Cheswick Green Primary School

CHESWICK GREEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th – 12 th May 2000

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CHESWICK GREEN 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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CHESWICK GREEN 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. Cheswick Green Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Cheswick Way Cheswick Green Solihull

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Cllr S Proudfoot

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1996 Cheswick Green Primary School - 2

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

David Penney Registered inspector Equal opportunities English as an additional language English Geography History How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? Philip Andrew Lay inspector How well does the school care for pupils (pastoral) How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Sheila Boyle Team inspector Special educational needs Mathematics Religious Education How high are standards?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Vin Leary Team inspector Under fives Art Physical education How good are curricular and other opportunities? Andrew Hicks Team inspector Science Information technology Design and technology Music How well does the school care for pupils (academic) Staffing, accommodation and resources

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Cheswick Green Primary School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 8

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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 5 - 11

The school’s results and achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is a community primary school with 244 boys and girls on roll in the main school, aged from 4 to 11 years. In addition, there are 35 children in the nursery unit who each attend part-time. The pupils come from a predominantly white background, although about 5.5 per cent are from other backgrounds. Six pupils (2.4 per cent) speak English as an additional language, which is about average. The percentage of pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs is about average, but the percentage with statements of special educational need is below the national average. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is well below the national average. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school varies from year to year but, over time, is broadly average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school is an effective school that provides satisfactory value for money. Pupils attain satisfactory standards at the end of both key stages, although, at the end of Key Stage 1, there are few higher attaining pupils compared with national expectations. Generally speaking, pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the school, although this is not always the case for higher attaining pupils in literacy and numeracy lessons. This has to do with the limited range of strategies used by teachers. The quality of teaching is good in the early years and in Key Stage 1 and is sound, overall, in Key Stage 2. The leadership and management of the school overall is satisfactory. The governors make a good contribution to the working of the school.

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What the school does well

 The attendance rate is very good and unauthorised absence is rare.  The governing body has a good grasp of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Its very good financial procedures and systems ensure that expenditure is well matched to the priorities in the development plan.  The teamwork among members of staff is good. There is a good, shared sense of commitment to the pupils and to improving the school’s provision.  Teaching of the children aged under five and in Key Stage 1 is good.  There is a good partnership between the school and parents. Parents support the school well.  Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are good.

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What could be improved

 The full National Curriculum programme of study for information technology is not being taught nor are the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus for religious education.  The range of teaching strategies used is insufficient to ensure that all pupils are challenged effectively to learn as well as they are able.  Teachers are not using the school’s new systems for assessing pupils’ attainment and recording their progress effectively enough to devise work that is suitably matched to the needs of all pupils.  The headteacher and senior members of staff do not monitor and evaluate the work of the school rigorously or frequently enough. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was previously inspected in June 1996. Since then it has improved at a sound rate. The attendance rate has risen and governors have become well involved in the daily and strategic life of the school. Schemes of work are now in place for all subjects, based soundly on the relevant national documents. This has had a beneficial effect on the planning of work for pupils and ensures that they develop the required skills, knowledge and understanding in logical sequence. Liaison across the Cheswick Green Primary School - 5 school has developed and this is particularly evident in the way that teachers in parallel classes routinely plan their work collaboratively. Assessment procedures are now sound, overall, with good further developments evident in English. They are beginning to be used effectively to support teachers’ planning, but this is not yet consistent enough. Standards in information technology and

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

religious education are lower than at the time of the last inspection. Issues about the progress made by higher attaining pupils and about the monitoring and evaluation of the work of the school, highlighted in the last report, remain to be addressed effectively.

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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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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools

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Key

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

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Key

This table indicates that last year, while the school’s results were well above the national average in English and mathematics and were above average in science, they were close to the average for similar schools in English and science and were above them in mathematics. Over time, results in science have improved and, in English and mathematics, the school has maintained standards that are at least above the national average.

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Key

At the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999, pupils’ standards matched national averages in reading and writing, but were well below average in mathematics.

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Key

The evidence of this inspection shows that pupils’ standards in English, mathematics and science are in line with those expected at the end of both key stages, as they are in geography, history and music. In art and physical education, pupils attain standards at the end of Key Stage 1 that are above those expected nationally and, at the end of Key Stage 2, are in line with those expected. Pupils’ standards in design and technology are in line with those expected at the end of Key Stage 1; there was too little evidence to form a judgement about standards at the end of Key Stage 2. Standards in information technology and religious education are below those expected at the end of both key stages. Generally, pupils achieve satisfactory standards in relation to their prior attainment, but there are concerns in some lessons in Key Stage 2, particularly literacy and numeracy, that higher attaining pupils are under-achieving. The school’s targets are challenging and attainable.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils respond well in class and join in willingly. They like coming to school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good in class and around the school. Pupils are polite and welcoming to visitors.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Relationships are good throughout the school between pupils and staff and between the pupils themselves. Their personal development is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good and well above national averages.

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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 Satisfactory 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 was satisfactory or better in 95 per cent of lessons. In 43 per cent of lessons, teaching was of good quality or better, of which 14 per cent were very well taught. In the early years just over half of lessons were taught well; of these, 11 per cent were very well taught. In Key Stage 1 just over half the lessons were at least well taught; 30 per cent were very well taught. In Key Stage 2, 32 per cent of lessons were at least well taught with teaching being very good in three per cent of them.

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

The teaching of English and mathematics is satisfactory, overall, although in both literacy and numeracy lessons some teachers make insufficient provision for higher attaining pupils because they use too narrow a range of strategies. Generally, however, the skills of literacy and numeracy are soundly taught and pupils learn effectively. No teaching of design and technology was seen in Key Stage 2, but in Key Stage 1 the teaching is of good quality, as it is throughout the school in art, geography and history and in physical education in Key Stage 1 because teachers make better provision for all pupils to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding. Teaching is of satisfactory quality in science, information technology, music and religious education throughout the school and in physical education in Key Stage 2. The school generally meets the needs of pupils satisfactorily, other than the points detailed above.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Unsatisfactory in that it does not meet statutory requirements as aspects of information technology and religious education are not being taught. However, the curriculum is broad and satisfactorily balanced between subjects and the provision for extra-curricular activities is good. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good – meets the requirements of the Code of Practice and pupils make sound progress in relation to their prior attainment. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Satisfactory because these pupils are proficient in English and so they are treated in the same manner as their peers.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Satisfactory, overall. Provision for moral and social education is good and for spiritual and cultural education is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Academic assessment and monitoring procedures are sound, overall. They are good for pupils with special educational needs. The school cares well for the pupils; most monitoring procedures are informal but effective, although the procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are very good.

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Aspect Comment

The partnership between the school and the parents is good and parents think that the school does a good job.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory, overall. The headteacher gives a sound educational direction for the school and sets a good example of care for the staff and the pupils. He is supported well by the deputy headteacher and senior management. Subject managers provide sound leadership generally. There is a good commitment to succeed and the school is now well placed to do so.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Governors play a full and active part in the daily and strategic life of the school and understand its strengths and weaknesses well. Principles of best value are applied well. There are some minor omissions from the annual report to parents.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Unsatisfactory. Monitoring and evaluation procedures are not rigorous or frequent enough. However, some evaluations of the results of national tests have led to effective measures to improve standards.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school development plan addresses appropriate targets and its financial implications have been well planned for.

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Aspect Comment

The staffing, accommodation and learning resources support the curriculum satisfactorily. Cheswick Green Primary School - 8

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

 Pupils behave well.  Their children like coming to school and make good progress.  The school helps children to mature and has high expectations of them.  They can discuss any problems easily with all members of staff.  The teaching is good.  Homework provision needs to become more consistent and more balanced.  There should be a wider range of activities outside lessons.  They do not like the mixed-age classes in Key Stage 2.  Higher attaining pupils should be given more challenging work.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team judges that the provision for extra-curricular activities is good. Some problems do exist in some of the classes in Key Stage 2 because of the narrow range of teaching strategies used in, for example, literacy and mathematics lessons and these have a detrimental impact on the progress made by higher attaining pupils. In all other aspects, the team broadly agrees with the views expressed above. Cheswick Green Primary School - 9

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Baseline assessment for the pupils in the current reception class shows that, on entry to statutory education, attainment broadly matches that expected of pupils of their age, although a significant number have above average attainment. The progress made by children aged under five is good.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. The National Curriculum test results in 1999, based on the average points score, showed that attainment in reading and writing at the end of Key Stage 1 was close to the national average. Attainment in mathematics was well below average with no pupils achieving the higher level. In comparison with similar schools, their performance was well below average in the reading test, below average in writing and very low in mathematics. These results reflect to some extent a significant level of mobility amongst pupils within that key stage and attainment on entry for that cohort that was well below average, overall. The trend over time at the end of Key Stage 1 shows fluctuating standards over a four-year period.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 in the 1999 national tests was well above the national average in English and mathematics and above it in science. They were above the average for similar school in mathematics and matched them in English and science. Teacher assessments were similar to the test results in English and mathematics, but showed that fewer pupils than expected achieved either the expected level or the higher level in science. Over the last three years the trends in pupils’ results at the end of Key Stage 2 have closely followed the national pattern in all three subjects.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. The school set realistic and challenging targets for the end of Key Stage 2 in English and mathematics in 1999. They failed to achieve them in English and exceeded them in mathematics. Similarly challenging but attainable targets have been set for this year in both subjects.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. Inspection evidence indicates that standards by the end of Key Stage 1 are rising, especially in respect of the proportion of pupils obtaining the expected levels in writing and number, shape and space. The levels of attainment in reading and writing are very slightly higher than those in the tests last year and, in mathematics, there has been significant improvement; in all these areas, pupils’ attainment at the end of the key stage now matches national averages. Pupils’ progress throughout Key Stage 1 is sound, overall. However, there are still too few pupils reaching the higher levels in English and mathematics. Pupils’ standards and rate of progress match national expectations in science, geography, history and music and exceed them in art and physical education. They are below those expected in information technology and religious education. While there is insufficient evidence to make a judgement about pupils’ progress in

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The school’s results and achievements

design and technology in this key stage, the standards they achieve are in line with those expected by the end of the key stage.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science is in line with national expectations and they make satisfactory progress over time. However, in some lessons, the lack of match of work to the ability of pupils limits their progress. For example, in mathematics a number of higher attaining pupils do not demonstrate progress to the levels expected of them, largely as a result of lack of challenge through work designed specifically to stretch them. The rate of all pupils’ progress is unsatisfactory in religious education and in information technology and their standards are below expected levels by the end of the key stage as a result of weaknesses in provision and planning. In all other subjects of the National Curriculum, pupils’ standards and their rates of progress are close to those expected. There is Cheswick Green Primary School - 10 insufficient evidence to make a judgement about standards or progress in design and technology

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The school’s results and achievements

7. At the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils show an understanding of books they read or which are read to them. Standards of speaking are often good and pupils’ listening skills are satisfactory; these are aided by pupils’ well-developed social skills, which ensure that opportunities to communicate in different ways are a pleasant experience as well as being effective. Pupils write stories in logical sequence and spell most common words correctly. Nearly all pupils write neatly, although too many still do so without joining up their letters sufficiently. Pupils’ punctuation of sentences is insecure. In reading, pupils read suitable texts accurately and with appropriate levels of understanding. In number, by the end of Year 2, most pupils add and subtract sets of two digit numbers with the aid of a number grid and, in science, they are beginning to develop investigative skills through close observation, recording and classification

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The school’s results and achievements

of living and non-living things. In information technology, lack of opportunity limits their progress to develop keyboard skills in a word processing context. Their knowledge in religious education is limited.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils generally listen adequately, read fluently and expressively and have, overall, satisfactory standards of punctuation and spelling. However, some pupils still are not spelling common words securely and too many pupils mix the cases of letters indiscriminately. They are beginning to use paragraphs correctly in longer pieces of writing. In mathematics, the majority of pupils convert simple fractions to percentages and decimals but their application of these skills to problem-solving activities is less secure. In their science work, pupils have a wide-ranging, secure knowledge base across the subject.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. Since the last inspection, the school has maintained the satisfactory standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science at both key stages and in nearly all of the foundation subjects. However, standards in religious education and in information technology are now lower than at the time of the last inspection. In addition, some pupils in the mixed year classes in Key Stage 2 are not adequately challenged by the work they are set; this remains an issue for the school.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. The overall progress made by pupils with special educational needs in relation to their prior attainment is sound. They are making satisfactory progress toward the targets identified in their individual education plans. Their progress is good in art and physical education at Key Stage 1 when they are aided by suitable tasks. Parents and governors who help in the school make a valuable contribution to the progress that these pupils make. Pupils with English as an additional language are proficient in its use and make progress at the same rate as their peers. Those pupils with special educational needs who attend the school part-time make good progress in developing social and inter-personal skills because of the good provision made for them.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. The National Literacy Strategy has been implemented satisfactorily and is making a sound contribution to the progress pupils make. Listening is well supported through lessons such as history and geography where sources of evidence are studied and the written word is used for a range of purposes. On occasions, the higher attaining pupils do not make as much progress in their learning as they could and should because of weaknesses in teaching.

