Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School

BUCKINGHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 20 th to 22 nd March 2000

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BUCKINGHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Buckingham Road Hampton Middlesex

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body, Buckingham Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Councillor M Woodriff

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 16 th September 1996

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE 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. Buckingham Primary School - 3

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Team members

R E G Cross Registered inspector R Elam Lay inspector Mrs H Ring Team inspector Mrs J Worden Team inspector

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Team members

Phoenix Educational Consultants "Thule" 60 Joy Lane Whitstable Kent CT5 4LT

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London, WC2B 6SE Buckingham Primary School - 4

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5

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

• The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. • The National Numeracy Strategy has been well implemented. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • The school's curricular provision, including that made for the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is very good. • The pupils’ attitudes to their work, behaviour and personal relationships are very good. • The school's leadership and management are of very good quality.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 14

• School development planning. • Provision for pupils with English as an additional language • Attendance.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Buckingham Primary School educates boys and girls aged between three and eleven. The school has 50 children who attend on a part-time basis in its Nursery and a further 53 children aged under six in Reception classes. In total, there are 335 full-time equivalent pupils which is bigger than most other schools of the same type. Approximately 14 per cent of the pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds. Nine pupils are refugees, mainly from Kenya, and a further nine are travellers. The school has 39 more boys than girls on roll. Twenty-one pupils speak English as an additional language which is high compared with most schools. Around 24 per cent of the pupils are entitled to free school meals which is about the national average. The school has 107 pupils on its register of special educational needs which is above the national average. Nineteen pupils have statements of special educational need which is well above the national average. Eight of these pupils

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

are in the school's unit for pupils with moderate to severe learning difficulties. During the last school year, 20 pupils entered the school other than at the usual time of first admission and 28 left it at times which were not those of the normal leaving or transfer for most pupils. Although there are variations between year groups, children generally enter the school at below average levels of attainment particularly in language and literacy.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The leadership and management of this school are very good and, as a result, it is a good and effective school in which the quality of teaching is very good. The pupils receive high quality teaching and have very good attitudes to their work and, as a result, they make good progress and attain high standards compared with the levels of attainment that they have when they enter the school. In the end of Key Stage 2 national tests in 1999, standards were well above average in English and science and very high compared with similar schools. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. This promotes very good progress in the pupils' learning. • The National Numeracy Strategy has been well implemented and is raising standards in mathematics. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and helps these pupils to reach good standards for their abilities. • The school's very good curricular provision, including that made for the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, assists the pupils to reach their full potential. • The pupils’ attitudes to their work, behaviour and personal relationships are very good and greatly assist the progress which they make. • The very good quality of the school's leadership and management gives the school a clear educational direction which is focused on improving standards.

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What could be improved

• School development planning. For example, planning is not formalised sufficiently far ahead and does not, therefore, guide the school's strategic direction sufficiently. • Provision for pupils with English as an additional language. The school does not have specialist expertise in this area which slows down the progress which these pupils make. • Attendance. This is below the national average which adversely affects overall attainment. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Buckingham Primary School - 6

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in September 1996 and, since then, it has made a good improvement and has a similar capacity to continue to improve. Of the key issues for action identified by the last inspection, action taken to develop and implement schemes of work has been very good and has helped to raise standards. The school's provision for the pupils' spiritual development and their understanding of multi cultural viewpoints are now considered to promote good progress in these aspects of their learning. A good equal opportunities policy has been implemented and suitable actions to improve the attainment of boys in reading and writing have been taken, for example, through the texts chosen for use in literacy lessons. The involvement of parents in the workings of the school is now judged to be good and to promote the pupils' learning well. At the pre inspection meeting, parents commented on how much the school had improved recently particularly in the way

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

it was perceived by the community. Improvement in school development planning has been satisfactory. At the time of the last inspection, the school did not have a school development plan. It now has an adequate plan. Since the last inspection, standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of Key Stage 2 have risen steadily. In particular, the last inspection noted that too few pupils achieved above average levels. In the 1999 end of Key Stage 2 national tests, the proportion of pupils attaining higher levels was well above average in mathematics and science and above average in English. The quality of teaching has also improved since the last inspection. For example, at the time of that inspection, six per cent of the teaching was unsatisfactory. During this inspection, no unsatisfactory teaching was seen. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs has improved from 'satisfactory to good' at the time of the school's last

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

inspection to very good. However, attendance which was considered to be satisfactory during the school's last inspection is now unsatisfactory. The teaching of pupils for whom English is an additional language is no longer 'satisfactory to good' as it was judged to be by the school's last inspection but, overall, has some weaknesses.

