Tottington Primary School

ST MARY’S CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 5 th – 6 th February 2001

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ST MARY’S CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ST MARY’S CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Bolton Road Hawkshaw Bury Lancashire Postcode: BL8 4JL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 23 rd September 1996 St Mary’s CE Primary School - 4

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Team members

3108 Eric Jackson Registered inspector 9952 Lillian Brock Lay inspector 10526 Margaret Roe Team inspector

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Team members

Schoolhaus Ltd Suite 17 BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Walesby Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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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 Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Mary’s CE Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Mary’s, Hawkshaw, is a small, voluntary aided Church of England primary school, housed in a Victorian building, close to its parish church in the centre of the village. It is popular locally, and the number of pupils on roll has risen from 53 in 1995 to 92 now. There are 47 boys and 45 girls on roll, but there is significant gender imbalance in the Year 4 and Year 6 age groups. There are very few pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, and no pupils speak English as an additional language. There are 18 per cent of the pupils on the school’s register of those with special educational needs, which is broadly average, and there are three pupils with a statement of special educational needs, which is above average. There are six per cent of the pupils eligible for free school meals, which is below average nationally. Because of the small numbers, there are four classes, three of mixed age groups. Attainment at entry to the school varies year on year, and covers a wide range, but

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

is usually above typical levels for their age.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St. Mary’s is a very effective school. The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall and pupils make good progress. The teaching and accommodation for children under five require some improvement. The school is very well led, and pupils achieve high standards by the age of 11.The school provides good value for money, which has improved since the last inspection.

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What the school does well

• Standards are high by the age of 11. • The quality of teaching is very good; teachers have very good working relationships with the pupils and this leads to very purposeful learning, and good behaviour. • The headteacher leads the school very well; the staff’s teamwork is also very effective in making the best use of difficult accommodation. • The school’s provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development is very good, contributing well to their personal development.

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What could be improved

• The quality of teaching and learning for the youngest pupils is not as high as in the rest of the school, which slows the pupils’ progress. • Opportunities and time for pupils to complete extended pieces of writing. • The quality and amount of accommodation for teaching for all classes, outdoor facilities for the under-fives, and for physical education. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. The school has already recognised all the above areas for improvement in its improvement plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Good improvements have been made since the last inspection in 1996, and all the key issues from that inspection have been successfully addressed. Importantly, standards of attainment have been maintained at high levels for a number of years, picking up last year from a fall in 1999. Better use is now made of the limited accommodation available, particularly in view of the increased numbers of pupils. Staff are effectively deployed, although further improvements are still required in the teaching of the youngest pupils. Teachers’ planning for what the pupils are to learn is better, and the pupils are usually told what it is they are supposed to gain from each lesson. Teachers also use a more effective range of teaching methods and strategies to engage the pupils fully in their learning. Monitoring and evaluation of teaching and pupils’ work is now an essential element of the school’s self-evaluation, and this leads to better teaching. This focuses on the progress made by individuals

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

and groups of pupils. The governing body now monitors the school’s work effectively and makes a good contribution to school improvement. The school has recently been re-equipped with new computer hardware, including laptops, and the staff give the pupils every opportunity to use them to improve their skills and support their work across the curriculum. The school is well placed to continue to improve. St Mary’s CE 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 A* A A A well above average above average A B Mathematics A* A A A average below average C D Science A* A A* A well below average E

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Key

A* represents results in the highest five per cent nationally.

