Hadlow Primary School

HADLOW SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Dr Vivien Johnston OFSTED Inspector Number 8402

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HADLOW SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th – 9 th February 2000

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HADLOW SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. 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. Hadlow School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Hadlow Tonbridge Kent Postcode: TN11 0EH

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Doreen Etheridge

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 1996 Hadlow School - 5

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Team members

Vivien Johnston Registered inspector Libby Dickson Lay inspector Marianne Harris Team inspector

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Team members

The inspection contractor was: Qualitas Education Consultants Wickham Court Layhams Road West Wickham Kent BR4 9HH

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Team members

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

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Hadlow School - 6

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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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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10

Pupils do well in English, especially in reading, and standards are above average at the end of Key Stage 2. Teaching is good, particularly in the way teachers manage pupils and provide interesting activities which motivate them. Pupils enjoy school, work hard, behave well, and are interested and enthusiastic. The school has a strong ethos, staff are very supportive of pupils and they care for them very well. Pupils’ creative work is of high quality, particularly in art.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 13

The standards achieved by pupils by the end of Key Stage 1 are too low, particularly in mathematics and writing. Curriculum plans should show more clearly what pupils are to learn each year and how their learning and progress will be assessed. Planning for the school’s development should be comprehensive, and structured in a way which provides a clear framework for further improvements.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Hadlow School is a community school with 222 pupils on its roll. It is about the same size as other primary schools. It has roughly equal numbers of boys and girls, although the proportions in each year group vary somewhat. Almost all speak English as their first language. The pupils come from Hadlow village and surrounding farming area, and are mostly from average to lower socio-economic backgrounds. Their attainment on entry to the school has varied considerably from year to year. Overall, it is below average. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs is well above average, and varies considerably between the year groups. Most of these needs relate to learning difficulties, while a small proportion have emotional or behavioural problems.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school is very effective in providing a happy and secure environment for pupils’ learning. It has a very positive ethos, and staff and pupils work hard. Standards are below average when children reach statutory school age, and at the end of Key Stage 1. Pupils make good progress during Key Stage 2, and standards are average overall at the end of the key stage. The quality of teaching is good, particularly for the Reception children and the Key Stage 2 pupils. The school is strongly led by the headteacher, with good support from the governing body, although the curriculum and monitoring of how well pupils are getting on are not managed well enough. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils do well in English, especially in reading, and so standards are above average at the end of Key Stage 2. • Teaching is good, particularly in the way teachers manage pupils and provide interesting activities which motivate them. • Pupils enjoy school, work hard, behave well, and are interested and enthusiastic. • The school has a strong ethos, staff are very supportive of pupils, and they care for them very well. • Pupils’ creative work is of high quality, particularly in art.

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What could be improved

• The standards achieved by pupils by the end of Key Stage 1 are too low, particularly in mathematics and writing. • Curriculum plans should show more clearly what pupils are to learn each year and how their learning and progress will be assessed. • Planning for the school’s development should be comprehensive, and structured in a way which provides a clear framework for further improvements.

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What could be improved

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in October 1996. Its improvement since then has been satisfactory overall. Results at the end of Key Stage 2 have risen in line with the national trend. The teaching of English is now a strength, helped by the successful introduction of the National Literacy Strategy, improved resources for reading and use of the new library. Resources for information technology have recently been improved. Children’s attainment is now assessed when they enter the school, and how well they get on is monitored carefully during the Reception year. The curriculum for these children is now planned appropriately. The school has still not developed strategies for monitoring the curriculum for pupils effectively and ensuring that all, including high-attaining pupils, are challenged by the work they are set. The priorities of the school development plan are still not clearly set out and linked to the budget. The strengths identified by the last inspection have been maintained. These include pupils’

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Hadlow School - 8 attitudes, behaviour and personal development, the ethos of the school, and the leadership of the headteacher and governing body. Hadlow School - 9

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

Results at the end of Key Stage 2 have varied considerably from year to year, as the table above shows, largely because of differences in the proportion of pupils with special educational needs in each year group. Results in English have been consistently better than in mathematics and science. Compared to schools with a similar proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, the results are good. At the end of Key Stage 1, results have been weaker, though with wide variation from year to year. The overall picture at the end of Key Stage 1 is of below average results in reading and writing, and well below average results in mathematics. The school’s targets for results at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2000 have been based carefully on the school’s assessment of what the pupils have achieved so far, and are reasonably challenging. However, the targets are for lower results than in 1999, particularly in mathematics.