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The school’s results and achievements

12. The National Numeracy Strategy has been adopted appropriately, but there are some aspects that are not used effectively in many classes. For example, when the teacher organises pupils into groups, time is not always used effectively to focus on a group for specific teaching. Opportunities to challenge the more able pupils are often missed. Cheswick Green Primary School - 11

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. From the time that they enter school as under-fives, children’s attitudes to learning, their behaviour and their personal development are good. They settle quickly and listen carefully. They concentrate hard on the tasks set and work with determination to finish their work. They co-operate well with their peers and with staff and behave sensibly. They respond well to the opportunities for working independently and continue to share equipment and materials productively.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. The good patterns established in the reception class continue throughout the school, although pupils are given too few opportunities to work independently of adult supervision. The vast majority of pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They show enthusiasm to get on with the tasks in hand. They ask and answer questions with confidence, are well motivated and take an interest in their work.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Behaviour is good throughout the school, both in and out of the classroom. Pupils are polite and friendly and show respect for the school and other people's property. They relate well to adults in the school and to each other. There have been no exclusions in recent years and parents are generally happy with the standards of behaviour in the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. Pupils respond well when given responsibility, such as when Year 6 pupils help younger ones at lunchtime. Lunchtime is a civilised, social occasion that makes a significant contribution to pupils’ personal and social development. The ethos of the school is that good behaviour is the expected norm; pupils respond well to this.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Attendance rates are very good and currently are at 98 per cent. There was no unauthorised absence, which is well below the national figures . These figures have improved significantly since the last inspection and since the last reporting year. The current incidence of late arrival is relatively high.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. In 95 per cent of lessons, the quality of teaching was at least satisfactory. Teaching was good or better in 43 per cent of lessons, of which 14 per cent were very good. In the early years, just over half of lessons were good or better, of which 11 per cent were very good. In Key Stage 1, just over half the lessons were at least good and 30 per cent were very well taught. In Key Stage 2, 32 per cent of lessons were at least good, with three per cent being very good. In a number of lessons judged satisfactory, overall, teachers’ strengths and weaknesses were finely balanced. The overall quality is similar to that at the time of the inspection in June 1996, although there is now a slightly greater proportion of very good teaching.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. The teaching of English and mathematics is satisfactory, overall, although in both literacy and numeracy lessons some teachers make insufficient provision for higher attaining pupils because they use too narrow a range of strategies. Generally, however, the skills of literacy and numeracy are taught soundly and pupils learn effectively. Insufficient teaching of design and technology was seen in Key Stage 2 to be able to make a judgement about its quality, overall, but, in Key Stage 1, the teaching is of good quality, as it is in art, geography and physical education in this key stage, because skills, knowledge and understanding are taught effectively. For the same reasons, teaching is good in art and history in Key Stage 2. Teaching is of satisfactory quality in science, information technology, music and religious education throughout the school, in history in Key Stage 1 and geography and physical education in Key

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Stage 2. As a result of this quality of teaching, pupils learn at a satisfactory rate, overall, in both key stages. Cheswick Green Primary School - 12 20. Most pupils achieve results that are satisfactory when their prior attainment is taken into account. In most classes, teachers use the individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs satisfactorily when planning their lessons. Support staff work closely with the co-ordinator and class teacher in planning. They and the teacher of pupils with special educational needs make a valuable contribution to individuals’ learning, particularly in literacy and numeracy in Years 3 and 4. Teachers’ lesson plans generally identify the tasks needed for the lower attaining pupils and these are generally suitably matched to their needs. As a result, these pupils make satisfactory gains in learning in relation to their prior attainment. However,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

there are some classes and lessons where tasks do not always meet pupils’ needs, particularly those of the higher attaining pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Throughout the school, teachers plan their work well. The system of teachers planning their work together as ‘phase teams’ works well and ensures that all pupils in parallel classes enjoy a broad measure of parity in the work they are given. Teachers have good knowledge of their subjects generally, which enables them to plan for gains in pupils’ knowledge and, in most subjects and classes, skills in a logical sequence; this is particularly the case in Key Stage 1. Teachers work well together and are always willing to help each other with ideas and resources. They manage the pupils well for the most part and this helps to engender the good attitudes and behaviour that are nearly always evident and that result in a generally satisfactory rate of learning. Some teachers use homework regularly and effectively in many subjects to support pupils’ development, but this is not consistent or balanced across the school as a whole.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. In those lessons where teaching is most effective, teachers ensure that the needs of all pupils are met by activities that interest them and provide good opportunities, often through skilful questioning, for all pupils to contribute fully, either orally or in other forms, according to their prior attainment. Good examples of this are a drama lesson in Year 1 and a mathematics lesson with Year 5 pupils. These lessons are conducted at a good pace that retains pupils’ interest. Often, teachers share the purpose of the lesson with the pupils at the beginning, which motivates them, for example in a Year 1 literacy lesson to do with “The Hungry Giant”. They use time well at the end of the lesson to assess with the pupils the extent to which they have learned what was intended, for example, in a Year 1 art lesson that explored the many types of lines to be found in the environment. These lessons are purposeful and result in all pupils

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

learning well and making good progress in relation to their prior attainment.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. In the minority of lessons where the teaching is less effective, for example in some mixed-age classes in Key Stage 2, particularly in literacy and mathematics, teachers fail to ensure that pupils of differing abilities learn at an adequate rate. This is often because teachers monopolise the proceedings and talk for too long, which results in a slow pace and pupils losing concentration and does not provide them with enough time to learn at their own individual rate. In these lessons, teachers do not use questioning skilfully enough to ensure that all pupils are involved or that the understanding of those pupils who are participating is effectively probed. In addition, in too many lessons, tasks are not well enough matched to the needs of all pupils and extension activities for the higher attaining pupils consist of extra work to be done if the work given to the class as a whole has been finished. This is not challenging these pupils

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

effectively to work at levels and rates that extend their learning adequately, with the result that they too often do not achieve the levels that they should and are not learning to the extent they could. In some classes and subjects, for example in geography and history in lower Key Stage 2, teachers use too many worksheets that require a specified answer; these do not allow pupils to explore their understanding of the subjects sufficiently or to extend their writing or reasoning skills adequately and so pupils do not learn as well as they should and could. Cheswick Green Primary School - 13

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PUPILS?

24. The quality and range of learning opportunities offered to the pupils includes all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education, as well as health, sex and drugs awareness education. Whilst increasing the emphasis on English, mathematics and information technology in response to national priorities, the school has maintained broad provision in all other subjects. Realistic adjustments have been made to ensure adequate time for all subjects. However, provision is unsatisfactory, overall, because the curriculum does not meet statutory requirements. This is because part of the programme of study for information technology is not being taught and, in addition, the full requirements of the local agreed syllabus for religious education are not being met.

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PUPILS?

25. The curriculum for children under five is satisfactory. It is based on the nationally required areas of learning for children of this age and is well planned to provide a broad and balanced programme that covers the six areas of learning. It provides a good foundation for learning. Children transfer smoothly from the Early Years curriculum to the programmes of study of the National Curriculum by the age of five. This is an improvement since the last inspection when planning for some of the under-fives was not always appropriate.

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PUPILS?

26. At the time of the last inspection, the curriculum in Key Stages 1 and 2 was broadly satisfactory with some weaknesses in curriculum planning. There was a lack of policies in most subjects. Schemes of work were in place for English, mathematics and science, but, for other subjects, they were at an early stage of development and planning strategies were poor. Most of these weaknesses have been addressed satisfactorily. The National Literacy Strategy is being implemented successfully. Teachers’ planning is now based consistently and securely on this strategy. However, some aspects of the National Numeracy Strategy are not implemented effectively in all classes as group activities are not always organised effectively. In religious education, work is based on the local agreed syllabus, but the school has not yet adopted it in sufficient depth to cover the programmes of study with adequate attention to continuity of

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PUPILS?

experience and progression in pupils’ learning. This adversely affects pupils’ learning in this subject. The school has policies for all subjects, some of which are good. It has adopted the Qualification and Curriculum Authority’s schemes of work for science, information technology and design and technology and has discussed and agreed the sections of these to be taught each year. The school has developed its own sound schemes of work for art, history, geography, music and physical education.

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PUPILS?

27. Provision for special educational needs is good throughout the school. The school complies fully with the requirements of the Code of Practice. Pupils’ individual education plans set clear targets, support teaching and enable pupils’ progress to be monitored. They are well implemented by learning support staff, class teachers and parent helpers. Support from external services is sound and members of staff make every effort to meet pupils’ individual needs. Parents are fully involved at the earliest opportunity. Because pupils with English as an additional language are proficient in the subject, there is no discrete provision for them. Their needs are met soundly.

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PUPILS?

28. The school is not providing equality of opportunity for all its pupils because there is unsatisfactory provision for higher attaining pupils in some lessons and some subjects, for example literacy and mathematics. However, good provision is made for those pupils with special educational needs who attend the school part-time, with the result that they make good progress in developing social and inter-personal skills. Although medium and short term planning is generally good in all subjects, with clear objectives, teachers do not always identify what is to be assessed or when or how; nor is there always guidance as to how pupils’ progress is to be recorded. This results in insufficiently challenging activities for higher attainers. Generally, however, literacy and numeracy skills are taught effectively. Cheswick Green Primary School - 14 29. Provision for extra-curricular activities is good; this is a judgement that contradicts the opinions

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PUPILS?

of a small minority of parents. Boys and girls play football, netball, and cricket and there are clubs for gymnastics, drama, mathematics and chess. The school provides a good range of visits and visitors to extend and enrich the curriculum. Useful visits are made to local nature reserves, for example, Birmingham Botanical Gardens and a butterfly farm. Pupils also explore the local environment to help with science investigations and to carry out geography surveys. Pupils are involved with many visitors into the school, including the school nurse and professional sports- people. Pupils in Year 6 participated in a week of outdoor pursuits in Scotland and Year 4 pupils visited Sherwood Forest to take part in a three-day art and orienteering residential visit that included art, history, environmental studies and physical activities, including orienteering.

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PUPILS?

