St Paul's Church of England Primary School

ST PAUL’S C of 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.

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ST PAUL’S C of 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 Paul’s CofE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Elsworthy Road Primrose Hill London Postcode: NW3 3DS

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Rev. Robert Atwell

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 25 June 1996 St Paul’s CofE Primary School - 4

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Team members

Ms R Frith Registered inspector Ms E Cooke Lay inspector Mr J Howard Team inspector

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Team members

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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 St Paul’s CofE Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6-10

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 11-14

The school is a caring community with a strong ethos based on the values of respect, tolerance and co-operation. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education are well developed. Results in national tests for pupils at the end of their last year in school are well above average in English and science and above average in mathematics. Teaching is very good and staff are keen to improve further. Provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those pupils who speak English as an additional language is good and enables them to make similar progress to that of their peers. The pupils have very good attitudes to learning and this makes a positive contribution to the progress that they make. The pupils behave very well and get on well with each other. The teachers and other adults provide very positive role models. Management and leadership of the school are very good. The acting headteacher, staff and governors are strongly committed

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 11-14

to the raising of standards and to continual improvement. Parents support the school well and are pleased with the education it provides.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 14

Facilities and resources for children aged under five. The tracking of pupils’ progress to anticipate fluctuations in standards so that strategies can be adopted and targets set for improvement.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St. Paul’s C. of E. Primary School is a voluntary aided school for girls and boys of all abilities between the ages of 4 to 11 years. There are 204 pupils, 11 of whom are aged under five. The children start school in the September before their fifth birthday and the youngest attend part-time until the end of the first term. On entry to school, pupils demonstrate a wide range of attainment and most have some pre-school experience. Information gained from assessing pupils when they start school indicates that their attainment is average in reading, writing and number when compared with pupils of a similar age nationally. Pupils are drawn from all parts of the local community and over half live in social housing in nearby tower blocks and housing estates. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is above the national average. A few pupils enter school with little or no English and the percentage of

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

pupils who speak English as an additional language is high. The ethnic background of the pupils is mixed and this reflects the local population. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is above the national average and the percentage of pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs is below the national average. Following a long period of stability, there have been changes in staffing over the last two years. At the time of the inspection an acting headteacher and acting deputy headteacher were in post and one class of pupils was being taught by a supply teacher.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St. Paul’s C. of E. Primary is a very effective school. It achieves high standards and provides well for the needs of its socially and ethnically diverse community. The quality of teaching is very good and encourages the pupils to work hard. The leadership and management of the school are also very good and manifest themselves in a strong commitment to raising standards whilst also offering a broad and interesting curriculum. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The school is a caring community with a strong ethos based on the values of respect, tolerance and co-operation. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education are well developed. • Results in national tests for pupils at the end of their last year in school are well above average in English and science and above average in mathematics. • Teaching is very good and staff are keen to improve further. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those pupils who speak English as an additional language is good and enables them to make similar progress to that of their peers. • The pupils have very good attitudes to learning and this makes a positive contribution to the progress that they make. • The pupils behave very well and get on well with each other. The teachers and other adults provide very positive role models. • Management and leadership of the school are very good. The acting headteacher, staff and

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What the school does well

governors are strongly committed to the raising of standards and to continual improvement. • Parents support the school well and are pleased with the education it provides.

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What could be improved

• Facilities and resources for children aged under five. • The tracking of pupils’ progress to anticipate fluctuations in standards so that strategies can be adopted and targets set for improvement. 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 last inspection in June 1996 found St. Paul’s to be a good school. Since then, the school has successfully addressed the issues identified in the inspection report and continues to improve in many areas. Much of the improvement has taken place during the last year. High standards have been maintained with slight variations in mathematics over the last two years, particularly at Key Stage 1. The school has addressed this issue and improvements are being made through the teaching of the National Numeracy Strategy. The school has also successfully introduced the National Literacy Strategy in Key Stage 1 and in Year 6 and plans to extend this throughout the school next year. St Paul’s CofE Primary School - 7 Provision for information and communication technology has improved through the raising of staff expertise, the teaching of a broader curriculum, the purchase of resources and good co-ordination

