Portobello Primary School

PORTOBELLO 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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PORTOBELLO 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. Portobello Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Tamerton Drive Birtley Chester-le-Street County Durham Postcode: DH3 2LY

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs D McGuiness

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: September 1996 Portobello Primary School - 4

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Team members

George Brown Registered inspector Judith Menes Lay inspector Pauline Smith Team inspector

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Team members

Cambridge Educational Associates Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Portobello Primary School - 5

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Pupils’ standards are generally high particularly in speaking

and listening, reading, mathematics and art.

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The headteacher helps generate effective teamwork and

provides excellent leadership across the school.

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The curriculum provides a rich and varied range of

opportunities for pupils to learn and develop.

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not well defined and pupils are given too few opportunities to

develop their awareness of the wide ethnic base in society.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school serves the community of Portobello as well as areas on the fringe of Birtley, between Gateshead and Washington. Some fifty per cent of the pupil intake now comes from outside the designated catchment area. The school is of approximately average size with 202 pupils on roll, 56 per cent of whom are boys. Most children have some form of nursery experience and enter their reception year with broadly average standards. Almost a third of the school’s reception children were under five at the time of the inspection. Only one pupil has English as an additional language and, traditionally, the school has very little representation from minority ethnic groups. Just over 8 per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals, a figure below the national average. There are 24 pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs including one who has a statement of special educational needs.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Portobello is a very good, effective school where pupils achieve high standards in many areas of school life. Much of this is due to the good quality of teaching together with the excellent leadership provided by the headteacher. Staff are hardworking and conscientious and work effectively as a team. The school serves its community well and provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils’ standards are generally high particularly in speaking and listening, reading, mathematics and art. • The quality of teaching and learning is good and frequently very good throughout the school. • Relationships between pupils and adults are excellent and help to foster positive attitudes to learning. Behaviour is also consistently very good. • The headteacher helps generate effective teamwork and provides excellent leadership across the school. • The curriculum provides a rich and varied range of opportunities for pupils to learn and develop. • The provision made for the moral and social development of pupils is very good.

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What could be improved

• At Key Stage 1, very few pupils achieve the higher levels in their factual and imaginative writing. • At Key Stage 1, standards in science have lagged behind those achieved in other curriculum areas. • The role of the co-ordinators is not fully developed in relation to monitoring pupils’ standards and the quality of teaching in their own subject areas. • The place of multicultural education in the wider curriculum is not well defined and pupils are given too few opportunities to develop their awareness of the wide ethnic base in society. 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

Portobello was last inspected in September 1996. At that time it was judged to be achieving above average standards but with some important areas for further development including the role of the governing body and the management of activities in the classroom. Approximately 13 per cent of teaching was also judged to be unsatisfactory. Since that time, the school has made good progress in relation to both its general development as well as in those important areas it had to improve. The amount of teaching time lost to older pupils has disappeared with an increase in their working day. Careful attention has been given to how activities are organised in relatively cramped spaces and there is subsequently less noise to disturb adjacent classrooms. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. The targets set for pupils with special educational needs are now more specific and this has improved the rate and scope of their general progress. The part played by the governing body has improved and

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

it now has greater influence on school life. The school shows good capacity to improve still further in the future. Portobello Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

The results of statutory and other tests, combined with inspection findings, confirm the above average standards achieved by Key Stage 2 pupils in recent years. Standards in 1999 were particularly high in relation to national averages; for example, standards in mathematics were in the top 5 per cent nationally. This is largely due to good teaching, the positive attitudes of the pupils and the overall quality of the curriculum provided by the school. The introduction of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies has helped to consolidate the good standards already in existence. The table’s comparison to similar schools, based on entitlement to free school meals, indicates that pupils did less well in English than in other subjects, but the school has recently crossed into the next threshold level for free school meals and this will lead to a more accurate picture of the relatively high attainment