30. Recently, the school has refined and improved its homework practice. Parents are now receiving information on what their child is currently studying in class. However, amounts of homework vary from class to class and the inconsistencies mean that pupils do not benefit equally from homework. This confirms the opinion of a significant minority of parents. Satisfactory links are made with the main receiving high school. Year 6 make visits there and appropriate records are passed on.

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PUPILS?

31. Provision for personal, social, and health education is good and there is a detailed policy.

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PUPILS?

32. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory. Assemblies meet statutory requirements. The act of collective worship allows pupils to reflect and pray in their own manner, following a biblical, religious or moral theme. For example, throughout the week of inspection, the theme was about good news. Pupils were given the opportunity to reflect on positive aspects of their behaviour and its effects on their family and on other pupils. The atmosphere created and hymns chosen allowed the pupils to sing with feeling and sincerity. However, in lessons, opportunities for pupils’ spiritual development are not planned specifically.

p.16

PUPILS?

33. Provision for pupils’ moral development is good. The school rules are displayed in every classroom and some classes also have their own rules. The pupils are clearly taught right from wrong and show good levels of self–discipline in their conduct. They modify their behaviour readily when spoken to by an adult. Members of staff provide good role models and show respect and concern for the individual needs of all pupils. In assemblies, pupils are provided with opportunities to learn about and reflect upon positive personal qualities such as acts of kindness. ‘Circle time’ and the School Council make significant contributions to the sustaining of good behaviour.

p.16

PUPILS?

34. Provision for pupils’ social development is good. The School Council gives pupils the opportunity to take responsibility and to express their opinions about the life of the school, although some members of staff who attend tend to dominate the proceedings too much. Pupils express pride in membership and talk with confidence about their ideas. The use of ‘circle time’ provides structured opportunities for pupils to practise their social skills; in other lessons, there are opportunities for pupils to share their experiences and express opinions, for instance their views on hunting and shooting birds. The good relationships between pupils and teachers enhance pupils’ social development. There is involvement in charity work, such as collecting for cancer sufferers and donating to the local community following the annual harvest festival.

p.16

PUPILS?

35. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. The pupils are provided with a curriculum at both key stages that promotes an understanding of their own country and gives the opportunity to discover and understand other cultures. Assemblies and music lessons incorporate a variety of songs, hymns and the playing of instruments from different cultures. In religious education, they learn about different faiths. In dance, the pupils participate in national folk dancing and African dancing. In art, they study the work of famous artists. Displays, for Cheswick Green Primary School - 15 example the Afro-Caribbean exhibits in the school foyer, help to develop pupils’ learning about aspects of different cultures. Visiting musicians make a significant contribution to pupils’ understanding of cultures. For example, the visit by the ‘Kokuma’ performing arts company provided a stimulating experience for all the pupils in Afro-Caribbean culture.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. The school has satisfactory procedures for assessing pupils' attainment and recording progress, except in religious education where no assessment system is in place. Overall, this is an improvement since the last inspection.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. Very good induction procedures ensure that children settle into the routines of the nursery as soon as possible. The staff put great emphasis on developing the children’s self–esteem and social awareness. Assessment procedures for all children aged under five are satisfactory; day– to–day assessment is used well to plan what children should do next.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, new assessment and recording systems have been introduced, derived from national developments in curriculum planning. In English, a very detailed system based on reading and writing has been devised. It is currently under test and an evaluation of its effectiveness is to be carried out later in the year. Early indications are that it provides a thorough analysis of pupils' strengths and weaknesses. In other subjects, assessment is based on the key learning objectives from programmes of study in each subject. At the end of each module of work, teachers assess pupils on a three-tier system, of “struggled to meet the objectives”, “managed to meet the objectives” or “zoomed past the objectives”. Because this is a consistent and manageable system, it is effective in providing teachers with reliable information from which progress throughout the year can be assessed. At the end of each year,

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

teachers complete a record sheet for each pupil showing the levels reached in each subject of the National Curriculum, enabling progress over longer periods of time to be evaluated.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The school has improved its use of assessment information to inform planning since the last inspection. It is satisfactory, overall, but much is new, and its overall effectiveness cannot yet be evaluated. The school makes good use of some data. For example, analysis of the Key Stage 1 annual tests revealed weakness in writing. As a result, increased time was made available for extended writing activities and the new system for assessing and recording English attainment was developed. Early indications are that these changes are raising standards in writing across the school. The headteacher has begun to develop systems to evaluate how the rate of pupils’ progress changes from year to year and to set further targets for improvement. These include the use of standardised tests in English and mathematics for all Key Stage 2 pupils, to corroborate other evidence and close scrutiny of test results to identify pupils who make more or less

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

progress than expected. The system is in an early stage of development, but indications are that, with further refinement, it has the potential to provide the information needed to enable targets to be set for individual pupils. The school’s current system for setting and reviewing targets is unsatisfactory. At present, pupils’ targets are set following discussion at parents’ consultation meetings. Some targets such as “to learn the five and ten times tables” are specific, but others such as “spelling needs to be applied as well as learnt” are not helpful to pupils or teachers in remedying weaknesses.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Teachers are aware at an early stage of specific difficulties experienced by pupils with special educational needs as the result of good information and observations in the early years including baseline assessment. All reviews and associated paperwork meet requirements fully. Full use is made of a good range of outside agencies to support pupils with specific problems. 41. The procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are good and in significant areas have improved since the last report. The policies for child protection are based securely on the local authority guidelines; there is a designated member of staff for child protection and Cheswick Green Primary School - 16 all members of staff are very well aware of the necessary procedures, which meet all statutory requirements.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The policies and procedures adopted by the school to improve and maintain the levels of attendance have worked very well, as is evident from the high attendance rates achieved. A computer programme is used effectively to highlight any problems, which are then monitored by the headteacher. In addition, the educational welfare officer checks the registers on a regular basis.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Policies for monitoring and controlling behaviour are effectively understood and are implemented consistently across the whole school. The code of conduct is prominently displayed in each classroom. There is a high expectation of good behaviour and policies are based, therefore, on monitoring the occasional exceptions from the norm.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The policy for the personal development of pupils is sound. It is very much a whole school policy and is addressed in many areas; two examples are the School Council and the tasks undertaken by the Year 6 pupils in the running of the school. These policies form a natural part of the overall school system; procedures are informal and based effectively on tackling exceptions from the expected norms.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. Parents have a positive attitude to the school. It is evident that the school encourages parents to take an active part in the life of the school, keeps the parents fully informed on all matters pertaining to their children and that the children like coming to school. Thus, the school has maintained and built upon the good practice noted in the last report.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. There are strong and effective links with the parents. The School Association is very well supported and raises approximately £9,000 to £10,000 per annum to enhance facilities in the school. In this school year, for example, the funds will be used to purchase six computers that will be located in the classrooms and be networked to the proposed computer suite. In addition to the fund-raising activities, the association acts as a good conduit to the staff for the parents’ views. The school has carried out surveys of parents’ opinions to ensure that they are taken fully into account.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are involved fully at the earliest opportunity in devising a programme for improving the standards attained by their children and their views are valued. They are invited to reviews each term and are encouraged to come in to school to discuss any concerns they may have.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The school successfully encourages parents to help in school; for example, one parent has acted as school librarian for over four years. The parents’ help in the lessons provides an effective means of enhancing the delivery of the curriculum.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The regular fortnightly school newsletter provides a good balance of formal and informal information and helps to create an atmosphere where all feel involved. The programme for informing parents of the progress of the children is comprehensive; meetings are arranged for the parents in each of the three terms. In the autumn term meeting, parents and teachers together agree the strengths of the child and targets are set that are reviewed during the spring term meeting. In the summer term, there is a more informal open evening when the children can show their parents their work. In the case of the reception children, the initial meeting in the autumn term is informal, looking at the children’s work and discussing the year ahead. This format provides good opportunities for the parents and the staff to discuss progress on a regular basis. In addition, the school operates an effective ‘open door’ policy when parents can meet the

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

teachers and headteacher without prior appointment. However, the annual written reports to Cheswick Green Primary School - 17 parents are very descriptive and lack detail in relation to National Curriculum levels, thus giving no indication of a pupil’s actual attainment or the extent or rate of any progress made.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. The parents make a satisfactory contribution to children’s learning at home. There is a carefully thought-out home/school agreement that was produced after extensive consultation between the school, governors and parents.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The leadership and management of the school is broadly satisfactory, overall.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher provides a good role model and successfully ensures that the school continues to offer a broad education for its pupils. He maintains good communications throughout the school and is ably supported in this by the deputy headteacher and senior members of staff. He enjoys the support of the parents, who value his very active participation in their events and the respect of members of staff and pupils alike. He maintains good teamwork throughout the school and there is both a shared commitment to improve standards and provision and the capacity to do so.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The management of the school’s performance and the subsequent action taken to improve it have improved recently, but are not yet rigorous, frequent or effective enough in all areas of the school’s work. The headteacher’s analysis of last year’s National Curriculum test results and the subsequent redeployment of teachers within the school has led to the recently improved standards in Key Stage 1 and is a good example of how improvements can be made when the necessary rigour is adopted. The headteacher has recognised the need to become rigorous in his monitoring and evaluation of the work of the school, in particular the quality of the teaching. As a result, he is now undergoing professional development that has begun to give him the confidence and framework necessary to improve this vital area of management, which is currently an unsatisfactory aspect of the school’s work. This area of the school’s work was

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

identified in the inspection report of June 1996 as being a key issue. In spite of this, these procedures are still not satisfactorily developed at any level in the school and remain a key issue to be addressed as a matter of urgency.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. There are omissions from the governors’ annual report to parents and the school does not comply with statutory requirements for information technology and religious education. Nevertheless, the governing body is well involved in the routine life of the school and is well aware of its current strengths and weaknesses. Many governors have a formal link with subjects and as many as are able visit the school regularly while it is in session to gain a good, first-hand understanding of the quality of teaching and learning. The committee structure is effective and lines of communication between committees and the full governing body are good, ensuring that all developments are thoroughly debated and all decisions are democratically reached. Clear minutes of all meetings are produced to ensure that this takes place and they are run well.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The school improvement plan is sound; it identifies appropriate areas and provides a satisfactory tool for improvement. Financial planning is very thorough and matched well to the school’s educational priorities. Expenditure is monitored well by the headteacher and the finance committee of the governing body and the principles of Best Value are applied well. All specific funding allocations, such as special educational needs, are used appropriately.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The governors give high priority to special educational needs within the school. They are committed to ensuring that these pupils are fully integrated into the life of the school and provide a good level of staff to support them. There is a named governor who is well informed about the school’s work. They have appointed a part-time teacher to support pupils in class and Cheswick Green Primary School - 18 on a withdrawal basis. Good use is made of support staff when planning for pupils’ additional needs.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. Co-ordinators of subjects have a broadly satisfactory idea of the standards of provision within their subjects that relies too much on informal discussions between teachers and too little on a rigorous, regular and frequent formal evaluation of the quality of teaching and the impact this has on the quality of the learning. As a result, co-ordinators are unable to fulfil their management responsibilities satisfactorily. Such monitoring as has taken place has not been rigorous enough to set targets for teachers or pupils to improve their standards nor regular enough to ascertain what improvements may have taken place. However, some co-ordinators have been successful in developing the subject curriculum. As examples, the co-ordinators for some subjects have integrated the forthcoming nationally required changes into the school’s practice and have, as a consequence, improved provision, for example for history in Key Stage