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

and management of the subject. This, in turn, has brought about improvements in pupils’ standards of attainment. Staff have also improved the planning for art and design and technology to ensure that pupils now receive lessons with activities which develop their skills in a progressive way. The quality of teaching has improved. Teachers know their pupils well and use this knowledge to plan work which meets the variety of needs within the class. The school has addressed the need to improve monitoring of the curriculum and the quality of teaching. The impact of this development, however, has been affected by changes in staffing and curriculum co-ordinators. Staff have used the expertise of local education authority personnel to help them with this aspect and teachers have responded well to this. Governors have become more proactive and have an increased understanding of the workings of the school and a strengthened role in monitoring. The newly created senior management team has

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

played an important part in evaluating and re-writing the School Development Plan. Parents raised a significant sum of money after the last inspection and this was used to improve the playground. The school has the staff and the expertise to build on these successes and continue to improve.

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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

1997 1998 1999 1999 Very high A* English A* A* A A* Well above average above average A B Mathematics A* A* B A average below average C D Science A* A* A A* well below average E

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Key

These results show that in 1999 the performance of pupils in English and science was well above the national average and in mathematics was above the national average. Changes from the previous two years are accounted for by individual performance, which, in a relatively small cohort, can easily affect the overall grading. The school has maintained its standards in mathematics since the last inspection and improved standards in English and science. The school continues to improve in line with national trends from a higher than average base. When compared to schools with pupils of a similar background, the levels indicate very high standards in English and science and well above average standards in mathematics. Evidence from this inspection confirms that pupils in Year 6 are expected to maintain these high standards and are in line to reach the targets which the school has set.

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Key

Results in national tests for pupils at the age of seven were not as high and in mathematics were well below average. These results reflect a particular year group of pupils, a third of whom were identified as having special educational needs. The school has improved the curriculum at Key Stage 1, particularly in mathematics, and now pupils throughout the school, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, continue to make good gains in their learning and achieve as well as they can.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are interested in what they do and keen to talk about their work. They are proud of their achievements and try to do their best. St Paul’s CofE Primary School - 8 Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good throughout the school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils develop in confidence as they progress through the school and become increasingly more responsible. The very good relationships within the school help to create a safe and stimulating learning environment.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory – broadly in line with the national average. Lessons start promptly and no time is wasted.

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Aspect Comment

The pupils’ very good behaviour, relationships and personal development are quickly developed when they enter school and provide a good basis for their learning. This is a result of the high expectations placed upon them by staff. The pupils’ attitudes and values remain strong features of the school and make a positive contribution to the standards which they achieve.

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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 Very good

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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.

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

The quality of teaching is excellent in 12 per cent of lessons, very good in 18 per cent of lessons, good in 47 per cent and satisfactory in 23 per cent. This represents an improvement in teaching since the last inspection. The majority of excellent and very good teaching is found at Key Stage 2, where the work set is particularly challenging and reflects the teachers’ high expectations. Across the school, teachers are confident, have good subject knowledge and show enthusiasm for teaching, which acts as a motivating force for the pupils’ learning. A particular strength is the effective teamwork, which includes both teachers and support staff. All are keen to improve and keep up to date by attending courses and by using the expertise of advisory staff from the local education authority. Staff are keen to take up the ideas of others and use these successfully in their planning. Learning objectives are

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

clear and are shared with the pupils so that they know what they are expected to learn. Teachers manage pupils very well and have high expectations of behaviour. Consequently, no time is wasted and pupils try hard to do their best. When questioned, pupils are keen to answer and put forward their own points of view. The comments made to pupils and the good use of marking raise pupils’ self- esteem and gives them a clear idea about how they can improve. Staff have worked hard to introduce the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies this year and skills are well taught both in identified sessions and across other subjects. The school meets the needs of all by challenging the higher attaining pupils and by giving effective support to those who have special educational needs, so that they too are working as well as they can. Teachers are effective in the way they set work for pupils to do at home which maintains their interest and builds on the work they have done in school.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good overall. The curriculum is well planned and provides a rich educational experience for all pupils. Good cross-curricular links are made and learning in one subject is often consolidated or developed in another. However, the quality and range of the curriculum for the youngest children to learn through play are restricted due to the lack of space and resources. Extra-curricular opportunities are wide-ranging and well supported by pupils at Key Stage 2. St Paul’s CofE Primary School - 9 Provision for pupils with special educational needs Pupils with special educational needs receive good specialist support and progress well towards the targets set in their Individual Education Plans.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for personal development through the promotion of spiritual awareness, knowledge of social and moral responsibilities and the experience of wide-ranging cultural activities is very good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Staff display very good knowledge and understanding of their pupils and make good provision for their welfare, health and safety. Pupils feel that they are liked by their teachers and are well supported. They know who to go to for help and say that problems are dealt with effectively.