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Key

being achieved by a majority of pupils. At Key Stage 1, pupils do equally as well as the older pupils in mathematics and reading for their age, but less well in science. Standards in speaking and listening, art and environmental work are very good throughout the school. The targets set for the pupils’ future attainment at Key Stage 2 are both realistic and challenging.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils are very enthusiastic about their learning and try hard in their lessons. They respond very well to the high expectations of their teachers and are well motivated and keen to do their best. They co- operate well with adults and with each other.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Consistently very good, particularly during lessons. Pupils are reliable and show good levels of courtesy and self-discipline for their age. Sensible and generally harmonious behaviour occurs outside the classroom.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships in the school are excellent and play an important and positive part in the good and very good learning that occurs across a wide range of subjects. Good emphasis is also placed on the importance of the pupils’ personal development, although even more could be asked of the pupils’ initiative in terms of their own learning.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Average levels are reported annually. The school day starts particularly promptly and well and punctuality is not a problem. Portobello Primary School - 8

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

The quality of teaching is good overall for children under-five and at both key stages. It is particularly effective towards the end of Key Stage 2. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed and 35 per cent of teaching was either very good or excellent. Pupils make at least satisfactory and frequently good or very good progress as a result. All subjects are taught well and there are particular strengths in the teaching of English, mathematics, art and environmental work. The most effective teaching focuses well on the needs of the individual pupil, including those with special educational needs or for whom English is an additional language. All teachers plan their lessons well and give clear explanations as to what pupils are expected to do and understand. Staff set high expectations as to what pupils will achieve and how they will behave and relate to each other. All teachers have very good subject

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

knowledge and use this effectively during lessons, particularly in the way they relate subjects to each other and motivate the pupils. The pace of learning is relatively rapid and well managed. Teachers are careful to build on previous learning and pupils acquire new skills, knowledge and understanding in a uniform and progressive manner.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum This is an overall strength of the school. A statutory curriculum is in place and pupils of all ages are given many imaginative starting points for their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good, consistent provision with quality support given to all pupils who experience learning difficulties.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. The very few pupils who require extra help are identified quickly and subsequently well supported in their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development There are particular strengths in the provision made for the pupils’ social and moral development. The provision made for the pupils’ spiritual development is good and it is satisfactory in relation to their cultural development. There are currently insufficient opportunities for pupils to develop greater awareness of the ethnic diversity within society.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Staff know the needs of the pupils well and there is a caring and supportive ethos that helps and encourages children to do their best as they move through the school. Good child protection measures are in place. Portobello Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher in particular provides excellent overall leadership giving purpose and clear educational direction to the school. In this he is well supported by other senior staff, although there is considerably more scope for subject co-ordinators to be involved with the monitoring of standards and the quality of teaching in their own subject areas.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors make a satisfactory contribution to school affairs and meet their statutory requirements in relation to policy making and assisting with forward planning.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has very clear systems in place by which it can monitor its perceived strengths and weaknesses. The annual school development plan makes it very clear what actions the school must take in order to meet its aims and declared priorities.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good use is made of the funds allocated to the school on an annual basis. Good quality learning resources are used well to support effective learning. The school works hard to ensure it achieves very good value in much that it does. A significant strength is the quality and use made of displayed work that helps celebrate pupils’ achievements and encourages them to reach even higher standards.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The pupils achieve well and make good progress. • Relationships are good and pupils are keen to do their best for their teachers. • The behaviour of pupils is consistently good and they are trustworthy in what they do. • The school’s aims and values are well known and appreciated by parents. • Teachers are very caring and work hard and effectively with their pupils. • The management of the school is known and appreciated for the way it provides so well for the needs of all the pupils. • Not all parents are happy about the type and amount of homework given to their children. • Some parents feel that more after school activities could be provided for a greater range of pupils.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The parents’ views of the school are overwhelmingly positive and the results of inspection support many of the perceived reasons why the school is so popular in the area. The school has a very clear statement on what homework is likely to be set and the expectations placed on children in this respect. Homework is currently used well to support and extend pupils’ learning. The range of extra-curricular activities includes several sporting and musical activities and is within the range and scope normally encountered for schools of this size. Portobello Primary School - 10

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Pupils’ standards are generally high particularly in speaking and listening, reading,

1. The good quality of teaching and the effective learning that results, leads to sustained high attainment in several areas of the curriculum. Pupils’ listen very well both to their teachers and to each other and learn a great deal in this way. They are also confident speakers and are quick to express their views or to discuss issues raised in lessons. A particular strength among older pupils is their willingness to ask questions, often during whole-class sessions, in order to clarify points in their own learning. Ideas are also well expressed, for example when Year 6 pupils put forward their suggestions for the end-of-year leavers’ assembly. Pupils of all ages read well for their age and many achieve well above average standards. Most express real enthusiasm for books and are equally at home with fiction and non-fiction texts. Older pupils in particular, use more advanced reading skills such as skimming and research to gain greater independence in

