Gillamoor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

GILLAMOOR CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 3 - 4 December 2001

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GILLAMOOR CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Full 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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GILLAMOOR 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. Gillamoor CE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Main Street Gillamoor North Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6 October 1996 Gillamoor CE Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 25431 Lesley Clark Registered inspector English Art and design Music What sort of school is it? The schools results and pupils’ achievements How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9160 Keith Baker Lay inspector Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents and carers? 16173 Linda Murphy Team inspector Foundation Stage Science Religious Education Design and Technology Physical Education English as an Additional Language Special Educational Needs How well are pupils taught?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

25376 Lynn Alvy Team inspector Mathematics Information and Communication Technology Geography History Equal Opportunities How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Schools Inspection Service Fairfax Hall Beckett Park Campus Headingley Leeds LS6 3QS

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Gillamoor 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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Gillamoor Church of England Primary School is situated on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors, and serves the local rural community as well as outlying villages and farms. It has strong links with both the church and the parish. The school has 53 pupils on roll aged from four to eleven taught in two mixed age classes. It is much smaller than average. Additional teachers are employed to enable juniors to be taught in two groups for literacy and numeracy and for specialist teaching of different subjects throughout the school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well below the national average at about two per cent but this proportion does fluctuate quite widely from year to year. The school is over subscribed. No pupils have English as an additional language and no pupils come from ethnic minority groups. Eight per cent of pupils have special educational needs. Currently

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

no pupils have statements of special educational needs. These proportions are well below average. The school has a relatively high proportion of pupils who join the school in the junior class, a large proportion of whom have special needs. Children’s attainment when they start school is broadly average in most areas of learning apart from language, literature and communication, which is below average on entry to the reception year. Few children have had pre-school education and most have had limited contact with children of a similar age before coming to school. The recent epidemic of foot and mouth disease has had a significant impact on school life, preventing the use of the local cricket pitch for physical education and extra-curricular sporting activities as well as affecting the local community’s prosperity.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This is an effective school which gives pupils a good all-round education. The curriculum followed by junior pupils is particularly rich and includes German and French. Standards are above average in many subjects and pupils who have special educational needs, behavioural problems or exceptional talents make good progress. The teaching is good throughout the school and the leadership and management is effective. The school gives good value for money.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What the school does well • Pupils achieve well, attaining above average standards in information and communication technology (ICT), geography, history, religious education and French and in aspects of physical education by the age of eleven; • The spiritual and moral development of pupils is particularly strong and the school places a high priority on this aspect of their education; • Behaviour is very good and pupils have positive attitudes to learning; • The curriculum for older pupils is exceptionally rich and offers much to interest pupils and to broaden their experiences; • The quality of teaching is good throughout the school; • The school is well led and managed.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What could be improved • Key subjects have no identified co-ordinator to monitor standards across different year groups and classes; • Teaching methods throughout the school do not consistently develop pupils’ independence in learning or use time as efficiently as they should; • Assessment is not used effectively in the junior class to plan work that closely matches pupils’ attainment. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school was last inspected in October 1996. Since then, the school has made good improvement in all key issues from the last report and has improved in other aspects of its work. All subjects now have policies and the governing body monitors the curriculum conscientiously. The school has developed a Gillamoor CE Primary School - 7 good system for monitoring teaching and learning. Part-time teaching staff are deployed much more effectively. The quality of teaching has improved considerably and as a result pupils achieve well in both classes. The school has developed effective and efficient systems for monitoring pupils’ progress. The leadership and management have also improved and have used the national strategies for literacy and numeracy and the new funding for ICT to good effect to develop teaching and to raise standards in these subjects. In addition, the school building has improved considerably, making creative use of existing

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

space to develop a general teaching area in addition to the two classrooms. This has allowed for greater flexibility in teaching groups of pupils.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

No table of national test scores is included in the report because of the small numbers of pupils who are eligible to take the tests. Results tend to fluctuate from year to year, depending on the composition of the particular group of pupils. Results by the age of eleven often vary from those at seven in this school because of the number of pupils who join the school at a later stage of their education, many of whom have special educational needs. Inspection judgements agree with the school’s assessments that standards in reading, writing and mathematics are above average by the age of seven and in line with nationally expected standards at the age of eleven in English, mathematics and science for this particular group of pupils in Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils nonetheless achieve well throughout their time in school. The school caters well for pupils with special educational needs and for those who are gifted

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

and talented and they make good progress. Such pupils are directly supported in most lessons either by extra staff or through the clear planning of the teaching staff to help them to make progress towards the clear targets in their individual education plans. Assessments of the present group of Year 6 pupils show that the targets set in 2003 are particularly challenging.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The provision for reception children is sound with strengths in the teaching of basic skills and shortcomings in the accommodation, which have an adverse impact on the curriculum. The children achieve well in language and soundly in other aspects of their curriculum and are on course to reach the nationally set early learning goals.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Standards are above average in ICT, French, geography, history and religious education by the age of eleven. Pupils’ skills in ICT are particularly well developed: they use ICT as a skill much in the same way as they use their skills in reading, writing and numeracy. Pupils’ knowledge of Christianity is particularly strong and reflects the emphasis the school places on this aspect. Although standards are at expected levels in music, art and design and technology, aspects of these are above average. In particular, some of pupils’ finished products in art and design and technology show above average levels of skill. Pupils attain standards which are above those typically expected of seven and eleven-year-olds in swimming. Not enough physical education could be seen to make a judgement about attainment in other aspects of this subject. All junior pupils learn to speak German; however, it was not possible to

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

make a judgement on standards because of constraints of time.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils want to learn and are interested in their lessons. They respond well to the flexibility and informality that characterises the school and are sensible and responsible. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils are polite, courteous and helpful. They move round the school quietly and sensibly and have very good self-discipline. This has a significant impact on their learning. Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils have very good relationships with their teachers and the school has a caring family atmosphere. Pupils are given more responsibility as they grow older. Inevitably the restricted accommodation limits the development of pupils’ research and investigative skills; they have comparatively few opportunities to use their own initiative in lessons. Attendance Very good. The school has maintained the very good level of attendance

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

reported at the last inspection and it is well above the national average. Gillamoor CE Primary School - 8 Pupils attend punctually which is particularly noteworthy because of the large distances some of them have to come to school. TEACHING AND LEARNING

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6 Quality of teaching Good Good 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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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The quality of teaching for all pupils is never less than satisfactory, mostly good and sometimes very good. Classrooms are welcoming and conducive to learning and teachers make imaginative use of the restricted space. Strengths in the teaching of reception children lie in the teaching of speaking and reading which is used well in all areas of the curriculum. This helps the children to achieve well and they become confident to speak out in front of others about a range of subjects. The teaching assistant provides good support to help them to learn. Teaching is satisfactory in all other areas of the children’s’ learning. While the teachers use a range of well-chosen activities, they are limited by the cramped accommodation.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

In both junior and infant classes, strengths lie in the teaching of the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. The organisation of pupils in their groups for teaching is effective and contributes well to pupils’ overall achievement. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy have been well adapted to suit the requirements of mixed age classes. Pupils with special educational needs or who have exceptional talents are also well taught. The quality of teaching in history, French and ICT is very good and the teachers’ high levels of skill and personal interest have a marked impact on the teaching and learning. The teaching methods, however, can vary for junior pupils. The more successful methods incorporate work which matches pupils’ individual needs very well. This really motivates pupils to do the best they can. However, in some lessons, too little is expected of pupils in terms of their independence

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

and initiative and consequently the work becomes less challenging. The use of curricular time is not always well accounted for and lessons occasionally begin late.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Aspect Comment The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum is broad and as balanced as possible given the limitations set by the accommodation. It is very good for junior pupils, offering them many additional opportunities for learning which enrich their education as a whole. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The school makes good provision for pupils with special educational needs, giving them effective, individual assistance to enable them to make good progress. Pupils who have exceptional abilities are also provided for well. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Very good. Provision for pupils in spiritual and moral development is particularly strong and is a distinctive feature of the school. The school makes good provision for pupils’ social and cultural development and makes good use of local and international opportunities to enhance

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

these. How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The school has good provision for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare. Assessment procedures for pupils over the age of six are good in English and mathematics but less well developed in science and other subjects. Procedures are economical and efficient. Partnership with parents Very good. The school gives very good quality information to its parents about all aspects of its work. Parents have very positive views about the school and its work and it is highly regarded within the local community. Gillamoor CE Primary School - 9 HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Aspect Comment Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The school is well led by an enthusiastic headteacher whose primary commitment is to teaching. All other members of staff also make significant contributions to the school’s very clear sense of direction and purpose. The way subject responsibilities are divided between the staff, however, gives a less clear sense of progress and standards in some subjects. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governing body plays an active and supportive role. Governors help considerably in shaping the overall direction of the school. The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school has a good system for monitoring and evaluating its strengths and relative areas of weakness and both staff and governors play a positive part in planning for further improvements. The strategic use of resources Good. The headteacher and governors are skilled at attracting funds and

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

they spend the money wisely in ways which benefit pupils’ learning. The school takes great care to ensure that purchases are of good quality at the best available cost. Good use is made of the extremely cramped accommodation. The adequacy of staffing, accommodation and learning resources. Satisfactory. There is a good match of staff to meet the demands of the curriculum and they are used well to provide specialist teaching in some subjects. Resources for learning are satisfactory overall; they are good for ICT. The accommodation is unsatisfactory and has an adverse effect on some aspects of reception children’s learning. The school makes good use of what it has and uses the resources of other schools and the local sports facilities to supplement provision for physical education.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • They feel comfortable to approach the school with any concerns or problems. • The teaching is good. • The school is well led and managed. • The school expects their children to work hard and to achieve their best. • Their children behave well and become more mature and responsible. • The range of activities provided outside lessons.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The inspection team agrees with parents’ positive views which were expressed by the vast majority of parents. The school has a close and productive relationship with its parents and they support the school wholeheartedly. Inspection findings do not support parental concerns about the extent and range of activities provided outside lessons. The school has a suitable range and number of extra–curricular activities, though these have been curtailed recently because of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease. The range of additional activities run within school time is much wider than in most schools and combine to give pupils at this school a particularly rich curriculum. Gillamoor CE Primary School - 10