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Aspect Comment

The acting headteacher, staff and governors are keen to ensure that pupils experience a rich and varied curriculum as well as successfully meeting the requirements of the National Curriculum and other national initiatives. This is achieved by good planning and the provision of an extensive range of activities that includes clubs, instrumental tuition, music, singing, competitive sports and day and residential visits.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The leadership and management of the school play a key role in the promotion of high standards. The contribution by staff and governors to the new School Development Plan now ensures that all are involved in the process of school improvement. The acting headteacher, senior staff and governors form a strong and effective team.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors fulfil their roles well and, since the last inspection, are more involved in the identification of priorities for improvement. They support and work with staff effectively. All statutory requirements are met.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good in analysing the strengths and weaknesses of the school and deciding what needs to be done next.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school manages and uses its resources well and priorities for development are appropriately financed. Correct tendering procedures are followed and staff and governors seek to obtain the best value for their spending.

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Aspect Comment

Despite changes in staffing and governors since the last inspection, the school has continued to improve and set itself challenging targets. The acting headteacher’s ability to recognise the strengths of her colleagues, develop their abilities and encourage their full involvement in the school is a key factor in the continuation of the high standards identified in the last inspection. Pupils come into the school with average levels of attainment. They are well taught and this results in pupils having very good attitudes to learning, behaviour and relationships and high academic standards by the time they are 11 years old. St Paul’s CofE Primary School - 10

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children enjoy going to school • The behaviour of pupils is good. • Teaching is good. • The school expects children to work hard and to do their best. • The school’s attitudes and values are having a positive effect on children and help them to become mature and responsible. • Improvements in the playground. • A wider range of extra-curricular activities. • More music and art in the curriculum. • The amount of work that the children are given to do at home. Some parents would like their children to receive more homework and others less. • More information on how their children are getting on. • Closer links between home and school.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors endorse the positive views held by parents and the regard they have for the school overall. Teaching in the school is of a high quality and results in pupils behaving well and working hard. The school is effective in transmitting strong positive values and pupils enjoy their learning. Pupils experience a broad and balanced curriculum. The inspection team does not concur with the views of some parents who think that the provision for extra-curricular activities is unsatisfactory, although they recognise that it is primarily focused at children in Key Stage 2. Nor does it agree with some parents’ views that the quality and quantity of homework are inappropriate. Inspectors judge that links between the school and parents are good. Parents are encouraged to contact staff if they have any concerns, either in person or, for example, by telephone or by using electronic mail. Coffee mornings and the

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Governors’ Forum are also effective in maintaining good communication. Parents receive sufficient information about their children’s progress. St Paul’s CofE Primary School - 11

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tolerance and co-operation. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education are

1. There is a very good ethos in the school and the community spirit is a strong feature. These aspects are based upon strong foundations of mutual respect, tolerance and co-operation and are enhanced by the close links between the school and the local church. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on their own feelings and emotions through sessions in the school’s personal, social and health education programme and these, in turn, help pupils to understand how others feel. In a Year 3 class, pupils are encouraged to co-operate through participating in a range of activities during ‘Circle Time’ and at the end of the session clearly state how it has helped them, for example, “ to listen, use our brains and control our tempers”. This lesson is a good example of how the school uses formal teaching sessions to support the school’s aims. Pupils’ spiritual development is further enhanced by the good quality of assemblies, which

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tolerance and co-operation. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education are

contain a true act of collective worship and opportunity for reflection. When pupils sing together they do so with enjoyment and enthusiasm, which results in a strong sense of community spirit. The school looks outwards to other cultures and has links with a school in Uganda. It also encourages pupils to appreciate their own culture through, for example, historical study, links with a local theatre and a range of musical and artistic events.

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tolerance and co-operation. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education are

2. The aims of the school are well met and the drive for high academic standards is effectively combined with other aspects of personal development. The pupils show respect and tolerance for others and become more responsible as they move up the school. Year 6 pupils are self- possessed and articulate. They have a good sense of their place in the world and are aware of the importance of their schooling. They are proud of their school and feel that it is successful and well thought of in the local community.