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

1, and the co-ordinator of English has produced a potentially good assessment and recording system to track pupils’ progress.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The aims of the school, as stated in the school brochure, are met well in practice. The school operates a satisfactory system of staff professional development, which addresses the needs of appraisal but formal targets for improvement are not set. The school does not rigorously judge the impact of professional development on pupils' standards or other aspects of school life. Induction arrangements for newly qualified teachers are good.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. There are sufficient, suitably qualified and experienced teachers to meet the needs of the National Curriculum, religious education and the teaching of children under five. Teachers are well supported by a small number of class assistants and voluntary helpers, including governors. The accommodation is satisfactory, overall. Many classrooms are enhanced by high quality displays that provide a stimulating environment for learning. The large, flat site provides a good facility for physical education, science and recreational play. The separate nursery is spacious and well equipped, including a secure outdoor play area. Learning resources are satisfactory, overall, and some improvement in provision has been made since the last inspection. Resources for science, music and physical education are good, but both the quantity and quality of resources for religious education are unsatisfactory and affect the school’s ability

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

to teach the subject effectively. Current resource provision for information technology is unsatisfactory. The school library is satisfactory. Cheswick Green Primary School - 19

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to improve standards still further, the governors, headteacher and staff should:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a) Implement the full programmes of study for information technology and the requirements of the local agreed syllabus for religious education;

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Paragraphs 6, 7, 24, 26, 54, 59, 134 – 141, 155 – 161)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

b) Improve the range of teaching strategies used to ensure that pupils of all attainment levels are challenged fully;

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Paragraphs 6, 9, 11, 12, 19, 20, 23, 28, 70, 76, 82, 84, 91, 95 – 97, 106, 113, 125 ,127, 132, 136, 143, 146, 151)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

c) Develop fully the assessment, recording and reporting systems and ensure that teachers use them to devise appropriate work for all pupils and to set them targets for further improvement;

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Paragraphs 28, 36, 39, 49, 85, 91, 93, 96, 115, 128, 160)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

d) Implement a rigorous, regular and frequent programme of monitoring and evaluating the work of the school.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Paragraphs 53, 57, 58, 88, 115, 128, 133, 141, 147)

p.21

Other issues that should be considered by the school are contained in the following paragraphs:

7, 8, 21, 30, 32, 54, 86, 87, 103, 108, 113, 128, 133, 138 Cheswick Green Primary School - 20

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 32

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 17.5 244

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 59

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 12

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 7

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.22

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Cheswick Green Primary School - 21

p.22

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 13 14 27

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 10 11 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 13 12

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 78 (93) 89 (96) 81 (89) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 83 (82) 87 (86)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 10 12 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 14 12

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 78 (95) 96 (98) 89 (93) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 86 (85) 87 (86)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.23

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 18 28 46

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 13 16 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 26 25 24

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 85 (79) 89 (82) 89 (84) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (66) 69 (66) 78 (76)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 14 16 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 26 25 27

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 87 (92) 89 (92) 93 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (71)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Cheswick Green Primary School - 22

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 4 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.24

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.

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 11 Financial year 1998/99

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.2

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 505311

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Expenditure per pupil 1707

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 88 Balance brought forward from previous year 796

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 10833

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 33

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Cheswick Green Primary School - 23

p.24

Questionnaire return rate

Percentage of responses in each category

p.25

Questionnaire return rate

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

p.25

Questionnaire return rate

My child is making good progress in school. 50 42 8 0 0

p.25

Questionnaire return rate

Behaviour in the school is good. 40 58 0 0 2

p.25

Questionnaire return rate

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 30 37 23 5 0

p.25

Questionnaire return rate

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 47 43 6 5 0

p.25

Questionnaire return rate

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 62 33 2 3 0

p.25

Questionnaire return rate

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 61 34 3 0 2

p.25

Questionnaire return rate

The school works closely with parents. 35 51 7 5 2

p.25

Questionnaire return rate

The school is well led and managed. 31 53 3 1 10

p.25

Questionnaire return rate

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 47 51 2 0 0

p.25

Questionnaire return rate

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 31 52 9 2 3

p.25

Questionnaire return rate

The only major concern shown in this table was about the amount of homework provided. The team agrees that it needs to become more consistent and more balanced across the school. Cheswick Green Primary School - 24

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. Children enter the nursery part-time at the age of three. They enter the reception class in the year in which they are four and subsequently begin Key Stage 1 in the year of their fifth birthday. Very good induction procedures ensure that children settle into the routines of the nursery as soon as possible. In the reception class, children benefit from being used to well- established routines and this enables them to work purposefully throughout most of the day. Children make good progress in the nursery.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61. However, many pupils – up to half the intake into the nursery – do not subsequently enter the reception class because they live in a different, nearby village that currently has a primary school but no nursery of its own. As a result, pupils’ attainment on entry to compulsory education is average.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

62. Inspection evidence indicates that children in the reception class are making good progress in all six areas of learning and the majority entering Key Stage 1 have exceeded the nationally agreed ‘Desirable Learning Outcomes’ for this age group in each area.

p.26

Personal and social development

63. Progress in this area of learning is good and children quickly form positive relationships with staff and other children. Most children acquire good personal and social development skills by the age of five. They are happy and secure in school. The majority settle quickly, adapting to the school’s routines and learning to comply with the code for acceptable behaviour. Teaching is good. The staff put great emphasis on developing the children’s self–esteem and social awareness. This results in the development of good attitudes to learning. Good relationships promote an atmosphere in which children can flourish. Most are able to work independently and co-operatively. For example, in the nursery, in their role-play activities children show initiative and ‘give and take’ when deciding who will be the ‘customers’ and who will be the ‘shopkeeper.’ Likewise in the reception class children are expected to dress and undress

p.26

Personal and social development

themselves when taking part in physical education lessons. They are given opportunities to take on responsibilities, such as handing out drinks and tidying away equipment at the end of a session. Through stories, children are encouraged to think about the needs of others and how to look after themselves. They are taught the difference between right and wrong effectively.

p.26

Language and literacy

64. The attainment of the majority of children at the age of five is above the level expected in this area of learning. Members of staff provide a wide range of activities to extend children’s skills in speaking and listening and early reading and writing. In the nursery there are many opportunities to listen to and discuss stories. A role-play area, based, for example, on a grocer’s shop, encourages language development and imaginative play. Teaching is good. Work is planned according to the national Literacy Strategy guidelines, adapted appropriately, and whole class and group reading sessions are having a good impact on children’s progress.

p.26

Language and literacy

65. Children make good progress in developing the skills of language and literacy. In both the nursery and the reception class, they listen attentively to stories and poems and enjoy talking about them. They handle books well; most nursery children know that words and pictures carry meaning. They know some letters and sounds. They are encouraged to look at the title, front and back covers and pictures to predict what the book is about. They enjoy sharing ‘big books’ with adults, sometimes expressing wonder as the story unfolds and offering ideas and opinions Cheswick Green Primary School - 25 with great enthusiasm. Many children in the nursery write their own name unaided. Most are articulate and speak in clear sentences. A significant number in the reception class are reading the first books in the reading scheme. They recognise the names of characters and many key words. High attaining children are able to write simple sentences, using capital letters and full

p.26

Language and literacy

stops correctly. Handwriting is clear and legible.

p.27

Mathematics

66. Attainment for the majority of children in mathematical understanding is above the level expected nationally by the age of five. Teaching is of good quality. Lessons are planned carefully using the National Numeracy Strategy and both resources and the correct technical language are used well to ensure that children make good progress. Most of those in the nursery count from one to ten. They sort and match objects, for example sorting the vegetables and fruits into sets in the nursery shop. Many know the names of two-dimensional shapes. They know the difference between long and short. Children, when playing at the water tray, know the difference between full and half empty and could sequence correctly the containers according to size. Most children aged under five in reception recognise, count and order numbers to ten; many can count higher than that. They do simple addition and subtraction calculations correctly. Some of the higher attaining children are beginning to represent data

p.27

Mathematics

correctly on a simple chart. Children change the number of objects in a set and say whether they have more or fewer objects. They identify correctly some three-dimensional shapes.

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

67. Children's attainment in this area of learning exceeds the levels expected nationally. Provision is good and children make good progress. Each morning the children discuss and record the day and month. They can talk knowledgeably about their own development from babies to infants and talk about being ‘grown ups’ in the future. The topic ‘minibeasts’ introduces the children to a good awareness of science and their local environment. Following a visit to a butterfly farm and observing their own caterpillar larvae in their butterfly house, children make accurate observations and explore and recognise features of living things. They know that caterpillars change into butterflies. They identify correctly a range of minibeasts, such as spiders, centipedes, ladybirds and bees. There are appropriate activities in which children cut, stick and join, but they are not always given the opportunity to develop their skills by choosing

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

materials themselves. They use the computer and most manipulate the mouse appropriately. They are confident users of audio-equipment when listening to story tapes. Teaching in this area of learning is good, with children being given plenty of opportunities to develop their powers of observation. Good questioning that extends learning enhances this. As a result, children are eager to learn and they work with enthusiasm.

p.27

Creative development

68. Children make good progress in this area and by the age of five the majority meet the desirable learning objectives. The children use a range of media confidently to explore colour and texture, painting pictures and making collages. To reinforce their developing awareness of symmetry and knowledge of butterflies, they use edible dyes and make patterns on biscuits to represent butterfly’s wings. Close observation of their faces helps to develop a sound awareness of where the features should be drawn and many children draw a person with head, body, arms and legs in the correct place. In music, they sing familiar songs and rhymes from memory. Most sing tunefully and have a satisfactory sense of rhythm. The classrooms are attractive and well- organised and good opportunities are provided for children to engage in imaginative play. Teaching is good in this area of learning and the planning ensures that children experience a

p.27

Creative development

suitable range of activities that help to develop their confidence and self–esteem well.

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Physical development

Cheswick Green Primary School - 26 69. Children make good progress in this area and, by the age of five, the majority meet the desirable learning objectives. In their physical education lessons, children use space well. They listen to instructions and try to carry them out. The majority run, jump and walk on their toes. They have many opportunities to handle tools such as scissors, pencils, crayons, paintbrushes and glue sticks. Nearly all children manage them well and are developing good manual control. Good use is made of the nursery outdoor area, where there is access to large play equipment and to wheeled vehicles, for daily sessions of play. Teaching is good and teachers plan well for children’s development of sound physical skills.

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The quality of provision

70. The quality of teaching for the under fives is good, overall, and enables children to make good progress. Teachers provide an appropriate range of activities to meet the needs of the children. All members of staff have good questioning techniques and management of the children’s behaviour is also good. Curricular planning is now firmly based on the required six areas of learning recommended for this age group and the national Literacy and Numeracy strategies are adapted well to promote these areas of the children’s learning. Occasionally, group work is not well enough organised to encourage both independent learning and, at the same time, to provide appropriate challenge for higher attaining children. However, all members of staff work together extremely well. They understand the needs of the children. Assessment procedures are satisfactory and day–to–day assessment is used well to plan what children should do next.

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The quality of provision

71. Since the previous inspection, several improvements to provision have been made. There is now joint planning between the nursery and reception class based on the required six areas of learning with links to the Key Stage 1 curriculum. The adoption of strands of the National Literacy Strategy is improving speaking and listening skills. All children now have open access to the outdoor areas and to the practical areas inside the nursery.

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ENGLISH

72. In the 1999 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment at the expected level 4 matched national averages in reading and writing, although it was well below the average for similar schools in reading and was below it in writing. At the higher levels, it matched national averages but was below those for similar schools in both tests. There was no significant difference between the performance of boys or girls in writing, but the standard of boys’ reading was below that of girls by a difference greater than the national picture.

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ENGLISH

73. In the same year, pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 for both the expected and the higher levels was well above the average for all schools nationally and close to the average for similar schools. These results reversed a decline in standards over the previous two years. Girls performed better than boys by a margin larger than the national figures.