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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

1997 1998 1999 1999 very high A * English B B A A* well above average above average A B

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Key

mathematics A C B A average below average C D science A C A A* well below average E

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Key

The information shows that in 1999, compared with similar schools, standards were well above average in mathematics and in the highest five per cent of similar school's in English and science. Compared with all schools, standards were well above average in English and science and above average in mathematics. Since 1996, the school's standards have Buckingham Primary School - 7 risen at a rate which is broadly in line with the national trend. The findings of the inspection are that the current Year 6 pupils are on course to attain nationally average standards in English, mathematics and science. This is different from the 1999 results as the current year group contains a very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs, a significant number of whom have high levels of special educational need. The targets which the school has set for the national tests at the end of Key Stage 2 for this year are 78

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Key

per cent at Level 4 and above in English and 75 per cent at Level 4 and above in mathematics. These are challenging targets for this particular year group. For 2001, targets of 84 per cent have been set in both subjects to challenge that year group of pupils. In English, standards in reading are a strength but writing and spelling are areas of relative weakness particularly at Key Stage 1. In mathematics, work in numeracy, particularly mental mathematics, is strong.

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Key

Most pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress and reach good standards for their previous attainment. Pupils with English as an additional language do not always make the maximum progress of which they are capable.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils’ attitudes to school are very positive. They are polite and industrious; they show commendable enthusiasm and are keen and interested in all aspects of their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour, including that of children aged under five, is very good both in the classroom and around the school. The school’s "golden rules" are clearly understood and adhered to well.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships are very good, and are a strength of the school. Adults are very good role models for the pupils. Pupils show appropriate respect for adults and each other. Pupils’ personal development is promoted well by the many opportunities to take responsibility within the classroom and around the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is unsatisfactory and below the national average.

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

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

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

The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school and, as a result, pupils make good progress in their learning. During the inspection, 48 per cent of the lessons observed were very good, 45 per cent were good and 7 per cent (two lessons) were satisfactory. The quality of the teaching of English, literacy, mathematics, numeracy, pupils with special Buckingham Primary School - 8 educational needs and higher attainers is very good. The needs of all pupils are very well met except for those with English as an additional language who do not always make the maximum progress of which they are capable when they do not receive additional help from a teacher or learning support assistant. Strengths of the teaching are the way in which teachers plan their lessons, the high expectations which they have of the standards which the pupils should attain and the way in which varied teaching strategies are applied

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

to meet the needs of different lessons and pupils. The teachers also manage the pupils' behaviour very well and work closely and effectively with the learning support assistants. The only significant weakness noted during this inspection was that, on rare occasions, lessons contained too many objectives for the pupils to learn.

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

The pupils find the lessons interesting and challenging. For example, in the mental mathematics part of a numeracy lesson, varied methods of encouraging them to recall multiplication facts caught their interest and changes of activity sustained their enthusiasm. They showed a real eagerness to play bingo which was related to this multiplication tables work and, as a result, consolidated and extended their knowledge well. Very little time is wasted in lessons as the pupils apply themselves well and this fact, allied to the teachers' good control, means that good use is made of time to promote progress in the pupils' learning.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The curriculum is broad, balanced and very well planned to advance the pupils’ learning from year to year. It meets all statutory requirements and provides pupils, including children in the Nursery, with a wide range of stimulating experiences both within the school environment and beyond. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been very effectively implemented. There are limitations to the range of extra-curricular activities provided.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The work designed especially for them enables pupils with special educational needs both in the school and within the unit to make good progress. The co-ordinator provides a very clear lead and the quality of the documentation is first rate. Identification and assessment procedures are well established and are effective. All staff who have responsibility for working with pupils with special educational needs are very committed and work hard to give them confidence. The quality of teaching in the unit is very good. The support given from specialist external agencies makes an important impact on the provision. Pupils in the unit benefit from very good one-to-one teaching and close attention to their specific individual needs.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Leaning support assistants provide effective help for pupils for whom English is an additional language when they work with them in small groups. However, they do not always receive this support when it is necessary and the school does not have a member of staff with expertise in this field. This is unsatisfactory. Buckingham Primary School - 9 Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is good, and for the promotion of their moral and social development, it is very good. The good role models that are given by adults and very clear codes of behaviour and values that show concern for the individual ensure that pupils develop a mature understanding of their moral and social responsibilities. Effective opportunities occur for pupils to