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Key

The school’s results in national tests for 11 year olds have been maintained at very high levels for a number of years. Not only do almost all pupils attain at least the expected levels for their age, a high percentage of pupils attain high levels in all three subjects. The school achieves levels well above those in schools in similar circumstances, and had the highest percentage results in the borough last year. In English and science the school’s results have kept pace with the national improvement, but have dipped slightly in mathematics, although from a very high level. The small size of the school means that the results will vary year on year. Standards in all three subjects are high enough. By the age of seven, results have also been high in reading and mathematics for a number of years: indeed, the school is regularly in the top five per cent nationally in mathematics. Writing results have improved consistently over the last four years and are now well above the

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Key

national average. These results are also well above those in similar schools. Children in the Reception class achieve above average levels in speaking and listening, and in other language skills. The school exceeded its targets for English and mathematics last year, and has set appropriately challenging targets for this year. The pupils’ skills in literacy and numeracy are high.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school The pupils love being at the school, really enjoy their work, and this contributes to good progress in their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is generally very good in classrooms, and in the playground. Occasionally, the children in the Reception class do not behave as well as could be expected of them during lessons because classroom routines are not well established.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships The staff and parents expect high standards of the pupils’ personal responsibility, and of their relationships with adults and other children. The pupils respond very well to these high expectations.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good: well above the national average. St Mary’s CE Primary School - 8

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

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

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

The teaching is very good overall. It was very good in 36 per cent of lessons seen, good in a further 46 per cent, and satisfactory in the rest. Teachers plan very carefully to meet the needs of all the pupils in their class. In three of the classes this involves preparing learning activities across two age groups and a wide range of attainment. Between them, the staff ensure that the pupils experience a rich curriculum, drawing very effectively on the skills of support staff and parents. Literacy and numeracy are well taught throughout the school. By the age of 11, the pupils have developed a good range of learning skills: parents report that these skills enable those pupils who have progressed to secondary education to cope very well.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good all-round curriculum, enriched by a wide variety of extra-curricular activities, including very good provision for learning French language and culture.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good provision; pupils are guided well by teachers and support staff to achieve the targets set for them.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Very good. Spiritual and moral provision are very good, and reflect the Christian aims of the school well. Cultural and social development are good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Care and welfare are good overall. Parents hold the school in very high regard.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Leadership and management are very good. The headteacher leads by example in his vision for the school’s development, and in his teaching. He is very well supported by the newly appointed deputy, and by the rest of the staff, who all take significant responsibility for aspects of the school’s work.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is well led by its experienced chair, and keeps a good overview of the school’s work to inform its decision making.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The staff and governors evaluate the work of the school well. All staff work closely together in planning, delivering and evaluating the work for the pupils. Governors are also more closely involved in this evaluation than at the last inspection.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The staff and pupils make the best use they can of the limited accommodation. Financial resources are carefully targeted to the school’s identified priorities The headteacher, staff and governors consider all spending decisions carefully. They check regularly that the resources available, including finance, are used as effectively as possible to further the pupils’ education . St Mary’s CE Primary School - 9

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• that their children like school, and are expected to work hard to achieve their best. • that the teaching is very good, and helps their children make good progress. • that behaviour is good, and children are helped to become mature and responsible. • that the school is well led and managed. • that the staff are approachable, and children get the right amount of homework. • that information about events is sometimes received late, or changed at the last minute.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection confirms the parents’ very positive view of the school. St Mary’s CE Primary School - 10

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. The school’s results in national tests for 11 year olds have been maintained at very high levels for a number of years. Not only do almost all pupils attain the expected levels for their age, many achieve at higher levels. During a very good Year 5 and 6 lesson to learn how the style and tone of language varies by context and purpose, for example, the pupils first discussed the pros and cons of building a bypass for a village through an area of natural beauty. There followed an outstanding whole-class session, very skilfully chaired by the teacher, in which spokespersons from each group presented their case to her as an ‘official’ from the council. These pupils practised the persuasive language skills in presenting their group’s views, and showed very high skills in mounting a sustained, reasoned argument to the teacher’s very challenging responses to their presentations. Following the teacher’s well-focused directions,