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ENGLISH

74. The school did not meet its target (93 per cent) for the percentage of pupils achieving the expected levels at the end of Key Stage 2 in 1999. The school’s targets for further improvement are satisfactory and strike a good balance between being challenging and attainable.

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ENGLISH

75. Inspection findings show that standards at the end of both key stages are in line with those expected in all areas of pupils’ learning, although there are fewer higher attaining pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 than expected nationally. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress, overall, in their learning, although the progress of pupils in Year 3 in writing has been good this academic year. Pupils with English as an additional language are proficient in all aspects of the subject and no extra provision is necessary. Therefore, all judgements on their attainment and progress are included in those for the year groups as a whole. Cheswick Green Primary School - 27 76. Pupils’ listening skills are appropriate; their speaking skills are often above those expected. In Year 1, they sometimes exhibit very good listening skills, for example, during a drama lesson.

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ENGLISH

By the end of the key stage, they listen for longer periods of time and reply in fuller sentences. Lower attaining pupils remain rather hesitant and do not join in readily. In Key Stage 2, higher attaining pupils speak articulately and most pupils listen for long periods of time, although, in too many lessons throughout the school, the teacher tends to dominate the lesson with the result that pupils, particularly the higher and lower attaining ones, are not given sufficient opportunity to contribute and to develop their skills and so lose concentration.

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ENGLISH

77. Pupils’ reading skills develop satisfactorily and many achieve standards that are above those expected for pupils of their respective ages. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils read suitable texts accurately and with appropriate levels of understanding. They express sensible opinions about the storyline and make sound predictions. By the end of Key Stage 2, nearly all pupils read fluently and expressively, although lower attaining pupils do not have a large enough sight vocabulary. Most pupils understand the main points of the story they are reading and locate information easily. Higher attaining pupils use good levels of inference and deduction.

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ENGLISH

78. The provision for pupils’ writing has improved since the last inspection. Having analysed closely the results of the national tests in 1999, the school identified a problem with the standards of pupils’ writing, particularly in Key Stage 1. As a consequence, all classes have a regular lesson devoted to extended writing; this has proved effective in raising the standards of pupils’ writing in a satisfactory range of contexts, particularly in Key Stage 1 and in Year 3, and is an example of the good use of assessment data.

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ENGLISH

79. Year 1 pupils print legibly. They punctuate most proper names correctly. They spell generally correctly. Pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 write stories in logical sequence, with the lower attaining pupils spelling most words plausibly even if they are not accurate. Nearly all pupils write neatly, although they use print. Pupils’ punctuation of sentences is insecure even though the phraseology is developing well and they are obviously beginning to order their thoughts and phrases in a more mature form. Higher attaining pupils use descriptive language well, for example, in their poems about walking in a jungle and spell a greater proportion of the words they use correctly.

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ENGLISH

80. In Year 3, the quality of pupils’ handwriting has improved well. They use a good variety of sentence structures, but often do not punctuate them correctly; in addition, they often do not use capital letters correctly, for example, for proper nouns. Their writing often uses imaginative words and phrases. Higher attaining pupils write fluently, with more accuracy in their spelling and punctuation. Year 4 pupils write neatly, but often still in print. They spell appropriate words securely and punctuate sentences accurately, sometimes using speech marks correctly. They write stories in correct sequence, using a suitable variety of sentence structure and, sometimes, vivid language, such as “a fierce animal”. By the end of the key stage, some pupils still are not securely spelling common words, such as “tried” (tride) or “library” (libry), and too many pupils mix letter cases. Overall, however, standards of punctuation and spelling are

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ENGLISH

satisfactory. Many pupils use speech marks and commas correctly and are beginning to use paragraphs correctly. Higher attaining pupils use vocabulary well, write more complex and fluent stories and achieve standards that are above those expected. Pupils’ standards in Years 5 and 6 are not as high in one class as they are in the other two, where staffing has been more continuous and stable, helping to ensure continuity of experience and progression in learning.

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ENGLISH

81. Throughout the school, there are still too many examples of pupils not transferring the skills they have learned in specific exercises, particularly those of spelling and punctuation, accurately or consistently enough when they write at greater length. Cheswick Green Primary School - 28 82. Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are good and they generally behave well. They listen well and concentrate well on the tasks set for them. Even when the teacher takes too long to set tasks, pupils comply readily with the school’s expected standards of conduct. When given the opportunity, they respond readily to questioning and participate fully in discussions.

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ENGLISH

83. The quality of teaching is sound, overall, in both key stages, although there are examples of very good teaching in Key Stage 1 and of good teaching in Key Stage 2. In some lessons judged satisfactory, however, teachers’ strengths and weaknesses were finely balanced and the good quality of pupils’ attitudes and their politeness were instrumental factors in the success of the lesson.

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ENGLISH

84. Generally teachers plan their work carefully and have satisfactory subject knowledge, enabling them to teach and pupils to learn the basic skills soundly. They have clear ideas of what pupils should learn in each lesson. Relationships are generally good and teachers typically interact well with pupils, managing their behaviour securely. The quality of the questioning ranges from very good to unsatisfactory. Where it is good, as in a drama lesson in Year 1, the teacher skilfully uses even pupils’ wrong answers to probe their understanding and to help them learn well. However, there are some occasions, mentioned above, when teachers do not allow pupils to develop their skills adequately. Also, some introductory whole-class sessions last for too long and pupils lose concentration. In other lessons, where teachers conduct them at a good pace and actively engage pupils in learning at their own level, for example in a research lesson

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ENGLISH

in Years 3 and 4, pupils stay on task for long periods of time and are interested in their learning, which ensures that they learn well.

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ENGLISH

85. While extension work is planned routinely for higher attaining pupils in literacy lessons, it is often in the form of further work to be done should pupils finish the tasks set for the whole class. This is unsatisfactory and takes no account of pupils’ prior learning. It does not cater adequately for the needs of higher attaining pupils because it makes the assumption that all pupils are meeting all areas of the work planned for the first time; this is not the case. However, in other English lessons, such as extended writing and drama, pupils of all attainment levels achieve appropriate results because teachers do not prescribe learning so closely and because the nature of the tasks encourages a more individual response. Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and correctly, but only infrequently make appropriate comments or indicate how pupils could improve their work. Some teachers use homework regularly and effectively to

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ENGLISH

support pupils’ development, but this is not consistent or balanced across the school as a whole. Not enough use is made of the potential of information technology to support pupils’ work.

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ENGLISH

86. Support staff work closely with the co-ordinator and class teacher in planning for individual needs and make a valuable contribution to individuals’ learning. Furthermore, the teacher appointed to support pupils with special educational needs has been effective in raising their standards and is a valuable addition to the school’s provision. The work done with lower attaining pupils through the booster classes and the Additional Literacy Strategy has also been effective in raising their standards.

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ENGLISH

87. Pupils’ literacy skills are used soundly across the curriculum, for example, in using appropriately the correct technical vocabulary of mathematics and science, to write descriptive pieces in religious education, to give opinions in history and to make comparisons, for example between the River Blythe and the River Amazon, in geography. When given the opportunity, as in some Year 5 and 6 science lessons, good use is made of pupils’ literacy skills through reporting experiments.

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ENGLISH

88. The co-ordinator is enthusiastic and effective and is well aware of the developments needed in her subject. The procedures for monitoring and evaluating standards and provision are inadequate; there is no regular and rigorous programme in place that would enable the co- ordinator to fulfil her management role adequately. She has, however, rewritten the policy for Cheswick Green Primary School - 29 the subject; this is now very thorough and helpful and is an improvement since the last inspection. She has developed, with local authority help, a potentially good system to record pupils’ attainment and to track their progress and is currently trialling it; early indications are that it is effectively fulfilling an identified need. This, too, is an improvement since the last inspection. While the stock of books in the library and elsewhere is satisfactory in all respects, pupils’ easy and routine access to it has been disrupted while it was used as a teaching area.

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ENGLISH

Now that this is no longer the case, the school has already, appropriately, identified that a good system of withdrawal and return needs to be re-instituted.

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MATHEMATICS

89. Pupils’ attainment in the Key Stage 1 1999 national tests was well below average at both the expected level and the higher levels. In the tests for eleven year olds the results were well above average at both the expected level and the higher level. When compared with similar schools the Key Stage 1 results were very low, while the Key Stage 2 results were above average. The Key Stage 1 scores have fluctuated over a three-year period, but the Key Stage 2 results have improved over the same period. The school exceeded its targets for attainment in the Key Stage 2 tests in 1999 and look likely to meet them this year.

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MATHEMATICS

90. Inspection evidence shows that, by the end of both key stages, pupils’ attainment in number, shape and space is satisfactory, overall. Standards in mathematics are currently, therefore, broadly the same as at the time of the last inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

91. The differences in attainment from year to year are explained in part by differences in pupils’ capabilities. The present group of pupils in Year 2 contains many fewer pupils with special educational needs than did the previous year group, who were the ones who sat the National Curriculum tests in 1999 and who had been identified as a lower attaining group, overall, since they were first assessed on entry to the school. In addition, having recognised that the trend in mathematics in Key Stage 1 was downwards, the senior management of the school re-organised staffing to ensure that there was a greater focus on improving standards in Key Stage 1; this has been successful. At the end of Key Stage 2, however, a minority of pupils are underachieving because the work set is not sufficiently well matched to their needs. This particularly applies to the higher attaining pupils and this lack of challenge remains an issue for the school. This

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MATHEMATICS

feature adversely affects the overall average standard achieved by pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

92. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, make steady progress throughout Key Stage 1. The younger pupils add and subtract numbers accurately and count in different ways. A significant number of pupils are working at levels well above those expected for their age. By the end of the Key Stage 1, pupils have an appropriate knowledge and understanding of place value. They work competently with numbers, both orally and mentally, supported by regular, daily mental arithmetic sessions. They identify and describe the properties of an appropriate range of two- dimensional shapes.

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MATHEMATICS

93. By Year 6 many pupils work confidently with large numbers, solve problems systematically and have a good knowledge of space, shape and measurement. They are becoming increasingly confident in handling data. Throughout the key stage, the vast majority of pupils, including those for whom English is an additional language, are making steady progress in number. However, some pupils do not make enough progress because they are not sufficiently challenged by the work set. This is most evident in some classes at Key Stage 2 where the work set to consolidate learning is often repetitive and unchallenging for the higher attaining pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

94. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in relation to the targets in their individual education plans. The provision and support for pupils with special educational needs are effective. Support assistants are deployed effectively and provide a good match of tasks to Cheswick Green Primary School - 30 the needs of the individual pupils, both in the classrooms and during withdrawal sessions. They liaise and plan effectively with class teachers.

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MATHEMATICS

95. The pupils have good attitudes towards mathematics. They respond well in most lessons when the tasks set interest and challenge them. They are attentive and, when given the opportunity, participate eagerly in class discussion and stay on task during practical activities. In some lessons, pupils become restless when the tasks they are set are not well explained or if the work is repetitive and unchallenging.

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MATHEMATICS

96. The quality of teaching is satisfactory, overall. Although there are examples of some very good teaching at both key stages, some of the lessons seen at Key Stage 2 were unsatisfactory. In addition, in some of the lessons judged to be satisfactory in both key stages, the strengths and weaknesses were finely balanced. Where teaching was good or very good, teachers were clear about the learning objectives against which they could measure the success of their work and good provision was made for pupils of differing prior attainment. The organisation and use of support staff were good, introductions were well planned and plenary sessions were used appropriately. In the very best lessons observed, for example in one class in Year 1 and when the Year 5 pupils were taught as a group, the three strands of the numeracy strategy were used very well and, in these lessons, pupils made very good gains in learning. In lessons where

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MATHEMATICS

teaching was unsatisfactory and in those with shortcomings, for example in some of the classes in Key Stage 2, learning objectives were often imprecise and the activities planned did not focus sufficiently on raising pupils’ attainment. The pace of lessons was often slow and work set was sometimes repetitive and not stimulating or challenging enough. Teachers do not yet use day-to-day assessment sufficiently and some have only a general knowledge of the levels at which groups of pupils are working. Therefore, there are occasions on which some pupils receive work that does not challenge them enough. Homework is not used consistently throughout the school to support pupils’ work in class.

