase their own skills and expertise.

p.11

The good and very good teaching enables effective learning across the curriculum,

8. All work is carefully planned and profitably linked to the long-term and medium-term plans, which reflect the requirements of the National Curriculum as set out in comprehensive and detailed schemes of work prepared by the teachers from a range of personal and commercial sources. The details of each section of the schemes are linked to work accomplished in previous years and modified in the light of careful evaluation. Work is always linked to the weekly planning and to the needs of groups or individuals. Teachers have had to be self-reliant and the strong sense of team spirit, dedication and purpose is evident in the way teachers gather together to review completed work and celebrate the success of pupils and their collaborative work.

p.11

The good and very good teaching enables effective learning across the curriculum,

9. Pupils are expected to strive for high standards and in every class they have no time to do other than behave well. They do this readily, as their work is interesting and they have much to complete in every lesson. All day-to-day resources, including the time of classroom assistants and voluntary helpers, are used carefully to good effect. The additional planned support given to pupils with learning difficulties enables the vast majority of these to make progress at the same rate as the rest of the class. The timing of additional support for booster classes, towards the end of the Key Stage 2 is not ideal, as it is very close to the end of the preparation period and leaves little opportunity for review and consolidation. Pupils are encouraged to use a range of resources such as dictionaries, thesauruses and information technology to increase their knowledge and their rate of learning with the minimum of fuss. Pupils of all ages rarely need

p.11

The good and very good teaching enables effective learning across the curriculum,

reminders or prompts to use any of the available supportive resources. Pupils are enabled to develop at their own rate and follow independent lines of enquiry within the bounds of the work of the class.

p.11

The pupils behave well and get on with each other in a productive way; all the adults

involved with the school provide very positive role models.

p.11

The pupils behave well and get on with each other in a productive way; all the adults

10. Both in classrooms and around the school and in the playground and playing fields, the behaviour of pupils is very good. Parents were sure that bullying was not an issue in school and there was no evidence of oppressive behaviour or aggression by any pupil during the inspection. One little girl said, “ In this school people care for you whoever you are and they love you whatever you are ”. No pupils spoken to complained of anything that troubled them in the behaviour of others.

p.11

The pupils behave well and get on with each other in a productive way; all the adults

11. The governors described their vision of developing the whole child and building well-rounded individuals as well as aiming for high academic standards. This is an important part of the aims of the school that is well met in practice. All adults, who work in the school, including those who St. Thomas’ C.E. Primary School - 12 come to help on a voluntary basis, provide good role models for pupils. They listen to what pupils tell them, are interested in all their doings and are quick to address any problems brought to them however small. Adults involved in the school offer to the pupils the courtesy that they expect them to show to others.

p.11

progress

12. The pupils at S. Thomas’ are confident and well organised learners. They listen intently to the teachers and one another, showing tenacity and pride when they solve problems that they encounter. They have good reasoning powers and discuss steps of their work with friends in a productive way. They readily apply what they have learned in one lesson to new work in another, as when discussing how to develop a fair test in science. They understand what they are doing and in Key Stage 1 discuss variable factors and constant factors with great clarity. One boy said, “ We need to measure exactly and count the stirs or it won’t be fair.” Another posed the question, “How can we get salt back from a solution? It won’t be as easy as pouring the water off the sand and letting it dry.” Many pupils show initiative by setting out resources that they know they will need without being told and helping younger pupils to find lost items or

p.12

progress

look for special books. All pupils show great respect for their own possessions and those of others as well as resources in classrooms and the environment in the garden. Pupils are willing to offer opinions and suggest ideas even when not totally sure of the correct answer, because they are sure that they are valued as people by the entire school community. Pupils review their own work and that from other groups in a positive and constructive way, often making suggestions as to how, for example, a story might end or a model might be improved. Pupils make good use of information technology to support work in subjects across the curriculum, often working at home using the Internet or research software.

p.12

effective intervention of the acting headteacher enable the school to pursue its

identified priorities through planned development.

p.12

effective intervention of the acting headteacher enable the school to pursue its

13. The governing body has a clear view of the strengths of the school and recognises those areas needing improvement. There is a shared commitment with the staff and parents to promoting the school as one that caters for the all round development of pupils. While striving for academic excellence is seen to be important, the school welcomes those pupils who have special educational needs even if it means that the school is not at the top of published league tables. The school aims to produce pupils who relate well to one another, whatever their academic capabilities, and where each child’s contributions are valued by the entire community.

p.12

effective intervention of the acting headteacher enable the school to pursue its

14. In the absence of the headteacher the school has worked as a team with teachers and governors supporting the acting deputy in a management role which has been very effective. There has been some advice available one day each week from another associate headteacher, The illness and resignation of both the headteacher and the long-serving chair of governors have been weathered with tremendous fortitude and the development of matters within the school has been managed very effectively. The image of the school in the wider locality has suffered to some extent, as there has been plenty of rumour to supplement a vacuum of actual information, although the school has shared any factual information available. Never the less, the school has continued to prosper under the leadership of the acting deputy headteacher admirably supported by a very capable governing body, the other member of the senior management team and loyal and dedicated team of teachers. The

p.12

effective intervention of the acting headteacher enable the school to pursue its

appointment of a classroom assistant for the acting deputy’s class has ensured consistent support for pupils whenever the class teacher has been replaced by another teacher. The supply cover has always been the same teacher who is known well by the pupils. The appointment of an associate headteacher as acting headteacher since January 2000 has enabled the acting deputy to return to full-time class teaching.