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Aspect Comment

reflect on the beliefs and opinions of others, to acknowledge the importance of prayer to those who have faith and to tolerate differences within society. Pupils are encouraged to recognise their own heritage, learn about the arts and appreciate a variety of cultural traditions.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The staff know the pupils well, and take great care of them in a safe and supportive environment. Child protection procedures, health and safety and welfare arrangements for pupils are good. The monitoring of academic performance and personal development is also good. Behaviour management is consistent and positive.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage-ment by the headteacher and other key staff The very good leadership and management that this school receives generates a strong team spirit and high quality relationships. As a result, the aims of the school are implemented very well and an ethos in which children can learn effectively and reach their potential has been created. There is an effective commitment to improvement. Standards are rigorously monitored and assessment information is used well to improve them.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities A number of the members of the governing body have served the school for many years. This has given them a thorough understanding of the school and of the area in which it is located. They have an appropriate sub committee structure which helps them to fulfil their role. The governors have monitored the implementation of the National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy, and have discussed issues such as the needs of higher attaining pupils. They have a understanding of the standards attained by the pupils and a good overview of the school which they use to support it well.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. For example, the headteacher is working with an external consultant to produce an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the school in order to continue to improve the quality of education offered to the pupils. In addition, the National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy have been carefully monitored by the school with the help of the Local Education Authority's literacy consultant. Buckingham Primary School - 10 The strategic use of resources The school's resources are well used to promote the pupils' learning. The school deliberately keeps is financial reserves low so that all of the available funding is spent on the education of its pupils. Good use is made of information technology, for example, to record and analyse the assessment of pupils with special educational needs. The principles of best value are applied well. The standards attained by the pupils are carefully

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Aspect Comment

compared with those attained by other schools. Three quotations are obtained when services are required and contractors who provide good value for money are shared between local schools. Parents are fully informed of important curricular changes.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The quality of the teaching. • The fact that the school is approachable. • The expectations which the school has of their children. • The way the school is led and managed. • The homework provided for their children. • The information they are given including that about how their children are getting on. • The closeness with which the school works with them. • The provision made for extracurricular activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The findings of the inspection support the positive views of the parents but consider that the amount of homework set is appropriate and that it is used effectively to support work done at school. There are good opportunities for parents to find out about their children’s progress from the formal meetings with teachers, the annual report and informal contacts. Good information is provided about other aspects of the school life from the termly newsletters, other written material and the curriculum meetings. The termly class letter and details on how to help with homework enable parents to work closely with the school in helping their children to do well. Nevertheless, the fact that communication with some parents remains an issue is acknowledged by the school which is keen to find appropriate strategies to make it more effective. There are few extra-curricular activities that do not require a financial contribution from parents or carers.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Throughout the school, the quality of teaching is consistently very good. The needs of most pupils, including those aged under five, those with special educational needs and those who are higher attainers are well met. During the inspection, 29 lessons were observed. Almost half of the lessons seen were of very good quality and most of the others were good. Two satisfactory lessons were observed. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen. English, including literacy, and mathematics, including numeracy, are taught very well. The teachers have high expectations of what the pupils will achieve and these are communicated to the pupils effectively. Teachers and learning support staff work well together and share the high quality lesson planning to good effect. The pupils' behaviour is also very well managed and varied teaching strategies are appropriately used to ensure that the needs of the pupils are well met. On rare occasions, lessons have too many

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

objectives and are not fully met. The needs of pupils for whom English is an additional language are not always fully met when they do not have additional help from a teacher or learning support assistant.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. The consistently high quality of the teaching promotes a very good quality of learning by the pupils. A lesson observed in the Nursery which involved a good range of activities for children aged under five illustrated the strengths of teaching and learning throughout the school. In this lesson, activities to support the development of language and literacy, physical development and creative development were well prepared. Imaginative role play in the "hairdressers" took place because of the use of innovative resources and purposeful intervention by the teacher and the nursery nurse. A key feature of the teaching was the questioning which gave the activities value. The children were helped to understand the rules for playing together, learn to share resources, take turns and co-operate. As a result, the children played and communicated together well during activities: "I won!" "Can you do