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Key

The standard of pupils’ work is higher in English than in mathematics and science. At Key Stage 1, standards are below average overall, with weaknesses in mathematics, writing and the presentation of written work. The pupils do not achieve as well as they should because some work is undemanding. At Key Stage 2, pupils’ achievements are good. Standards are average overall, and above average in reading and writing, including the presentation of written work in all subjects. Throughout the school, pupils’ creative work, especially art, is of good quality.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils’ attitudes to school are very good. They enjoy school and are keen to participate in their lessons. They know they should do their best at all times, care for each other and behave sensibly. In general, they achieve these aims.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is good, both in lessons and at other times of the school day. There have been more exclusions than the average for primary schools. The exclusions were for inappropriate behaviour

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Personal development and relationships are good. Pupils take pride in the school environment and their work, are responsible and friendly towards each other and adults, and work well together in lessons. They are trustworthy and reliable, and follow the school rules well.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance was slightly lower than the national average during the last school year. The attendance rate is affected by the frequent absences of several pupils. Unauthorised absence was below average.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ very positive response is a strength which contributes much to the school’s happy ethos. Hadlow School - 10

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

Lessons seen overall good satisfactory good

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

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

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

The quality of teaching is a strength overall. Teaching was judged to be very good or excellent in 29% of the lessons seen during the inspection, and satisfactory or better in 94%. It was unsatisfactory in 6% of the lessons because the pupils were not challenged sufficiently. Teachers manage pupils very well, and provide imaginative activities which motivate them. They are very effective in helping pupils of all ages to develop their vocabulary so that they can express themselves clearly. The teaching of reading is good and so most pupils learn to read confidently and well. Teachers generally adapt their lessons well to meet the varied needs of the pupils in their classes. However, the teaching of mathematics and writing are unsatisfactory at Key Stage 1 because the work set for the older pupils is often too easy. As a result, pupils make unsatisfactory progress overall during Key Stage 1. At Key Stage 2, the teaching of mathematics is satisfactory, and the teaching of writing is good.

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

Pupils of all ages enjoy learning. They get on well during lessons, try hard to do their best and usually persevere even when they find the work difficult. Pupils with special educational needs respond well to the extra support they are given. Reception children make good progress, as do pupils in Year 1 and Key Stage 2.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory overall. The school provides the full range of National Curriculum opportunities, together with religious education. A good range of extra-curricular activities is available. The National Literacy Strategy is implemented well, and has helped to raise standards in English. Rich opportunities for creative work, particularly in art, are linked well to other areas of the curriculum. However, whole-school planning to ensure that pupils make progress from year to year is inadequate.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory. These pupils are well supported in lessons by suitably qualified learning support assistants. Their individual education plans are appropriate, and are reviewed systematically and regularly.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good provision, with a strong emphasis on developing moral and social attitudes, high expectations of behaviour and caring for others. Strengths in cultural opportunities, especially through art and music, and for spiritual development through assemblies and some lessons.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good provision for pupils’ welfare, health and safety. Staff share a strong commitment to knowing each pupil well as an individual. They are alert to pupils’ needs and are very caring. However, the school does not assess and record pupils’ achievements systematically, nor track effectively enough how well pupils are doing. Hadlow School - 11