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Pupils’ standards are generally high particularly in speaking and listening, reading,

their own learning. Even very young children are able to read information on a computer screen and respond appropriately. The skills and experience pupils acquire during lessons, such as the literacy hour, are used very successfully in other subjects. Pupils write to at least average standards and frequently above the level anticipated for their age, although this is not consistently achieved by the end of Key Stage 1. Work is of good length, neatly presented and is, in the main, accurate and imaginative depending on the task pupils undertake. Pupils at Key Stage 2 show accurate knowledge as to how they can write to persuade the reader towards a particular opinion, while others at Key Stage 1 excel in writing about their bodies, their reactions to a visiting theatre group and describing characters on ‘wanted posters’. During an excellent literacy lesson, reception children showed well above average understanding of speech marks

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Pupils’ standards are generally high particularly in speaking and listening, reading,

and the usefulness of quite complex writing techniques, such as alliteration.

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Pupils’ standards are generally high particularly in speaking and listening, reading,

2. Attainment in mathematics is particularly good throughout the school with pupils at both key stages achieving well above average standards in much of their work. The introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy has sharpened pupils’ mental skills considerably and their exercise books are generally full of well-developed and accurate work. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils absorb a wide range of mathematical experiences including time, capacity, problem solving, fractions, angles and symmetry. In these and many other areas, pupils show a very good grasp of basic concepts and apply their growing knowledge and skills to good advantage. By the end of Key Stage 2, the range and accuracy of pupils’ work has continued to improve with significant numbers moving onto more complex operations and advanced work on shape and data handling. Pupils in Year 6 complete well above average work on graphical representation and

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Pupils’ standards are generally high particularly in speaking and listening, reading,

how to calculate the area of triangular prisms. Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils’ books are full of accurate, challenging work that they complete on time and will willingly correct if initially wrong. The school hall contains an excellent display of pupils’ work in mathematics indicating that many are ‘stars in the making’. The display shows the wide range of experiences offered to pupils and, particularly in shape and related topics such as area and tessellations, the very good standards that are achieved. A further strength is the use made of numeracy across the curriculum. This is very evident in technology, geography and even history, in relation to dates and time lines. Pupils use information technology satisfactorily to extend mathematical knowledge but a lack of sufficient software sometimes prevents this aspect from further development.

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Pupils’ standards are generally high particularly in speaking and listening, reading,

3. Every classroom carefully displays pupils’ work showing the sound and frequently very good work that occurs in other subjects. Art, for example, is a curriculum strength of the school and quality work is undertaken in a wide range of media. Of particular note is the quality of observational drawing and the progress made by pupils in their ability to use colour, texture and, for example, collage and printing, to considerable effect. Work covers an enormous range of techniques from simple but effective pieces that depict a starry night using pastels, chalk and oils, to the merging of science and art whereby pupils paint minibeasts in the style of Monet and Renoir. Art is used very effectively to support pupils’ learning and self-expression in other subjects. Pupils’ creative skills are further developed in technology and high quality work is planned and modelled at both key stages; for example, Year 5 pupils completed the designing

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Pupils’ standards are generally high particularly in speaking and listening, reading,

and making of their own musical instruments to a very high standard. Considerable emphasis is Portobello Primary School - 11 placed on outdoor work in geography and environmental studies. Pupils of all ages display above average knowledge of their local area and older pupils in particular are adept at comparing and contrasting different environments as illustrated by the quality of their field work during a residential stay in Northumberland.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and frequently very good throughout the

4. Staff work closely and effectively as a team and this strongly influences the nature of planning and the good progressive learning that occurs between year groups. Teachers show very good subject knowledge and meaningfully link subjects together in order to bring additional meaning and clarity to pupils’ learning. Teachers plan their lessons with considerable skill and care and, whilst this is relatively uniform across the school, their own interests and strengths are used to bring additional interest and fun to learning. Good use is made of both whole class teaching, for example during numeracy lessons, as well as group work. A particularly strong feature of many lessons is the way that teachers link several subjects in a single activity. For example, in a Year 4 lesson based on geography, art and language were also effectively introduced as pupils wrote about and designed a poster concerning the intention of a supermarket chain to build on green