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

the pupils understood that they must use a different form of language in composing a persuasive letter to continue their protests. Higher attaining pupils in this class know what is required for them to achieve the higher than expected Level 5 in the end-of-year national tests, and monitor their own written work for accurate spelling, the complexity of the sentence structure, and the appropriateness of the style and form of the letter. This work is of a high standard and many Year 6 pupils are at this level.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. In English and science the school’s results have kept pace with the national improvement, but have dipped slightly in mathematics, although from a very high level. However, during a mathematics lesson, Year 6 pupils handled numbers with ease, rapidly working out equivalent fractions and percentages. For example, all pupils knew that 60/100 is equivalent to 0.6. When the teacher then asked what the decimal equivalent of 6/100 is, half the class, including some Year 5 pupils, immediately answered,”0.06!” From a scrutiny of work in their books, it is clear that the pupils work competently at the level set in the National Numeracy Strategy, which is at the higher than expected Level 5. For example, they accurately solve number problems using algebraic functions, with brackets, involving serial computation. This suggests that the dip in last year’s results at higher levels is temporary. Pupils in Year 5 also benefit from working with

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

the older pupils, as this spurs them to work faster, and with increasing accuracy and creativity. These results reflect the good improvements in the quality of teaching at Key Stage 2.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. At the end of Key Stage 1, results have also been high in reading and mathematics for a number of years: indeed, the school is regularly in the top five per cent nationally in mathematics. Writing results have improved consistently over the last four years and are now well above the national average. These results are also well above those in similar schools. Higher attaining pupils in a science lesson, for example, showed very good understanding for their age of fair testing procedures. They explained that the amount of the material used should be kept the same, and identified from practical investigations which materials were most absorbent. The teacher’s high expectations and good subject knowledge contributed well to the pupils’ growing understanding. This high level of work is maintained in Years 3 and 4, where pupils were expected in a lesson observed to use advanced research skills using

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

atlases in locating place names with Anglo-Saxon roots. This illustrates how the pupils’ progress across the school leads to such high attainment by Year 6.

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The quality of teaching is very good; teachers have very good working relationships with

the pupils and this generally leads to very purposeful learning and good behaviour.

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The quality of teaching is very good; teachers have very good working relationships with

4. The quality of teaching has improved considerably since the last inspection, when only 17 per cent of lessons were good, and 13 per cent were unsatisfactory. In this inspection, there was no unsatisfactory teaching, and it was good or better in 82 per cent, being very good in 36 per cent. All the teaching seen with pupils from Year 2 to Year 6 was good or better. St Mary’s CE Primary School - 11 5. The best teaching is well planned to meet the differing needs of mixed age classes, including the full range of attainment. In a mathematics lesson with Years 3 and 4 pupils, the teacher organised a series of activities, some using commercially produced textbooks, which built precisely on the detailed oral work on the measurement of time from the whole-class and age- group sessions. From monitoring the pupils’ progress, the teacher moves the pupils between groups and activities in order to make sure that the work is pitched at the right level for them.

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The quality of teaching is very good; teachers have very good working relationships with

The teacher has very high expectations of the pupils’ ability to work independently whilst he concentrates on particular groups, and they respond very well to this, working with intense interest, and behaving very well.

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The quality of teaching is very good; teachers have very good working relationships with

6. In a very good science lesson with Year 2 pupils, the teacher’s classroom organisation was excellent in a cramped teaching area, enabling the pupils to conduct experiments on a variety of materials to test them for absorbency using water. She encouraged them to explain their findings using the appropriate scientific language, and the pupils responded very well in their oral and written work. Here, the teacher’s outstanding relationship with the pupils led to them being fully engaged in the tasks, and making very good progress in their understanding of the properties of materials and of fair testing procedures. Year 3 and 4 pupils also reacted well to the teacher’s prompting in a lesson using magnets. She set them clear learning goals, and encouraged them to work in mixed groups to test the strength of different magnets, and work out how to record their findings. Lower attaining pupils were fully involved, and gave good

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The quality of teaching is very good; teachers have very good working relationships with

evaluations of their findings orally to the teacher’s skilled prompting. This also exemplified how the staff work together to ensure that pupils’ subject skills, such as investigative skills in science, develop year on year.