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage-ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides strong and purposeful leadership, and a clear vision for the school. She has been very successful in promoting a caring, hard- working ethos in which pupils and staff are encouraged to do their best at all times. Other staff have only just started to take a sufficiently active part in monitoring and evaluating the areas of the school for which they are responsible.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors know the school very well, visit regularly and are committed to its success. They fulfil their responsibilities well.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has taken appropriate steps to analyse and evaluate its performance, and has begun to develop effective strategies to address the areas of weakness it identifies. However, the development plan does not provide a comprehensive framework for improvement, linked to issues arising from monitoring and evaluation.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. Resources are used appropriately to promote pupils’ learning. A strength is the way in which the budget has been managed, in particular to employ learning support assistants so that there is a high ratio of adults to pupils in classrooms. The principles of best value are applied satisfactorily.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school and make good progress. • Behaviour is good, and the school helps children become mature and responsible. • The school has a calm, caring ethos, and expects all its pupils to do well. • Teaching is good, and pupils are encouraged to work hard and do their best. • The school is very approachable. It works closely with parents, keeping them well informed about how their children are getting on. • The school is well led and managed. • An interesting range of activities is provided outside lessons. • More homework should be provided. • The information on what is to be taught each term is not explained clearly enough.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with parents’ views, with the following exceptions: pupils make good progress, except that those in Year 2 are not stretched enough in learning to write and in mathematics and so they make insufficient progress in these areas; and pupils in Key Stage 1 would benefit from more demanding homework, whereas the work set for the older pupils is satisfactory. Hadlow School - 12

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils do well in English, especially in reading, and standards are above average at the end of Key Stage 2. 1. When they enter the Reception classes, most children’s language development is below average. For example, only a few of the children have started to read and write, and know how to hold and use a pencil well. Many of the children also have narrow vocabularies and a lack of general knowledge, such as the names of colours. Some talk confidently, but many find it difficult to express their ideas at any length. The children make good progress because supporting their language development is given a high priority and teachers successfully use a wide range of strategies to involve the children in speaking and listening activities. However, the children’s attainment is still below average by the time they reach the age for entering Key Stage 1. 2. During Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils of all ages continue to make good progress in learning to listen attentively

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

and to speak clearly. They are helped in this by the very good role models provided by their teachers, who focus strongly on developing pupils’ oral language in English lessons and at other times of the day. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils listen attentively and answer questions appropriately and often thoughtfully, though still rather briefly. By the end of Key Stage 2, almost all speak clearly and confidently, expressing their ideas convincingly. They listen well, both in whole class discussion and in pair and small group activities. This contributes to the success in their learning during Key Stage 2. 3. As a result of the effectiveness of teaching throughout the school, the standard of pupils’ reading is above average by the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils of all ages enjoy books, and most read widely and regularly both at school and at home. The introduction of the National Literacy Strategy has helped teachers to provide well for

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

pupils’ development as readers. Challenging fiction is read and discussed as a class, developing pupils’ understanding of implied meanings and the style of texts studied. By Year 6, most pupils comment knowledgeably on the fiction they have read, for instance when invited to consider the main character in a novel. Pupils are also confident in choosing their own books from the school library, and know how and where to find information from the reference section. They develop confidence in researching information and using reference books. For instance, several Year 5 pupils found an illustration of a goose during a library skills lesson quickly and independently. 4. Standards in writing are above average by the end of Key Stage 2, in English and in other areas of the curriculum. Pupils learn to organise their work into coherent paragraphs, and by Year 6 almost all spell and punctuate accurately. A feature of most pupils’ work is that they have a strong, personal ‘voice’ in what they

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

write. They use adventurous vocabulary, even though they sometimes cannot spell the words correctly. Year 6 pupils have written confidently in a wide range of styles, including narrative, poetry, letters and informative accounts. For instance, pupils of all levels of prior attainment had written well-structured, inventive stories based on their study of ‘The Borrowers’, almost all integrating dialogue well with narrative. They had checked their drafts carefully, and so the displayed work had accurate paragraphing and punctuation. From Year 3 onwards, pupils write neatly and very clearly, joining their letters evenly; by Year 6, the standard of pupils’ handwriting and presentation is well above average, in both in English and in other subjects including science, history and geography.