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

this? I'll show you." The teacher and the nursery nurse had high expectations of the children's capacity for independence and a concern for safety. Children were encouraged to use their own initiative to access toys. The activities enabled children to balance, climb, position equipment, manoeuvre toys/vehicles and gave good opportunities to develop hand and eye co-ordination. Boys were eager to demonstrate how they could hang upside down on a metal pole. The teacher seized the chance to explain about frogs, toads and tadpoles to a child who was interested in looking in the pond (the pond was covered with a metal frame). The children showed real enjoyment of the challenging activities. They worked hard and with considerable enthusiasm and made good progress.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The National Numeracy Strategy has been well implemented.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Under the leadership of the mathematics and numeracy co-ordinators, the school has made very good progress with the implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy. In- service training has taken place and several teachers have undertaken additional courses on numeracy. In addition, the co-ordinator from the Local Education Authority has supported the school well with practical ideas and workshops. A briefing was arranged by the school to keep parents informed and to explain the different approaches employed. Members of staff have used past experience, from introducing the National Literacy Strategy, well. Planning has been refined to reflect a common ‘house style’ that is efficient in the use of preparation time and more informative, in terms of different pupils’ needs. The Buckingham Primary School - 12 headteacher, deputy and the numeracy management team have effectively monitored the quality of numeracy teaching and have collated the results into a report so that relevant

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. As a result of all this work, the National Numeracy Strategy is very well taught which is having a positive effect on pupils’ learning and the progress that they make. The introductory part of a lesson, involving the whole class in oral and mental work, is very good and resources are effectively used to create interest and pace. In Year 2, for example, a 100 square grid was used to support counting forwards and backwards in fives. Later, it was used to describe where ‘Spud’ the spider was situated but without actually stating the number. Pupils were very eager to join in and used terms such as 'row', 'the fours column', 'even numbers' and ‘two more than’ to describe ever more closely where the spider was. After the spider had been found, they continued to provide further examples, such as tens and units, in their enthusiasm to demonstrate how well they have understood. During the middle part of the lesson, when working in a group or independently, pupils respond well

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

and apply themselves with good levels of concentration. Teachers explain lesson objectives clearly and challenge pupils effectively. In a Year 4 class, when sorting the products from varied multiplication tables into Venn diagrams pupils were questioned closely to pinpoint their understanding. “If you decided this number was in the nine and twelve times tables, where would you put it?” Day-to-day assessment is well used to refine planning and make plenary sessions at the end of lessons effectual. For example, during the inspection, the weekly planning in a Year 6 class had been altered. It took into account the good progress that pupils had made on the eight and nine times tables so that the focus was narrowed to the six and seven times, where weaknesses had been observed. During the plenary, the teacher's use of probing questioning, to check how well the pupils had understood negative numbers, was of a high order. The work was effectively linked to

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

geography and temperatures in different cities around the world. Pupils worked confidently and quickly – ordering temperatures, and adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers with accuracy.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and pupils make good progress. There are well-defined identification and assessment procedures that are competently implemented and conscientiously managed by the co-ordinator. Documentation is of a high standard. Individual education plans are detailed and well- targeted towards pupils’ specific needs and they provide carefully focused activities that are designed to help pupils make good progress. Pupils are taught within classrooms and also withdrawn for short periods of time if this is considered beneficial. Teaching assistants make an important contribution to the success of the programmes. They are experienced and committed and keen to benefit from further training although this has not always been possible. They regularly support the teaching of literacy and also work closely with pupils who have individual requirements as laid down in their statement provision. Good

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

additional language support is given for pupils who can improve their performance by the application of phonic skills. The special educational needs room, ‘the lighthouse’, is attractive and well resourced. Pupils enjoy going there when they require specialised input and benefit from not being distracted. Very clear guidance and specialised support from external agencies enhance the provision.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. Pupils in the observation and assessment unit receive excellent specialised support and make good progress, according to their attainment, in developing social and linguistic skills. The curriculum is carefully planned and tailored to meet the needs of individuals and to take account of the requirements of their statements. Very good one-to-one teaching Buckingham Primary School - 13 occurs and, within group sessions, pupils’ differences are well recognised so that specific approaches can be applied. When reading a book together about a bear hunt, pupils were kept involved by being asked to point to a picture of a dog or a baby, for instance, and join in with the repetitive phrases. Staff are very committed and demonstrate endless patience when reinforcing positive behaviour and encouraging pupils to persevere when they encounter difficulties. They are sensitive to pupils’ reactions and quickly understand when