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MATHEMATICS

97. The school has adopted the National Numeracy Strategy and members of staff have been suitably trained by the co-ordinator, who is one of the local authority’s ‘leading mathematics teachers’ and who has subsequently observed their teaching. In addition, parents have been fully informed about the Strategy. However, there are some aspects of the Strategy that are not used effectively in some classes because good opportunities were often missed to focus on specific groups for teaching. Teachers generally spend this time monitoring work and behaviour rather than on teaching. Plenary sessions were not always used effectively. The co- ordinator has devised and begun to implement effective strategies to promote pupils’ progress in mathematics. They include analysing baseline assessment and the end of key stage National Curriculum tests and tracking pupils' progress across the key stages using termly and annual

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MATHEMATICS

tests. Although there are examples of pupils using their mathematical skills in geography, art and, to a lesser extent, in science, few opportunities for using mathematics skills are planned in other subjects. Also, there were few examples of investigative work in evidence during the inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

98. Resources for mathematics are satisfactory and used effectively, for example through the use of mathematical games from the school’s library. However, there is limited information technology hardware to support the curriculum. Calculators are used appropriately in Key Stage 2 and support staff work well with the teachers and have a positive effect on standards and progress.

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SCIENCE

99. Pupils’ attainment in science is in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. In Key Stage 1, this matches the National Curriculum teacher assessments made in 1999 and indicates that pupils this year are achieving broadly similar standards compared to last year. In Key Stage 2, inspection of current Year 6 pupils' work shows that nearly all reach the standard Cheswick Green Primary School - 31 expected for eleven-year-olds, and some attain higher levels in some aspects of the subject. However, these standards are lower than the 1999 National Curriculum test results, which were above national averages for both the expected and the higher levels. However, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected levels was close to the averages for similar schools, while, at the higher levels, it was below them.

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SCIENCE

100. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils develop good basic knowledge. For example, they classify living things according to features such as their means of locomotion, or those that lay eggs or not. They know the major organs in the human body and that a balanced diet is required in order to remain healthy. Pupils have a good understanding of forces such as pushes and pulls. They know that forces make things move and satisfactorily investigate the effects of forces in experiments with toy cars. Pupils develop sound investigation skills through a wide range of practical activities. They begin to explore the effects of squashing, twisting and stretching a suitable range of materials such as play-dough and sponge foam and record their observations on simple record sheets. In other experiments they record, for example, how food decomposes over a period of time and how this is related to where the food is stored, such as on a window

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SCIENCE

ledge or in a refrigerator. Pupils have a sound understanding of how electricity is used in the home and know the dangers associated with it. In other work on electricity, they make simple circuits from batteries, wires, and torch bulbs and they explain clearly, for example, that a broken wire will prevent the bulb lighting.

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SCIENCE

101. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have wide-ranging, secure knowledge across all aspects of the subject. In work on life processes and living things pupils know, for example, that carbon dioxide, water and nutrients are required for plants to grow and they understand the function of structures such as roots and leaves in enabling these to move round the plant. Pupils know that sound is a vibration. They draw accurate diagrams to show the structure of the human ear and describe its main functions correctly. Pupils understand the rudiments of electrical circuits, including the use of standard symbols when drawing circuit diagrams. They have sound knowledge of the basic properties of forces, including friction, and know for instance that if an object is stationary then all the forces acting upon it must balance.

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SCIENCE

102. Most pupils have satisfactory skills in experimental science. They follow a standard method for conducting experiments; they make predictions and test their findings to see if they are correct. They understand fully how to make a test “fair”, for example comparing the growth of seeds sown in a range of materials such as gravel, soil and sand, while keeping other factors, such as the amount of water provided or sunlight, the same for all plants. Pupils make good use of their literacy skills, especially when writing up reports of experiments. However, they make insufficient use of mathematical skills in the analysis of experimental results, since nearly all data is recorded descriptively rather than as numbers derived from taking measurements.

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SCIENCE

103. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress in science throughout the school. They make steady gains in knowledge of the subject and build logically on what they know each year as they move through the school. For instance, pupils in Year 1 distinguish between living and non-living things and begin to explore the idea of a habitat through direct observation of growing plants. In later years, they extend their knowledge through further classification activities, the study of the major systems of plants and animals, including reproduction, and predator-prey relationships and food chains. In experimental science, pupils first make simple observations, such as whether sounds are loud or soft. As they get older, pupils develop the idea of a “fair” test, for example rolling toy cars down a ramp from the same point when investigating which will travel farthest. By the time pupils leave

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SCIENCE

school, they adopt a detailed experimental methodology, including selecting materials for a test, predicting sensibly what will happen and explaining accurately the results obtained.

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SCIENCE

104. Pupils have good attitudes to science. They are interested in their work and willingly join in discussions. Pupils behave well, in direct response to effective class management. They take Cheswick Green Primary School - 32 part in practical work sensibly and work co-operatively with others. When given the opportunity, pupils work well independently. For example pupils in one lower Key Stage 2 class were observed researching information about a range of plants and animals and their associated habitats. They worked quietly and concentrated well on the task in hand.

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SCIENCE

105. The quality of teaching is satisfactory throughout the school and, occasionally, teaching is good. No unsatisfactory lessons were seen during the inspection. Teachers have a good knowledge of the science curriculum. They use appropriate scientific vocabulary and explain tasks well. For example, in a Year 2 lesson on the properties of materials, the introduction involved the class in a good interactive discussion about the effects of deforming objects such as a rubber ball in various ways. This gained pupils’ attention well, raised their level of interest and ensured that all were clear about what to do in the practical activities that followed. Lessons are well planned and well run. Resources for practical work are prepared well beforehand. Classroom assistants and other helpers are well briefed and provide good support for all pupils, but especially those with special educational needs, who consequently take a full

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SCIENCE

part in lessons and make satisfactory progress as a result.

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SCIENCE

106. Although teachers have many strengths, some weaknesses in teaching occur throughout the school. Examination of pupils' work throughout the year shows that teachers do not plan sufficiently to cater for the needs of all pupils. The same work is generally set for all pupils in the class regardless of age or ability. On occasions, teachers rely too heavily on the completion of worksheets. These are effective in developing most pupils' knowledge of subject content, but they do not always present sufficient challenge, especially for higher attaining pupils. In some lessons, the teacher talks too much and gives insufficient time for pupils to work independently. This contributes to occasional fidgeting and loss of concentration. All of these factors contribute to some pupils, especially higher attaining pupils, making less progress than they could, both in lessons and in the longer term.

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SCIENCE

107. The science coordinator is new to the post, but has already begun to modify the scheme of work and to introduce new assessment procedures in the light of recent national developments in the subject. However, it is too early to determine the effects of these changes on the standards of pupils’ work. Science teaching resources are good, including practical equipment for investigations and experiments and they contribute well to pupils' learning and progress. However, insufficient use is made of information technology to support work in the subject.

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ART

108. Standards are above national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1, but match national expectations at the end of Key Stage 2. Because of other, nationally required priorities, the standards at Key Stage 2 have not been maintained since the last inspection. Progress of all pupils, including those with special educational need, is good at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory at Key Stage 2.

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ART

109. Pupils in Key Stage 1 use a good range of media to paint, draw and create collage work. They give good attention to detail in drawing fruits and vegetables. They experiment with texture and produce lively compositions through rubbings and pastel work. Pupils looking at and exploring the work of Kandinsky continue to make good progress and effectively use sketchbooks to refine their ideas. Pupils in Year 2 create striking pattern work using pastels, paint and crayons, showing a good understanding of patterns by repeating series of colours, marks and shapes.

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ART

110. In Key Stage 2, pupils develop their skills in observational drawings using a good range of skills and techniques. In Year 3 and 4, pupils studying the work of Henri Rousseau draw on their sound knowledge and understanding of line and shape to produce effective sketches of leaves. This work links to their topic on rainforests very effectively. They develop a sound Cheswick Green Primary School - 33 understanding of the processes involved, although the emphasis is technical, with relatively few opportunities for creative exploration. Nevertheless, pupils in Years 5 and 6 show an imaginative response to designing their own coats of arms based on their personal interests and pursuits. Good attention is paid to the work of modern Western artists. This is a strong focus for work in Years 5 and 6, where pupils catch the style of Monet, Signac and Hockney satisfactorily in their colour mix marine compositions.

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ART

111. Throughout the school pupils explore the arts of different contemporary cultures. A quality display of African art form in two and three dimensions is the result of the work done by pupils in both key stages following the recent visit by an Afro–Caribbean performing arts group.

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ART

112. The pupils’ response to art is good. They approach tasks enthusiastically and have a positive attitude that is reflected in their confident application of previously acquired skills. They concentrate hard to produce a finished piece of work and have an interested and supportive approach when discussing their achievements with one another. They use equipment and resources appropriately and tidy up well at the end of lessons. Their behaviour is good.

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ART

113. Teaching at both key stages is good and effectively helps pupils to develop their art knowledge and understanding. In Year 1, teaching is very good, with the teacher providing a rich art environment in which pupils experience a wide range of art activities and are encouraged to experiment and redraft their work. For example, pupils’ completed paintings of daffodils showed significant improvement on their initial attempts, demonstrating good learning. In Years 3 and 4, good learning took place when the teacher made very effective use of the pupils’ own assessment skills to support and move forward their own and other pupils’ efforts. Lessons are generally well planned, but, in the less successful lessons, there is a lack of rigour and the higher attainers are not challenged sufficiently to build on their knowledge, skills and understanding of materials and processes through providing more complex activities.

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ART

114. A strength of teaching in both key stages is the quality of the resources and the way they are used to put across teaching points. This results in pupils’ attention being captured and leads to them being eager to be active “artists.” Teachers take the opportunity to refer to numeracy skills using mathematical language like “horizontal” and “vertical”.