p.12

effective intervention of the acting headteacher enable the school to pursue its

15. At the time of the last inspection the improvement of the school development plan was a key issue along with the monitoring and evaluation of the curriculum. Since then the school development plan has been improved in that priorities have been identified and all areas for development have been costed. During 1999 the governors have begun a process where all the listed priorities have been reviewed and detailed action plans have been developed for the most pressing. As yet this very high quality review has some way to go but the sections that have been completed show a very clear understanding of the processes involved. English, mathematics and information technology have been revised very effectively; the review of the St. Thomas’ C.E. Primary School - 13 buildings and plans for their management are exemplary. Co-ordinators now have a clear view of their roles and each manages a budget, monitors planning and has some time allocated to

p.12

effective intervention of the acting headteacher enable the school to pursue its

monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum and lesson planning in the classroom. This positive approach has empowered every teacher to seek for very high standards for all pupils. Governors are linked to classes and subjects and the designated governors for English, mathematics and special educational needs have gained from training sessions and are now very knowledgeable. The governors’ understanding of what needs to be done and how to do it is very good.

p.13

effective intervention of the acting headteacher enable the school to pursue its

16. The advent of the new acting headteacher has enabled staff and governors to review their leadership role and accept appropriate praise for their vision and purpose over the time of the headteacher's illness and absence. The overall leadership of the key staff, now very well supported by the acting head, has been very good, as has the effectiveness of the governing body, whose new chairperson is taking responsibility at a difficult time. All statutory requirements are being met. The monitoring of the school’s performance and deciding on appropriate action are carried out effectively. Financial planning is carefully matched to the identified educational needs as shown in the school development plan. All possible grants are sought and the allocation and tracking of funds to designated purposes are done well. In all purchases the school looks to best value when placing orders and financial procedures are

p.13

effective intervention of the acting headteacher enable the school to pursue its

very effective. The administrative staff is skilled and uses new technology very efficiently. One area for review and reflection is the timing of intervention for additional teaching in the ‘booster classes.’ The present decision to leave this additional support until late in the spring term and in the summer term means that there is little time available in which to address any problems identified. This is a minor consideration, but the implications for the success of those pupils in the middle range attainment group need to be reviewed.

p.13

effective intervention of the acting headteacher enable the school to pursue its

17. The school has well-appointed accommodation, skilled and appropriately trained teaching and support staff and resources that are at least adequate. Resources are good for many subjects particularly English and science. The quality of all resources is good and they are well cared for. New members of staff are constantly supported by colleagues and are given additional support by the phase co-ordinator. The appraisal process has been carried out up to the absence of the headteacher. Since then, all staff have benefited from more informal reviews of their needs and achievements.

p.13

effective intervention of the acting headteacher enable the school to pursue its

18. The governors are to be congratulated on their effectiveness in sharing their considerable personal expertise for the good of the school. They have tackled a difficult task with great success. They have provided valuable support for the staff and have given a good account to parents about what has been happening. They make regular visits to the school, visiting lessons and they attend committee meetings most responsibly, reporting back to the full governing body about their deliberations and the decisions made.

p.13

community to promoting and sustaining pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

19. The entire community supporting the school has a strong commitment drawn from its shared Christian faith to create a calm atmosphere conducive to pupils’ learning about the greater things of life. The total commitment to developing strong self-esteem and personal self-worth is a very evident element throughout the school every day.

p.13

community to promoting and sustaining pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

20. The overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Provision for moral and social development is excellent. All the adults in the school are good role models for the pupils who work and play together in a calm and supportive atmosphere. Even the youngest pupils know the difference between right and wrong and consider the impact of their actions on others. Pupils reflect on the beauty of nature as seen around them and in poems, pictures and stories. In lessons and in collective worship, pupils sing a range of hymns and songs tunefully with enthusiasm.

p.13

community to promoting and sustaining pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

21. Pupils of all ages write and contribute their own prayers and thoughts about ideas and themes they are studying. The sensitive contributions to ‘the millennium tree’, where pupils have thought and written about the past, present and future in a peaceful school within a troubled world indicate prayerfulness and care. Pupils’ understanding and concern for the environment are evidenced in the gardens and in their writing in English. Poetry and art are used to very good effect in raising the understanding of pupils about emotional issues, the feelings of others and spiritual awareness. Multi-cultural provision has been greatly enhanced since the time of St. Thomas’ C.E. Primary School - 14 the last inspection through an increased awareness of art and music from other than western traditions and growing deeper knowledge of traditions other than those of the Christian faith promoted in lessons in religious education. Pupils join in local festivals and traditions and are

p.13

community to promoting and sustaining pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

pleased to win trophies for both sporting and academic success. Pupils learn about mathematics and science developed in China and Egypt. They know about the social traditions in India, Australia and Japan. Overall, the provision for cultural development is very good.