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and frequently very good throughout the

5. A further strength of all the observed teaching, was the use made by teachers of question and answer sessions. Teachers positively encourage pupil discussion and this leads to improved writing. Teachers also show a consistently high expectation that pupils will behave well and work hard. This is an effective aid to much of the good learning that occurs. Many of the classrooms are rather cramped in terms of the flexibility of approach that teachers can use. Despite this, space and resources are used well and in many instances the ‘shared areas’ between classes are used effectively for additional group work. Although satisfactory overall, the use made of available support staff could be better thought through and developed to greater effect with the pupils. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is never less than satisfactory and is frequently very good.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and frequently very good throughout the

6. A key factor in much of the best teaching, is the strength of relationships between teacher and pupil. This leads to effective, usually unobtrusive control of the pupils, helping in turn to bring greater pace and challenge to learning. This was seen during several sessions, including a drama lesson involving Year 3 pupils in which they were given a lot of freedom and responded well with some good quality work. The start of the working day is particularly well handled by the teachers with pupils settling immediately to pre-prepared tasks. Good use is also made of homework to help consolidate and extend pupils’ learning.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and frequently very good throughout the

7. Teaching is uniformly good across the school. An excellent lesson occurred in the reception class when the teacher brought all the strands of English together into a meaningful whole and children achieved very high standards, particularly in reading. Some particularly effective teaching occurs towards the end of Key Stage 2 where pupils’ needs are well targeted and then challenged by a range of planned activities that greatly extend their opportunities for learning.

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Relationships between pupils and adults are excellent and help to foster positive

attitudes to learning. Behaviour is also consistently very good.

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Relationships between pupils and adults are excellent and help to foster positive

8. Staff know their pupils well and are committed to their care and welfare. They readily identify with the ongoing needs of pupils. This helps create excellent relationships and an ethos of support and mutual understanding. Pupils are also particularly supportive of each other. Within such a setting, pupils are well motivated, enjoy their time at school and show great willingness to co-operate with staff and others on site. During lessons, pupils are well focused and are prepared to play an important part in their own learning. More could be asked of the pupils’ initiative in this respect. During the inspection period, pupils worked hard and took much pride in what they were doing. Many were very anxious to share and show their present and past achievements with the inspectors. The response to learning is therefore extremely positive. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, feel confident to express themselves in

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Relationships between pupils and adults are excellent and help to foster positive

the right way and the great majority are helpful and mature in their everyday setting, including when they are at play. Portobello Primary School - 12 9. The behaviour of pupils is closely monitored but is essentially based on a clear expectation that they will behave sensibly and reliably at all times. Pupils respond well to this approach. Concise, written codes of conduct are displayed in the classrooms and, although pupils can be rewarded for good or improving behaviour, it is essentially an expectation that the school community expects a good standard of behaviour throughout the day. Parents are very supportive of the school’s values and expectations and readily praise the outcomes of such an approach. The expectation is also clearly outlined in the home-school agreement. No abrasive or unacceptable levels of anti-social behaviour are tolerated and none were observed during the inspection period.

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The headteacher helps generate effective teamwork and provides excellent leadership

10. The headteacher is an experienced leader and knows staff and pupils well. Pupils are confident to approach him with their concerns as well as their achievements. He also has a very firm knowledge of the school’s strengths alongside those areas that will require some development in the future. Together with other senior staff, he ensures that the school’s aims and values are well reflected in the day-to-day running of the school. In this context, the leadership of the school continues to flourish and to provide clear educational direction and good strategic planning for the future. The headteacher, in particular, is helping to create a clear vision for building on the past success of the school and leads by example in terms of commitment and effort. Of particular significance has been the way that senior staff continue to manage essential change in the school and to ensure that initiatives such as the National Literacy and Numeracy

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The headteacher helps generate effective teamwork and provides excellent leadership

Strategies have been widely accepted and are used to help drive up pupil standards still further. The growing sense of teamwork generated by the headteacher and which now includes all senior staff and governors, can best be illustrated by the thoroughness in which the school addressed the key issues outlined on its previous report. Good lines of communication are established across the school as well as between school and the parents. Although the school has established a very good policy for monitoring and evaluating its performance, there is scope for more to be delegated to senior staff and co-ordinators in this respect.