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The quality of teaching is very good; teachers have very good working relationships with

7. During lessons, the Year 5 and 6 teacher expects pupils to use the two computers in the classroom regularly. She has very high expectations of their ability to work unsupervised, to concentrate on the set tasks, and to challenge themselves effectively to make progress. The pupils respond very well, and complete complex tasks on the computer requiring very good understanding of the equivalence of fractions, and, in another program, of how to manipulate shape and colour to create an abstract design. In this class, a support assistant also provides very effective help for a pupil with special needs, ensuring that he tackles the same type of work as his peers at a level that meets his needs. The pupils’ behaviour is always very good.

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The headteacher leads the school very well; the staff’s teamwork is also very effective in

making the best use of difficult accommodation.

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The headteacher leads the school very well; the staff’s teamwork is also very effective in

8. The headteacher leads by example in his vision for the school’s development, and in his teaching. Since his appointment three years ago, he has built on the school’s strengths, and overseen a rise in standards of attainment and in the overall quality of education. A key issue from the previous inspection required better use of the school’s accommodation. This has involved the use of the school hall as a classroom for the Year 3 and 4 class. As the morning teacher, the head provides a very good model for the organisation and management of this working environment. He ensures that both age groups receive focused teaching that directly matches their needs, encouraging them to move from working individually, or in pairs at tables, to whole-class or age-group activities very efficiently. The headteacher also demonstrates very good organisational skills, efficiently accommodating the rest of the school

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The headteacher leads the school very well; the staff’s teamwork is also very effective in

every morning for assembly in his classroom, clearing it for use as a dining room at lunchtime, and completely clearing it on Thursday afternoons to allow its use for gymnastics. This is all effected by these seven and eight year old pupils and their two teachers with speed, care, and common sense.

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The headteacher leads the school very well; the staff’s teamwork is also very effective in

9. The headteacher also manages the whole school very effectively. During the inspection, he led a staff meeting to consider the needs of those pupils with special educational needs. He encouraged all staff to contribute their views, ensured that the meeting moved forward effectively, and gave the floor to other members of staff when their particular areas of St Mary’s CE Primary School - 12 responsibility were discussed. The corporate spirit engendered by this process is ideal for the school’s situation, where everyone relies on each other, and all combine in taking good decisions to improve the pupils’ quality of learning. Governors are also kept well informed, and the chair of governors is a regular visitor to keep a close eye on developments, and to support the staff and pupils in their work. His involvement keeps the other governors well informed, so that their decisions are clearly focused on accurate information. A number of parents and

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The headteacher leads the school very well; the staff’s teamwork is also very effective in

friends of the school make good contributions to its smooth operation.

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The headteacher leads the school very well; the staff’s teamwork is also very effective in

10. The newly appointed deputy headteacher makes a good contribution to the school’s effectiveness, and also provides a very good teaching model in her work with the Year 5 and 6 pupils. She has established a very good working relationship with staff, pupils and parents, and as part of her duties leads the development of information and communication technology very well. The lead given in her own teaching is a very good model for the rest of the staff, and is helping to drive up standards. The rest of the staff also take significant responsibility for aspects of the school’s work. Their positive attitude to whole-school planning and organisation is testament to their professionalism and teamwork, added to the readiness with which they offer extra support to the pupils in lunchtime and after-school clubs. For example, a group of pupils in Year 2 has been identified as needing extra support to help them make better

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The headteacher leads the school very well; the staff’s teamwork is also very effective in

progress in their reading. Their class teacher arrives at school early enough to organise the days’ activities in order to be free by 8.45 am to take this group for extra reading practice every day, which is already showing results in their improved performance. Similarly, the Reception and Year 1 class teacher worked throughout her lunch hour to hear pupils read, surrounded on all sides by other pupils eating their lunches, or playing indoor games as it was raining. In this school, such dedication and careful manipulation of time and space by the whole staff team to the pupils’ advantage is commonplace, but noteworthy for their team approach. A part-time teacher and support staff see themselves as much a part of the team as everyone else, attend all staff meetings, and make a significant contribution to the pupils’ learning across the curriculum.