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

individuals are becoming frustrated. Teachers from the support services and the staff of the school work closely together as a team. Pupils feel secure as a result of the consistent approaches that are adopted by the adults around them. Every effort made by the pupils is praised and staff say ‘Good sitting’, for example, when pupils remain in their seats and listen for short periods of time. All pupils benefit from the well-prepared resources and imaginative methods used. One boy was very enthusiastic to read his name when he saw a photograph of himself next to the word. Pupils tried hard to follow instructions when they identified farm animals and then learned positional language such as ‘beside’, ‘under’ and ‘on’. One boy listened particularly well and was able to identify objects and place a doll on a toy bed when it was his turn. A good programme of integration occurs and those who are

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

capable respond well when they participate in activities within classes in the mainstream part of the school. Pupils from the unit are welcome to participate in events in the school as was seen when they visited an assembly, listened to a story and watched pupils acting it out with puppets. The theme of the act of worship focused on the celebration of differences and how everyone can make a contribution. The outside area has been recently landscaped and is very attractive. Although there are two rooms within the unit these are small and some pupils feel restricted by the available space.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The school's curricular provision is very good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. The school provides very good curricular opportunities, which are broad, balanced and relevant. The last inspection highlighted the development and implementation of schemes of work as a key issue for action. This has been successfully achieved and good quality schemes of work for all National Curriculum subjects, personal, social and health education and religious education are now in place. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been very effectively implemented. 8. The curriculum is very well planned to achieve breadth and a smooth progression in pupils’ learning, year by year. A consistent ‘house style’ for medium and short-term planning underpins lessons. This has evolved over time as the result of trying out various published planning formats and formulating an approach that works for Buckingham School. The time used has been well spent – it has developed expertise and improved

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

efficiency. For example, the school has been able to refine speedily the new documentation for numeracy lessons which has eased the time spent on planning. The consistent approach assists subject co-ordinators when they monitor curricular plans. Another strength is the assessment and oversight by the deputy headteacher of teachers’ evaluations of what has been taught. Any weaknesses identified are addressed and strengths are promoted further. 9. Children in the Nursery have a very good curriculum and the outdoor play provision is first rate, providing very good opportunities for personal development and social interaction. There is a wide range of stimulating experiences, which includes large equipment for children to explore imaginatively by balancing, swinging and climbing. The toys are purposeful, with a house area and covered wagon for role-play, wheeled toys to develop control and co-ordination and a covered, safe pond to observe and to reflect upon nature.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Members of staff intervene very well and work alongside children to enhance their play and physical development. Buckingham Primary School - 14 10. Personal, social and health education is very good, and two years ago, the school won an award as a ‘Health Promoting School’. The scheme of work reflects a wide variety of issues; for example, there is an emphasis on citizenship and the resolution of problems. Aspects of the scheme link with the science curriculum and, in Year 6, issues have also been developed through drama. 11. The curriculum is enhanced by a wide range of stimulating experiences both within the school environment and beyond. There are visitors, such as the fire officer and theatre groups, history workshops, an arts week, local trips to the church, to Richmond museum and to the Millennium dome and, for pupils in Years 5 and 6, a residential visit to France. There are also opportunities to engage in after-school activities such as netball, football

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

and gymnastics (some of which pupils have to pay for) however, the range of extra- curricular activities are limited, especially clubs for pupils with interests other than sport.

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The school's provision for the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

12. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall. Pupils’ spiritual development is enhanced by good quality acts of worship, which cover planned themes. On these occasions, pupils develop an awareness of the importance of prayer to those who have a religious faith and are able to reflect on their own feelings and responses. Teachers have received training on this element since the last inspection and opportunities for promoting pupils’ spiritual development have been carefully monitored across the curriculum. The ethos of the school where individuals are seen as important has a significant impact on the development of pupils’ moral and social values and the promotion of these elements is very good. Pupils are encouraged to debate issues such as the justification for corporal punishment in school and the harmful or positive effects of television for children. Even the youngest pupils clearly know right from wrong