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Teaching is good, particularly in the way teachers manage pupils and provide interesting activities which

motivate them. 5. The overall quality of teaching is a strength. Teachers have very good skills in managing classroom activities and pupils’ behaviour. They create a very positive atmosphere by giving plenty of praise for pupils’ successes and helping them to overcome any difficulties. This supportive, encouraging approach gives pupils confidence and involves them in lesson activities. For example, a music lesson in which pupils were learning and performing rhythm patterns had been prepared for carefully. The activities were explained clearly to the pupils, organised very effectively, and supported by good resources. The teacher insisted on pupils showing good manners, such as listening attentively to others. The pupils responded very positively to this effective management, participating willingly both in volunteering ideas during the initial exploration of rhythms and then in performing the sequences they developed.

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Teaching is good, particularly in the way teachers manage pupils and provide interesting activities which

6. The most successful lessons observed during the inspection proceeded at a brisk pace, with varied activities which engaged and challenged pupils throughout. For example, in a literacy hour lesson, the teacher’s very Hadlow School - 13 engaging manner enthused the class. This led to them making many spontaneous contributions, such as noticing spelling patterns in the big book they were reading together. The teacher’s high expectations of their learning were shown by the challenging questions she asked, which encouraged the class to observe closely, learn new vocabulary, and gain an awareness of how the story was sequenced. She ensured that all were involved throughout the lesson, building very well on their contributions to telling and reading the story, and creating a very positive ethos in which learning was fun. The group activities that followed the whole class reading of the text were very well adapted to the wide range of needs within the class. The Reception children

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Teaching is good, particularly in the way teachers manage pupils and provide interesting activities which

focused on learning to read and write individual letters, with the help of a learning support assistant; some Year 1 pupils also wrote, independently practising joining their letters; and the class teacher worked with some high-attaining Year 1 pupils on reading with greater understanding. The teaching was excellent because the activities were varied, stimulating and purposeful, creating a language-rich environment in which all the class were enabled to achieve very well. 7. The teaching of vocabulary is also a strength. Teachers provide very good role models in their use of language during lessons, such as in the way they question pupils and expect them to recognise new words and begin to use them in their own speaking and writing. Specialist terminology is introduced and explained clearly, as in a Year 6 mathematics lesson in which the teacher made a point of using terms such as ‘axes’, ‘quadrant’ and

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Teaching is good, particularly in the way teachers manage pupils and provide interesting activities which

‘negative number’. 8. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ learning and effort. They also have good subject expertise. For example, in a Year 6 science lesson, the teacher gave an expert demonstration of using mirrors, and a very good explanation of the workings of a periscope. The class had good opportunities to experiment with light sources (torches) and mirrors. They were encouraged to have a go for themselves, and told that finding out is good for their learning. The pupils learned much from the structured sequence of challenging activities, which built well on their previous work on how light travels and reflects.

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Teaching is good, particularly in the way teachers manage pupils and provide interesting activities which

Pupils enjoy school, work hard, behave well, and are interested and enthusiastic. 9. Pupils are very positive about the school. They enjoy it, as parents commented, and are keen to contribute in lessons. Pupils concentrated well throughout most of the lessons observed during the inspection, and persevered even when they found the work rather difficult. They listened attentively, both in whole class discussion and in small group activities. The pupils’ enthusiastic response to good teaching contributes much to their learning. 10. Pupils’ behaviour in the lessons observed was good. They worked very co-operatively and sensibly in group and pair activities, sharing resources and helping each other. They are keen to be helpful to their teachers, for example in giving out the resources used during lessons and tidying them up afterwards. The Reception children and younger pupils sometimes need reminders to pay attention and take turns by putting their hands

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Teaching is good, particularly in the way teachers manage pupils and provide interesting activities which

up before speaking in whole class discussion, but quickly comply with their teachers’ requests for orderly behaviour. 11. Behaviour around school is also good. From the earliest years, pupils behave responsibly and sensibly. They take the responsibilities they are given very seriously, and can be trusted to carry them out independently. These include taking the class register to the office, and Year 6 pupils helping with setting the hall up for assemblies. Lunchtimes are very calm and orderly, both in the hall and in the playground. 12. Pupils’ personal development is good, as are relationships within the school. Pupils know the school rules and generally do their best to follow them. They accept any reprimands for misdemeanours with good grace. They also have a genuine concern for others, as they follow the caring role model offered by the adults in the school.