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The school’s provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development is very

good, contributing well to their personal development.

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The school’s provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development is very

11. The school’s provision in this area of its work is very good, and has improved since the last inspection. Throughout the school’s work there is a stated and clear acceptance that the pupils’ educational experiences should be rich and varied. During the inspection, pupils studied a wide range of topics from dinosaurs to Anglo-Saxon place names, and from learning about forgiveness to singing French rounds, practising football skills, and playing the recorder. The pupils were actively preparing for the imminent visit of a local author, Hazel Townson, and had been reading some of her books and writing stories to present to her. From displays round the school, it is possible to gain a real flavour of the richness of the school’s educational tapestry. There are pastel drawings from a study of Matisse, work from a visit to the Manchester Museum Egyptology exhibition, a superb moorland scene painted by Year 2 pupils after a local visit, huge

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The school’s provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development is very

images of dinosaurs, tie-dyed patterns, and photographs showing the excitement of a day dressed as Victorians. The pupils benefit from these opportunities in their overall personal development.

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The school’s provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development is very

12. Assemblies are used well to focus on particular spiritual themes for the whole school, and during the inspection this was about forgiveness. The teacher chose the passage that accompanies the crucifixion from the musical ‘Jesus Christ, Superstar’ to illustrate Christ’s message of forgiveness, and a group of pupils acted out the parable of the Prodigal Son. This was reinforced in the next assembly using the story of Jean Valjean from ‘Les Miserables’, and the pupils’ very good singing and thoughtful reflection on the ideas encountered contributed strongly to a shared exploration of the meaning of forgiveness in human life. This approach to considerations of important themes is also used well to help the pupils to develop a strong moral code, adding to the school’s generally good work in building the pupils’ sense of personal responsibility. St Mary’s CE Primary School - 13 13. Cultural development is a real strength of the school in those aspects relating to local and

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The school’s provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development is very

European culture. Good work is also done in promoting pupils’ understanding of the ethnic and cultural diversity of the world through literature, geography, history and religious education. For example, Years 3 and 4 pupils have studied places in Africa, supported by a good display of artefacts from Tunisia and Algeria lent by parents. Another parent helps the school to promote a very good understanding of French culture by running an after-school French club, very well supported by a French student from Toulouse. This is an excellent addition to the school’s cultural life, and included a visit to France last year for 24 pupils and a number of staff and parents. There are also links with schools in Angouleme, the borough’s twin town, with schools in Germany, and with an orphanage in Romania. Further work is required, however, to help pupils to appreciate and understand the ethnic and cultural diversity of the United Kingdom.

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The quality of teaching and learning for the youngest pupils is not as high as in the rest of

the school, which slows the pupils’ progress.

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The quality of teaching and learning for the youngest pupils is not as high as in the rest of

14. Teaching and learning for the Reception and Year 1 pupils are satisfactory, but improvements are needed in the management of the pupils’ behaviour, and the organisation of learning activities. The basic systems and rules for managing the pupils’ behaviour and their involvement in the activities are not clear and nor are they emphasised sufficiently. This leads to inappropriate calling out, loss of attention, and wasted time during group and whole-class sessions. For example, the noise levels tolerated by the adults is louder than is acceptable for a working classroom, and can be heard very clearly and potentially disturbingly in the two adjacent classrooms. When the children to tidy away their activities towards the end of a session, time was wasted because some ignored the teacher’s instructions and carried on playing. In whole- class question and answer sessions, or in smaller age-group discussions, the adults do not

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The quality of teaching and learning for the youngest pupils is not as high as in the rest of

insist that all the children pay attention, behave properly, or answer questions sensibly. This slows the progress of these sessions, and interrupts the flow of learning for the children. The teacher does not take sufficient responsibility for setting up and maintaining classroom routines for all the pupils to follow, and for monitoring the general working atmosphere for both age groups.