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The school's provision for the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

and are involved in devising rules that help them to live together harmoniously. Very good opportunities in classrooms allow pupils to use their initiative and they realise that their personal helpfulness and also their academic efforts are noticed and rewarded regularly in whole-school assemblies. Chances arise for pupils to raise issues that are of concern to them and their opinions are respected. The school works hard to counsel pupils who encounter personal problems and to resolve conflicts and this care teaches pupils how to relate to others. A series of assemblies on the theme of ‘children’ enabled pupils to consider those less fortunate than themselves and fund-raising has occurred, for example, for Romanian orphans and for a hospice. The school recognises the talents and differences of pupils from a variety of backgrounds. Good opportunities arise for them to share aspects and traditions of their lives with others. This approach is helping pupils to

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The school's provision for the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

become tolerant and careful planning and sensitivity enable the cultural mix of the school to be beneficial for pupils’ personal development. Displays around the school celebrate the richness and diversity of a multicultural society.

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The pupils’ attitudes to their work, behaviour and personal relationships are very

13. Pupils' attitudes, behaviour, personal development and relationships with each other and adults are strengths of the school and make a very good contribution towards promoting their attainment and progress. Throughout the school pupils' attitudes towards learning are good. This includes those of pupils with special educational needs. They concentrate well and show interest in what they are doing as was seen particularly in a Year 5 literacy lesson developing their note-taking skills. They have the confidence to contribute their ideas in front of their classmates as seen during a science lesson on friction in Year 6. Pupils in all year groups settle down to work quickly in lessons and are eager to Buckingham Primary School - 15 answer the teachers’ questions. The children in the Nursery show maturity beyond their ages. They work together well and are learning independence, for example, without being

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The pupils’ attitudes to their work, behaviour and personal relationships are very

asked they help their classmates put on aprons.

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The pupils’ attitudes to their work, behaviour and personal relationships are very

14. Pupils behave very well in the classroom, at play and lunch times. They are well mannered, polite to adults and to each other, courteous and welcoming to visitors. They move around the school in an orderly way even when not supervised. The golden rules and class rules are well understood and are followed. The pupils show respect for property, for example, when collecting and putting away equipment during lessons. No bullying occurred during the inspection and the school has appropriate procedures to deal with any aggressive behaviour that may take place. There were three fixed term exclusions in the last school year of pupils showing extremely poor behaviour. Pupils from different ethnic backgrounds work and play together very well.

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The pupils’ attitudes to their work, behaviour and personal relationships are very

15. Relationships between pupils and with adults are also very good and contribute to the quality of work in lessons. Pupils get on well with each other when playing games at break and lunch times. In the classroom, the youngest respect each other’s space when sitting close together on the carpet. Good relationships were very apparent in, for example, mental mathematics sessions during the numeracy lessons as pupils put up their hands to answer questions. Children in the Nursery play co-operatively and share toys. The pupils' personal development is very good. Pupils take on responsibility for numerous tasks in and out of the classrooms, for example, when the older pupils help to supervise the younger ones at lunchtimes. The pupils also benefit from collecting for charities during the year and meeting pupils from other schools in sports matches.

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The pupils’ attitudes to their work, behaviour and personal relationships are very

The school's leadership and management are of very good quality.

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The pupils’ attitudes to their work, behaviour and personal relationships are very

16. The strong team spirit and the high quality of relationships that result from the very good leadership and management of the school means that its aims are very well implemented. An ethos in which every child feels valued and secure in an interesting and stimulating environment has been created. This leads to effective learning with a firm grounding of skills and knowledge in all subjects and to pupils being helped to be independent but caring of the views of others. This judgement is similar to that made by the school's last OFSTED inspection which found that "The headteacher provides strong and supportive leadership which is reflected in the work and ethos of the school".

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The pupils’ attitudes to their work, behaviour and personal relationships are very

17. All staff have clear and appropriate job descriptions and effective delegation aids the smooth running of the school well. All staff know what is required of them and perform their tasks very well. The senior management team plays a good role in ensuring that the school has a clear educational direction which is understood by everyone. In addition, is seen, appropriately, by the headteacher as a vehicle for developing staff who wish to gain further promotion. The quality of the management of this school is also shown by the way in which the rapid expansion of the school over the past few years, in terms of both building development and the number of pupils on roll, has been handled. Expansion has been smooth and to the benefit of the pupils. These management skills were also applied to the way the school responded to the inspection process. The inspection was not allowed to disrupt the work of the school but was seen as an opportunity for professional dialogue

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The pupils’ attitudes to their work, behaviour and personal relationships are very

which would help the school to continue to develop.