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Teaching is good, particularly in the way teachers manage pupils and provide interesting activities which

The school has a strong ethos, staff are very supportive of pupils, and they care for them very well. 13. The school’s ethos is very positive, and is valued by parents, staff, pupils and governors. The ethos promotes individual success together with respect and caring for others. In assemblies, for example, pupils are encouraged always to try their best. Teachers give pupils plenty of opportunities to develop self-confidence and to learn to respect others’ opinions and feelings. The older pupils are encouraged to befriend and help the younger ones, such as the effective links between Year 6 pupils and the children in Reception and Key Stage 1. Hadlow School - 14 14. The pupils’ written and creative work is displayed very attractively in classrooms and other areas of the school, which gives pupils a sense of pride in their achievements. In particular, pupils’ art work makes the environment lively and attractive, and encourages an aesthetic awareness.

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Teaching is good, particularly in the way teachers manage pupils and provide interesting activities which

15. Staff know the pupils very well, and are committed to making the school happy and successful. Their relationships with pupils are kind and caring. This knowledge of pupils as individuals starts before they enter the school, through the good relationships with the playgroup which many children attend before they join the Reception year. Teachers and other staff provide good individual support to pupils who have special educational needs for emotional or behavioural reasons. This support enables these pupils to improve their behaviour and attitudes towards learning, and so they take a full part in lessons and school life in general. 16. Pupils’ welfare, health and safety are given a high priority by staff, and their needs are met very well. For example, circle time is provided regularly in most classes. It enables pupils to talk about issues that are concerning them and to develop their social skills and awareness of others’ needs. The school has a very good

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Teaching is good, particularly in the way teachers manage pupils and provide interesting activities which

system for checking on the whereabouts of pupils who have to leave the school during the day, such as for a medical appointment. It also follows up absences efficiently, and encourages regular attendance at school.

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Teaching is good, particularly in the way teachers manage pupils and provide interesting activities which

Pupils’ creative work is of high quality, particularly in art. 17. Pupils of all ages have good opportunities for creative work, particularly in art. This work is generally of high quality. Work which was particularly good included ‘reflections’ pictures created by Year 3 pupils, Year 5 pupils’ repeating patterns in the style of William Morris, and the covers for their projects Year 6 pupils had made using textiles. 18. Pupils develop good skills in using a wide variety of media for two- and three-dimensional work, and by Key Stage 2 are confident and skilled in achieving the effects they intend. In a lesson observed during the inspection, Year 4 pupils were set the task of creating a picture of a terrifying space monster, following their reading of ‘The Iron Man’ in English lessons. The teacher introduced the technique of sketching in pencil first and then scaling them up onto large paper. Almost all managed this well, and their bold designs filled

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Teaching is good, particularly in the way teachers manage pupils and provide interesting activities which

the page. They selected from a good range of media, including paint, pastels, crayon and felt tip pens, and needed few reminders about the techniques of using each. Those using paint mixed colours skilfully. Some achieved subtle effects in the restrained combination of tones they used, whereas others’ pictures were bold and colourful, but with interesting fine detail. 19. Links between art and other subjects are a strength in the curriculum, and contribute to pupils’ success. These links enhance pupils’ learning. For instance, Year 4 pupils made abstract pictures using layers of tissue paper and then wrote poems in which they responded to the shapes they had created. This activity deepened their aesthetic awareness and widened their vocabulary and language skills. Many of the pupils who find subjects such as English and mathematics difficult, or who have behavioural difficulties, do well in art. 20. Pupils also do well in music, particularly singing. For example, Reception and Key Stage 1 pupils sang a