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The quality of teaching and learning for the youngest pupils is not as high as in the rest of

15. There were ten Reception children, and ten Year 1 pupils in the same class at the time of the inspection. They have a full-time teacher, and two part-time classroom assistants at different times of the week. This is good provision. However, the classroom is narrow, and awkward to organise as a good learning environment for young pupils, although it has been improved recently by the addition of a new toilet block. It has no direct access to outdoor play facilities, and very limited storage space. Accordingly, some of the limited teaching area is used to stack boxes of learning materials.

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The quality of teaching and learning for the youngest pupils is not as high as in the rest of

16. The teacher has clearly attempted to create a learning environment to support learning activities for children ranging in age from four to six, and with a wide span of competences and levels of attainment. There is an area for sand play, a role-play area set up as a pet shop, a reading area, and two small carpeted areas where the children can gather as separate year groups. During the inspection, the teacher worked mainly with the Year 1 pupils, and the classroom assistant worked with the children in the Reception year. This division of responsibilities works effectively at times, but often the teacher does not take full control when she should.

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The quality of teaching and learning for the youngest pupils is not as high as in the rest of

17. The teaching and learning seen were satisfactory, and the children made progress in the work and activities with which they were engaged. For example, Year 1 pupils constructed a castellated wall using a construction kit by following a pattern provided: this is an improvement since the last inspection when this aspect of learning was criticised. Similarly, a group of children in Reception worked well independently to make puppets from a limited range of materials. The teachers’ planning appropriately covers the difficult task of preparing learning activities from two different stages of education, which have different but sequential national St Mary’s CE Primary School - 14 guidance leading from six areas of experience for the Reception pupils to the ten subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education for the Year 1 pupils. For example, the teacher led a science lesson with the Year 1 pupils on floating and sinking effectively, with proper regard for

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The quality of teaching and learning for the youngest pupils is not as high as in the rest of

the needs of higher attaining and quick-learning pupils and those needing time to experiment further.

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The quality of teaching and learning for the youngest pupils is not as high as in the rest of

Opportunities and time for pupils to complete extended pieces of writing.

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The quality of teaching and learning for the youngest pupils is not as high as in the rest of

18. The pupils attain high levels in writing by the age of 11. There are very good examples of stories, plays, poetry, and factual writing throughout the school. For example, a Year 6 pupil wrote a poem about her school bag to a given structure to develop imagery. She expressively described it as, “Like a massive Sumo wrestler”, “Makes me feel thin and skinny”, “It’s like a well-fed cat” and “I’m a thin goldfish”. However, there are many examples of pieces of written work begun but not continued to a satisfactory conclusion. Indeed, the older pupils’ English books often contain comments from the teacher about how well the pupils have set out their ideas for a piece of writing, but many of these do not extend beyond the planning and initial writing stage.

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The quality of teaching and learning for the youngest pupils is not as high as in the rest of

19. Insufficient time is allowed for the pupils to use the skills they learn in these lessons to extend their written ideas in their own way, however. For example, older pupils have begun to sketch out characters and plot for a story or a play, which they do well, but they have not continued the theme to a proper conclusion. This is also the case in other subjects, where the skills learned in English lessons could be used more effectively.

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The quality and amount of accommodation for teaching for all classes, outdoor facilities for

the under-fives, and for physical education.

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The quality and amount of accommodation for teaching for all classes, outdoor facilities for

20. The amount of teaching and learning space is insufficient to provide a learning environment that meets the pupils’ right to broad and balanced educational opportunities. At the last inspection there were 66 pupils on roll, for whom the accommodation was judged to be sufficient. Governors and staff were considering the best use of the accommodation, and possible improvements to it, supported by inspection findings in a key issue for action. Significant changes have been made to the layout and use of the accommodation since then. However, the number on roll is now 92, and the changes have not increased the space available.