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1 The numbers of pupils in each year group are too small to allow a reliable analysis to be made of the school’s national test results in any one year, bearing in mind that the numbers can increase or decrease by as much as 50 per cent each year. As might be expected with such small year groups, it is also hard to establish a reliable trend over a five-year period. Test results tend to fluctuate therefore and, recently, appear to be lower for eleven-year-olds than seven-year-olds. These factors also affect comparisons with similar schools, which, because of the very small numbers involved, can vary quite widely. Inspection judgements are that eleven-year-old pupils attain nationally expected standards in English, mathematics and science and that seven-year-olds attain above average standards in these subjects, thus agreeing with the recent pattern of results. The apparent discrepancy in standards, however, is clearly attributable to the relatively

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

high proportion of pupils who join the school in the junior class - 57 per cent of pupils in last year’s Year 6, for example. Many of the pupils who join the school at this stage have special educational needs or behavioural difficulties. The school caters well for their needs and they make good progress. Pupils throughout their time in school, therefore, achieve well. Assessments of the present group of Year 6 pupils, completed at the age of seven, show that the targets set in 2003 are particularly challenging. Good provision is made for pupils who are gifted or talented and they consequently achieve well. The teaching is organised so as to give maximum flexibility to teaching these pupils in the year group which is most nearly matched to their ability.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2 Children enter reception year with broadly average attainment in all areas of learning apart from in language, communication and literacy, which is slightly below average on entry to school. Children achieve satisfactorily in mathematics, personal, social, emotional, physical and creative development and in developing their knowledge and understanding of the world. While they benefit from good teaching and from learning alongside older pupils in Year 1 and Year 2, the accommodation restricts their capacity to learn independently through choosing their own activities and playing together. The children achieve well in language and soundly in other aspects of their curriculum and are on course to reach the nationally set early learning goals. Standards are similar to those reported at the time of the last inspection.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3 Pupils achieve well overall by the ages of seven and eleven, to a large extent because they are taught well. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are skilfully taught through the national strategies which have been effectively adapted to suit the requirements of mixed age groups within each class. Specialist support is given to pupils who have special educational needs. This is well organised so that pupils with specific weaknesses receive very short intensive daily lessons, which are slotted in so that pupils work alongside the rest of the class in the main room; consequently, these pupils make good progress. Part-time teachers are deployed well so that Years 3 and 4 are taught together as are Years 5 and 6 for literacy and numeracy. The work is carefully shared out so that part-time teachers have specific responsibilities for particular areas of the curriculum such as shape, space and measure in mathematics. These

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

arrangements lead to the pupils’ good achievement. Reading is taught at a separate time from the literacy hour: for half an hour each day, pupils read on their own or in groups, sharing the same text under the guidance of their teacher. This works well and, as a result, pupils learn to read with good understanding. Pupils have many Gillamoor CE Primary School - 11 opportunities to use their skills in literacy and numeracy in other subjects; this also helps them to achieve well.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4 By the age of eleven, standards are above average in ICT, French, geography, history and religious education. Although standards are at expected levels in music, art and design and technology, aspects of these are above average. In particular, some of pupils’ finished products in art and design and technology show above average levels of skill. By the age of seven, pupils achieve above average standards in history and geography. Standards are in line with those expected of seven-year-olds in ICT, music and religious education. Pupils attain standards which are above those typically expected of seven and eleven-year-olds in swimming. Not enough physical education could be seen to make a judgement about attainment in other aspects of this subject. All junior pupils learn to speak German; however, it was not possible to make a judgement on standards because of constraints of time.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5 There are considerable strengths in pupils’ achievement overall, notably in ICT, geography, history and French. These benefit from subjects often being taught in conjunction with each other. Pupils’ skills in ICT are particularly well developed in this way and, by the age of eleven, pupils use ICT as a skill much in the same way as they use their skills in reading, writing and numeracy. Pupils’ knowledge of Christianity is particularly strong and reflects the close links between the church and school and the extent to which religion forms a very firm background to their education as a whole. Standards overall have risen quite substantially since the last inspection and there are now no areas of weakness. The time pupils spend learning French and German is very well spent and has a positive effect on their progress in English.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

6 The attitudes, values and personal development of the pupils throughout the school are good, thus maintaining the findings reported at the last inspection. Pupils, staff and parents work together in a harmonious and supportive way and the children are very happy to attend school. Good attitudes are having a marked effect on the progress they are making. Pupils with special educational needs have positive attitudes towards their learning. They say that they like school and are enthusiastic about their work. This is because the work they are set is challenging yet achievable. They are proud of their success and thrive on the focused praise provided.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7 Children in the reception class behave well. They have positive attitudes to work and share toys and equipment fairly. They listen to others though often need extra help to follow instructions. They happily take part in play times, often playing alongside older pupils in their class. Children are confident to ask for help and enjoy discussing their work with others. Their skills at working independently and making choices are developing a little more slowly than other aspects. This is because fewer opportunities are provided because of the limitations on the curriculum caused by the accommodation.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8 Pupils quickly settle into the school because the induction is good. Most bring a positive attitude to their work and learn quickly that working conscientiously will produce good results. By the time that they are ready to leave the infant class, they are prepared to talk confidently about how they go about tackling problems. This was seen to good effect in a literacy lesson when the Year 2 pupils discussed their different ways of tackling difficult words when reading. Pupils in both the infant and junior classes respond well to the variety of teaching styles and tasks which the teachers use to meet the needs of their mixed aged classes. Pupils are confident and eager learners and like Gillamoor CE Primary School - 12 to get on with their work. Their ability to listen carefully and to follow instructions was admirably demonstrated on a number of occasions, notably in their physical education

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

and literacy lessons. They ask and respond to questions clearly. Only very occasionally, when the learning session became overlong or the teaching failed to inspire, did a few pupils show signs of distraction and a falling off in concentration. Pupils like the flexibility and informality which characterises the school and have adapted well to the restrictive accommodation by moving around in a quiet and sensible way.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9 The behaviour of the pupils is very good and has shown improvement since the last inspection. They behave well when playing in the playground before school, during playtimes and at dinner times. They are polite, courteous and helpful. They are proud of their school and prepared to engage in conversation with visitors to ensure they feel welcome. In such a small school, pupils are very aware of the need for self-discipline. They move around the site in a sensible and orderly way, and make careful use of the limited room to store their belongings. No evidence of bullying or other anti-social behaviour was observed during the inspection. No exclusions have taken place during the reporting year. Overall the very good behaviour of the pupils is having a significant effect on their learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10 The quality of relationships between adults and pupils and between the pupils themselves is very good. This is where the family atmosphere of the school is seen at its clearest. Pupils in both infant and junior classes demonstrated that they could co- operate productively together in group activity such as when playing different instruments in music or helping one another in physical education. Similarly, pupils of different ages join together freely in games in the playground. Pupils look up to their teachers and want to please them and their sense of social and moral awareness is strong. In a religious education lesson when the pupils went to a local Methodist chapel, they took an avid interest in the visit and asked lots of questions. They genuinely value one another’s opinions and ideas.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11 Pupils’ personal development is good. Children in the reception year adjust swiftly to the school’s routines and show confidence in talking and listening. As pupils get older they learn to work more on their own or in small groups and this is important, especially at the junior stage, since it allows staff to concentrate attention on other age groups with minimal interruption. However, the limited accommodation of the school and the lack of library space and quiet areas inevitably restrict the development of the pupils’ research and investigative skills. As the pupils progress through the school they are given more opportunities to assume some responsibility for the running of the school such as acting as “buddies” for the younger children or helping in the library and assemblies. They respond enthusiastically to such tasks.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12 The school has maintained the very good level of attendance recorded at the last inspection which means that there is very little disruption to the pupils’ education. Both infant and junior classes have attendance well above the national average. There is no unauthorised absence. Registers comply with the regulations. Many pupils have to travel from wide distances to reach the school but punctuality is good and lessons start on time.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13 The good quality of the teaching throughout the school represents a significant improvement from the time of the last inspection and is an important factor in the Gillamoor CE Primary School - 13 effective learning. Parents are very happy with the teaching their children receive. Strengths are in the teaching of basic skills, which are taught methodically and with flair. The organisation of the pupils in their groups for teaching is effective and good use is made of homework to extend pupils’ learning in a range of subjects. The use of time, assessment and planning are sound overall. The teaching methods vary for the older pupils and this means that on occasion pupils learn at a slower pace than is usual in this school. When this happens, a formal approach is taken and the more usual focus to problem solving is missing.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14 Strengths in the teaching of the very young children are in the teaching of speaking and reading enabling the children to make good gains. Effective planning, record keeping and good relationships are the cornerstones in this teaching. The benefit is that the children become confident in speaking out in front of small and larger groups about a range of subjects. The teaching also draws upon good relationships with parents, and this enables all the adults to work together in improving children’s reading. This, together with well chosen texts to study in the literacy hour and a good range of follow up activities linked to the text, culminates in a love of literature and good achievement by the time children enter Year 1.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15 Mathematics is taught to the reception children using a practical approach, which enables children to gain satisfaction from their work and realise that ‘playing’ with numbers can be fun. Resources are matched well to the needs of the children as when they used real coins to purchase items from a café. Pupils’ learning flourished because of the clear lead provided by the teaching assistant. The teaching of other areas of learning is also sound though limited by the lack of space. During the inspection the reception age children were frequently working with the teaching assistant who was appropriately organised and who implemented the detailed planning soundly. The times when the class teacher taught the children tended to be in a large group when good account was taken of the needs of the younger children through questioning and tasks well matched to their level of attainment. For example, in a daily lesson in mathematics