p.14

community to promoting and sustaining pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

Parents support the school very well and are pleased with the education it provides.

p.14

community to promoting and sustaining pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

22. Parents are very interested in the work of the school and support the activities it offers very effectively. The number of positive returns to the questionnaire before the inspection and the number who regularly commit time to help in classrooms demonstrate this. Parents help in and around the school; for example a working group helps to maintain the garden and parents raise substantial sums of money to pay for additional resources. There is a thriving parent teacher association, which organises social and fundraising projects throughout the year.

p.14

community to promoting and sustaining pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

23. Some parents express minor concerns about the amount and nature of homework but all parents are confident that there is always a forum to express their concerns and that problems will all be responded to by the teaching staff. Parents have missed having a headteacher to promote the cause of the school in the community and are full of praise and admiration for the work of the teaching team during this difficult time. They are already pleased that pupils’ success is being celebrated in the locality and they supported the school team in the library quiz very enthusiastically.

p.14

The strategic planning for managing the school, drawn from the school development

plan is not sufficiently detailed as to how all the listed priorities will be developed.

p.14

The strategic planning for managing the school, drawn from the school development

24. The school development plan determines priorities clearly and includes costing, success criteria, monitoring strategies and relevant personnel up to the present year. All of the areas identified are appropriate and the order planned is relevant to the school’s needs. The governors have become aware that the plan as it stands does not fully meet their needs and have begun to select the most pressing items and extend the strategic plan by the creation of supplementary, very detailed, more useful action plans. Those completed in respect of buildings and information technology are of a very high order and are powerful management tools.

p.14

The strategic planning for managing the school, drawn from the school development

25. The governing body with the senior management team now needs to expand the outline plan for all other areas to the same high standard over time in order to create a more effective practical working document.

p.14

The use of targeted funding to raise standards for all pupils, by additional intervention

through booster classes is not matched to the best use of support time.

p.14

The use of targeted funding to raise standards for all pupils, by additional intervention

26. The school has planned to use the additional funds for booster classes to raise standards and address identified areas of work in Year 6 during the late spring and early summer term. This means that at this late stage, should areas of weakness emerge, there is little time remaining to create a well-balanced structured programme of work to rectify any identified weakness. Although the school has provided additional NTA support from January for these pupils, the school has experienced supply teachers who could provide additional teaching help at an earlier time when it would be more useful for long-term learning of all pupils. This would be particularly helpful for pupils in the middle of the attainment range who need a longer period for revision and consolidation of work learned than that available in a few lessons at the end of the academic year. The governing body has recognised this problem but, earlier in the year,

p.14

The use of targeted funding to raise standards for all pupils, by additional intervention

was constrained by the complications of the staffing situation which have now been resolved. St. Thomas’ C.E. Primary School - 15

p.14

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to maintain the existing high standards and develop the school further the headteacher, staff and governors should :

p.15

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) increase the usefulness of the school development plan by developing high quality action plans for all areas to match those completed for building and maintenance and information technology.

p.15

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) review the timing and strategies in place for the use of funding for booster classes at the end of Key Stage 2, in order to accelerate progress and consolidate the learning of all pupils.

p.15

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Paragraphs 9, 16, 26 St. Thomas’ C.E. Primary School - 16

p.15

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 21

p.16

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.16

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

3 6 8 1 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 153

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 14 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR– Y6

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 8

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 31

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 6

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 9

p.16

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. St. Thomas’ C.E. Primary School - 17

p.16

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 17 13 30

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 11 11 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 11 11

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 73 (91) 73(85) 73 (85) at NC level 2 or above National 81(81) 82 (82) 86 (84)

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 9 11 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 11 11

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 67 (91) 73 (85) 70(85) at NC level 2 or above National 82(80) 86 (84) 87(86)

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

These are figures verified by inspection of school results not as shown in the PICSI

p.17

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 17 10 27

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 15 14 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 7 10

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 93 (92) 78(75) 93 (83) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (63) 69 (64) 78 (68)

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 15 14 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 6 9

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 93 (92) 74 (67) 88 (74) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (63) 69 (64) 75 (69) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Figures verified at the school, not as shown in PICSI St. Thomas’ C.E. Primary School - 18

p.17

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.18

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.18

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 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.

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5 Financial year 1998-1999

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 30.6

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 297376

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Expenditure per pupil 1749

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 114 Balance brought forward from previous year 44,495

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 22,208

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

The high unit cost includes additional funding for SEN staffing and high salary costs of absent staff member St. Thomas’ C.E. Primary School - 19

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 57 39 2 0 2

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 57 39 0 0 4

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 43 45 10 2 0

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 35 57 8 0 0

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 69 29 2 0 0

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 69 31 0 0 0

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 43 45 10 0 2

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 39 45 12 0 4

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 55 39 2 0 4

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 58 34 2 0 6

p.19