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Results in national tests for pupils at the end of their last year in school are well above

average in English and science and above average in mathematics.

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Results in national tests for pupils at the end of their last year in school are well above

3. Against all schools nationally, St. Paul’s attained well above average standards in English and science and above average standards in mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 in 1999. The number of pupils who achieved a level higher than that expected for their age was well above the national average in English and science and above in mathematics and is an indication of how pupils are fully challenged to give of their best. When compared with similar schools, pupils attained very high standards in English and science and well above average standards in mathematics. Evidence gained from observing lessons, talking to pupils and looking at their work shows that pupils in the current Year 6 are in line to maintain these high standards.

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Results in national tests for pupils at the end of their last year in school are well above

4. Pupils make good progress as a result of the high expectations of staff, the provision of a broad and challenging curriculum and the pupils’ very good behaviour and attitudes to learning. Teachers mark the pupils’ work well and use the information gained from this to correct any misunderstandings and indicate to pupils how they can improve their work. This has enabled teachers to focus their attention on areas that are likely to make a difference to pupils’ levels of attainment.

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Results in national tests for pupils at the end of their last year in school are well above

5. The school has successfully begun to implement the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use the different sections of the sessions well to maintain pupils’ interest and develop their learning. High standards in speaking and listening are seen throughout the school as pupils gain in confidence and are encouraged to put forward their views on a range of subjects. The high expectations of teachers ensure that pupils are encouraged to work hard to develop, and use, a wide range of vocabulary, as was observed in a Year 6 literacy lesson. The work on display in this class indicates how pupils have carefully chosen appropriate vocabulary for the effect it has on the reader when writing their poetry. The recent introduction of the numeracy lessons is stimulating pupils’ interest, particularly in mental calculations, and pupils are quickly gaining in confidence and

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Results in national tests for pupils at the end of their last year in school are well above

St Paul’s CofE Primary School - 12 competence. As well as recognising the need to provide pupils with a good grounding in literacy and numeracy, the school is keen to ensure that pupils experience a broad and rich curriculum, which stimulates their interests and encourages a desire for learning.

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Results in national tests for pupils at the end of their last year in school are well above

Teaching is very good and staff are keen to improve further.

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Results in national tests for pupils at the end of their last year in school are well above

6. Teachers are conscientious, hard working and keen to improve their practice. They have good subject knowledge and expertise and make the most of opportunities to further develop their skills through sharing experiences in school and attending courses. Recently, teachers have had increased opportunity to work with support staff from outside school and they have responded well to this. Good quality in-service training for literacy and numeracy has ensured that there is a consistency of approach and teachers feel confident with these new developments. The observation of teaching by colleagues and the professional discussions which follow ensure that good practice is recognised and valued and teachers are clear about how they can improve further. Support staff are also fully involved and feel part of the school team. Their work contributes positively to the pupils’ learning.

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Results in national tests for pupils at the end of their last year in school are well above

7. Staff say that the school is ‘..... a good place to work in’. They feel valued and fully involved in the school’s development. Teachers new to the school feel well supported and quickly become part of the team. This helps them to develop their confidence and good self-esteem. Communication within the school is very good and teachers feel able to ask for support and also put forward their own views. These factors result in a staff who are keen to do the best they can for the pupils and their colleagues. All teachers have some involvement in working with pupils out of formal school hours. This reflects a strong commitment to education in its broadest sense. The teachers’ enthusiasm acts as a motivating force for learning and pupils respond well. Pupils show respect for their teachers and state that they “are fair and work hard”. They believe that the teachers “like them” but “…. do not have favourites”. This creates a safe

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Results in national tests for pupils at the end of their last year in school are well above

and stimulating learning environment where pupils are keen to learn and are not afraid to ask for help when needed.

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English as an additional language is good and enables them to make similar progress to

8. The school has good systems in place to identify the individual needs of pupils and caters for the wide range of pupils in school. Teachers and support staff know their pupils well and are quick to identify pupils who are experiencing difficulty with their learning. An effective screening programme is in place which identifies those pupils in Years 1 and 2 who would benefit from additional support. The co-ordinator for special educational needs and support for pupils who speak English as an additional language works well with members of staff to ensure that the work set is appropriate. The additional support provided ensures that pupils make good progress towards the targets identified in their Individual Education Plans. Formal systems are in place which record pupils’ attainment and progress and these are used to challenge them in their learning. Pupils say that staff are approachable and understand them. They think “.... they

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English as an additional language is good and enables them to make similar progress to

(teachers) help you with your problems and also with your work”. Specific sessions take place to deal with problems which may arise, for example, low self-esteem, and these are effective in improving pupils’ feelings and attitudes to work and consequently the progress which they make.