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

younger children were set the task of counting to twenty with the teaching assistant discreetly at hand to provide support as necessary. Older pupils were provided with a challenge at their own level.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16 The quality of teaching for all pupils is never less than satisfactory, mostly good and at times very good. More than one member of staff teaches pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 and the methods used vary considerably. The more successful teaching methods incorporate work well matched to the pupils’ individual needs; this really motivates the pupils to work as independently as they can, knowing that it should be possible, with some hard work, to complete their tasks. Independence is given on the understanding that the pupils apply their skills as well as they are able as when they work independently on computers. Pupils rise to the challenge and their learning takes place in an atmosphere of trust and maturity. On the other hand, in science, for example, too little is expected of the pupils in terms of independence, such as in recording their findings. Expectations in this case are too low and work is not always well matched to the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

individual’s attainment. Though the school has a teaching and learning policy, it is insufficiently precise in setting out exactly what is expected in this school and as a result the variations occur.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17 A very good lesson for the older pupils in ICT markedly took risks, aiming very high in the sure knowledge of the teacher’s expertise in the subject and a good level of resources. Pupils quickly came to a better understanding of the use of technology to control elements of design because of the very effective demonstration and the good balance achieved between providing direct instruction and allowing pupils time to work Gillamoor CE Primary School - 14 independently. Pupils were engrossed and higher attainers went on to make further discoveries while lower attainers worked with supporting adults to apply their understanding of a new process to make parts of a model move and light up. Many pupils were disappointed when the lesson came to an end but had a good sense of satisfaction and an awakening in them of wanting to find out more about the particular process.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18 The national strategies for literacy and numeracy are used well to make sure that pupils make good headway in reading, writing and mathematics. Basic skills are well taught through the daily three part lessons. In a good lesson in literacy, the swift pace made learning fast and very well focused. The structure of the lesson was most effective and based on an imaginative use of the national framework for literacy, creating a bold link through the text with science. Pupils soon realised the importance of clear instructions in their writing. Explanations had clarity, and the concluding plenary session was used well to draw the learning together and set the scene for the next lesson. Teachers mostly question the pupils well to find out what they already know and then develop their ideas and understanding.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19 Pupils with special educational needs are taught well and they make good progress towards the targets set in their individual educational plans. Planning for lessons takes full account of the individual’s needs and adults are well deployed to provide sensitive and effective support. The pupils concerned acquire greater skills alongside other pupils in the class and, because routines are well established, no time is wasted.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20 The use of curricular time is not always well accounted for and, as a result, lessons occasionally begin late. This impacts adversely on the planning and the teaching has to adjust the proposed learning. When this happens, the teaching and consequent learning are no better than satisfactory because either parts of the teaching are missed out or the pupils have too little time to complete their work and it is rushed. This was the case, for example, in a lesson following on from an extended assembly. Older pupils finding out about schools in other countries had less time than planned to finish off the scientific games they were making to send to the children abroad.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21 Classrooms are attractive, welcoming and conducive to learning. Good and often imaginative use is made of the limited space. Teachers have a good understanding of the subjects they teach. The teaching of science is good for pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 and sound across the rest of the school. The opposite is true of ICT where the strengths are in the teaching of the older pupils. The teacher’s high level of skill and personal interest has a marked impact on the teaching and learning. In physical education, no overall judgement was made though the teaching is good in swimming for all age groups and clearly helps pupils to achieve well. Teaching in geography, music and religious education is good and, as a result, pupils learn well and respond enthusiastically in these lessons. Sometimes, however, opportunities are missed to involve pupils fully through questioning, for example, or explaining to others what they

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

have learnt. The quality of teaching in both history and French is very good and pupils clearly respond well to the mixture of independent learning and instruction. Not enough teaching was seen in art and design and technology to be able to make a judgement. 22 Assessments of pupils’ learning are used well in the reception to Year 2 class. Tasks are planned that build well on what the pupils already know. The use of assessment in Year 3 to Year 6 is less marked. Across the school, at best the marking of work acknowledges key milestones achieved and gives clear guidance towards improvement. In contrast, some work is insufficiently well marked. A tick or single word comment provides little support for further learning. Homework is set regularly by teachers and supported well by the help the pupils receive at home. Gillamoor CE Primary School - 15

p.14

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

23 The curriculum is good. It is satisfactory for infants and reception children and very good in the junior class. It meets statutory requirements, including those for religious education, effectively. There is good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. Both the national strategies of literacy and numeracy have been introduced effectively. The quality of the curriculum has improved since the last inspection and good schemes of work are now in place. This has proved effective in ensuring that planning, for example, in design and technology, a subject identified for improvement at the last inspection, now supports the progression of skills across the school.

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

24 Parents at the meeting prior to the inspection were strong in their praise for the efforts the school made to provide full coverage of subjects such as science, history and geography despite the additional time spent on literacy and numeracy. The curriculum is further enriched by the provision of language teaching to Year 6 pupils and swimming for all pupils, for example. Innovative initiatives, such as participation in the Comenius Project with partner schools from the European Union and support from visiting German, Spanish, Japanese and American teaching assistants, help to provide an unusually broad curriculum. Provision for sporting activities after school has been limited this year due to the national outbreak of foot and mouth disease which has restricted the school’s use of the local cricket field. Although the school has very limited outdoor accommodation of its own, it makes good use of the neighbouring high school’s

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

facilities. Parents clearly recognise the advantages the school offers its children: as one parent said, ‘I would like to say that even though the school lacks a playing field, the children make up for that by just being one of the pupils in a wonderful village school.’

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25 The curriculum for the reception children is sound and the teaching staff, with the help of the local education authority, has implemented national guidance soundly. The class teacher is responsible for the planning that is delivered jointly by the teacher and teaching assistant. It would be helpful for the teaching assistant to take on a proactive role in planning, given the close way in which the team work in other respects. The curriculum is broad and as balanced as possible given the limitations set by the accommodation. The areas of learning are integrated soundly with the curriculum for older pupils and provide a sound range of experiences for pupils of this age. Strengths are in the implementation of the national strategies for numeracy and for literacy in particular. Shortcomings are in the aspects which develop children’s independence. The provision is appropriately organised and planned and links well with the more formal

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

National Curriculum. The support provided by the teaching assistant is vital in offering the younger pupils appropriate experiences.

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

26 The school gives high priority to the personal development of pupils. Again parents recognise this and state that ‘all children are recognised for their individuality and their various talents and interests encouraged.’ Educational activities such as theatre visits or involvement for older pupils during ‘Enterprise Projects’ provide good opportunities for pupils to develop confidence in using and developing skills in presentation, for example. Younger pupils are also effectively provided for through joint initiatives involving art, music and dance with neighbouring schools. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and they have full access to the curriculum. The recommendations of the Code of Practice are met successfully. Targets are reviewed regularly and programmes adjusted, where appropriate. Individual education plans are clear with achievable targets set out in a step-by-step approach so that they can be

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

included effectively in the lesson planning. Gillamoor CE Primary School - 16 27 Links with the local community are very good. For example, pupils take part in local art competitions and their work is regularly exhibited around the area. Each year, the pupils provide art work for the local fete, take part in Church festivals, village fetes and galas. Often history projects include the whole village community and add an air of realism as well as good opportunities to conduct historical research using local sources. There is very good co-operation with the local high school and parents feel that their children are well prepared for their transfer at the end of Year 6.

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28 The provision for pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall. The good practices commended in the last report, particularly those associated with spiritual and moral development, have been extended effectively. Spiritual development is very good. Pupils are effectively encouraged to reflect on their thoughts and feelings in both planned and spontaneous situations. For example, in a very good assembly, the pupils deepened their understanding of the Christian celebration of Christmas. As a result of an evocative reading of ‘A Child’s Christmas’ by Dylan Thomas, pupils were effectively encouraged to recollect their thoughts about what Christmas meant to them. Excellent use of music, story, hymns and prayers produced very good opportunities for quiet thought. This was used sensitively to teach respect and empathy for others and to create moments for both individual and collective