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Teaching is good, particularly in the way teachers manage pupils and provide interesting activities which

three-part song unaccompanied in assembly, tunefully and confidently. Singing is sometimes used very successfully in lessons as a means of reinforcing younger pupils’ learning, such as of the alphabet. In a music lesson, Year 3 pupils began by singing a song in two parts, as a warm up, and then worked on rhythm patterns and maintaining a rhythm against another part. The sequences they performed in groups at the end of the lesson showed that their achievements were above average. Hadlow School - 15

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The standards achieved by pupils by the end of Key Stage 1 are too low, particularly in mathematics and

writing. 21. Results in mathematics are well below average at the end of Key Stage 1, as is the standard of pupils’ work. They do not achieve as well as they should during Year 2, after a good start in Reception and Year 1. This is because the work tends to be too easy. Similar work is generally set for all pupils. This means that the higher- and average-attaining pupils do not make the progress they should in lessons. For instance, in a lesson observed during the inspection the class worked on finding pairs of numbers with a difference of two, and then finding sequences using odd and even numbers. The activities consolidated the learning of the low- attaining pupils well, but the average- and high-attaining pupils found the work very straightforward. They were not, for example, challenged to find more complex number sequences. 22. Key Stage 1 pupils have weak skills in numeracy, such as in adding and subtracting numbers beyond ten.

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The standards achieved by pupils by the end of Key Stage 1 are too low, particularly in mathematics and

Teachers have focused too little on developing pupils’ confidence in numeracy, through regular practice in adding and subtracting, multiplying and dividing. As a result, many pupils are unsure in basic calculations. This continues to be a weakness during Key Stage 2, and restricts pupils’ attainment at the end of the key stage, despite the challenging work they are set. 23. Pupils achieve considerably less well in writing than in reading. This is because reading is taught much more effectively and teachers expect higher standards. Previously completed written work showed that the older Key Stage 1 pupils have not had sufficient opportunities to develop their skills in writing independently, and the work set has not been challenging enough. The independent writing of pupils of all levels of attainment is very brief. This has led to most pupils not achieving the standard they should in writing. This weakness is

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The standards achieved by pupils by the end of Key Stage 1 are too low, particularly in mathematics and

reflected by the wide difference in results in reading and writing in the national assessments at the end of Key Stage 1. 24. The standard of presentation of the older pupils’ written work is also too low at Key Stage 1, in English and across the curriculum, because teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving. For instance, some pupils in Year 2 have learned to join up their handwriting well in practice sessions, but they have not been expected to apply these skills in their other writing. Consequently, these pupils’ work is untidy, with uneven, printed letters.

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Curriculum plans should show more clearly what pupils are to learn each year and how their learning and

progress will be assessed. 25. Teachers plan collaboratively, which is good practice as it means that teachers’ expertise is shared. This contributes to a key strength in the teaching, that the work is interesting and a good variety of strategies are used. However, teachers’ planning is not based on well-developed and up-to-date schemes of work which show what pupils are expected to learn each year and which cover National Curriculum requirements systematically. In English and mathematics, teachers rely on the frameworks provided by the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. This works reasonably well in English, except that the areas of the National Curriculum not covered by the National Literacy Strategy are not planned for as thoroughly. In mathematics, the national guidelines on how the work may be adapted for pupils of high, average and low attainment are sometimes not followed. These weaknesses lead to a lack of challenge for some pupils, and

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Curriculum plans should show more clearly what pupils are to learn each year and how their learning and

contribute to pupils making insufficient progress in numeracy and writing during Key Stage 1. 26. The schemes of work do not plan for the teaching of mixed age classes, showing what is to be taught to each year group. They have too little guidance on strategies for teaching the content listed, and do not include information about how pupils’ work is to be assessed. 27. A whole-school system for assessing and recording the quality of pupils’ work has not been established. The school has introduced the use of a variety of tests, including baseline assessments when children enter the Reception year. The tests are useful in identifying particular learning needs, and the baseline assessments have given teachers clearer information about children’s attainment on entry to the school. However, the data have not been drawn together in a systematic way, for teachers’ reference and for monitoring pupils’ progress