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ART

115. The subject co-ordinator has worked effectively to develop further the scheme of work, which provides good support and guidance for the staff. Although assessment procedures have been decided upon, the use of assessment is not monitored and is not being carried out consistently by all teachers. In addition, procedures for assessing pupils’ progress are not yet developed sufficiently. There are too few formal opportunities for the co-ordinator to monitor standards across the school. Cheswick Green Primary School - 34

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

116. In the aspects of work in design and technology seen during the inspection, Key Stage 1 pupils work at the levels expected for their ages. However, there is not enough evidence to make an overall judgement about pupils’ progress. In Key Stage 2, little design and technology has been taught this year and there is insufficient evidence to judge the standards of pupils' work, their progress or the quality of teaching.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

117. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils design and make a satisfactory range of structures and models from construction kits and materials such as cardboard boxes, wheels and gears. In one class, a book of pupils’ work contains good examples of a range of activities on the theme of mechanisms. Pupils correctly identify situations in which winding mechanisms are used, such as a windmill, a fishing rod and a crane. They explore different winding mechanisms closely, using construction kits, and then design and make their own clock, complete with mouse to run up it. They draw satisfactory diagrams to show what they intend to make and add sufficient details to show how the winding mechanism will operate. The finished articles are well made. They are robust and well painted. The mouse mechanisms are well constructed. Pupils conclude their work with a simple evaluation to show for example, what they like about their work and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

how they could improve it. Year 2 pupils identify the key features of a range of glove puppets and string puppets, such as the different materials used in their construction and the use of jointed structures to provide movement in string puppets. In Year 1, pupils investigate playground equipment and design and make their own correctly observed versions of swings and slides. They use construction kits to build models and they investigate the rigidity and stability of simple straw based models. They join the straws carefully and reinforce the corners with pipe cleaners and adhesive tape. They experiment sensibly with adding extra straws and discover that adding struts to create triangles makes frameworks rigid.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

118. In Key Stage 2, few examples of pupils' designs were available for inspection. Earlier in the year, lower Key Stage 2 pupils investigated torches. They carried out a product analysis, including design strengths and weaknesses and designed their own torches. However, designs were little more than a simple illustration to show the intended appearance and did not, for instance, include details of construction or the materials to be used. Due to interruptions to the teaching programme this work was not completed. Older pupils designed and made a variety of shelters and buildings. However none of this work was available for inspection. It is not, therefore, possible to make judgements on the standards achieved.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

119. In Key Stage 1, pupils have good attitudes to their work. They listen well, join in discussions and work well with minimal adult support. In both lessons observed, groups of pupils worked with good concentration for substantial periods of time. They use equipment sensibly and share it with others. Pupils’ good attitudes and behaviour help establish a busy atmosphere in lessons, contributing to the progress they make. In the Key Stage 2 lesson seen, unsatisfactory attitudes and behaviour by a significant number of pupils contributed to the slow lesson pace and prevented others learning as well as they could. However, other pupils worked well in discussion groups when analysing the main features of a range of slippers as part of a product analysis exercise.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

120. Three lessons were observed, two in Key Stage 1 and one in Key Stage 2. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 is good. Learning objectives are appropriate and teachers ensure that pupils are clear what they have to do in the practical work. Teachers have secure knowledge of the subject and lead class discussions well, for instance, when investigating how to make straw frameworks rigid by adding extra struts. Classroom support staff are well briefed and fully involved in lessons. They supervise group construction work well and contribute effectively to the progress of the pupils in the group. Lessons are well planned. This ensures that they proceed at a good pace and pupils cover a wide range of activities. Cheswick Green Primary School - 35 121. A temporary teacher covering for an absent member of staff took the lesson in Key Stage 2. The lesson was unsatisfactory, mainly due to unsatisfactory class management and slow lesson pace.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Pupils made unsatisfactory progress. However, it is not possible from this single lesson to assess the overall quality of teaching in Key Stage 2.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

122. The design and technology curriculum is satisfactory. It is based on a high quality commercial scheme of work that provides a good balance between all aspects of the subject. However, it has not been fully implemented this year. The coordinator has begun to modify it to take account of new national proposals.

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GEOGRAPHY

123. Pupils attain standards that are in line with those expected at the end of both key stages. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress through the school. Standards attained by pupils are broadly similar to those seen at the time of the last inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY

124. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils use well a variety of evidence, such as photographs and fieldwork, to gain a sound understanding of the physical features of their immediate area and that of a contrasting location. They use maps and keys confidently to help their studies. They are beginning to consider the effects that human beings may have on the environment and express their opinions sensibly, thus making a satisfactory contribution to their language development.

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GEOGRAPHY

125. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have a sound grasp of the differences and similarities in physical and human terms between a town in Kenya and their own environment. They use secondary evidence satisfactorily to investigate differences and similarities in, for example, housing, clothing and transport systems. They interpret maps in a variety of scales and draw their own reasonably. They realise the effect of weather patterns, for example on crops. In these classes, an over-reliance on worksheets and questions that require one specific answer means that the higher attaining pupils do not always achieve the standards they could and should and that pupils’ opportunities to use their skills of writing and expression are artificially limited. Sometimes pupils use information technology to help their research, for example, into the climate of rainforests and some pupils use mathematical skills soundly when they interpret

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GEOGRAPHY

graphs to do with rainfall patterns. In Years 5 and 6, pupils contrast and compare the local River Blythe satisfactorily with the River Severn and the River Amazon. They have a sound grasp of the various stages of a river’s development from the source to the mouth and use the associated vocabulary, such as ‘tributary’ and ‘meander’, well and accurately. They have a secure understanding that the power of the river will cause erosion and that humans use rivers to help them, for example, through irrigation and as a means of transport. They are well aware of the main factors for human settlement near rivers.

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GEOGRAPHY

126. Pupils have good attitudes to their learning. They listen carefully and behave well. They concentrate well on the tasks given them and do their best to present work carefully and neatly. When given the chance to work independently, they co-operate well and work with sustained purpose.

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GEOGRAPHY

127. The quality of teaching is good in Key Stage 1 and sound in Key Stage 2. No teaching was observed in Years 5 and 6 because of the nature and timing of the school’s humanities programme. Teachers plan their work carefully from the revised scheme of work, which gives them good support. They use a good range of relevant resources appropriately. In Key Stage 2, there is a tendency for teachers to take too long on the initial introductory session and, in such lessons, the pupils are not fully engaged in learning until late in the lesson, which affects the extent of the progress they make. However, because of pupils’ good attitudes and their willingness to work well when given the opportunity, learning takes place at a satisfactory rate, overall. In Key Stage 1, teachers conduct their lessons at a good pace and use time well, Cheswick Green Primary School - 36 ensuring that pupils are set to work quickly. They use questioning well, ensuring that all pupils

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GEOGRAPHY

are included in the session. Because of these factors, relationships are good and pupils work productively on tasks that interest and motivate them. Teachers sometimes give pupils research topics to develop the work done in school and sometimes require them to finish work begun in school when they go home; this is not consistent provision but is, overall, appropriate for this age of pupil.

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GEOGRAPHY

128. The policy has been recently rewritten and is now good. The co-ordinator has devised a new scheme of work to match the forthcoming requirements of the changed curriculum. This is providing good support for her colleagues. A new system of recording pupils’ attainment is sound and has the potential, if linked more closely to National Curriculum level descriptors, to provide useful information about the extent and rate of pupils’ progress; it has not yet had time to assess its impact on teachers’ future planning for progression in pupils’ learning. Systems for monitoring and evaluating provision and standards are not regular or rigorous enough to provide the management of the school with secure evidence of the effectiveness of their efforts. Overall, there has been little change in standards and the effectiveness of provision in this subject since the inspection in 1996.

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HISTORY

129. Pupils attain standards that are in line with those expected at the end of both key stages and they make satisfactory progress through the school, including those with special educational needs. Standards attained by pupils are broadly similar to those seen at the time of the last inspection. No teaching of history was seen in Key Stage 1 or in lower Key Stage 2 during the inspection because of the nature and timing of the school’s humanities programme and so judgements are based on analysis of pupils’ work in books and on display.

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HISTORY

130. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have a sound understanding of chronology and sequence events in their own lives correctly. They appreciate that people and things change over time and have a reasonable knowledge of events in former times, such as the Gunpowder Plot and events during the Victorian era. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils interrogate and interpret source material, such as photographs and original text, soundly. They appreciate that their immediate area has changed over time and that castles are a type of defended home, although they have little knowledge of how they have changed over time. In their work on Britain since 1930, they gain a good understanding of a range of fashion, transport and lifestyles, as well as some of the main features of life during World War 2. For example, they compile menus that take rationing into account and write empathetic accounts of what it felt like to be an evacuee,

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HISTORY

both of which make a satisfactory contribution to their developing skills in English. They give accurate reasons for the outbreak of the war, but do not consider versions other than the British one.

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HISTORY

131. Pupils have good attitudes to their learning and present their work neatly and carefully. In upper Key Stage 2, they listen carefully and behave well. They concentrate and co-operate well.

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HISTORY

132. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 2 is good. Teachers have good subject knowledge, plan their lessons well and use resources well to interest and motivate pupils. They set tasks clearly so that pupils have a good understanding of what is required of them and intervene in pupils’ learning effectively to prompt, probe and help. The teaching of the basic skills of historical research and enquiry are taught well and pupils generally make sound progress, although the higher attaining pupils are developing good reasoning and ‘detective’ abilities. Relationships are good and lessons move at a good pace. As a consequence, pupils are engaged in learning for a good proportion of the time and maintain reasonably good levels of productivity. From the evidence of teachers’ planning and pupils’ books, teaching elsewhere in the school is satisfactory. Lessons are carefully planned. Teachers sometimes give, as work to be done at

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HISTORY

Cheswick Green Primary School - 37 home, topics to develop the work pupils have done in school; while this is not consistent provision, it is, overall, appropriate. Coverage is good, although there are too many worksheets in lower Key Stage 2 and, therefore, too little opportunity for pupils in these classes to respond individually to the good range of historical knowledge offered.

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HISTORY

133. The co-ordinator has recently rewritten the policy, which is now good. In addition, she has provided good support for her colleagues by already matching the scheme of work to the changed curriculum requirements. The recording of pupils’ attainment is satisfactory and, like the one for geography, is potentially useful for the same reasons. Systems for monitoring and evaluating provision and standards are not regular or rigorous enough. Overall, standards have been maintained since the inspection in 1996.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

134. Standards of attainment in information technology are below national expectations at the ends of both key stages. Standards have deteriorated since the last inspection, where they were reported as being above national expectations throughout the school. Pupils in Key Stage 2 are not taught all aspects of the subject and statutory requirements are not being met. Throughout the school, the standards which pupils reach in what they are taught is below the standards that could be attained and many pupils under-achieve in relation to their ability. The principal reasons for the low standards seen are the school’s failure to keep up with national developments in the subject, the unsatisfactory condition of some of its equipment and an insufficient range of computer software to support the curriculum. In addition, the school is in a late phase of the National Grid for Learning development. These factors have led to a steady

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

decline in teaching information technology as a subject in its own right and in its use to support the rest of the curriculum. During the inspection little use was made of many of the school’s computer systems, more than half being switched off for much of the week.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

135. In Key Stage 1 no pupils were observed using computers and there was very little other evidence of pupils' work. Pupils are taught elementary keyboard skills, using a word processor. In a lesson seen, pupils controlled a floor “Roamer” satisfactorily by giving it direct commands and practised similar control activities by working with a partner on the playground, giving each other instructions to move forward or back and to turn through angles of 90 degrees. Pupils use data handling programs soundly to print bar charts to illustrate, for example, the best and worst features of the village, as part of their study of the locality in geography and to investigate changes in the eating habits of their grandparents compared to themselves.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

136. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils write short pieces of text with titles such as “The Murderous Teacher”. Work is well set out and has been edited to remove spelling errors. Pupils produce posters that include pictures and a range of text effects to advertise places such as Drayton Manor. This work approaches the standards expected for eleven-year-olds and supports literacy lessons well, but provides insufficient challenge for higher attaining pupils. In work on data handling pupils enter data into a prepared database as part of their river studies in geography, and produce graphs to show, for example, how many rivers flow into the sea through estuaries and how many through deltas. However, this work is under-developed. Pupils could just as easily do this activity manually and they make no further use of the database to follow lines of geographical enquiry by searching or sorting the data according to various criteria. In other

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

work on data handling, pupils have begun to use a spreadsheet. Pupils know that spreadsheet cells can contain numbers, words or formulas and, in a lesson seen, pupils were beginning to explore how to create formulas, for instance to add up a row of figures and insert the total at the end.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