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29 Provision for pupils’ moral development is also very good. Pupils have a strong sense of what is right and wrong. This is reflected in the trust placed by the staff and the pupils in each other. For example, pupils’ personal belongings and school property is treated with care and respect. Pupils have a strong sense of fairness and understand the consequences when the rules are broken. Teachers expect a high standard of behaviour and conduct and help the pupils to consider the consequences of their words and actions on others.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30 Provision for social development is good and has improved since the last inspection, when it was judged to be sound. Adults provide effective role models for the pupils and, as a result, the pupils care greatly about each other. There is a ‘special atmosphere’ in the school that is often remarked upon by visitors and parents alike. Parents think that the school has ‘a large family atmosphere’ and say they are aware of an incredible self- confidence and caring attitude when they come into the school. They think that the pupils are very well behaved. Older pupils look after younger pupils, act as dinner monitors at mealtimes, look after the library and lead regular school assemblies, for example.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31 There is good provision for cultural development. Pupils celebrate the richness of their own culture through a range of visits. In a recent community project, the pupils took part in a ‘War Time’ re-enactment, for example. It was a source of pride to parents that the pupils were the only school involved, they behaved perfectly and it helped them to understand the way things were then. Such is the commitment of the school to the pupils’ cultural development that a visitor from Japan was engaged to support the school for a year. In geography, pupils in Year 6 learn about life in an African village whilst younger pupils plot places they have visited on a map of the local area. Both planned and spontaneous opportunities in a range of subjects are used to develop the pupils’ cultural understanding as they progress through school. This represents a good improvement since the last inspection.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Gillamoor CE Primary School - 17 32 Good provision is made for the care, support and guidance of the pupils. In this small school the staff have daily contact with all the pupils and consequently they know them well and are quick to spot any cause of concern. Governors and all the staff take their pastoral responsibility very seriously and their commitment to the pupils’ welfare and their individual needs contributes much to pupils’ general progress and development. Parents in turn feel that the school is a safe, sensitive and caring environment which they trust and value.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33 A good and comprehensive range of procedures is in place for promoting the health, safety, care and protection of all pupils. They are implemented effectively. Since the last inspection, a policy for child protection has been formulated. Staff are aware of the procedures to follow and the designated officer has received the appropriate training, but the information booklet for parents lacks an appropriate reference to the arrangements now in place. The headteacher ensures that the health and safety policy is implemented on a day-to-day basis, and the policy and procedures are reviewed regularly by the governing body. Risk assessments are in place and one of the governors makes a regular check of the premises. Health education is taught satisfactorily through the personal, social, and health education programme followed by all the pupils in the school.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34 Procedures for monitoring and improving behaviour are very good. The close working relationship that exists between the teachers ensures that the behaviour and discipline policy is implemented effectively and consistently across the school. There are no written rules of conduct but every child is made aware of the standard of behaviour expected in and around the school. If conduct falls below that standard then the pupils discuss the problem as a whole class during “circle time”. The school’s anti-bullying policy makes it clear that bullying of any kind is simply not tolerated. Any act of bullying that is identified is quickly dealt with and action taken to stop any further occurrence. The headteacher retains a record of any incident of really poor behaviour and parents are notified. The governing body reviews regularly the effectiveness of the behaviour and bullying policies. The parents are very pleased with the standards of behaviour being

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35 Procedures for monitoring and promoting attendance are satisfactory and the arrangements for notifying absence set out clearly in the parents’ information booklet. Attendance records are carefully maintained and the school ensures that any unexplained absence is followed up. However, no formal monitoring of attendance takes place.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36 Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ academic progress and personal development are good. Procedures are kept economical and efficient by recording, as befits a small school, only that information which is essential to the task. Children when they join the school are assessed using the local authority’s baseline assessment scheme. This information enables the school to identify the progress of pupils during the foundation stage of education and against their expected level of achievement in the national standardised tests at the age of seven. Assessment procedures for pupils over the age of six are good in English and mathematics but less well developed in science and the other subjects. Standardised assessments and other tests are completed, and the results, together with the considerable personal knowledge that each teacher has of the capabilities of their pupils, are used well to identify the educational support required

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

by individuals and groups of pupils. At the end of each year, class teachers forecast the National Curriculum level expected of each pupil in reading, writing and mathematics by the age of seven, and in English, mathematics and science by the age of eleven. Gillamoor CE Primary School - 18 37 Children are assessed on entry to the reception class and detailed records are kept of the children’s progress. These are used effectively in the planning of tasks. Each child quickly becomes known and well understood in this small school. Effective use is also made of assessment information to set targets for pupils in English and mathematics and thereby track their progress during each academic year. Targets, which include personal and social development, are challenging but realistic, and take account of pupils’ own views on their progress. This helps them share a commitment to what needs to be done to help them improve. Although targets in some other areas of the

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

curriculum exist, arrangements have yet to be developed fully in science and in most of the other subjects. Less clear is what teachers need to do in the classroom to help pupils achieve their targets, especially the higher achievers, and this is another area of development. The day-to-day assessment of pupils’ work made by teachers is kept fairly informal but the information gained is used satisfactorily by teachers to plan lessons and in their medium term planning.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38 The school identifies pupils with special educational needs early and provides essential support in the school. Pupils’ progress is carefully monitored and the school calls upon external educational professionals to provide extra support as appropriate. The pupils receive good support from adults. Their individual educational plans are managed well and are regularly reviewed. The school is trialling a new way of helping the pupils to understand their targets whereby the pupils write an honest assessment of their own needs. The match to the school’s view is interestingly close and the pupils are proud that they can identify what they need to do next to improve further.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39 As recorded at the last inspection, the school has a close and productive relationship with its parents. It has a high reputation in the surrounding community and parents have very positive views about its work. They are pleased particularly with the way that the school is managed, the teaching, and the fact that the school is very friendly and approachable. The one area of concern expressed by a few parents related to the range of interesting activities provided outside lessons. Inspection findings did not support this concern.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40 The last inspection praised the range and quality of the communications received by parents and this continues to be the case. Formal documents such as the information booklet for parents and the governors’ annual report are informative and give parents a good understanding of the school’s priorities and what is being taught. Each half term, a newsletter updates parents with useful additional information on many aspects of the school’s life. Parents have responded well to the meetings arranged by the school to discuss developments in the curriculum and their views are taken into account. Good examples are the consultations held with parents over the induction arrangements for new pupils and school uniforms. In addition, a particular strength of the school is the quality of its informal communications. Parents are made to feel welcome and any anxieties are listened to and acted upon so that minor problems do not develop into

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41 The school does much initially to establish effective relationships with parents and works hard to encourage and welcome them into school. The induction for children joining the reception class is thorough and parents are included well. The outcome is that the children quickly settle into school.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42 Parents are kept well informed about the academic and personal progress of their children and the standards being achieved. Pupil planners have been introduced for Gillamoor CE Primary School - 19 pupils aged seven to eleven which record their individual targets, achievements and any concerns. These are proving to be a valuable source of information for parents and their use is likely to be extended to the younger pupils. The pupils’ annual progress reports provide parents with useful information about what their children have achieved and set targets for improvement in learning and personal development. The two formal teacher and parent consultation meetings are well attended.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43 The parents of pupils with special educational needs are strongly encouraged to attend regular reviews. The majority attend reviews and support the school's work well. All are able to meet informally with staff on request.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44 The involvement of parents is having a very good impact on the work of the school. Parents make a powerful contribution to the work of the governing body. The Parent Teacher Association is very successful socially as well as in raising valuable funds for the school. They have a considerable influence on the development of the school and are taking a leading role in planning for the school’s 125 th anniversary. Parents make themselves readily available to help with events, such as school trips, and several assist in school particularly through the rota of parents who help regularly with the weekly reading sessions.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45 The school had a good response to its introduction of the home/school agreement and parents are encouraged through meetings and other communications to play as active part as possible in their children’s learning at home. The older pupils are asked to discuss their strengths and weaknesses with their parents and the targets set for improvement. The reading record books and pupil planners taken home not only keep parents in touch with the progress of their children but give them a useful opportunity to respond to their children’s learning. Pupils in the junior class are set homework and the majority of parents approve of the present arrangements.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46 The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher, in spite of having a heavy teaching commitment, gives good educational direction to the school and has put good systems into place to enable it to run efficiently. The headteacher keeps the governing body fully informed of all that goes on in school through both written and oral presentations, both from himself and from the other teaching staff. The school improvement plan is a clear well-organised document, which sets out very precisely areas for development, the issues involved and an overall evaluation of what has been achieved and whether it represents value for money. Parents are extremely happy with the way the school is led and managed and feel it is one of the school’s main strengths.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47 The governing body is very supportive and has a good understanding of the strengths and relative weaknesses of the school. The governors contribute well to the overall running of the school and play a key part in overseeing areas such as the curriculum and in developing the buildings. The chair of governors took advantage of recent legislation to expand the governing body and to change the way in which meetings were organised in order to ensure they were fully informed about the work of the school. Thus, in addition to termly policy meetings dealing with statutory matters, each term the governors examine teaching, both policy and practice, and consequently take a very active part in monitoring what goes on in school. Staff regularly attend meetings to talk about what they do and this gives governors additional insight into how pupils are taught and the way they learn. It has been the governors’ policy to increase the number of

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

teaching hours and to give additional hours to support assistants in order to provide greater variety in the teaching and learning. The governing body has acted on all the Gillamoor CE Primary School - 20 issues of the last report and so strengthened its leadership and management as well as other aspects of the school. A governor has the responsibility for special educational needs and liaises closely with the co-ordinator. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is forward looking and managed well.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48 The role of subject co-ordinators is less clearly defined in this small school. While there are clear administrative advantages to separating responsibilities into infant and junior stages of education to link with the two teachers with main responsibilities for these areas, there are disadvantages in terms of monitoring standards. It also makes it harder to share in a more imaginative way the good practice evident in both classes in the teaching of, for example, literacy and numeracy. At present, two different systems of managing subjects co-exist. Both part-time teachers have distinct subject responsibilities. Where these span all age groups, as in religious education and music, there are clear benefits to the teaching and to pupils’ learning. In science, however, where responsibility seems only to extend to junior pupils, there is a less clear sense of standards and progress from one stage of education to the next. The school has a good