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The quality and amount of accommodation for teaching for all classes, outdoor facilities for

21. The room housing the Reception and Year 1 children is inadequate for their needs, and has no access to outdoor play. Year 2 pupils currently work in a small room without access to running water. The Year 3 and 4 class work in the hall, which is of good size as a classroom, but which has to be reorganised constantly for assembly, dining, and indoor physical education lessons. Years 5 and 6 pupils work in a very cramped room, with a tiny area screened by a book-case at the back which is used by the staff as a staff room, with no sink or running water. In all these classrooms, there is little storage space, and computer work areas have had to be ingeniously created on tables and shelves. However, when the Year 5 and 6 pupils work at their computers, there is no room to move for the pupils in the adjacent desks.

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The quality and amount of accommodation for teaching for all classes, outdoor facilities for

22. In order to perform indoor gymnastics, games and dance, the Year 3 and 4 pupils must vacate their classroom, move all the furniture to the sides, and work in the room of whichever class is engaged in physical education. Similarly, when it rains at lunchtime, as their classroom is the dining hall, they spread themselves around the other classes. During the inspection, a wet lunchtime tested the initiative of everyone in the school, as there was also a recorder lesson taking place for Year 6 pupils in the younger pupils’ classroom whilst the teacher heard readers, and the Year 3 and 4 pupils played a variety of games there whilst the Reception pupils ate their meals from the Year 3 and 4 pupils’ desks!

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The quality and amount of accommodation for teaching for all classes, outdoor facilities for

23. The governing body is acutely aware that the school’s rising popularity is creating difficulties in the amount of space available, but as the standard number for admissions is 15, the school could potentially house 105 pupils. It is currently seeking ways to adapt and extend the building St Mary’s CE Primary School - 15 and accommodation by creating an internal second tier of classrooms, which would free the hall from being a permanent classroom. St Mary’s CE Primary School - 16

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to further improve the pupils’ standards of attainment and the quality of education offered, the headteacher, governors and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1. improve the quality of educational provision for pupils in the mixed age Reception and Year 1 class by ensuring that the teacher manages the whole classroom environment, the deployment of support staff, and the management and behaviour of all the pupils. (paragraph 14)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2. continue to implement the current plans to improve writing across the school by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a. allowing the pupils more time to complete pieces of written work in their English lessons; b. applying the full range of pupils’ writing skills in other subjects, such as history, geography, and religious education, and the full range of areas of learning for Reception pupils. (paragraphs 18 and 19)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3. pursue all opportunities to improve the quality of accommodation. (paragraphs 20 and 21).

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

All the issues raised here are also addressed in the current school improvement plan. St Mary’s CE Primary School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

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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

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

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 92

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 17

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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 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Mary’s CE Primary School - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 7 7 14

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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 NA NA NA Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls NA NA NA

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (82) 100 (91) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

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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 NA NA NA Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls NA NA NA

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (91) 100 (91) 93 (91) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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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 2000 4 12 16

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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 NA NA NA Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls NA NA NA

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 100 (83) 100 (83) 100 (83) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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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 NA NA NA Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls NA NA NA

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 80 (75)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. NA – year groups too small for reporting purposes. St Mary’s CE Primary School - 19

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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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4.5 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20.4

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR-Y6 Total expenditure 168891

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2 Expenditure per pupil 1797

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 22.5 Balance brought forward from previous year 6887

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 3811 St Mary’s CE Primary School - 20

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 67 31 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 57 37 6 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 58 35 7 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 64 21 15 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. 81 13 2 4 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. 83 17 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 77 19 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 74 17 4 6 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 77 21 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 58 34 2 4 2

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