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The curriculum provides a rich and varied range of opportunities for pupils to learn and

11. There is a good statutory curriculum in place. It is rich and stimulating to the pupils and provides many imaginative starting points for them to begin their learning. The latest national initiatives, such as the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, have been integrated well alongside other strands of the National Curriculum and continue to have good influence on pupils’ learning. Of particular success has been the way that literacy and numeracy are now supporting pupils’ learning across a wide range of curriculum subjects and termly topics. The topics undertaken by pupils, such as ‘Ourselves and My Body’, ‘The Victorians,’ and ‘Contrasting Birtley and Warkworth,’ have proved stimulating and wide reaching in their influence on pupils’ learning. The curriculum is very well planned and is a careful blend of knowledge and skills designed to lead pupils to self-exploration and further discovery. The main areas of English, mathematics

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The curriculum provides a rich and varied range of opportunities for pupils to learn and

and science are well supported by essential experiences in other areas including religious education and information technology.

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The curriculum provides a rich and varied range of opportunities for pupils to learn and

12. A further strength is the breadth and balance the curriculum brings to pupils’ learning and how teachers’ subject knowledge encourages pupils to see their learning as an integrated whole and not necessarily bound by subject divisions. The curriculum also provides well for ‘spontaneous learning’ when pupils show a sudden interest in a particular resource or are excited about something they have experienced for the first time. Pupils with special educational needs are well provided for. There is also considerable emphasis on creative work, such as art and technology that ensures pupils enjoy a wide range of practical activities. This theme is also extended to the outdoors and pupils learn much from a wide range of educational visits, including a residential stay for the oldest pupils. Sporting and musical clubs that are run outside of normal hours also enrich pupils’ experiences. These are well supported by mainly Key Stage

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The curriculum provides a rich and varied range of opportunities for pupils to learn and

2 pupils. Portobello Primary School - 13 The provision made for the social and moral development of the pupils is very good.

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The curriculum provides a rich and varied range of opportunities for pupils to learn and

13. The overall personal development of pupils is carefully interwoven into the school aims and into much that the school does on a daily basis. Considerable emphasis is placed on social development and even the very youngest children quickly learn the conventions of good social behaviour. This standard is then well maintained throughout the school. There are particularly high expectations as to how pupils should behave and respond to each other. This approach is also strengthened by the excellent relationships that exist throughout the school. All adults act as effective role models in this respect. Each classroom has a set of easily understood rules that are carefully displayed and frequently referred to. Pupils of all ages are frequently organised into pairs or small groups as part of their everyday activities and this gives them a good grounding in working positively together. The oldest pupils are asked to act as prefects

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The curriculum provides a rich and varied range of opportunities for pupils to learn and

and this builds up their maturity while working on communal tasks around the school or helping with young children at Key Stage 1.

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The curriculum provides a rich and varied range of opportunities for pupils to learn and

14. The school’s daily life is set within a clear moral ethos. There is for example, an agreed set of values that helps promote many virtues which the pupils are ‘challenged’ to live up to, including honesty, truthfulness and tolerance of others. Pupils are also encouraged to think about right and wrong behaviour and to realise the consequences of wrongdoing and harmful actions on the lives of others. The daily acts of worship frequently focus on wider moral issues that encourage pupils to reflect on their own actions and those of others. For example, on one occasion pupils were led to understand the importance of looking beyond the outward appearance of an adult or child and to the realisation that what is inside the person that really matters. Many of the teachers also conduct short lessons in which pupils can share their worries and other experiences in a non-threatening environment.

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At Key Stage 1, very few pupils achieve the higher levels in their factual and imaginative

15. In the last two years, following the result of statutory assessment, no Key Stage 1 pupil has managed to acquire the higher writing level anticipated for some pupils at the end of the key stage. The reading ability of some pupils, combined with their current skills in writing, would suggest that at least some have the potential to become more able and proficient writers by the time they are seven. The school has recognised this fact and has already begun to target potentially higher attaining pupils who, with additional encouragement and more structured teaching, may well achieve the higher level. This area for improvement is correctly identified in the latest school development plan.