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

system of monitoring and evaluating both teaching and learning which is clearly initiating a good programme for development. The most recent written observations are helpfully critical and show a real keenness to develop professionally. The involvement of people outside the school, such as local headteachers, in the monitoring process is clearly effective and the school has acted on their good advice. The foundation stage is led well by the class teacher who is always striving to provide the best that is possible for the very youngest children in the school’s care. Advice from the local education authority has been requested and acted upon well. Effective liaison with another school enhances the resources for teaching and learning.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49 A feature of the leadership and management of this small school is the way it looks outside itself to form part of a much wider community. The school regularly mentors students on initial teacher training, often taking in students who have had problems in other schools, enabling them to make a successful start to their teaching career. This also helps the school by giving pupils several different teachers so that they receive the same benefits as pupils in much larger institutions. Close links with the local church are further strengthened: the vicar, for example, takes assemblies regularly, and members of the parish come in to accompany singing or to talk about their wartime experiences or knowledge of the village in the recent past. Through ICT and the Comenius project, the school’s links extend much further to Germany, Italy and Sweden, thus giving pupils a strong sense of their European status.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50 Financial administration is good. School administration is unobtrusive and effective, allowing the headteacher to concentrate fully on teaching and on leading and managing the school. Technology is used well to support administration and the employment of a bursar contributes well to the school’s efficiency and its very effective financial planning for its educational priorities. The headteacher and governing body are skilled at identifying and attracting financial resources and they spend this money wisely in ways that enhance pupils’ learning. The school understands well the principles of ‘best value’ and takes great care to ensure that all purchases represent good quality both educationally and financially. Documents published by the school are of a particularly high quality and do much to express the atmosphere and commitment to learning that the school offers.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51 A major issue for the school is the unsatisfactory accommodation. Within the past few years, the governors have overseen building work that has imaginatively extended the school’s existing space to provide an additional area for teaching and a corridor which links the two classrooms and provides covered access to cloakrooms as well as a Gillamoor CE Primary School - 21 much needed storage area. Imaginative use is made of facilities beyond the school so that the curriculum is enriched beyond that which the school’s own building can provide. Teaching is organised so that every available space is used for teaching and learning purposes. Because there is no hall, the larger of the two classrooms has to change its use at various points of the day to provide a place for assemblies and also lunches. This takes a great deal of unobtrusive organisation and the smoothness with which these daily changes are effected is entirely commendable. The school’s creative

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

approach to its problems is sensible and the solutions found are proving to be effective. The headteacher and governing body are wise to continue to monitor this closely and to pursue other means of extending the school’s accommodation.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52 Since the last inspection, the leadership and management of the school have strengthened and the systems now in place enable it to run smoothly and efficiently. Strategic planning is well supported by the school’s improvement plan. The high level of commitment to the school by all concerned, together with its good management systems, ensure that the school is well placed to continue to improve upon its good practice. The quality of teaching and learning is now good and pupils achieve above average standards in many subjects. Although the unit costs are understandably high in this very small school, it nonetheless gives good value for money.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

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

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

♦ assign subject co-ordinators for key subjects so as to monitor standards across different year groups and classes; [paragraphs 48, 72, 79, 84, 101, 113]

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

♦ adopt consistent teaching methods throughout the school to develop pupils’ independence in learning and to make tighter use of the available time; [paragraphs 16,82]

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

♦ make better use of assessment in the junior class to plan work which more exactly matches pupils’ attainment. [paragraph 82] Gillamoor CE Primary School - 22

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 17

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 0 29 53 18 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than five percentage points.

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR - Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 53

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 1

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR - Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 4

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 3

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.22

Attendance

% % Gillamoor CE Primary School - 23 School data 4.3 School data 0.0

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Gillamoor CE Primary School - 24

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 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.

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.7 Financial year 2001

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.6

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR - Y6 Total income 165512

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Total expenditure 160666

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 26 Expenditure per pupil 3031

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 2375

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 7220

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Gillamoor CE Primary School - 25

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 76 19 3 0 3

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 76 22 0 0 3

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 51 43 3 3 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 76 19 3 0 3

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 97 3 0 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 81 17 0 0 3

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 78 16 3 0 3

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 92 3 3 0 3

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 78 16 3 0 3

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 32 41 16 11 0 Gillamoor CE Primary School - 26

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

54 The majority of children enter the reception class with little prior experience of nursery education. There is a spread of attainment when children start in the reception class though the majority have levels of attainment that are typical for their age. In aspects of language development, they are below that typically expected.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

55 Standards have been maintained since the last inspection because of the clarity in the teaching and the priority given to developing the children’s skills in language and communication. Good teaching of speaking and reading and sound teaching in other aspects means that the pupils achieve well in language development and soundly overall taking into account each aspect of their development. They are on course to attain the early learning goals by the time they finish their year in the reception class. A small proportion who are higher attaining children have already almost achieved the goals.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

56 Staff, including the teaching assistant, meet the children’s needs and stimulate their learning through a range of well-chosen activities which nonetheless are limited by the cramped accommodation. As a result, curricular limitations have an adverse impact on the children’s development in personal and social education and in physical and creative aspects in particular. Although the children are set to achieve appropriately by the age of six, the curriculum limits faster development. The six children of reception age are taught along side the pupils in Year 1 and Year 2. Though there are advantages to this, there are also restrictions in terms of the use of space and curricular time as the teaching has to accommodate three year groups overall.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Personal, social and emotional development.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

57 Children’s achievement is sound because the teaching and consequent learning satisfactorily enable the children to acquire self-confidence and a degree of independence. Relationships are good. The children grow in maturity and behave well. They work and play amicably together, and are beginning to share and take turns to use equipment. Some need reminders not to call out for attention but higher attainers already have a good social sense. Most children remember to use ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ appropriately when speaking to adults. Older pupils are cited as role models and the younger children pay suitable attention to what is happening around them.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

58 The teaching includes children in assemblies well and through this they begin to appreciate and respond to experiences wider than those found in their classroom. They begin to understand the importance of setting time aside to think about the lives and feelings of others. There are too few opportunities for children to make decisions and solve simple problems.

p.26

Communication, language and literacy

59 The teaching places a strong emphasis on the development of language skills and most activities involve good levels of adult guidance that broaden children’s conversation and vocabulary. Consequently, in language and literacy children make good progress, especially in speaking and reading. The majority of the children speak clearly and are reasonably confident as they get on with their work. For example, in role-play they willingly explain to an adult about the cave they are playing in and retell a story about a family of owls using toy owls as prompts. They respond to questions confidently in their Gillamoor CE Primary School - 27 small group and higher attainers are capable of reading a prayer out loud to the rest of the school in assembly. Children’s skills at listening are developing though they often need reminders when they have to follow instructions.

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Communication, language and literacy

60 Children’s early reading skills are improving because good attention is given to the teaching of letter sounds to help children read and write letters and begin to build them up into simple words. A love of books is developed right from the beginning through effective choices of text in the daily literacy lessons to a well organised approach to developing children’s independent reading. Clear and careful records aid the teaching and the good partnership with parents means that parents and teaching staff work very well together in enabling the children to make good gains. Higher and middle attainers know that text and pictures can tell a story and can read a growing range of key words independently. Lower attainers use much repetition but also make good use of picture clues to help them predict what might be happening next in the story.

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Communication, language and literacy

61 Children make sound progress with their early writing skills. They trace and copy the teacher’s writing accurately, and most write their names with correctly formed letters. Higher attaining children write simple sentences. The marking of work is diagnostic and valuable. Few peripheral activities are set out in which the children can write informally.

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Mathematical development

62 Children achieve satisfactorily through the sound and at times good teaching and the consequent learning that takes place. Strengths in provision are the direct questioning by adults and the ready support of the teaching assistant in basic counting and in developing a range of counting rhymes. The activities have a very practical element and the children make gains in matching objects and counting accurately. Higher attainers repeat simple sequences when copying patterns. They can count to twenty and, with help, to thirty. They thrive on challenging each other to do better. Average attainers play counting games with adult help and check to make sure that other players are counting accurately.

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Mathematical development

63 The children respond well to the teaching of mathematics and enjoy the structured activities. For example, they develop mathematical and scientific language as they play with sand. There is a limited range of tasks for them to select to work at independently and often adult support is not immediately available because it is involved in organising further activities. This was the case, for example, when two children chose to count and keep a tally of the number of spiders hiding on the walls of the pretend cave. The tally was inaccurate but went uncorrected at the time because the adult was setting out tasks for others.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

64 The school provides appropriate opportunities for children to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world. In particular, the local environment is used well to help the children learn about time passing and about their neighbourhood. Teaching is sound and activities are stimulating and appropriate for the age group building on the good attitudes that pupils have and their good behaviour. For example, children write and draw soundly about their favourite toy and build up their knowledge of old and new toys. A strength in the teaching is the marking. A dialogue is used and the comments are supportive and helpful. Gillamoor CE Primary School - 28

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Physical development

65 The teaching of physical development is satisfactory and children learn at a sound pace. The teaching of swimming is good and marked by clear routines and clear instructions. Children made good gains in water confidence as they learnt to lean back and kick their legs to propel themselves through the water. Staff paid very good attention to safety; for example, two staff were at the ready to help children out of the water though on the whole children were independent in this. Children have daily opportunities to play outside alongside pupils in Year 1 and Year 2. Some use is made of basic small games equipment to promote learning at these times. For example, higher attaining children can catch a sponge ball and throw under-arm to a partner close by. Middle attainers have yet to master accurate catching. Pupils improve their skills in skipping as higher attaining pupils skip to a rhyme and middle attainers concentrate on the movement of

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Physical development

their legs. Relationships are constructive and as a result the children have positive attitudes as exemplified by less able children who were keen to demonstrate their prowess at skipping but galloped instead not yet being able to co-ordinate their legs to hop one after the other.

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Physical development

66 The use of the outside environment reflects the limitations on the curriculum in respect of opportunities for children to make choices and to develop their independence. Nonetheless, the teaching assistant is very well deployed to extend the curriculum to the outdoors. The school shares resources for outdoor play with a nearby school. In this way, the children have access to a limited range of large and wheeled toys. The children’s skills of pedalling and steering improved as they used scooters and other wheeled toys. They used the large space for play appropriately. Their skills at working co-operatively also improved as two children shared a bike as a driver and passenger. They were enthusiastic about their physical activities and took turns well. Children have a satisfactory level of skill in using small equipment such as pencils and scissors. Their finer control permeates other activities such as when they hunt in a tray containing sand

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Physical development

to pick out hidden treasure in the form of pennies.