137. Pupils of all abilities make unsatisfactory progress in information technology throughout the school. They are given too few opportunities to use computers as part of a regularly planned and structured programme of study. As a result, they make insufficient gains in subject Cheswick Green Primary School - 38 knowledge and many do not develop the necessary operating skills. For example, in a lower Key Stage 2 lesson, groups of pupils used computers to edit a piece of text to show the correct use of speech marks. Pupils were confused about the use of several keys on the computer keyboard. As a result, pupils worked slowly and they completed less work than they could have done in the time available.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

138. The quality of teaching in lessons seen during the inspection was satisfactory. However, only three lessons were observed and the low standards of pupils' work seen indicate that teaching is unsatisfactory, overall. In the lessons seen, teachers demonstrated techniques well, involving pupils in the demonstration and discussion. In a Key Stage 1 lesson, for example, the teacher used pupils' suggestions satisfactorily to develop a series of instructions to control a floor “Roamer”. The demonstration and discussion ensured good pupil attention and enabled the teacher to assess how well the class understood the basic concepts. Lessons seen were well prepared and well run. For example, in a lower Key Stage 2 lesson on computer control and modelling, groups of pupils were issued with a clear booklet enabling them to work with minimal teacher support. However, the teacher was on hand to offer help when needed. This

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

method and organisation was effective, pupils achieved the objectives set out for the lesson and made satisfactory progress.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

139. Although the quality of lessons seen during the inspections was satisfactory, examination of pupils' work shows that, over the longer term, many teachers do not know how to teach the subject effectively using the resources available, they do not set sufficiently demanding work for all pupils and they make insufficient use of information technology to support other subjects in the curriculum. Consequently, many computer systems are unused for considerable lengths of time, which is an inefficient use of expensive resources, and pupils make unsatisfactory progress, overall.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

140. When given the opportunity to work with computers, pupils have positive attitudes. They work well in groups, sharing work as necessary and they concentrate well on what they have to do. Teachers manage classes well and pupils behave well as a result. The good attitudes and behaviour which pupils displayed in the lessons seen was a significant factor in the purposeful activity observed and the progress that they made.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

141. The school acknowledges the weaknesses that have developed since the last inspection and is currently undertaking an extensive development programme to replace much of its equipment with a new computer network, including access to the Internet and development of resources to address the whole school’s needs. However, this is in its early stages at present and will not be complete for several years. The coordinator has begun to modify the curriculum to reflect national developments and to prepare for the school’s resource expansion. However, at present the curriculum does not address all strands of the subject and does not meet statutory requirements. Whilst acknowledging that standards have deteriorated since the last inspection, the coordinator and headteacher have not taken effective action to ensure that pupils currently in the school receive their full entitlement to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. The

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

school has sufficient computer systems and other equipment, but there is an insufficient range of computer software for some aspects of the information technology curriculum and too few CD-ROM information resources to support subjects such as history and geography.

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MUSIC

142. In singing, pupils work at the standards expected for their age. Key Stage 2 pupils attain standards above those expected when taking part in school productions. There was insufficient evidence available to judge standards in other aspects of the subject. Similar standards in singing were reported at the last inspection. Pupils make satisfactory progress in singing, but there was insufficient evidence available to assess progress in other aspects of the subject. Cheswick Green Primary School - 39 143. In assemblies, pupils sing songs such as “Shine Jesus Shine!” enthusiastically. Some older pupils find it difficult to sing in tune, but most do so and the overall quality is satisfactory. Words are clear and pupils pay satisfactory attention to the dynamics suggested in different verses and the chorus. In the Key Stage 1 lesson observed, pupils sang “Horsey, horsey don’t you stop”. In the first part of the lesson, they improved the quality of their singing as a result of

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MUSIC

good teaching that focused on clear articulation of the words. In a related activity, pupils worked satisfactorily in groups to create a short percussion piece to represent the movement of an animal such as a snake or an elephant. However, they were given insufficient time to complete this activity and no groups reached the stage of devising a way to represent their work as a pictorial score.

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MUSIC

144. In lessons on “The Blues” in Key Stage 2, the quality of pupils' singing varied from good to unsatisfactory. Where it was good, pupils first listened well to a recording of “Workaday Morning Blues” and made perceptive comments about the style, using phrases such as “a complaining song” to illustrate their views. They followed this up with a good performance, singing in tune and adding loud and soft dynamics. Where singing was unsatisfactory, pupils were lethargic and made little effort to join in. In a lower Key Stage 2 lesson, pupils worked in groups to create a short “scary sound” sequence in a lesson on musical effects. Pupils were busy, but much of the activity lacked focus and the final compositions were under-developed. However, pupils listened well to each other’s performances and related what they heard to their experiences of films, such as a haunted castle scene where the atmosphere is set by a regular,

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MUSIC

but persistent and crescendoing series of tapping noises.

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MUSIC

145. Pupils clearly enjoy opportunities to perform, such as in a rehearsal for “Oliver”, and sing well. Older pupils sing two-part harmonies accurately and several pupils give good solo performances.

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MUSIC

146. The quality of teaching is satisfactory, overall, and, occasionally, it is good. Where it is good, teachers set high expectations and they establish a positive ethos where pupils talk confidently about their feelings and give reasoned opinions about what they are listening to. Teachers manage classes well and have a good rapport with pupils, which encourages them to take part. Teachers have a secure knowledge of the subject. They lead singing well, including in those lessons where the pupils' response is lacklustre. They pay good attention to factors such as clear diction and sustained breathing. Teachers prepare lessons well. Learning objectives are clear and appropriate and activities are well matched to pupils' age and ability. Resources are set out beforehand, enabling a swift start to be made and contributing to the overall sense of purpose seen in lessons. Although maintaining a brisk lesson pace, occasionally teachers attempt too

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MUSIC

much in lessons. This restricts the time available for some activities and reduces the progress that could otherwise be made. By contrast, lesson pace is occasionally too slow, which contributes to the lethargic pupil response seen in some upper Key Stage 2 classes.

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MUSIC

147. The subject is led by an enthusiastic coordinator, who does not monitor the quality of the teaching of the subject. The curriculum is satisfactory and is currently under development to reflect national developments due for implementation later in the year. It is based on a high quality commercial scheme that gives good guidance to non-specialist teachers and addresses all strands of the subject satisfactorily. Music supports pupils' cultural education well, especially through its extra-curricular stage club and programme of school productions and visits from groups such as an Afro-Caribbean music and dance group. Resources for music are good. Teachers have access to a wide range of good support materials to help them plan lessons. There are sufficient instruments such as electronic keyboards and recorders for whole class use. The school has a good selection of percussion instruments from around the world and a

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Cheswick Green Primary School - 40 148. Standards are above national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1 and match national expectations at the end of Key Stage 2. Progress of all pupils, including those with special educational needs, is good at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory at Key Stage 2. Standards in games have been maintained at Key Stage 1, but, at Key Stage 2, standards in this aspect of the subject have declined since the last inspection, when they were judged to be above expectations. During the inspection, lessons were observed in the games aspect of the curriculum only.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

149. Nearly all pupils throughout the school understand the need for a warm up activity. They understand the need for safe working and comply with the regulations about removing jewellery and wearing appropriate clothing. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils use space well, keeping out of each other’s way and moving safely around the hall at different speeds. They run, dodge and change direction in a limited space very effectively. The pupils skilfully receive and send a ball in a variety of ways. They work well, both co-operatively and independently. In Key Stage 2, pupils build on these skills and use space more effectively. At the beginning of the key stage, pupils learn to throw and catch a ball, using two hands. Later in the key stage they throw a ball to a partner, using a reasonable variety of throws including overarm and underarm passes. They respond well to teachers’ instructions and pupils in both key stages evaluate their performance.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

By the end of Key Stage 2, the pupils improve hand-eye co-ordination skills and their ability to work effectively as a member of a team.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

150. Pupils in both key stages display good attitudes towards their work. They enjoy the subject, get changed quickly for lessons and respond immediately to instructions. In both key stages, they try hard, are prepared to demonstrate their skills and respond well to suggestions for improving their performance. When working in pairs or groups, pupils co-operate well with each other and play fairly in competition. Their behaviour is good.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

151. Only four lessons were observed during the inspection, three of them in Key Stage 2. The quality of teaching is good in Key Stage 1 and satisfactory, overall, in Key Stage 2. Teaching in both key stages is effective in helping pupils to develop their physical educational skills. Lessons are organised well and the good range of equipment is used effectively. Most lessons include opportunities to warm up and cool down. Time is generally well used and, where lessons are most effective, for example in Year 2 and Years 5 and 6, lessons are carried out at a brisk pace and tasks build systematically on pupils’ prior accomplishments. They include effective feedback to pupils on their performances and use pupils' work as examples of good practice, for instance, pupils being shown how to improve their running and passing skills. In the less effective, although broadly satisfactory lessons, weaknesses in organisation result in

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

pupils not working as hard as they should and not making better progress in group tasks because they are not consistently involved in meaningful activity.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

152. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities, including gymnastics, football, netball, athletics and cricket. All activities are open to both genders. They are well organised and popular.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

153. Throughout the school year, swimming is taught to pupils in Years 3 and 4. By the time they leave the school most pupils can swim at least 25 metres. Provision for swimming is good.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

154. The subject co-ordinator has worked effectively to develop a scheme of work that provides a very good basis for teaching planning. The development of this scheme, matched closely to the new curriculum requirements, represents a good improvement since the last inspection. There is realistic target setting in the school development plan that includes greater involvement in inter- school sporting activities and opportunities to monitor the teaching of physical education to raise standards that have declined since the previous inspection.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Cheswick Green Primary School - 41 155. Insufficient lessons were observed to make an overall judgement about the quality of teaching and pupils' responses. Judgements are based on the scrutiny of work, an interview with the co-ordinator and talking informally with pupils. The limitation of the teachers' planning together with the absence of an up-to-date school syllabus restricts the development of pupils in this subject. The levels of attainment of pupils, including those with special educational needs, are below those expected for their ages at the end of both key stages. Standards in the subject and the provision, overall, have deteriorated since the last inspection.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

156. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ knowledge of the main Christian festivals is limited. Few are aware of the signs and symbols associated with any of the other world religions.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

157. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils name some of the major world religions and have some knowledge of the more popular Christian Bible stories. There are, however, too few examples of the work on world religions that is expected of pupils at this age.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

158. In the two lessons observed, which dealt mainly with moral and social issues, pupils showed good attitudes toward the subject. For example, in the lesson on human rights in Years 5 and 6, pupils contributed very well to the discussion on the work of Amnesty International. In the other lesson, which considered the words of the hymn “All Thing Bright and Beautiful”, pupils reflected on things which they considered bright, beautiful, wise and wonderful. This lesson contributed well to pupils’ spiritual development. Pupils are also particularly attentive in assemblies, listening attentively and singing tunefully.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

159. Although progress in individual lessons observed was satisfactory, pupils’ progress over time is unsatisfactory across both key stages. Pupils with special education needs made progress similar to that of their peers. The subject makes a limited contribution to pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. Assemblies contribute well to pupils’ moral and social development and satisfactorily to their spiritual development.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

160. The quality of teaching in the lessons observed was satisfactory in terms of the way in which lessons were organised and pupils managed. The fundamental problem is, however, the lack of consistency that would arise from systematic programmes of work that reflect the demands of the locally agreed syllabus. No assessment procedures have been identified and there is little use of assessment, either to track pupils’ attainment and progress or for curriculum planning.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

161. The school teaches religious education through discrete lessons supported by assembly themes. However, the provision does not meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. The school has not yet adopted the syllabus in sufficient depth to cover the programmes of study and the school’s resources are inadequate to support its requirements. There has been a recent change of co-ordinator, who does not monitor the quality of teaching routinely in the subject. The school has already, appropriately, identified the subject as an area for development.

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