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The pupils have very good attitudes to learning and this makes a positive contribution to

9. Pupils are well motivated and respond very well to the teachers and the activities provided. They are eager to improve their work and have pride in their achievements. Pupils listen well to each other, and to the teachers, and show by their answers and comments that they understand. Pupils in Year 6 indicate that they have a clear understanding of the importance of their own learning and most are very clear about how they can improve. This is supported by the way teachers explain the next steps to be taken in learning and through the marking of pupils’ work. In particular, the marking of homework topics is very good and pupils are clear about how they can do better next time. Lesson objectives are shared with pupils at the St Paul’s CofE Primary School - 13 beginning of lessons so pupils are clear about what they should learn. Pupils develop independence, for example, when they work on the computers. They show respect for the

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The pupils have very good attitudes to learning and this makes a positive contribution to

resources and understand the role of information and communication technology, both across the curriculum and in every-day life. They solve problems and present information in a variety of ways. Throughout the school, pupils work well on their own and have the confidence to ask for help when they need it. The pupils’ good attitude to learning is a key feature in ensuring that they do as well as they can and consequently make good progress.

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The pupils behave very well and get on well with each other. The teachers and other

adults provide very positive role models.

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The pupils behave very well and get on well with each other. The teachers and other

10. The school’s expectations regarding good behaviour and courtesy towards others are clearly outlined by staff and demonstrated by their daily interactions with pupils. Teachers display by their responses that they like the children in their care and give of their own time freely. Communication between staff and pupils is positive, friendly and supportive. This results in pupils who feel valued and, in turn, value others and their property. Children in the reception class are quickly introduced to the school’s expectations and the manner in which the teacher relates to them and listens to what they say is positive and affirming. Formal systems of rewards are in place and these encourage pupils to give of their best. In classrooms, around the school and in the playground, the behaviour of pupils is very good. Pupils play harmoniously and, when eating lunch, the behaviour and conversation contribute towards this

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The pupils behave very well and get on well with each other. The teachers and other

being a happy and social occasion. The improvements in the playground, which include a ‘quiet area’, have been identified by staff and parents as an important factor in improving pupils’ behaviour. Pupils can be trusted to work in pairs and small groups without close supervision, for example, when using the computers. Pupils state that they have confidence in the teachers to deal with any inappropriate behaviour, should it arise, but it is rare. Pupils generally work very well together, as in Year 4 and 5 mathematics lessons when pupils support each other and compare their answers in response to the high levels of challenge set by the teachers.

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and governors are strongly committed to the raising of standards and to continual

11. The acting headteacher has a clear vision of the school and central to this is the provision of high quality teaching to ensure good standards. She is also keen to ensure that pupils are well- rounded individuals, who are able to relate positively to each other and to a range of aesthetic and spiritual experiences. She is supported well in these views by staff and governors. The acting headteacher is very effective in recognising people’s strengths and helping colleagues to become fully involved in school improvements. During the last year she has developed a senior management team which has raised the knowledge and expertise of senior teachers and resulted in a collaborative style of decision-making. Staff and governors now have a clearer understanding of current initiatives and a more developed role in monitoring teaching and the curriculum.

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and governors are strongly committed to the raising of standards and to continual

12. Governors contribute well to the effectiveness of the school. They have a good level of knowledge and a good range of expertise, which help them to be fully involved in discussions and developments. They have trust in the acting headteacher and staff, make regular visits to the school and have become more proactive over the last year. This results in a school which is open to current initiatives and ideas and is using the expertise of people from the local education authority and the diocese to support development. They have become involved in reviewing the School Development Plan and identifying areas for improvement.