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Creative Development

67 Children's creative work is sound. Staff provide opportunities for activities directed by the teacher but the limitations on space means that there are too few opportunities for the children to use their imagination independently in art and craft. The limitations of space means that only a very small range of resources is available at one time, which narrows considerably the choices to be made. When making masks, middle attainers needed much reassurance from an adult about the best way to stick on paper to represent feathers, reflecting underdeveloped skills in making choices and independently creating their works of art. Skills are taught well as exemplified by children greatly enjoying using paint to illustrate the text from their literacy hour. They completed confident and reasonably detailed paintings using ready mixed paint. They know how to keep the colours fresh looking by washing their brush before dipping it into another

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Creative Development

colour. The teaching of routines such as this helps the pupils to make the best use of the limited space. Children tried hard and persevered for a good length of time.

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Creative Development

68 In music very good teaching brought the best out of the children. They were very quick to hear the differences between sounds used to depict the three bears in the story of Goldilocks. They distinguished the high, medium and low pitches well.

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ENGLISH

Gillamoor CE Primary School - 29 69 Standards are in line with those expected nationally of eleven-year-olds and above those expected of seven-year-olds. Because of the small year groups, results tend to fluctuate widely from year to year. Pupils, several of whom have special educational needs or require additional help to enable them to learn effectively, achieve well throughout their time in school. The current group of pupils in Year 6 are likely to attain the nationally expected level, with a very small proportion attaining more highly. Overall, standards have improved since the last inspection and the quality of teaching and of pupils’ learning has benefited from the successful implementation of the national strategy for literacy.

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ENGLISH

70 By the age of seven, pupils attain above average standards in speaking and listening. They are eager to answer questions and are confident to ask teachers and other adults to clarify anything they have difficulty understanding. They speak clearly and they listen sensibly. Having been taught alongside younger pupils for two years, pupils develop quite mature listening skills for their age. Higher attaining pupils are quite articulate. The quality of teaching is good. There is good rapport between teachers and pupils, which encourages pupils to explain their ideas with confidence. Pupils’ reading is above average. They get quite excited about stories, inspired by their teacher’s very good intonation and good use of visual aids, such as a family of knitted owls, which really helps to bring the story ‘The Owl Babies’ to life. The teaching in a very good lesson concentrated on helping pupils to think about what happened in the story and to deduce

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ENGLISH

information from both words and pictures, thus helping them to understand in more depth. Pupils achieve well, learning strategies to read words like ‘enough’ accurately. Pupils achieve well in writing by the age of seven, attaining above average standards. They are clearly well taught. The teaching is very well organised so that pupils undertake a wide variety of written tasks. Average and higher attaining pupils write at length. They can spell competently and use punctuation accurately. Much of the teaching is quite imaginative and leads to high standards of collaborative work as in these lines from a jointly written poem: ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if a bat said cuckoo’ or ‘If spiders’ webs were made from glue’.

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ENGLISH

71 Standards in speaking and listening, reading and writing in the current Year 6 group are close to the level expected of their age. This is largely because of the proportion of pupils with special educational needs or who have joined the school at a later stage. The quality of teaching is good and pupils are given a great deal of individual help to enable them to achieve national standards. Pupils listen well and average and lower attaining pupils really concentrate and ask quite thoughtful questions. They are sufficiently confident to express their views in public and talk readily and politely to adults. They speak very clearly and talk interestingly about what they know. Their spoken vocabulary reflects their age and interests. Standards in reading are about average. Pupils enjoy reading books by current popular authors such as Jacqueline Wilson and selecting books written by a favourite author. They achieve well, developing a personal

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ENGLISH

taste for certain types of book, but do not exceed the standard expected of their age. Lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs receive good support to help them to read much more expressively and fluently and with greater understanding. Teachers use the daily half hour set aside for reading very well to help pupils to share books and to listen to and learn from each other as they read aloud together or discuss a passage they have read. Standards in writing are about average because pupils’ spelling and punctuation are not as accurate as they should be. Pupils clearly achieve well, learning much to interest them about different ways of writing for different audiences. They learn to write in a wide range of styles and much of their writing is quite individual, as shown by their very different and dramatic newspaper reports of the murder of Duncan; these range from a lower attaining pupil’s: ‘On a very steamy night…’

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ENGLISH

to a higher attainer’s more pertinent: ‘Mysterious murderer killed the King last night’. Gillamoor CE Primary School - 30 72 Pupils achieve well because the teaching is good and the work interests them. In a good lesson, older pupils enjoyed assessing the accuracy and effectiveness of a set of scientific instructions by attempting to follow them then discovering the difficulties caused by lack of precision. They decided to evaluate the quality of writing as poor and decided ‘You can’t believe everything you read in print’. Assemblies are used very well to further pupils’ interests in literature. Pupils learn to write formal English and, through writing to pupils in European schools, learn that they have to write simply and clearly so as to be understood by someone who is learning English as an additional language. ICT is used very well in the junior class to help pupils to develop their skills in literacy. Pupils

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ENGLISH

used pictures of themselves and their life at home, which they had taken with the digital camera, as a visual prompt for writing ‘an information booklet all about me’. The teaching gives pupils scope to be independent in their responses and in occasional demonstrations, as in creating a ‘text box’ using ICT, but sometimes misses opportunities to give pupils choice and to use their initiative. Literacy is promoted very well in other subjects such as history, geography and religious education to help pupils to learn. The lack of a co-ordinator for this subject means that it is harder to share in a more imaginative way the good practice evident in both classes.

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MATHEMATICS

73 By the end of Year 2, attainment is above the national average and similar to the national test results of 2000. This above average attainment is an improvement on the findings of the last inspection where attainment was judged to be in line with the national average. However, small year groups mean that there is considerable year-to-year variation. Attainment by eleven is broadly in line with the national average. This is slightly higher than the national test results of 2001although any comparisons need to be treated with caution due to the very small numbers in each year group. Similarly comparisons between the attainment of pupils by the age of seven and eleven also need to be treated with care, as there is a relatively high level of mobility in the school. Teaching and learning are good overall. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection. The increased use of ICT and the introduction of the national strategy for numeracy have

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MATHEMATICS

effectively helped to raise standards since then. Work is planned carefully to follow the key objectives of the numeracy strategy. This is an improvement since the last inspection where planning for mathematics was found to lack detail.

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MATHEMATICS

74 Teaching of the basic skills of numeracy is good. In a lesson with both Year 1 and Year 2 pupils, for example, planning was sufficiently detailed to ensure that each group worked at a good rate. In the same way in a Year 6 lesson, planning took account of the needs of both higher attaining pupils and those with special educational needs. A strength is the teachers’ knowledge of individual pupils’ ability through effective assessment and careful recording of pupils’ progress. Staffing allows for junior pupils to be taught in two groups and this enables work to be more precisely targeted. Pupils who have special educational needs or exceptional abilities are well provided for as they join the group of pupils whose attainment most nearly matches their own.

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MATHEMATICS

75 By the age of seven, pupils attain above average standards. Most pupils can count, read, write and order numbers to at least 100. Year 1 pupils can count in multiples of five and tens to 100. Year 2 pupils can count to 1000 in multiples of 100 and in fives to 100. Only higher attaining pupils can count backwards in fives. Common errors occur when pupils have to sort odd and even numbers or apply knowledge to written mathematical problems such as ‘How many minutes in half-an-hour?' Standards are close to those expected nationally of eleven-year-olds because of the composition of this particular year group. Higher attaining pupils work confidently with large numbers understanding place value well. Average attaining pupils add, subtract and divide Gillamoor CE Primary School - 31 numbers involving decimals and apply this knowledge using money, for example. Some pupils are less skilled in applying this knowledge in mental mathematics. For example,

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MATHEMATICS

in a Year 5 and Year 6 mental ‘warm up’ session, some lower attaining pupils had difficulty in remembering how to work out problems using two digit numbers. Most pupils apply knowledge effectively such as in their use of suitable measurement for a given task or in applying knowledge of analogue and digital clocks to calculate units of time in practical problems. Common errors sometimes occur, for example, in carrying out long multiplication using three-digit by one and two-digit numbers.

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MATHEMATICS

76 The quality of teaching is good. Teachers get on very well with their pupils and this means that pupils enjoy learning. In a Year 4 lesson, a small group of higher attaining pupils worked with a trainee teacher revising fractions and division. They had excellent attitudes to their work because the teaching was well planned. The smallness of the group and the clarity of direction ensured that the children had to concentrate on challenging tasks. For example, a higher attaining pupil quickly worked out that eighteen is a quarter of seventy-two whilst another of average attainment used doubling as a method to work out a quarter of sixty. Most pupils present their work neatly. Where there are misconceptions, supportive comments give useful assessments of work the pupils need to complete to make further progress. Whilst teachers mark work conscientiously, the use of this type of diagnostic comment is not consistently applied

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MATHEMATICS

77 The overall good quality of teaching has been maintained since the last inspection. Planning provides clear evidence of the systematic teaching of the key objectives for numeracy. Questions are used effectively to support pupils of different ability. Classroom assistants make a good contribution to lessons so that less able pupils and those with special educational needs can work more productively. The provision of additional teaching hours means that pupils benefit from teaching in smaller groups. There is therefore a particular focus on increased pupil support for those identified as ‘gifted and talented’, for example, or those who may have other specific needs.

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MATHEMATICS

78 Mathematical skills are used effectively in other subjects. In a project on holidays, Year 2 pupils wrote about the length of their journey, for example. School visits provide good opportunities for older pupils to use mathematics in everyday contexts. In geography, older pupils produce bar charts to compare average temperatures at home and abroad. Information and communication technology programs are also used effectively to investigate average arm span, for instance. Whilst useful questions challenge pupils to investigate further, there is no evidence of work recording the pupils’ interpretation of results.