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Curriculum plans should show more clearly what pupils are to learn each year and how their learning and

over time. Class teachers record the on-going assessments they carry out in their own ways, but these are insufficiently informative of the standard of pupils’ work, and are not linked to National Curriculum levels. Teachers’ assessments have not been collated into overview records. Hadlow School - 16 28. As a result of these weaknesses, the school is not in a position to track pupils’ progress from year to year, in order to check that they get on as well as they should. Teachers are also not in a position to use assessment information to review and adapt the planned curriculum, to ensure that all pupils are challenged by the work set.

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Planning for the school’s development should be comprehensive, and structured in a way which provides a

clear framework for further improvements. 29. The school has addressed most of the key issues from the previous report. It has introduced the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, and expanded the classes at Key Stage 1 successfully. However, these developments have not been co-ordinated and managed in a pro-active way, within a systematic approach to school improvement. Staff have worked hard on the various initiatives, but the lack of an overall framework for their efforts has limited the impact. 30. The school development plan has been compiled mainly from subject co-ordinators’ plans. These provide a useful list of what is to be done, though they are often written too generally and cover on-going work rather than areas for improvement. The development plan does not establish overall priorities, and few whole-school aspects are included. Also, it does not have an explicit focus on key issues such as raising standards and

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Planning for the school’s development should be comprehensive, and structured in a way which provides a

improving teaching, and is not formally linked to financial decision making and the school budget. Improving this was identified as an important issue by the last inspection. As a result, the development plan does not provide a comprehensive, well-thought-through framework for school improvement. 31. A further weakness is that the school has not developed a system for linking the monitoring and evaluations it carries out with its planning for improvement. The headteacher has monitored the effectiveness of teaching, and subject co-ordinators have recently started to carry out classroom observations, but the information gathered has not been used to identify priorities for school improvement. Governors, who know the school very well through their supportive visits, also have an insufficiently clear focus on monitoring standards and teaching. For instance, the school has identified the weaknesses in mathematics, writing and presentation at

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Planning for the school’s development should be comprehensive, and structured in a way which provides a

Key Stage 1, but this has not led to sufficient analysis of the causes of the relatively low achievement. The monitoring has not been linked to priorities in the school development plan, nor led to identifying strategies for remedying the problems, and effective action being taken.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

32 . In order to raise standards further, the governors and staff should: (1) improve the teaching of mathematics, writing, and the presentation of written work at Key Stage 1, particularly for the older pupils; (2) improve the whole-school curriculum planning so that it sets out more systematically what pupils of all levels of attainment are expected to learn and the progress they are expected to make from year to year. Linked to this, plan the ways in which pupils’ learning will be assessed and their progress monitored, and use the findings of this monitoring to ensure that the teaching meets the needs of all the pupils in each class; (3) revise the school development plan so that it provides a clear and comprehensive framework, which is prioritised and linked to the school budget; and monitor its implementation. Hadlow School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 222

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 43

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 84

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 8

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Hadlow School - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 17 18 35

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 16 12 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 12 11 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 80 (69) 66 (64) 74 (54) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 14 13 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 12 11 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 74 (69) 69 (58) 94 (90) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 20 13 33

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 15 15 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 12 9 11

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 82 (73) 73 (33) 73 (61) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 16 17 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 12 9 11

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 85 (79) 79 (39) 79 (67) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Hadlow School - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9.6 Financial year 1998-1999

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 371,699

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 9 Expenditure per pupil 1,675

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 171 Balance brought forward from previous year 28,835

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 32,963 Hadlow School - 20

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 51 43 6 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 64 36 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 43 34 17 4 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 51 41 8 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 34 6 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 60 38 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 43 49 6 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 62 34 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 57 39 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 47 45 4 2 2

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