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At Key Stage 1, standards in science have lagged behind those achieved in other

16. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils achieve broadly the level expected for their age in science. However, most show more strength in their pure knowledge of science topics than they do in relation to experimental and investigative science. In 1999, based on teacher assessment, the numbers in science reaching the higher levels fell well below the national average. While many pupils show appropriate levels of knowledge and understanding for their age, there are weaknesses in important scientific areas. These include the lack of subject specific language, the inability to compare and contrast scientific results and the means of developing a more enquiry based approach towards their work. Portobello Primary School - 14

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The role of the co-ordinators is not fully developed in relation to monitoring pupils’

standards and the quality of teaching in their own subject areas.

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The role of the co-ordinators is not fully developed in relation to monitoring pupils’

17. The school has recently (March 2000) produced its latest monitoring and evaluation policy, which also incorporates various target-setting procedures. This is a very good, explanatory document describing the specific roles in monitoring and evaluation expected of senior staff and governors in particular. Although the school is already well placed for carrying out its monitoring procedures, too much of this in the past has been the responsibility of the headteacher and too little has been assigned to senior staff and the co-ordinators. Although some good examples of subject monitoring do occur, for example in mathematics, this is not the norm, and staff could therefore be more involved in evaluating teaching and learning in their own subject areas. This more critical review of what is actually occurring in each subject will help identify strengths and weaknesses and help prepare a more meaningful overview of the school’s overall performance.

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pupils are given too few opportunities to develop their awareness of the wide ethnic base

18. This is an area to strengthen in what is otherwise a very good range of learning opportunities given to all pupils. The school has had few minority ethnic pupils over time and this makes it harder for staff to ensure that pupils become fully aware of the wide ethnic base that exists in society. Although there is sound evidence that particularly in religious education, the school teaches its pupils something about different faiths, for example Hinduism and Christian festivals, there is nevertheless a lack of input into multicultural education in general. This includes the need for greater pupil awareness of different cultures and traditions within art, literature, music and beliefs. Portobello Primary School - 15

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

19. In order to raise standards still further and also extend the quality of education provided by the school, the governors, headteacher and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve and extend the writing skills of all pupils, but particularly the higher attaining

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pupils at Key Stage 1 by:

- increasing the opportunities for them to write both imaginatively and factually using a wide range of starting points; - ensuring that their writing is well organised and clearly expressed to its intended audience; - ensuring that the grammatical structure of their sentence writing is correct and that vocabulary and punctuation are used accurately and with increasing understanding and effect. (paragraph 15)

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pupils at Key Stage 1 by:

• Improve pupils’ work in science at Key Stage 1 by:

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pupils at Key Stage 1 by:

- extending their knowledge and use of scientific (subject specific) vocabulary; - developing their ability to compare and contrast scientific results, providing increasingly accurate explanations for what they observe. (paragraph 16)

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pupils at Key Stage 1 by:

• Extend the monitoring role of the co-ordinators in relation to their subjects by:

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pupils at Key Stage 1 by:

- providing more opportunities for them to monitor subject coverage, National Curriculum levels, resources and classroom practice and to report these back to the headteacher and other teaching colleagues as appropriate; - use all the information gained, to help the headteacher and governing body evaluate and improve the school’s overall performance. (paragraph 17)

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pupils at Key Stage 1 by:

• Improve the nature of multicultural education in the school by:

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pupils at Key Stage 1 by:

- providing more opportunities for pupils to study the cultures and traditions of a variety of ethnic groups; - through discussion and direct teaching, increase the awareness of all pupils as to the rich variety of ethnic diversity present in British society. (paragraph 18) Portobello Primary School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 13

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

5 30 55 10 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 202

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 17 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 24

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 2

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Portobello Primary School - 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 16 13 29

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 16 16 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 12 12 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 97 (94) 97 (89) 97 (93) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 83 (81) 87 (85)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 16 16 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 12 11 10

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 97 (86) 93 (93) 90 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 10 12 22

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 9 10 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 12 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 91 (50) 100 (66) 100 (65) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (68) 78 (69)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 8 10 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 9 9

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 82 (51) 86 (69) 86 (57) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (71) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Portobello Primary School - 18

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y 6

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.5 Financial year 1998/99

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 28.1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 306,369

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 1,580

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 42 Balance brought forward from previous year 10,157

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 17,468 Portobello Primary School - 19

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 57 41 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 59 37 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 38 52 6 2 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 56 41 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 65 28 6 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 70 30 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 46 46 9 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 62 35 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 52 45 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 11 35 28 9 16

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