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MATHEMATICS

79 Since the last inspection the school has effectively tracked pupils’ progress in mathematics and used this to set realistic targets for achievement. The lack of a co- ordinator for this subject, however, means that there is a tendency to see the two classes as separate rather than exploring links between the two and across key stages. There has been improved use of information and communication technology to support the subject. The school’s monitoring arrangements for numeracy are supplemented by external reports and take the form of classroom observations, regular reviews of planning and analysis of pupils’ work. This is used well to support improvements in both teaching and learning.

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SCIENCE

80 Standards are at expected levels by the end of Year 6 whereas at the time of the last inspection they were higher. The fall in standards in part reflects the particular year Gillamoor CE Primary School - 32 group composition and the fact that groups in each year are very small. The pupils’ attainment in science, for example, is on a level with their attainment in English and mathematics. Pupils achieve soundly at Year 6 overall, though the potentially high- attaining pupils in particular are capable of tackling more challenging tasks. At the time of the last inspection, the teaching was of very good quality. It is now sound and caters in particular for the whole group but sets insufficient challenge for the brighter pupils. Standards are above average by the end of Year 2 and have improved since the last inspection. Pupils achieve well because of the good quality teaching – also an improvement.

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SCIENCE

81 The teaching across the school achieves a balance of teaching scientific facts and allowing time for investigation and experimentation. In this way, pupils’ learning is level in each aspect of the science curriculum. For example, in Year 5 and Year 6 pupils made gains in understanding about their pulse rate when the teacher provided clear information prior to the pupils recording their pulse rate. The planning for this lesson was insufficiently detailed in that it gave too little attention to precisely how the potentially high attainers could be provided with tasks to suit their level of attainment. As a result, the pace of the lesson, though sound overall, was too slow for a small group of pupils who did not make the progress of which they were capable. Good use was made of accommodation to enable separate teaching to the older pupils and the teaching drew well on the use of ICT for pupils to record their findings. Pupils consolidated their

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SCIENCE

knowledge of using a spreadsheet and applied their understanding of number well. This was typical of the way that science is taught, providing good opportunities for the application of mathematical skills. For example, pupils have used a thermometer to measure temperature changes in water and recorded their work well, transposing their findings to a graph.

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SCIENCE

82 The pupils complete a good amount of work and are able to recall it soundly. For example, Year 6 pupils discuss their findings about food decay and explain their experiment well. They understand about how to make a test fair. Shortcomings are in the recording of their work which is mostly copied from a central source and leaves no opportunity for pupils to practise ordering and presenting scientific facts and findings individually. This also makes it more difficult for the teacher to assess pupils’ attainment; the marking of work is minimal. It is unclear how assessment is used to inform the next step in the teaching and there is no portfolio of assessed work to provide guidance.

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SCIENCE

83 Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 also receive a balanced curriculum. The effective teaching has strengths in the provision of a practical focus to much of the work. Pupils use a range of methods to record their work and this helps them to recall the scientific ideas they have investigated such as forces. At times, the worksheets are not always suitable for the slower learners. Sound links are made to numeracy and good links to literacy. Pupils make good gains in their understanding, for example, of materials and can sort them by given criteria. Higher attainers can quickly classify a good range of basic materials and explain their thinking clearly. This typifies the attainment of the Year 2 pupils who articulate scientific facts and understanding well using scientific terminology with confidence and maturity.

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SCIENCE

84 The role of the subject co-ordinator has yet to be fully developed. At present, responsibility seems only to extend to junior pupils and so there is a less clear sense of standards and progress from one stage of education to the next.

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ART AND DESIGN and DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Gillamoor CE Primary School - 33 85 By the time they leave the school, pupils’ attainment in art is average, maintaining the standards seen at the last inspection. The attainment of seven-year-olds is also average. Standards in design and technology have improved since the last inspection and are at least in line with those expected of seven and eleven-year-olds. Pupils’ finished products show a high level of competence, indicating that pupils are quite meticulous and dextrous when working with different materials. Since the last inspection, the new national guidelines have been introduced to improve planning. No judgements have been made on the quality of teaching in either subject as no art lessons were seen and only a small group of juniors were observed for a very short time in design and technology.

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ART AND DESIGN and DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

86 In art and design, younger pupils show an increasing skill in mixing paint to produce colour and shading on their portraits of each other. Higher attaining pupils observe carefully and draw good representations of individual expression. Older pupils increase their observational skills as they progress through the school so that most make sound attempts at perspective when drawing or painting features of local buildings and homes. Higher attaining pupils use colour and shading effectively. Some three-dimensional work in clay demonstrated good use of tools to produce fine detail on the clothing of historical figures, for example. In design and technology, older pupils worked assiduously to develop their circuit games, learning from their mistakes how to solve problems. In terms of design and materials, however, each was very similar.

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ART AND DESIGN and DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

87 Art is used well in other subjects such as history and ICT. Pupils clearly enjoy experimenting with the different effects they can achieve using art programs on the computer. Within the limits imposed by the accommodation, pupils use a satisfactory range of materials. There is little evidence, however, of pupils selecting and using materials of their own choice.

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GEOGRAPHY

88 Standards are above average by the ages of seven and eleven. Although no lessons were seen in the infant class, it is quite clear from both the range and the quality of work throughout the school that pupils, including those with special educational needs, are well taught and make good progress. The quality of teaching in the junior class is good. There has been good improvement since the last inspection as the school has introduced the new national guidelines and is redesigning them effectively to meet the needs of mixed age classes. 89 Infant pupils follow a well organised and imaginatively thought out programme of events to help them find out about different places. This develops their geographical skills well as they learn about the features characterising different routes. ICT is used constructively to help bring the subject alive. For example, pupils took it in turns to take the digital camera home to record the journeys they made with ‘Barnaby Bear’. They

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GEOGRAPHY

produced a map to show the places he had visited, with each area carefully named. Pupils kept a diary of events, thus using their skills in literacy as well to help them to learn.

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GEOGRAPHY

90 There is clear development from this in the junior class, where pupils use and interpret maps when studying different rivers of the world. Similarly, literacy is used well as pupils have to read and take notes in order to record the information they have found. Pupils of all abilities and ages undertake the same work, keeping each topic in a separate book. The work is well planned so that pupils develop their geographical skills. Higher attaining pupils use appropriate technical language; for example; “In some places the sediment deposits are higher than the river”. Numeracy is used well to help pupils to learn, for recording statistics about the river Danube, for example. The work recorded in pupils’ Gillamoor CE Primary School - 34 books is of a uniformly high standard because much of the information has been set down as answers to questions or involves reorganising facts from a given piece of

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GEOGRAPHY

91 The quality of teaching is good and pupils listen avidly to their teacher as they learn about different customs in other European countries. The resources for learning are thoughtfully selected: up-to-date materials sent by schools in Italy, Germany and Sweden give immediacy to the subject. Pupils work well on their own as they are interested in what they are doing. Occasionally, opportunities are missed to ask pupils questions; for example, pupils were engrossed by the teacher’s presentation of slides of his visit to a school in Sweden but there was no time for them to ask or answer questions.

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HISTORY

92 Standards are above average by the ages of seven and eleven. Although no lessons were seen in the junior class, it is quite clear that pupils learn a great deal about history during their time at this school and that they are very well taught. The quality of teaching is very good and some well above average work was in evidence in both classes and from all age groups. Many pupils say it is their favourite subject and they enjoy the educational visits associated with it.

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HISTORY

93 Seven-year-old pupils know much about The Great Fire of London in the 17 th Century. An average attaining pupil wrote a very dramatic account of the fire: “I saw the thick black smoke. I heard Samuel Pepys,” while higher attaining pupils described how they felt “very scared and very sad to see London going up in flames”. This above average response to and understanding of times past is clearly seen when pupils compared old with new. For example, in one good lesson, seeing over a real fire engine enthralled them and the good quality of the teacher’s questioning challenged older pupils to look at the use of new technology as opposed to the old they had studied on a recent visit to a local museum.

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HISTORY

94 Junior pupils are very well taught. The curriculum is well planned to take account of the four different age groups in the class. Pupils have a new book for each new topic and this means that there is a good record of progress for each pupil as well as enough space to allow for individual research. The range of work is impressive and much of the pupils’ writing testifies to the detailed, systematic thoroughness of the teaching. Older pupils undertake personal research and ICT is used particularly well as a tool for finding information. Marking is meticulous and sets high standards. Pupils are required to think and to work out their own answers to question such as ‘What does writing and art tell us about Ancient Egypt?’ Pupils keep a News Diary for part of each year based on International and Personal News set alongside each other. These, and community events such as the re-enactment of evacuees setting off from the local railway station as

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HISTORY

in 1940, help pupils to understand history as a living subject, both personal and international.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

95 The above average standards by the end of Year 6 have been maintained from the last inspection and come about because of the very good teaching which ensures that computers are used as tools to the pupils’ learning across a range of subjects. Resources are plentiful and easily accessible. Pupils’ attitudes are very good and they are very responsible in their use of expensive equipment. By the end of Year 2, standards are average and pupils have gained a fair understanding of the breadth of the Gillamoor CE Primary School - 35 subject though the speed and accuracy with which they use the computer keyboard are at times quite slow. Year 2 pupils achieve soundly, laying the foundation for a good rate of achievement in further years.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

96 Pupils in Years 3 to Year 6 learn quickly once shown new applications. They co-operate really well, often quickly helping another child and then returning to get on with their own task in a mature fashion. Pupils’ understanding of how to operate program devices and control their actions increased well when they became engaged in writing sequences of instructions to control a traffic lights system. The teaching took good account of the pupils’ wider experiences from home. Pupils were given a challenge to which they responded very maturely, becoming engrossed in their work. At one time you could hear a pin drop as the pupils concentrated on writing their instructions on the screen. This was because the teaching used demonstration very well to provide clear instructions and to engage the pupils’ interest. All pupils were given the opportunity to experiment with the process and with the support of the teacher and learning support assistants