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and governors are strongly committed to the raising of standards and to continual

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

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and governors are strongly committed to the raising of standards and to continual

13. Parents, through responses in the questionnaires and comments at the parents’ meeting, expressed a high level of satisfaction. Their perception is that St. Paul’s is a good school. Teachers know their pupils well and support them in order to achieve good results. Parents like the values of the school and the attitudes of staff. They think that staff have a caring manner which acts as a good model for children who, in turn, think about others less fortunate than themselves, for example, by raising money for charity. The Friends of St. Paul’s Association St Paul’s CofE Primary School - 14 raises substantial funds to support projects and staff and parents work well together on annual events in the summer and at Christmas. Parents also support teachers well by accompanying pupils and staff on school visits. Parents are interested in the school and support their children well at home. They are keen to develop even further their relationships with staff and receive a

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and governors are strongly committed to the raising of standards and to continual

clearer view of their children’s progress and attainment.

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Facilities and resources for children aged under five

14. Children enter school in the September before they are five and the youngest attend part-time until Christmas. This means that some children are a little over four years old when they start in the reception class. Whilst the teaching they receive is good and effective in developing their personal, social and learning skills, the physical facilities and lack of resources make it difficult for the teacher to plan a rich, full curriculum, particularly for outdoor play. Adults work hard to provide facilities, such as those relating to imaginative play, but have to move furniture and re- arrange the classroom. This is time-consuming and inappropriate. The children’s physical development is enhanced through physical education lessons and play in the school playground but they do not have an area in which to develop their skills of travelling under, over and through balancing and climbing equipment on a day-to-day basis. Nor do they have

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Facilities and resources for children aged under five

sufficient resources, such as ride-on toys.

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The tracking of pupils’ progress to anticipate fluctuations in standards so that strategies

can be adopted and targets set for improvement.

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The tracking of pupils’ progress to anticipate fluctuations in standards so that strategies

15. During the last year, the acting headteacher, together with governors, identified the need to review the School Development Plan to allow for more effective monitoring and evaluation. Staff identify areas of school achievement and areas for improvement through analysis of, for example, the results of national Standard Assessment Tests but do not have a whole-school system for identifying and recording the progress which pupils make. Although teachers know their pupils well and use this knowledge to set appropriate work, it is difficult to track pupils’ progress within and across the key stages and set targets for improvement. The good quality of teaching partly compensates for this but the lack of a formal system means that some teachers were unaware of fluctuations in performance of groups of pupils. The process by which the school sets its overall targets is time-consuming, as the information is not recorded in a

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

16. To maintain the high standards in the school and further build on its successes, the acting headteacher, staff and governors should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the facilities and resources for children under five in order to provide a broader range of play activities, particularly outdoors. (Paragraph 14)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the system for tracking pupils’ progress in order to anticipate fluctuations in standards and use the information gained to set targets for improvement. (Paragraph 15) St Paul’s CofE Primary School - 15

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 16

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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

12 18 47 23 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) N/a 204

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals N/a 52 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 N/a 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/a 50

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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 49

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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 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 0

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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. St Paul’s CofE Primary School - 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 11 19 30

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 10 10 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 17 16 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 90 (93) 87 (100) 87 (93) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 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 10 10 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 17 17 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 90 (93) 90 (100) 87 (93) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 14 15 29

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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 11 11 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 15 13 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 90 (93) 83 (90) 100 (93) 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 11 11 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 15 14 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 90 (83) 86 (90) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Paul’s CofE Primary School - 17

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 3 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 18 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 18 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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) 8.4 Financial year 1998/9

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y R – Y 6 Total expenditure 436,262

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 2,088

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 92 Balance brought forward from previous year 31,684

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 34,849 FTE means full-time equivalent. St Paul’s CofE Primary School - 18

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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. 54 40 3 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 50 41 4 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 43 37 15 3 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 29 40 19 12 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 55 32 11 2 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 59 36 3 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 36 37 13 8 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 41 47 7 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 47 47 1 1 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 26 44 15 5 10

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Other issues raised by parents

• Some parents at the meeting stated that they would like to see more music and art in the curriculum. • A minority of parents stated that they were disappointed that a trip to the Royal Albert Hall had been cancelled. • They were very pleased with the ethos of the school and how pupils were encouraged to care for each other. • It was thought that the improvements in the playground had resulted in better behaviour. • Many thought that the coffee mornings for parents were a good idea.

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Other issues raised by parents

Note: A concern about bullying was raised with the school. This concern was fully investigated by the Governing Body. No incidents of bullying were observed by inspectors.

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