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The pupils’ attitudes to their work, behaviour and personal relationships are very

18. The school has an effective commitment to improvement as is shown by the good improvement that has taken place since its last inspection. Since September 1996, schemes of work have been very well implemented, provision for the pupils' spiritual development and their understanding of multi cultural viewpoints now promote good Buckingham Primary School - 16 progress in these areas and a good equal opportunities policy has been implemented and applied. The involvement of parents now promotes the pupils' learning well and improvement in school development planning has been satisfactory. Since the last inspection, the quality of teaching has also improved and it is now very good. This has led to a steady improvement in standards particularly in the number of pupils attaining above average levels. At the pre inspection parents' meeting, parents were, justifiably, fulsome in their praise of the way the school has improved recently, especially in terms of the way it is

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The pupils’ attitudes to their work, behaviour and personal relationships are very

19. The school is well placed to continue to improve as it evaluates its performance thoroughly, is well aware of its strengths and weaknesses and takes effective action to improve areas of weakness. The quality of teaching and the standards attained by the pupils, particularly in numeracy and literacy, are rigorously monitored by the school and Local Education Authority advisors. The headteacher is carrying out a self evaluation of the school in conjunction with an external consultant. This is due to be completed by September and is intended to form the basis of plans for further improvement. The governors have a good overview of the school which enables them to play an effective part in helping it to continue to develop. The school's resources and assessment information are well used to promote the pupils' progress. Under the leadership of the headteacher, all concerned with this school work together well and all aspects of it function to benefit the

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The pupils’ attitudes to their work, behaviour and personal relationships are very

pupils' development and the standards which they attain.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

20. School development planning covers a period of one year although all co-ordinators have plans for the continual improvement of their areas of responsibility which cover a longer period. Priorities are decided every year when members of staff evaluate the work in their subject and plan for the year ahead. Priorities are set by the headteacher in consultation with the team leaders and then costed for governors to consider. This short- term development planning is, in part at least, due to the fact that implementing and monitoring the National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy in the past two years have been important focuses in raising standards. 21. The current plan includes priorities for the curriculum, organisation, staffing, resources and buildings. Important areas such as the work of the governors and relationships with parents and the community are not clearly addressed. The plan identifies priorities for

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

improvement, tasks to be carried out, target dates for completion and it is appropriately evaluated each year. It does not show suitable criteria for judging success, costs, those responsible or a clear order of priority for development. The link between the subject co- ordinators' plans and the school development plan is not clear and not all major targets for improvement have clear action plans. The plan's format does not make it easy to gain an overview of the developments planned or progress towards implementing them. The action plan produced by the school following its previous OFSTED inspection met most of the criteria required in a good development plan although the criteria used to judge the success of developments were not rigorous enough. 22. The findings of the school's previous OFSTED inspection were that "there is no central, prioritised and costed school development plan". Current development planning is, clearly,

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

an improvement on that finding but the plan is still only adequate. The plan does not cover a long enough period and is not securely linked to financial planning which is most important as the school's financial reserves were half of one per cent of its income in the Buckingham Primary School - 17 last financial year. Financial reserves are forecast to rise to 3.6 per cent of income this year. The lack of suitable criteria for judging how successfully priorities have been implemented makes it difficult to decide how effectively money has been spent. The range of people involved in making contributions to the priorities in the plan is not wide enough.

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Provision for pupils with English as an additional language

23. At the time of the inspection, the school had 21 pupils for whom English is an additional language on roll which is a higher proportion than in most schools. Altogether, the pupils spoke 16 different languages between them as their first languages. The headteacher reports that the number of children for whom English is an additional language entering the school is increasing. In December last year, the regular specialist support for these children that the school had received for many years ended. No members of the school's permanent staff have specialist qualifications in the teaching of English as an additional language which means that there are training needs for both teachers and support staff in this aspect of curricular provision.