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

were able to achieve well. Lower attaining pupils were provided with a good degree of adult support which focused their attention and extended their concentration span. Higher attaining pupils came to a deeper understanding in their application and quickly realised the potential of applying their new skills to other work. The teacher’s very good subject knowledge also ensured that quite sophisticated ICT was used naturally as a teaching aid. This was an exemplar followed by older pupils when they used an adult program to present their own slide shows of the locality. This not only improved their skills in ICT but provided a clear focus to developing their skills in speaking and listening. Such work widens pupils’ understanding of how ICT can be used in their everyday life.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

97 Year 2 pupils can assemble text, represent information graphically and know how to load or close the programs. Higher attainers know how to save their own work and explain how it can be retrieved. Pupils’ independence in using ICT is developed appropriately because the teaching makes sure that the programs are relevant to the pupils’ work in a range of subjects. This was the case, for example, in a literacy lesson where pupils used computers to combine speech marks in simple text. The teaching promoted ICT soundly through planning a suitable link to literacy. Pupils made gains in their understanding of the use of speech marks and their skills on the keyboard were consolidated as they used the capitals and lower case letters to write their phrases. The teaching had a keen awareness of the tasks that all three year groups were involved in and made sure that help was available on request.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

98 Pupils have opportunities to research topics through the use of the Internet; for example, in history they found out about the gods of ancient Egypt. There is adequate protection for the pupils in using materials on the Internet. The subject is well managed in a lively and practical manner. All staff are encouraged in their use of ICT and appropriate training keeps staff up to date with requirements. For example, staff are keen for the pupils to use the digital camera to record work and visits and to scan the results into the computer to be used in further work. The parents are particularly pleased with the standards that their children attain in ICT and mention in particular the impact of the good quality resources on their children’s progress.

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MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

99 Pupils in Years 3 to 6 learn to speak both German and French. However, it was not possible to judge standards in German since there was no opportunity during the inspection. Pupils, however, are delightfully matter-of-fact about learning European languages and older pupils had no hesitation in addressing visitors in both German and French. Gillamoor CE Primary School - 36 100 Standards in French are clearly above average. The quality of teaching is very good and pupils are very comfortable with as well as competent at using the language. There is shared feeling of enjoyment as pupils arrange the room so they can all sit round a table closely together to read and play games with their teacher. It is clearly regarded by them as a special time. Pupils have good accents and a quick understanding when introduced to new words. The teaching uses videotape well to support pupils’ learning- just a few minutes to introduce new vocabulary and then a game to reinforce it. The

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MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

teaching uses different ways to help pupils to remember such as aural, visual, memory and repetition. Each pupil has many opportunities to speak out loud in French and a simple activity such as repeating the days of the week in order round the table each in turn keeps everyone on their toes. Pupils concentrate very well and the teaching is skilled, as gauging when pupils’ attention slows and they need a different activity. Pupils’ use their skills in literacy very well to skim read a book produced by the European Community to work out that it is about the introduction of the Euro on January 1st 2002. Their understanding of geography is also used well as they look at the map to work out which countries are going to be affected. The resources for learning are good and used well to help pupils to remember what they have learnt.

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MUSIC

101 Standards are at the level expected of pupils aged seven and eleven. Although this is similar to statistics reported in the last inspection, the quality of teaching and of pupils’ learning has improved following the carefully thought out programme of learning introduced with the specialist teaching in both classes. The subject is well led by an enthusiastic co-ordinator.

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MUSIC

102 The feature of the teaching is the very good planning for mixed age groups. The quality of the teaching is at least good and some very good teaching clearly takes place. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ ability to concentrate. In one lesson in the infant class, sensitive handling, inventive use of games and a lively presentation kept young pupils totally absorbed at the end of the afternoon. They were able to understand the difference between high and low sounds and with the three bears from Goldilocks as representatives of high, middle and low sounds, seven-year-olds successfully chose instruments to indicate different pitch. The teaching very clearly distinguished the three different age groups in the class and so Year 1, for example, drew ‘sound pictures’ accurately and pupils in Year 2 worked very quickly to produce drawings of a ladder to show the scale going up and a trampoline to depict going up and down. Pupils

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MUSIC

thoroughly enjoyed what they were doing and were keen to complete their tasks.

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MUSIC

103 By the age of eleven, pupils compose their own rhythmic patterns. Higher attaining pupils compose some quite complex rhythms, using conventional notation. Others invent simple but effective symbols such as XXXX to denote clicking the fingers. Pupils work well together in groups and, although there is only a narrow range of instruments to draw on, they are quite inventive at finding their own; for example “mouth paper”, “mouth clicker” and “whoosher”.

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MUSIC

104 Assemblies are used well to introduce pupils to different types of music and to develop their capacity to listen attentively as the same music is played at the end of the day. Music is sensitively associated with quiet moments in which to reflect. A large number of pupils learn to play the descant recorder and this helps many to read music and to play together. The resources for learning are quite sparse and so pupils do not have experience of a very wide range of pitched and untuned instruments. Opportunities are Gillamoor CE Primary School - 37 missed to develop pupils’ skills in appraising music through skilful questioning or directing their attention to the way instruments affect the expressive quality of sound.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

105 Insufficient evidence was available to make overall judgements across the school. Standards in games are broadly typical for eleven-year-olds by the end of Year 6. In swimming, they are above expectation by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 because of the good quality tuition and the regularity with which pupils have access to swimming. At the time of the last inspection, standards were sound for Year 2 but no judgement was made at Year 6.

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106 The school works very hard to ensure that the limitations on accommodation do not adversely impact on the standards that pupils reach. The curriculum is broad and balanced and provides opportunities for pupils to compete against other local schools in netball and football. With much parental support, the pupils are regularly able to swim and use a large sports hall of a nearby school. Pupils usually have access to the local cricket ground though has been curtailed during the very recent foot and mouth epidemic.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

107 Provision is extended through contact with Yorkshire County Cricket Club who provide coaching. In one such lesson, the pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 made sound gains in developing hand and eye co-ordination in relation to throwing and receiving a ball. Pupils developed the correct stance to receive the ball because of effective demonstration by the adult and close attention to detail. They learnt the importance of flexing the knees and positioning the hands in a suitable position to receive the ball. Pupils got better at keeping their stance and the coach provided an easy to remember checklist for the individuals to self-check to ensure their readiness. The pupils were challenged intellectually and to play under a certain amount of pressure. They listened and behaved well and the accuracy and speed of the catching improved. Sound links were made to literacy as the pupils learnt correct terminology for the cricket bail and attempted to spell

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

the word. Pupils made good use of the space around them and were well aware of the need for safety at all times. The teaching focused mostly on the older pupils which meant that, when a full game began, the younger pupils did not make such fast progress because they required further coaching to improve the accuracy of hitting the ball with the cricket bat. In this respect, other adults were not deployed to the best advantage.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

108 Pupils with special educational need were well supported and received extra instruction to remind them as they went along. Other pupils were quick to offer help as required and all worked together well.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

109 Good quality teaching of swimming to Year 2 pupils meant that the pupils made effective gains in their learning. The pupils were very confident in the water and unafraid, for example, to submerge their heads under the water. Higher attainers can swim a breadth of the pool under water. Pupils improved their leg stroke because they listened attentively to the teaching points and followed the clear and precise instructions quickly. No time was wasted. The pupils were very responsible, following the safety procedures set by the adults. All adults were deployed well and the level of teaching was well matched to the pupils’ attainments. A small number of non-participating pupils wasted time colouring in and were insufficiently included in the teaching process.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Gillamoor CE Primary School - 38 110 Standards are above the average expected in the new Agreed Syllabus for both seven and eleven-year-olds. This is an improvement since the last inspection and reflects the impact of specialist teaching of this subject. Pupils have a good introduction to Christianity from an early age and visit the local church and take part in religious festivals regularly. At the same time, they also learn about some of the major celebrations and customs in the Jewish religion.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

111 By the age of seven, pupils’ writing about Parables such as the story of the ‘Five Loaves and Fishes’ shows that they understand the main points of the story. In other writing, pupils begin to understand the meaning of symbolism, for instance, in the use of ‘special food’ during the Jewish Festival of Passover. In Year 6, this concept of ‘special’ is extended much further to include teaching about ‘special’ services and festivals such as Remembrance Day or festivals from contrasting religions. Pupils learn about the importance of symbolism in different world faiths and look in some detail at the use of light in celebration, encompassing Jewish, Hindu and Icelandic festivals.

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112 By the time they are eleven, pupils have also covered a range of work to develop an understanding of both Islam and Sikhism as well as extending their knowledge of Holy Books from contrasting religions. Their understanding of Christianity and knowledge of its symbols and festivals are above average by the age of eleven and reflect the conscientious teaching which takes place during collective worship. As a result, the majority of pupils could talk in some detail about Advent, explaining the symbolism of the lighted candles, for example, understanding that it is a time for preparation.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

113 The quality of teaching is good and the curriculum imaginatively planned to involve pupils fully. On an educational visit to the local Wesleyan Chapel, pupils thought of many questions to ask and were keen to spot the differences between the layout of the chapel and their own Church. Some of their questions were quite perceptive as they asked about the plain cross and the arrangement of the pews. When sketching out a plan of the chapel afterwards and writing notes, an average attaining pupil noted, ‘There was a font but it was plainer than usual’ while a higher attainer mentioned the doves which encircled it. Through poetry and drama, pupils learn about the less tangible aspects of religions where faith and friendship are important. As a result, pupils, when reflecting on their educational visit to their local church, wrote, ‘it was a peaceful and spiritual place’. The subject is well led by an efficient and enthusiastic co-ordinator. The resources for

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learning are adequate and usefully supplemented through sharing at neighbouring schools.

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