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Provision for pupils with English as an additional language

24. Effective assistance for pupils for whom English is an additional language is provided when learning support assistants work with them in small groups. This occurs most commonly at Key Stage 1 and in National Literacy Strategy work. During the inspection, it was observed to work well in group work a Year 1 literacy lesson. However, pupils with English as an additional language do not always receive support when it would be helpful to them and this slows down their rate of progress. The school does not have a management post dedicated to planning and monitoring the work and progress of these pupils although it does have a clear policy of equality of opportunity for all. However, a structure similar to that provided for pupils with special educational needs does not exist to help to ensure that the needs of pupils for whom English is an additional language are carefully assessed and that their work is always well matched to their needs. Additionally,

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Provision for pupils with English as an additional language

the range and quantity of resources available to support their learning are not sufficient. The school is aware of the need to improve the provision it makes for pupils for whom English is an additional language and plans to include this as priority in its school development plan.

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Provision for pupils with English as an additional language

25. Attendance is below the national average and limits the attainment and progress of some pupils. In part, this is due to the usual childhood illnesses and a few pupils who are absent for very long periods. In addition, a significant number of parents take their children away on holiday during term time. Buckingham Primary School - 18

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

26. Improve the quality of school development planning by: • planning for a longer period than the one year currently covered; • ensuring that the plan is carefully linked to financial planning and that spending is monitored carefully to avoid any possible overspending; • carefully prioritising developments; • improving the evaluation of the success of developments and using evaluation procedures to help in making judgements about the cost effectiveness of spending; • being sure that major developments have specific action plans; • ensuring that all significant aspects of the school are covered; • improving the presentation of the plan so that it is easier to follow; • involving everyone concerned with the school in the identification of priorities for improvement and sharing with them how well these priorities are achieved. 27. Improve provision for pupils with English as an additional language by: • providing training for teachers and support staff in the specialised needs of these

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

pupils; • establishing a clear management structure to oversee and monitor the work and progress of these pupils; • ensuring that their needs are carefully assessed and that their work is always well matched to their needs; • improving the range and quantity of resources available to support their learning.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

28. Improve attendance by setting targets for improvement and continuing to remind

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parents and carers of the effect on their children’s progress of their taking them

out of school for family holidays. Buckingham Primary School - 19

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 29 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 22

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactor y Unsatisfact ory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

0 48 45 7 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Year 6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 25 310 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 75 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Year 6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 19 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 6 107

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 21

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 28 Buckingham Primary School - 20

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 6.7 School data 0.1 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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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 23 25 48

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Boys 17 14 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 13 23 23

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 83 (72) 77 (70) 88 (79) at NC level 2 or above National 82 [80] 83 [81] 87 [84]

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 18 18 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 23 23 23

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 85 (77) 85 (87) 85 (89) at NC level 2 or above National 82 [81] 86 [85] 87[86] Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Buckingham Primary School - 21

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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 18 21 39

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Boys 17 16 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 19 16 21

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 92 (73) 87 (69) 100 (73) at NC level 4 or above National 70 [ 65] 69 [59] 78 [69]

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 15 17 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 16 20 21

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 79 (73) 95 (73) 100 (73) at NC level 4 or above National 68 [65] 69 [65] 75 [72] Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Buckingham Primary School - 22

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

No of pupils Fixed period Perman ent Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 4 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 4 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 8 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 7 Bangladeshi 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Chinese 4 Chinese 0 0 White 230 White 3 0 Any other minority ethnic group 11 Other minority ethnic groups 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. Buckingham Primary School - 23

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Year 6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 14 Financial year 1998/99

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Year 6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 28.2

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Year 6

Average class size 24.4 £ Total income 641261 Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 645425 Total number of education support staff 7 Expenditure per pupil 1829

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Year 6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 108 Balance brought forward from previous year Balance carried forward to next year

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staff: unit

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25 Number of pupils per qualified teacher

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staff: unit

Total number of education support staff 1 Total number of education support staff Total aggregate hours worked per week 32 Total aggregate hours worked per week

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staff: unit

FTE means full-time equivalent. Buckingham Primary School - 24

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongl y agree Tend to agree Tend to disagre e Strongl y disagre e Don’t know

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 40 49 8 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 34 54 7 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 20 56 20 3 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 27 49 21 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 55 40 5 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. 41 53 3 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 25 54 16 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 36 51 4 0 9

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 37 51 7 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 20 24 25 4 27

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Other issues raised by parents

Thirteen parents made additional comments on their questionnaires. Only three issues were raised by more than two parents. Eight parents expressed their appreciation of the school and its work, six felt that they often received information about the school's activities too late and three felt that the provision of extracurricular activities was not sufficient.

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